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IDProjectCategoryLast Update
0002094AI War 1 / ClassicSuggestion - Interface Ideas - Unit Selection, Management, and OrdersSep 11, 2012 10:36 am
ReporterPineappleSam Assigned ToChris_McElligottPark  
Status consideringResolutionopen 
Summary0002094: Setting target priorities
DescriptionThis might require a hefty piece of work, but the idea is an interface that allows you to set different priority levels for ship targets. Default would be Highest, Lowest, Ignore with any ship not mentioned falling between highest and lowest, with the possibility of adding less high and less low. Targets would be sorted by AND/OR/NOT characteristics and would include IMMUNITIES, ABILITIES, ARMOUR TYPES, SHIP NAME and anything else that would be applicable.

A quick example would be a maw. The first time I use them I'd like to be able to open an interface and set:
- HIGHEST PRIORITY: NOT Immunity = Swallow AND Ability = Reclaim
- SECOND HIGHEST PRIORITY: NOT Immunity = Swallow
- THIRD HIGHEST PRIORITY: Ability = Reclaim, Armour = ____ OR ____ (I'd set the maw to target armour types it has bonuses against... although I forget if it gets bonuses)
- LOWEST PRIORITY: Immunity = Swallow
- IGNORE: Structures

When I then set my fleet of maws loose in enemy territory they'll then happily go around swallowing ships with the reclaim ability (protecting my main fleet from being stolen) before swallowing all other ships. They'd then shoot down anything with reclaim that they're strong against, then help mop up the remaining ships while avoiding drawn out duels with structures. If I wanted a different behaviour, I might replace everything with "IGNORE: Immunity = swallow", and set the FRD point at the edge of the gravity well. The maws would then fly in, eat everything, then fly to the outer edge of the system to digest in relative safety.

There's nothing here that a player could do with excessive microing, but with this as an option usable for more advanced players (default would be to prioritise against armour types the ship is strong against) I believe it would free the user to concentrate on the grand scheme of things.
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related to 0003608 new Add a global target priority list 

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Chris_McElligottPark

Dec 20, 2010 8:50 pm

administrator   ~0006552

It looks way out of scope to me, but we can see how it does on the vote tallies.

keith.lamothe

Dec 20, 2010 8:52 pm

administrator   ~0006554

The autotargeting logic is one of the most critical-path parts of the code, performance wise, and making it so highly conditional could lead to serious CPU problems.

I do sympathize with the desire, and I can think of ways in which it could be done (for folks with more beastly machines, at least), but it seems a bit far to take things.

TechSY730

Dec 23, 2010 6:13 pm

reporter   ~0006970

I think it would be a cool idea (I loved the gambit system in FF XII for example), but I do see how evaluating an entire user defined "script" every time a target needs to selected, and that selection happens several times a second, could get unwieldy.

Though this does give me an interesting question for the forums...

PineappleSam

Dec 23, 2010 7:57 pm

reporter   ~0006984

Would it be possible to implement an ignore filter, in the same way that snipers will ignore sniper immune objects?

wyvern83

Dec 23, 2010 10:14 pm

reporter   ~0006993

Unless it somehow saved your unique preferences between games this seems like it'd just be another thing to hassle with. The possibility of 'serious CPU problems' on top of that, which I have had more than enough of recently, is enough to make me pass on this idea as nice as it could be.

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
Dec 20, 2010 8:47 pm PineappleSam New Issue
Dec 20, 2010 8:50 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0006552
Dec 20, 2010 8:50 pm Chris_McElligottPark Assigned To => Chris_McElligottPark
Dec 20, 2010 8:50 pm Chris_McElligottPark Status new => considering
Dec 20, 2010 8:52 pm keith.lamothe Note Added: 0006554
Dec 23, 2010 6:13 pm TechSY730 Note Added: 0006970
Dec 23, 2010 7:57 pm PineappleSam Note Added: 0006984
Dec 23, 2010 10:14 pm wyvern83 Note Added: 0006993
Sep 8, 2012 12:26 pm TechSY730 Relationship added related to 0003608
Sep 11, 2012 10:35 am TechSY730 Relationship added related to 0006606
Sep 11, 2012 10:36 am TechSY730 Relationship deleted related to 0006606