AI update

[Professor]

Thanks for the quick response. The slowdown is a real killer for the enjoyment of a good skirmish, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays. I have some free time tomorrow and I'll give it a go.

I played 3 games with LOUD today and the difference is huge, it's like playing a different game. The sim speed never slowed down and the AI had massive improvements all over. The formations are better and the air drops from the AI were quite effective. It's use of naval units was quite good too, it had a good mix of them and used them effectively. The first and third skirmishes crashed though, I have no idea why, I haven't had a crash in FA or FAF for a very long time.

[Krapougnak]

Hi Sprouto,

Sorry for the delay but I'm quite busy at the moment. Tried LOUD AI 10 days ago and I must say your new installer works like a charm it installed LOUD AI besides my normal installation and I could easyly switch back to it once I finished playing with the AI. Thank you for the effort, now it is really easy to play with LOUD AI and update it.

Just a little remark, maybe you should add the sounds folder too in the installer back up system as your mod overwrites some files in it (luckily I had made a back-up in case).

I "played" a match AI against AI impressive as always but this time I found LOUD was a bit conservative in its attacks (of course thinks look always more simple when you don't have fog of war and you can see the whole map), maybe it is time now for me to test it against a human opponent the way it was meant to be played, to see its real potential. I'm mentally preparing to get my ass seriously kicked.

I noticed also that you introduced a unit from SC2, well done.

[Sprouto]

Thanks very much for your comments - everything helps.

I'll see that the Sounds folder gets included in the installer routine, especially as I have just mastered the creation of new sounds and cues for FA. I expect to have audio cues for all the experimentals which don't presently have one, as well as some updated cues for various game events that aren't being triggered at all, or properly. As for the experimentals from SC2, you'll have to thank my partner in crime, HTKatzmarek, as those come from his efforts on this project.

There is still constant juggling of the AI and it's decision plan, but one of the first comments I get from most players is 'WOW - it's just too hard'. And of course, I get those from the other end of the spectrum as well, 'Ach - way too easy'. As of late, most of the experienced FA players using LOUD are using the cheating AI at a setting of 1.05 and finding it challenging. To address those that are struggling, the standard AI is much easier and doesn't employ all of the behaviors that the AIx does.

There are a lot of variables for sure, but map size and unit limit are two of the most important factors. Small maps and low unit caps are not what LOUD was built for, and it shows, and it's one of the reasons we include a good number of popular, but customized, maps with LOUD. A complete understanding of how the AI uses markers, and when, made it important to do that, to insure the best performance. Now, having said that, a lot of the maps we included haven't had much of that done yet...so still more to do --- and as always -- more to come.

Thanks again.

[Krapougnak]

Hi,

the last version of LOUD doesn't work anymore for me the log shows the following errors. It is on my part or yours ?

Code: Select all

warning: Error running OnDestroy script in CScriptObject at 1152da00: ...medata\03_lobbyenhancement.scd\lua\ui\menus\main.lua(249): access to nonexistent global variable "ambientSoundHandle"
         stack traceback:
            [C]: in function `error'
            ...rged alliance\gamedata\lua.scd\lua\system\config.lua(95): in function <...rged alliance\gamedata\lua.scd\lua\system\config.lua:94>
            ...medata\03_lobbyenhancement.scd\lua\ui\menus\main.lua(249): in function <...medata\03_lobbyenhancement.scd\lua\ui\menus\main.lua:248>

...
warning: attempt to get as UserData a nil value
warning: stack traceback:
warning:         [C]: ?
warning:         ...scd\lua\ai\aibuilders\loud_ai_perimeter_builders.lua(787): in main chunk
warning:         [C]: in function `doscript'
warning:         [C]: in function `pcall'
warning:         ...rged alliance\gamedata\lua.scd\lua\system\import.lua(60): in function `import'
warning:         ...r - forged alliance\gamedata\lua.scd\lua\siminit.lua(250): in main chunk
warning: Error in file /lua/simInit.lua : ...r - forged alliance\gamedata\lua.scd\lua\siminit.lua(250): Error importing '/lua/ai/aibuilders/loud_ai_perimeter_builders.lua'
         stack traceback:
            [C]: in function `error'
            ...rged alliance\gamedata\lua.scd\lua\system\import.lua(65): in function `import'
            ...r - forged alliance\gamedata\lua.scd\lua\siminit.lua(250): in main chunk
debug: MEM: -32 bytes OGRID



[Sprouto]

Ah...the Ambient Sound Handle....that's the 'hum' that occurs when you're on any of the game menus. That one's not an issue - but the Perimeter builders error is indeed. Here's the Dropbox link to an updated LUA.SCD that will deal with that.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/336fl550azockpa/lua.scd?dl=0

Apparently we posted a 'work in progress' update. My bad.

[MandeR]

The Dropbox link appears to be broken -- is an updated one available?

[Sprouto]

It sure can be....

Here is the full installer for LOUD. But be advised - Windows Defender is reporting it as malware - which it is not. Since our installer uses scripting tools it doesn't like. This should be put into your Supreme Command Forged Alliance directory and run as the administrator.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a4rpwz46o9lpf ... r.exe?dl=0

If you have any questions just ask.

Sprouto

[Exotic_Retard]

i take it this isnt compatible with faf?

i read through this thread and think its a very interesting mod you have here, maybe we could have a look about putting it into faf?

is that ok with you?

if so, how much code is it feasible to incorporate, are there parts that work on their own?
it looks like a lot of effort went into this and imo it would be good if more people benefited from that effort

[Sprouto]

If you've read the thread you can tell how sideways this project went over time. Eventually it encompassed almost every aspect of the code -- not just the AI. In that regard, it would be a rather large effort to bring all the benefits into FAF, if they're even wanted. However, having said that, much of the structure of the AI would be portable, if not as a replacement, but as an alternative to Sorian, to whom we all owe credit to.

I'm not sure how valuable the AI is to the FAF community, since most of the focus seems to be upon PvP, but I have always hoped that more folks would take an interest in this work. I don't know if anyone is handling the AI code base for FAF but I would be glad to contribute in that area alongside anyone else willing to participate.

[MandeR]

Thanks Sprouto! I'll give this a shot tonight.

Last time I messed around with Loud AI (2 years ago) it was not compatible with Steam. Same deal?