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AI War / Re: Regarding Astro Train Stations
« on: February 06, 2010, 03:39:19 AM »
Another way is to have 1500 ships firing at it at once. Takes no more than about 30 seconds that way.
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63
After Action Reports / Re: 5 hours a Stranger -- January GOTM
« on: January 28, 2010, 11:56:36 PM »
Fun read.
64
AI War / Re: AI Fleet Tactics Suggestion
« on: January 26, 2010, 04:20:18 PM »But it seems, from what I've read and from the few games I've played and completed so far (just 2) that the grand strategy the AI uses is the "Oh there's the target! Time to attack? Full speed ahead! Charge!" technique.
I like AI War because it has collective behaviours that emerge from a mix of tendencies, or properties, or behaviours, of individual ships (again, if I understand correctly).
By using a "grouping the ships" grand strategy as well and having the AI develop emerging behavior derived from that root process, a lot more variety and difficulty can be achieved I think.
So you now have 3 general strategies that the AI can fuzzily choose from: grouping, all ships rush the objective, and a combination of the 2.To provide even more variety, the above strategies can be chosen each time an action happens on a planet; e.g., you invade planet Mimpo, the AI decides to use grouping strategy, and you're overwhelemed, forcing a retreat. "OK", you tell yourself, "I'll bring lots of AOE units next time."
So you reinvade with lots of AOE units. But this time, the AI uses the beeline tactic, attacking from all directions fast and hard, killing your AOE guys and forcing another retreat. "What do I do now?", you say. "The AI is too good. I don't know what to do."
A simplistic example, but I hope you see my point. More varied response = more fun and challenge.
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AI War / Re: AI Fleet Tactics Suggestion
« on: January 26, 2010, 03:22:21 PM »Why shouldn't meatsack behavior determine AI tactics? After all, a human created the game (and a very intelligent and creative one at that).
Agreed, attempting to replicate meatsack behaviour should not be the driving force behind any mechanic; however, there is no other way to make the AI exploit the elements of the game that meatsacks do as a matter of course.
Remember the Terminator 4 movie where Skynet nearly beat the human resistance by sending the false signal the supposedly disabled the machines? The leaders of the human resistance tried to exploit that supposed "weakness" but, Skynet was able to pinpoint the leaders' location instead and eliminate them. Skynet engaged in a very human behavior: subterfuge; in other words, lying.
It seems, from plenty of reading the forums, that the hardcore players have the AI figured out to a large degree. And from what I've read, it seems like the main strategy the AI uses from which the tactics spring for attacking objectives is the Joseph Stalin tactic: CHARGE! and casualties be doggoned!!
Another strategy could be based on the group assault methed that KP mentioned. You could have the rallying ship move at 25% speed while the support ships catch up, and then have the combined fleet do the group move thing, or you could have the rallying ship actually retreat momentarily to the group(s) that will support it and then do group move to the objective, and other tactics that spring from the grouping strategy.
Or the 2 strategies can be combined (some ships rally while others beeline themselves as discussed previously).
So you now have 3 general strategies that the AI can fuzzily choose from: grouping, all ships rush the objective, and a combination of the 2. I think these will create more challenge for people (but please implement these things at levels 8+. I just started a level 5 game [jumping from level 2] and the difficulty has jumped way up for me).
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AI War / Re: AI Fleet Tactics Suggestion
« on: January 23, 2010, 09:28:59 PM »
One way I've thought of to fight this strategy is to hit the fleet while it's grouping up. While the AI ships are rallying to the starship or other rally ship(s), they aren't doing whatever mission they were sent to do.
A combined approach might be best; i.e., send some "kamakazi" ships as usual to rush the assigned target (like they do now) while other ships rally. Maybe give a simple 70%/30% chance of either behavior per ship or something. That way, we meatsacks will have to work much harder to counter the AI fleet.
I agree with you on maybe doing this strategy on level 6+.
A combined approach might be best; i.e., send some "kamakazi" ships as usual to rush the assigned target (like they do now) while other ships rally. Maybe give a simple 70%/30% chance of either behavior per ship or something. That way, we meatsacks will have to work much harder to counter the AI fleet.
I agree with you on maybe doing this strategy on level 6+.
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AI War Strategy Discussion / Re: Zenith reserves (or, omfg these are awesome)
« on: January 23, 2010, 12:24:25 PM »
Unless you parasite them away from the AI!
68
After Action Reports / Re: The Rogue Commander begins....
« on: January 22, 2010, 10:05:29 PM »I'm starting to wonder if anyone is still interested/reading these, but here goes...
I think these AAR's are very entertaining. I thoroughly enjoy reading them. When I start playing level 6+, I'll post myself. Right now I'm about to play a level 4 game.
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AI War / Re: AI ships magically materialize at warp gate
« on: January 22, 2010, 09:48:04 PM »
The game I was referring to was AI level 2 which I just won btw. Yay!
Thanks for the quick responses. I also found, through searching the forums, that the AI can buff through command stations and warp gates. That info should be added to the wiki (the warp gate part [unless I missed it]).
I'll have to adjust my strategy and consider killing warp gates and stations if I want no non-wave attacks on a planet. Wow. My AIP will be higher next game. I'm gonna jump to level 4 for that one.
Thanks for the quick responses. I also found, through searching the forums, that the AI can buff through command stations and warp gates. That info should be added to the wiki (the warp gate part [unless I missed it]).
I'll have to adjust my strategy and consider killing warp gates and stations if I want no non-wave attacks on a planet. Wow. My AIP will be higher next game. I'm gonna jump to level 4 for that one.
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AI War / Re: AI ships magically materialize at warp gate
« on: January 22, 2010, 07:53:56 PM »
So these gates reinforce the AI even if it has no command station there? Wow, that sucks.
I've left every warp gate up after I take over a planet because I was counting on the wave warning to tell me when to set up defenses on the threatened planet(s). Doing this has kept AI progress low. Hopefully these special "cheese" gates exist only on and/or near homeworlds and not all over the galaxy.
I've left every warp gate up after I take over a planet because I was counting on the wave warning to tell me when to set up defenses on the threatened planet(s). Doing this has kept AI progress low. Hopefully these special "cheese" gates exist only on and/or near homeworlds and not all over the galaxy.
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AI War / AI ships magically materialize at warp gate
« on: January 22, 2010, 07:40:13 PM »
Here's the situation: I'm 1 hop from the last homeworld of the AI. My forces have destroyed everything here (command station, guard posts, all ships) except the 2 warp gates. I won't colonize this planet. I sent 2 scouts to examine the AI's homeworld when I heard lots of shots. I happened to check my galaxy map and I noticed 23 AI ships where my forces were massed. "Wait a minute" I thought. "I killed everything that could reinforce the AI."
I did a planet view and clicked on one of the AI ships and found them at the 2 warp gates. And then a few more materialized.
I don't get it. There was no warning. I checked the Wiki but I haven't found anything that could explain this. Someone explain this to me please.
I did a planet view and clicked on one of the AI ships and found them at the 2 warp gates. And then a few more materialized.
I don't get it. There was no warning. I checked the Wiki but I haven't found anything that could explain this. Someone explain this to me please.
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AI War / Re: Damage mechanisms: damage and multipliers, is that all?
« on: January 21, 2010, 06:50:20 PM »
Well, and this from a simple player who is very engrossed in this game: if I want to know what unit to sent after another unit, I look at the strong/weak data on the enemy, click my ship(s) that best can defeat that enemy, and send them on their way. I then watch the results.
The way that X has things set up works very well in my opinion. This game in no way claims to simulate any kind of realism, so to demand that is should do so is a stretch. I still chuckle when I see 30-40 missiles from my frigates impact a bomber and it still keeps coming. When I sent my fighters after that bomber, on the other hand, I do a different kind of laughter. So the system works imo because it's tons of fun, very engrossing, and I even find myself thinking about the game when I'm not on my computer.
The way that X has things set up works very well in my opinion. This game in no way claims to simulate any kind of realism, so to demand that is should do so is a stretch. I still chuckle when I see 30-40 missiles from my frigates impact a bomber and it still keeps coming. When I sent my fighters after that bomber, on the other hand, I do a different kind of laughter. So the system works imo because it's tons of fun, very engrossing, and I even find myself thinking about the game when I'm not on my computer.
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AI War / Re: Keep starting over
« on: January 16, 2010, 03:35:24 PM »
First off, I must say this game is brilliant! There are lots of things to do, I like the space environment, and I really enjoy the thinking involved.
But I digress. I finished my first game (after going through the tutorials twice) 2 days before the expansion on level 1 on a 50 world simple map (level 1 yeah!). The AI had entrenched homeworlder and tank. I'm now doing a level 2 60 world simple hub map. I don't know what options the AI has. I had a strong urge in both these games to start over. Why? "Wow, the AI home worlds are so far away!" was one reason. It seemed like it would take forever to reach each world. Also, I did (and still do) feel overwhelemed at times with the amount of activity that can take place during a game. "If I start over, things will be much simpler" I say to myself. And then I get nervous when I'm about to attack a major world. "If I start over, I'll feel better" I think.
The main thing I do when I want to quit is do something else then come back to the game later when I have a clearer mindset. Take the game in bitesized chunks. Don't try to swallow it all at once.
I'll tell you what, when I completed that first game I felt great! I spent 30 minutes looking at my winning stats. I want that feeling again. After I win this game (and I'm sure I will) I'll go on to level 3 and see what happens with that game.
But I digress. I finished my first game (after going through the tutorials twice) 2 days before the expansion on level 1 on a 50 world simple map (level 1 yeah!). The AI had entrenched homeworlder and tank. I'm now doing a level 2 60 world simple hub map. I don't know what options the AI has. I had a strong urge in both these games to start over. Why? "Wow, the AI home worlds are so far away!" was one reason. It seemed like it would take forever to reach each world. Also, I did (and still do) feel overwhelemed at times with the amount of activity that can take place during a game. "If I start over, things will be much simpler" I say to myself. And then I get nervous when I'm about to attack a major world. "If I start over, I'll feel better" I think.
The main thing I do when I want to quit is do something else then come back to the game later when I have a clearer mindset. Take the game in bitesized chunks. Don't try to swallow it all at once.
I'll tell you what, when I completed that first game I felt great! I spent 30 minutes looking at my winning stats. I want that feeling again. After I win this game (and I'm sure I will) I'll go on to level 3 and see what happens with that game.