[?] Is it possible to have AI-Only units?

[Tanksy]

Hi there,

I've been modifying the Indestructible Experimental Shields mod to make it more AI-Friendly.
Originally, the AI had a 25% chance to build these (as opposed to a T3 Shield Generator -- Using SorianAI of course) which I lowered to 10%.

Now, I don't know fully how sensible the AI is. Does the AI build something even when it's utterly unfeasable? The modifications I've made to the Shield Gen put the energy maintenance up from 70k to 100k, and I worry that the AI may get a lucky roll of the dice and decide to try throwing one of these up waaay before they're even close to enough energy income.

What I would like to know, is if it's possible to have units that ONLY the AI can build? That way I could make a cheaper version, with a much lower energy maintenance, that Human players are unable to build that the AI could throw up without too much of an impact on their Eco. As it is now, I worry that the AI might try throwing one up as soon as they hit T3 and essentially kill their entire build rate because of having -90k power or so.

[speed2]

Can't you set a build condition to not build this unit until some level of E output is reached?

Else the similar way the AI can have more build power on units or multiplied eco income, you should be able to set it to have less power consumption on the shield(s).

[Tanksy]

Hmm, Would that involve editing the AI itself? I have no clue about doing that.. yet.. I've just been using Sorian AI

[speed2]

Since this mod is a sim mod it should be enough to edit it in the mod. No idea where, I've never done anything like that.

[Balthazar]

It is possible to have AI-only units, I have done similar things.

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        if self:GetAIBrain().BrainType == 'Human' then
            self:AddBuildRestriction(categories.xeb0204)
        end


That on a unit would restrict that specific unit from building xeb0204 if controlled by a human.

For a more global solution you would need to do something like this in the aibrain:

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        if self.BrainType == 'Human' then
            AddBuildRestriction(self:GetArmyIndex(),categories.xeb0204)
        end


[Tanksy]

Thanks! I'll experiment with this. Is it possible to have it only buildable if you meet a certain energy income?

[Uveso]

more to experiment with:

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        local aiBrain = self:GetAIBrain()

        local massIncome = aiBrain:GetEconomyIncome( 'MASS' )
        local energyIncome = aiBrain:GetEconomyIncome( 'ENERGY' )
        local massNeed = aiBrain:GetEconomyRequested('MASS')
        local energyNeed = aiBrain:GetEconomyRequested('ENERGY')


[Uveso]

Found this in aiutilities.lua:

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function AIGetEconomyNumbers(aiBrain)
[...]
    -- LOG('*AI DEBUG: RETURNING ECONOMY NUMBERS FROM AIBRAIN ', repr(aiBrain))
    local econ = {}
    econ.MassTrend = aiBrain:GetEconomyTrend('MASS')
    econ.EnergyTrend = aiBrain:GetEconomyTrend('ENERGY')
    econ.MassStorageRatio = aiBrain:GetEconomyStoredRatio('MASS')
    econ.EnergyStorageRatio = aiBrain:GetEconomyStoredRatio('ENERGY')
    econ.EnergyIncome = aiBrain:GetEconomyIncome('ENERGY')
    econ.MassIncome = aiBrain:GetEconomyIncome('MASS')
    econ.EnergyUsage = aiBrain:GetEconomyUsage('ENERGY')
    econ.MassUsage = aiBrain:GetEconomyUsage('MASS')
    econ.EnergyRequested = aiBrain:GetEconomyRequested('ENERGY')
    econ.MassRequested = aiBrain:GetEconomyRequested('MASS')
    econ.EnergyEfficiency = math.min(econ.EnergyIncome / econ.EnergyRequested, 2)
    econ.MassEfficiency = math.min(econ.MassIncome / econ.MassRequested, 2)
    econ.MassRequested = aiBrain:GetEconomyRequested('MASS')
    econ.EnergyStorage = aiBrain:GetEconomyStored('ENERGY')
    econ.MassStorage = aiBrain:GetEconomyStored('MASS')
[...]


[Tanksy]

Mm this will be useful. I wonder what possibilities arise with this. For example; Hidden experimentals that only appear in your build-list when you're meeting a certain income, or perhaps give the AI a set allowance of how many shield generators it can build based on its energy income? I don't know anything about the AI code, though. Just gives me interesting ideas. Thanks for finding this stuff!

[Uveso]

Well, these are the Build conditions used from the AI for building a T3 Shield:

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        BuilderConditions = {
            { UCBC, 'HaveGreaterThanUnitsWithCategory', { 4, categories.ENGINEER * categories.TECH3}},
            { UCBC, 'UnitsLessAtLocation', { 'LocationType', 8, categories.SHIELD * categories.STRUCTURE}},
            { MIBC, 'FactionIndex', {1, 2, 4}},
            { EBC, 'GreaterThanEconEfficiencyOverTime', { 0.8, 1.1 }},
            { IBC, 'BrainNotLowPowerMode', {} },
        },


I guess you can see, there is already "GreaterThanEconEfficiencyOverTime" to watch the energy.
To explain the lines:

{ UCBC, 'HaveGreaterThanUnitsWithCategory', { 4, categories.ENGINEER * categories.TECH3}},
Build T3Shield if we have more then 4 units with categories.ENGINEER AND categories.TECH3 (engineers, subcommander)

{ UCBC, 'UnitsLessAtLocation', { 'LocationType', 8, categories.SHIELD * categories.STRUCTURE}},
Build T3Shield if we have less then 8 Units at location with categories.SHIELD AND categories.STRUCTURE (Shield buildings)

{ MIBC, 'FactionIndex', {1, 2, 4}},
Build T3Shield if we are from faction 1 UEF, 2 Aeon or 4 Seraphim. (Cybran can't build T3 Shield buildings. They upgrade to ED5 Shield)

{ EBC, 'GreaterThanEconEfficiencyOverTime', { 0.8, 1.1 }},
Build T3Shield if MassEfficiencyOverTime is greater then 0.8 and EnergyEfficiencyOverTime is greater then 1.1

It is actual calling this function:

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function GreaterThanEconEfficiencyOverTime(aiBrain, MassEfficiency, EnergyEfficiency)
    local econ = AIUtils.AIGetEconomyNumbers(aiBrain)
    if (econ.MassEfficiencyOverTime >= MassEfficiency and econ.EnergyEfficiencyOverTime >= EnergyEfficiency) then
        return true
    end
    return false
end


{ IBC, 'BrainNotLowPowerMode', {} },
Build T3Shield if we are not in LowPowerMode

This is how the AI decides to build something.

You can find this in "AIDefenseBuilders.lua". Search for: "T3Shields".
There you can find the full Builder for T3 Shields. Its not big, only 33 lines.