ARHS 3.7 (Full Version)

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Zaratoughda -> ARHS 3.7 (3/17/2010 11:05:55 PM)

Just uploaded a new version of ARHS to the community web site, with the only change being the SetAIConservative value now at 35 instead of the 50 it was at.

At 50, it seemed that the AI would still tend to just sit there at times when it had forces that could attack. So, I tried things with this value set to 1, the minimum, and then the AI seemed to make foolhardy attacks. Then tried it at 10, and at 20 and less foolhardy attacks. Finally tried it at 35 and then 30 and decided on 35 though 30 probably would have been OK.

Right now, I would just as soon let this mod sit for a while, and wait until I see what Vic comes out with next. The random game generator seems to generate excellant games but I can always beat the AI with better use of HQ bonus and concentrate attacks.

Yeah, Vic sez he is coding like crazy so I am hoping a considerable amount of that is the AI.

Zaratoughda



rich12545 -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (3/17/2010 11:52:53 PM)

The big question is - is he coding like crazy for AT or for some other game.  My understanding was the latter.

Thanks very much for your effort on the random generator.



Jeffrey H. -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (3/18/2010 1:56:01 AM)

Yep, big thanks from me as well. I've had a lot more fun with your mod than with the standard random game. Plus, it fills my head with ideas for how to make things even more interesting.



springer -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (3/19/2010 7:23:40 PM)

Zaratoughda,

I've been playing around with your ARHS (Just the WWII piece). It's a great mod. As Jeffrey H. points out, it really adds a lot of flavor to the game.

I don't find the fact that I can beat the AI too damning. The variants still bring a novel feel to AT.

If Vic is coding, the AI could always be improved.

More so, I hope he's working on more efficient code for the AI. IMHO, the greatest weakness of the system is AI processing (is it written in Visual Basic like the rest? That would explain it.) If the code was efficient, the monster games would be a lot more fun to play (and it would open up new vistas for AI friendly games). I think the slow processing of the AI is one of the things that turn off new players.

I don't even bother to play the larger scenarios because I have no desire to wait 5-15 minutes between turns. But I'm wandering off topic.

Again, Zaratoughda, I think your mod is outstanding. Thanks for the hard work on it. As Jeffrey H. pointed out: it also works as an inspiration for thinking of other ways to tweak the AT system.



altipueri -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (3/19/2010 10:43:19 PM)

Yes thanks Zaratoughda.

You and Grymme stopped me in time from ditching this game because of bad first impressions when I got it a few months ago.

I just had a quick game on about ARHS 3.5 playing the Romans before I saw this thread, so it's a good time to say thank you again.



Zaratoughda -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (3/22/2010 1:59:04 AM)

Just want to say THANK YOU! ... for all the encouraging words!

As far as what Vic is working on... he can answer to that better but the guess from here re previous posts is that he is woking on a game using the AT engine that is more historical... more for grognards.

Comparing AT to a more historical game, TOAW (which otherwise has its problems), the big difference to start with is there are a LOT more casualties in AT compared to TOAW. In TOAW defending units will typically retreat forever rather than get wiped out. But, I would think you could mod AT as it is now to get the same thing.

Then there is also the possibility of an equipment file, like the SFTypes in AT now except it would be the historical SFTypes, but last I heard that was not in the plans. Also something that was discussed, TOE, Table of Organization and Equipment. A blueprint used for building units. Not sure it this is in the plans or not.

He mentioned that he had completely redone the AI so, possibly getting that all to work as desired is what he is spending his time coding on.

In any case, my guess from what he has posted is he is gonna work on this game and then use the improved AI, etc, as a basis for an AT2 or something along those lines.

Zaratoughda



Zaratoughda -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (3/24/2010 8:56:51 PM)

Just want to say here that I just put out an ARHS version 3.8 that JUST has AI RuleVar changes to the ARHS_500AD PTMaster file. The changes there were only applicable to that ptmaster file situation so they weren't applied to any of the others.

Zaratoughda






Josh -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (3/24/2010 9:56:52 PM)

" The random game generator seems to generate excellant games but I can always beat the AI with better use of HQ bonus and concentrate attacks. "

Oh absolutely, I've been playing your mod now for a week or so, and I don't know what you have changed, but it sure does make random games (even) better. [&o]
It proves to be a real challenge, and you do have to use your HQ bonusses and concentrate attacks to get some results.
So yeah, thumbs up!




rome87 -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (3/25/2010 12:55:13 AM)

Has anyone got the link for arhs 3.7 i cant find it anyone on the community site for some reason ?



Zaratoughda -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (3/25/2010 2:23:42 AM)

It is in the 'sandbox' part of the scenario downloads.

Haven't even applied to make it an approved 'scenario' as I have made updates over time and more that can be done for sure but might wait until Vic puts out whatever new game he is working on.

Zaratoughda



freeboy -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (3/31/2010 12:18:50 AM)

no news from vVic for awhile, tell him he is missed!



CSO_Talorgan -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (4/4/2010 11:19:02 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Zaratoughda
I would think you could mod AT as it is now to get the same thing.


What about that small percentage figure in the bottom right of the main screen. Does that not determine the point at which forces break off and retreat?



Zaratoughda -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (4/12/2010 11:28:37 PM)

FYI, just put a version 3.9 of ARHS out there, again with JUST enhancements to the ARHS_500AD ptmaster. Fixed some problems with road building and workers and I believe some other fixes but the main thing is the addition of the 'Desert' option. When this option is chosen all plain hexes are converted to desert hexes, and desert hexes are similar to low mountain and heavy forest as far as things like movement and supply. So, this option will present a greater challange logistically.

Zaratoughda



Zaratoughda -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (4/28/2010 8:57:43 PM)

FYI, just put out version 4.0 of ARHS.zip onto the community web site.

The main change here, is I decided to change the SetAIConservative values, to 100 instead of the 50 or lower that I had been using.

The problem with the lower values is it means that the AI sometimes made 'stupid' attacks. In testing I would typically come to a city with considerable force inside that would be difficult to take but then the AI would attack out of the city and impale itself on my troops swords. With the AI at 100, the AI plays much smarter in this regard.

The only other change in this release is in ARHS_500AD, where I changed Rulevar 75 to a value of .05 from the 3 it was at previously. The problem here was leaders and staff gaining experience too fast, typically getting up to 100 after just a couple of battles. With that, the random scenarios after the initial fighting were much less of a challange. Much better now.

Possibly ARHS_WW2 could use the same change I dunno. Maybe I can get some time to test it.

Zaratoughda



CSO_Talorgan -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (5/1/2010 10:35:09 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Zaratoughda

the main thing is the addition of the 'Desert' option. When this option is chosen all plain hexes are converted to desert hexes, and desert hexes are similar to low mountain and heavy forest as far as things like movement and supply.


Is there a tutorial somewhere on the creation of new terrain types?



Zaratoughda -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (5/1/2010 3:27:19 PM)

I didn't create the desert terrain. It was already there both in the default terrain as well as the Roman Empire terrain. All's I did was to create an option where, if selected, all the plain terrain is replaced by desert terrain and I use some other graphics in certain cases for other terrain.

So, can't help you as far as creating the terrain graphics themselves.

Zaratoughda



Jeffrey H. -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (5/3/2010 9:02:21 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: CSO_Talorgan


quote:

ORIGINAL: Zaratoughda

the main thing is the addition of the 'Desert' option. When this option is chosen all plain hexes are converted to desert hexes, and desert hexes are similar to low mountain and heavy forest as far as things like movement and supply.


Is there a tutorial somewhere on the creation of new terrain types?


I don't recall seeing one and I'm too lazy to go around looking for it. I've created some special terrain based on the default ones that are already in the graphics folders. I just open the defualt ones in an editor, save-as some new name and away you go with the editor.




CSO_Talorgan -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (5/7/2010 10:11:30 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeffrey H.

I just open the defualt ones in an editor, save-as some new name and away you go with the editor


OK, I'll look into that. Presumably the same principle would allow the scale of the game to be altered i.e. the distance represented by one hex?



Jeffrey H. -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (5/8/2010 6:20:40 AM)

That's not a graphics issue my friend. The editing of that sort takes place in the unit data, I don't have any direct experience with that but many of the posters in this forum do. A hex is a hex. The scale of it relates to the unit data.



Zaratoughda -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (5/10/2010 7:36:30 PM)

FYI just uploaded ARHS version 4.1 to the community web site.

I had been futzing with the AI for some time now, had it at 35 but finally put it at 100 thinking the AI played best with it at that level. However, the only problem there is that the AI became too predictable. So, what I decided was to give the AI a random value between 30 and 120. With this, the AI is generally more aggressive than normal AI (but, can be more conservative as well) but in any case should be a lot less predictable than before.

Applied this to ARHS_500AD nad ARHS_WW2 and uploaded to the community web site.

Zaratoughda

P.S. Note that 'Alternate AI' (as I now call it) must be selected when using these PTMASTER files to get the above function. This is stated in the README files included.



CSO_Talorgan -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (5/11/2010 5:44:57 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeffrey H.

The editing of that sort takes place in the unit data .... A hex is a hex. The scale of it relates to the unit data.


Righto!

That's another tutorial I'll have to look out for, but in the meantime, mapping may proceed.



Jeffrey H. -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (5/12/2010 12:54:13 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: CSO_Talorgan


quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeffrey H.

The editing of that sort takes place in the unit data .... A hex is a hex. The scale of it relates to the unit data.


Righto!

That's another tutorial I'll have to look out for, but in the meantime, mapping may proceed.


Sorry man, didn't mean to be glib. From what I have leanered, the map creation process essentially sets you to a hex scale dimensionally speaking. Then your 'real life' unit stats can fold into the unit creation database so that, say 100 AP expended as movement will move a foot soldier an equivalent distance per turn. Oh yeah, forgot about the turn length. Those matter too. Did I mention I haven't done this before ? Rookie Alert !

Say if you had a time scale of 1 day per turn, then a man walking can go say 3 miles/hour, he walks for 10 hours per day, (long march with full gear) over clear terrain, he can cover say 30 miles. If your hex scale is 10 miles, a walking foot soldier could cover say 3 hexes using all his AP for movement.

Seems like a logical way to go about it.








CSO_Talorgan -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (5/15/2010 9:43:50 PM)

I was thinking of a very low scale, like 1 km hexes. The problem with this is that if a turn is less than 24 hours then the difference between day and night come into play. I am not aware of the game being able to handle this. Maybe I aim "too low".



Jeffrey H. -> RE: ARHS 3.7 (5/16/2010 3:50:46 PM)

Well, you might be able to use the weather rules as a means of simulating day and night. Or just trim your movement rates down to a 8 or 10 hour day.



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