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IDProjectCategoryLast Update
0002266AI War 1 / ClassicSuggestion - Game MechanicsJan 7, 2011 1:29 pm
ReporterRed Spot Assigned ToChris_McElligottPark  
Status resolvedResolutionfixed 
Product Version4.059 
Fixed in Version4.063 
Summary0002266: Trader starting location
DescriptionBased on my last 5 or 6 games, in 4.059, well at least the start of those games. It seems the traders always start somewhere near your homeplanet, allowing me to get a Z-powergenerator before the 1min mark of the game.

Far far far from a great deal, and hardly really usefull at that stage of the game. I do however think it would feel a bit better if this would be randomised a bit more. (if I am now not being fooled by real random generators ...)
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Chris_McElligottPark

Jan 6, 2011 5:23 pm

administrator   ~0007605

I actually had been thinking the same thing, but looking at the code I see it's completely random. Go figure, fooled us both. ;)

Red Spot

Jan 6, 2011 5:25 pm

reporter   ~0007608

Thank you for looking into it :)

Chris_McElligottPark

Jan 6, 2011 5:27 pm

administrator   ~0007610

You bet!

TechSY730

Jan 6, 2011 7:24 pm

reporter   ~0007629

Other than the visit to the home-worlds they do near the beginning of every game, is their behavior pretty much random?

Chris_McElligottPark

Jan 6, 2011 9:16 pm

administrator   ~0007645

Last edited: Jan 6, 2011 9:16 pm

It's always random...ish. They alternate between a random human and a random AI world. Since they always start on an AI world, they tend to start for the human worlds pretty soon on in. Hmm, actually that's the problem right there. Hold on...

* The Zenith Trader previously flipped back and forth between visiting one player planet and one AI planet. This led to the trader always showing up very early in the game, and returning pretty frequently. Now the trader only moves between AI planets, never intentionally going to a human planet. This means that the human players need to place themselves in the path between two AI planets that the trader will go between in order for the trader to visit them. This in turn will make Trader visits comparably more rare, and something that is more interesting as a way to capitalize on (as often you won't get as good of positioning for the stuff they will sell you).

* The Zenith Trader now has a 20% chance of leaving goodies for the AI players on each planet, rather than a 10% chance.

TechSY730

Jan 6, 2011 9:23 pm

reporter   ~0007650

...What, have I done? :O

Chris_McElligottPark

Jan 6, 2011 9:23 pm

administrator   ~0007652

:D

TechSY730

Jan 6, 2011 9:29 pm

reporter   ~0007657

Last edited: Jan 6, 2011 9:31 pm

Woa, woa, woa! I never suggested these changes explicitly, so can you thank me for pointing out the oddity of the old behavior instead? I really don't want the community to think this was directly my fault. ;)

Same thing for Red Spot too.

Chris_McElligottPark

Jan 6, 2011 9:42 pm

administrator   ~0007675

Adjusted so you're safe:


** Thanks to Red Spot and TechSY730 for unintentionally inspiring this change with an innocent query they now regret ("what have I done?" was the exact wording).

MaxAstro

Jan 6, 2011 9:47 pm

reporter   ~0007680

Wouldn't this make it almost impossible to ever get the trader if you placed yourself at the end of a snake map or any other single-wormhole start? Feels like being punished for picking a defensible position... perhaps the trader could just pick a planet completely at random?

TechSY730

Jan 6, 2011 9:50 pm

reporter   ~0007682

Last edited: Jan 6, 2011 9:50 pm

True, but why would the trader bother trying to target human buyers? The AI is where the money is at, by a HUGE margin at that too. If you can catch one just wandering around, then they will be happy to let you buy things so you can give them your stuff, but they wouldn't make it a major goal. It is smart, business wise at least, but annoying for the "niche" market (us).

Vinraith

Jan 6, 2011 9:53 pm

reporter   ~0007683

Speaking as a blackhearted advocate for the AI, thank you. It's always bugged me a bit how easily accessible trader stuff was, and how rare the trader helping the AI was. It seemed like a pure benefit faction for the player, and a mighty big one at that. I wasn't actually going to complain, because I can always leave it off if I want, but these changes will make me far happier to turn it on!

MaxAstro

Jan 6, 2011 9:54 pm

reporter   ~0007685

Also, is that 20% per planet actually correct? That seems like a HUGE chance of the Trader dropping something off (didn't it used to be 1%?). Feels like the trader is becoming another 90% drawback/10% benefit faction...

TechSY730

Jan 6, 2011 9:57 pm

reporter   ~0007686

Last edited: Jan 6, 2011 9:57 pm

It used to be 10% I think, but when the AI did buy things, most of the time they would be things that aren't really all that threatening (special forces guard posts, force fields, other trivial stuff). Only rarely would you see them buying something awesome like a fortress or something. That's probably what is going to keep that 20% from being completely out of hand.

Chris_McElligottPark

Jan 6, 2011 10:08 pm

administrator   ~0007687

Assuming that you planet hop, you can still get the trader even then. Defensible positions are great, but the trader won't help you defend corner pockets (which was part of my goal, honestly).

Red Spot

Jan 7, 2011 1:22 pm

reporter   ~0007705

Thanks to Red Spot and TechSY730 for unintentionally inspiring this change with an innocent query they now regret ("what have I done?" was the exact wording).

I am sorry to give you an extra workload ..... not :)

Chris_McElligottPark

Jan 7, 2011 1:29 pm

administrator   ~0007713

;)

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
Jan 6, 2011 5:22 pm Red Spot New Issue
Jan 6, 2011 5:23 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0007605
Jan 6, 2011 5:23 pm Chris_McElligottPark Status new => closed
Jan 6, 2011 5:23 pm Chris_McElligottPark Assigned To => Chris_McElligottPark
Jan 6, 2011 5:23 pm Chris_McElligottPark Resolution open => no change required
Jan 6, 2011 5:25 pm Red Spot Note Added: 0007608
Jan 6, 2011 5:27 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0007610
Jan 6, 2011 7:24 pm TechSY730 Note Added: 0007629
Jan 6, 2011 9:16 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0007645
Jan 6, 2011 9:16 pm Chris_McElligottPark Status closed => resolved
Jan 6, 2011 9:16 pm Chris_McElligottPark Resolution no change required => fixed
Jan 6, 2011 9:16 pm Chris_McElligottPark Fixed in Version => 4.063
Jan 6, 2011 9:16 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Edited: 0007645
Jan 6, 2011 9:23 pm TechSY730 Note Added: 0007650
Jan 6, 2011 9:23 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0007652
Jan 6, 2011 9:29 pm TechSY730 Note Added: 0007657
Jan 6, 2011 9:29 pm TechSY730 Note Edited: 0007657
Jan 6, 2011 9:31 pm TechSY730 Note Edited: 0007657
Jan 6, 2011 9:42 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0007675
Jan 6, 2011 9:47 pm MaxAstro Note Added: 0007680
Jan 6, 2011 9:50 pm TechSY730 Note Added: 0007682
Jan 6, 2011 9:50 pm TechSY730 Note Edited: 0007682
Jan 6, 2011 9:53 pm Vinraith Note Added: 0007683
Jan 6, 2011 9:54 pm MaxAstro Note Added: 0007685
Jan 6, 2011 9:57 pm TechSY730 Note Added: 0007686
Jan 6, 2011 9:57 pm TechSY730 Note Edited: 0007686
Jan 6, 2011 10:08 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0007687
Jan 7, 2011 1:22 pm Red Spot Note Added: 0007705
Jan 7, 2011 1:29 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0007713