Are those AI army training variables really needed?

[Krom]

Taking KaM as example:

- "MaxSoldiers" - limit on how many soldiers AI can train
- "SoldiersDelay" delay from mission start till AI can start training soldiers

Are those settings really ever needed?

[Black]

Personally I think 'Solders delay' is quite useful, since you have more control on AI strength at the first part of the game. 'Soldiers Limit' maybe is not really needed because you can set Ai defence positions, but I don't know.

In my really small mapmaking experience, I've used often 'Soldiers Delay' but never 'Soldiers Limit'

[Krom]

So it seems that Army AI could be split into two ways of functioning:

1. Story-mode AI. It needs to fill in predefined defense positions with required unit types and issue scripted attacks.
2. Skirmish AI. It needs to allocate defense positions, train army based on suggested "Army Composition" (discussed in nearby topic) and attack player based on its own judgement.

Both Cap and Delay are not needed in this model.
1. Controls cap by amount of defense positions. Delay is replaced with scripted attacks delays.
2. Cap .. not really needed, as AI is intended to attack foes all the time. Delay .. not needed either?

[Black]

The skirmish Ai can maybe take benefit of the delay option. If Ai is quite strong from the begin of the game, delay can avoid a too early attack.

Soldiers limit seems an unuseful option in both case...

What about a soldiers minimum number for the Skirmish Ai? So if Ai manages attacks from its own, this feature can help to avoid Ai attacks if Ai is too weak.

[Krom]

thanks for feedback!

Delaying attack is not such a good idea for skirmish AI, since AI will be just amassing troops and eventually attack later with more.

Minimum number is interesting idea, but again, it is likely to make AI more boring than strong. I'll look into adding this option on to AutoAttack configuration though (so AI could range from frequent attacker with single soldiers, to "sledgehammer")

[Black]

Minimum number is interesting idea, but again, it is likely to make AI more boring than strong. I'll look into adding this option on to AutoAttack configuration though (so AI could range from frequent attacker with single soldiers, to "sledgehammer")

Yes this can be a better idea

How about the targets that Ai chooses to attack? I actually don't understand really well how Ai auto attacks work in Kam Remake, but, if this is not implemented yet, I have some ideas:
- AI should attack the strongest player, the one who has the strongest army.
- Ai can decide to do a small and rapid attack ( maybe with cavalry) to a player, in order to destroy an important buidling (such Barrack...)
- If Ai has an allied, who is just making an attack, Ai can consider to help him, so we can have multiple attacks.

Of course these ideas can be implemented with script so they are not really needed, but it's just an idea

[Black]

I'm with mobile and I wrongly make a second answer.
So if someone can delete this last post, would be great cause I don't know how to delete it

[Krom]

AI topic is such broad, that any new idea could easily become a years worth of work, so I'm trying to limit the scope as tightly as possible.
For now (in this topic) I'm only looking at how to simplify AI army training by removing unneeded variables

[Black]

Ok i'm sorry, so my last posts can be deleted if you want, since they don't match topic argument.

[Krom]

No worries, I'm just trying to clarify my situation and guide the topic. And I'm glad to see feedback!