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IDProjectCategoryLast Update
0009864AI War 1 / ClassicSuggestion - AI Behavior And TacticsNov 2, 2012 9:59 am
ReporterDressari Assigned To 
Status newResolutionopen 
Product Version6.000 
Summary0009864: A game option to adjust how AI's use Carriers and their limits.
DescriptionCarriers are a fun idea they add a certain fear factor when stationed near planets. Not to mention when they are engaged they're good for shifting the players priority rapidly and keeping them on the toes.

However I do believe some control in adjusting how the AI's use them in their fight need to be added. Left unchecked or when players have different play styles the Carriers can become either a walk over... or they can completely lockdown systems and even deny advancement by the players especially if they are filled with Mark IV's or V's.

In one instance myself and a friend were locked in a constant battle for at least 15-20 minutes with the AI because by the time we could wittle down the AI's ship's they would be within seconds of sending another wave to that planet and this did not include the carriers that were constantly rebuking the currently attacking force. At least 1000-6000 in carriers depending on how the AI was feeling. (This was a Random Easier difficuly 6 AI, Progress around 400)

The only way we were able to... for a lack of a better term survive was to build up an unending series of "junk" structures to distract the AI's ships while turrets, off system ships and fortresses did the killing.

This became... un-enjoyable rather fast and more a chore, and we were no longer able to progress or take any planets without the AI launching an attack on an undefended planet because the fleet was away.

Carriers are a very very strong element in the game for the AI. And can become game stopping if it is the major element in the AI's fleets. The other issue is that the sheer number of Carriers present in view can have an adverse affect on game performance. I run a very high powered machine and it surprised me that it would struggle from time to time.

I would like to see some consideration of the following as game options:

-The ability to turn off Carriers entirely, as if before they were implemented into the game.

-Number of Carriers AI may have stationed at a single planet. More possible if the carriers are powered down first.

-Number of Ships a single carrier may carry.

-Carriers only able to transport ships of the same or lower mark, or certain mark ranges with bonuses/penalties. Such as delayed activation time for higher marks or damage/speed bonuses for lower marks.

-A percentage chance based on the Carrier's mark level to as weather ships survive from the carrier's destruction. Less so if the carrier is powered down.

-The ability to allow military ships to auto target Carriers rather than wait to be told when to shoot at them.

-Make them stronger if we desire. We're talking armored transports here, good for raiding behind enemy lines rather be used in full frontal assaults.
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Lancefighter

Nov 2, 2012 1:43 am

reporter   ~0028858

Issue with turning off carriers is that unity cant handle the number of ships the slimdx engine could.. Same reason we get new smaller ship caps >_>

Also, there is a ctrl option to allow ships to auto-target carriers if desired.

TechSY730

Nov 2, 2012 9:59 am

reporter   ~0028860

I do think that the "cutoff" ratio before the AI can be upped some.
Right now, it is 1000 for waves, 2000 for collecting already spawned threat, IIRC. (Packing defenders into carriers is keyed off a different consideration that is not a flat cutoff, so I am ignoring that for this post)

I think the engine can handle this going up by about 1000 for each, so it will only start using carriers for waves once they get bigger than 2000 ships, and will only start collecting already spawned threat into carriers if they get to 3000 ships or more.

As Lancefighter mentioned, some form of consolidation is needed because of the memory limits in the Unity engine.

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
Nov 2, 2012 1:40 am Dressari New Issue
Nov 2, 2012 1:43 am Lancefighter Note Added: 0028858
Nov 2, 2012 9:59 am TechSY730 Note Added: 0028860