wug AIPs v3.4 (test)

[ScarleTomato]

Give the player and AI build tree a Sonic Spire w/ the Rocket Spire model.

..except I suppose you'd rather keep this an AIP update.

[APCs r evil]

That and if that tower was added I would NEVER even look at the map it was on, I would delete it on sight.   

[ScarleTomato]

psh... that'd be a kickass Spire

[wug]

Well, the AIPs don't understand what a Jammer does, but making the AI just stop all air strikes when there is a Jammer would mean a very easy game.  Or if I don't use the bomber at all, the AI would have to compensate with aggressive ground attacks, and that wouldn't make things a whole lot better.

What I think I can do is limit the bomber and APC attacks, but it will be regardless of whether there is a Jammer or not.  I'll try my best to approximate the effects of a "Jammer advantage".

Thoughts?

[ScarleTomato]

What about the AI only bombs main base elements when there is no jammer.

[wug]

I could do that, but the AIPs would need to be a lot more complicated to simulate it.  It's something much better done by a DLL.  It also doesn't address the use of Jammers to defend strategic points outside the main base.

It just gets very ugly, and would still not be "right", so I think it's simpler to limit air attacks and forget about the player needing a Jammer.  I figure if I can approximate the "feel", then it's close enough.

[ScarleTomato]

DLL? Could the AIP be told not to attack jammed areas via DLL?

[Red Devil]

[Plan160]
planCondition = "Exists"
planConditionClass= "ivbomb"
planConditionCount = 1
planCondition2 = "NotHisExists"
planConditionClass2= "fbjamm"
planConditionCount2 = 1
planType = "Attacker"
planPriority = 1150
AttackAnything = true  //default is true
targetType = "fbrecy"
attackType1 = "ivbomb"

[wug]

Red Devil, I can't do that.  The AI would likely build the bomber before the player has a chance to build a jammer on the higher difficulty levels.  I never send the bomber against the recycler anyway because it's too aggressive, IMHO.

But even if I did that, the idle dispatcher would still use the bomber.  So what I've done is decrease the number of targets and frequency for idle dispatch, which should keep the bomber away from the player's base for the most part.

Since the AIPs can't tell the jammer's location, I'm not gonna bother to try to simulate it too accurately.  Anyway, the rebalanced AIPs are almost done.

[llulla]

BLOCK the bomber completely wug. Bomber should be used in MP human against human. I have always said that using Bomber against CPU is like stealing candies from babies .

Something else wug, maybe an impression and I invite others to check. I  see two different levels of AI response related with the specific pools I occupy at the very beginning of a map ( play Standard also all the time). 
If I take the only the "obvious" pools close to my base, and let the AI the rest, the AI response is crushing, causing me to loose for sure in 90% of the cases.
If I get ONLY one more the AI response is bleak or pitifully. I saw that first at Chill when kept the central poll since the beginning. I had 3 pools AI had 4. That repeats in Canyons, Iceberg, High&Low in 3-3 pool domination.
There should be difference but not of this kind, from devastating to easy with one pool difference.

[llulla]

Anything that hovers can get up on any mountain on most maps, it's only a matter of knowing how and knowing where.

I would like to see if anyone can get an AI Scout on top of the narrow central peaks of Firestorm . If so please share the secret.

[APCs r evil]

Don't have the AI pilot it, do it yourself. 

[llulla]

In the heat of the battle?? With Archers deployed at 2-3 different (and somehow distant locations)? With Maulers and Titans accompanying and defending Archers (courtesy of wug's)?  Your life expectancy will be a negative figure .
Can you spare a second of the time you are using to keep your base piece, to fly away( and high) and take out (maybe) a single archer?? Get real APC!

I'm talking real-life suggestions hoe to counter wug's "air powers" in maps where the heights are outside the weapons range AND you CAN NOT deploy any AI unit up there.

[wug]

llula, IMHO, the ISDF AI should use the bomber, or it'd lose its air supremecy.  It'd be like taking away the Jammer for Scion.  Ah, it'll never be perfect... just hope MPI plays a bit better.

As for the pools thing, the AI response should be different when it has 1, 2 or 3 pools.  At 3 or more, it should play pretty much the same.  It might be because maulers tend to attack very fast and doesn't let the AI queue up properly.  I'll check it.

ScarleTomato, I'm not sure if a DLL can be made to properly a Jammer, but I know AIPs fore sure can't.

[APCs r evil]

You have to prioritize the threats on your base. An Archer is relatively low compared to a Mauler or Titan. Kill the Archer AFTER you kill the bigger fish.

BTW, my life expectancy is never a negative figure.