Vanilla AI Enhancement - VAE - Alpha Release - V6

[Rossinna-Sama]

SOTS_VAE_V6.zip

Current Version - 6

*To be inserted once ready*
OPTIONAL DOWNLOAD
Rebalances the weapons so the AI can handle them better, so ballistic factions no longer sit on bursters, rippers and basic gauss\mass rounds when they have far better. (Not yet released)

What is the Vanilla AI Enhancement (VAE) Mod?
The Vanilla AI Enhancement Mod is an attempt to utilize what limited modding capability SOTS2 has in regards to its AI in order to improve its performance.
The AI has always been the weakest point of SOTS2 since it doesn't pose much of a challenge once a human player has the basics understood.
This mod aims to not only provide more options to the AI while attempting to preserve the gameplay from an unmodified SOTS2:EOF install but it also fixes numerous bugs.
It also tweaks certain things in order to assist the AI in its gameplay and enables the disabled 'Very hard' AI option.
Version 5 alters the FTL system of the Morrigi due to AI issues so it will no longer be a pure vanilla experience. You've been warned.
Version 6 has some AI-focused balance changes for the Zuul and Loa factions. They may be slightly more powerful than in the base game due to this, so fair warning.
Please be warned that the AI has many of its proverbial leashes removed. I have seen some factions with default settings on the Very Hard AI setting field Leviathans around turn 120.

The latest update log can be found within the code segment below, and the download itself has the full readme with all previous and current changes listed.

Installation: Extract the zip into your SOTS2 install folder or extract it elsewhere and copy the assets folder into your SOTS2 install. Recommend you make a backup of your SOTS2 install.
Removal: Delete your entire SOTS2 install, then reverify via steam.
If Updating: I almost never delete files so extracting to the same place as before should be fine. If it crashes on load, remove SOTS2 and reinstall both it and the mod.

TL:DR - A near total overhaul of various things within SOTS2 which should allow the AI to be far more effective, especially combined with the Very Hard AI option.

Code: Select all

Version 6

Massive redo of the entire fleet templates file. Again.
Large redo of the tech tree to alter AI priorities. Again.

Loa 'Node' speed increased to 5 from 4.
Slight increase in AI desire to build construction fleets during expansion phase.
Loa no longer uses default colony fleet templates.
Loa will not build any additional starting colony fleet templates.
Loa colony fleet templates altered to have only a single colony ship.
Zuul no longer builds invasion fleets - only scavenger fleets.
Defense Fleets can now perform Piracy. (Test - do not believe AI can do it.)
Defense Fleets can now perform Survey missions. (Test - I've not seen the AI do anything with these fleets otherwise.)

Grappler, Disruptor Whip and Absorber Harpoon direct damage increased slightly to make Zuul AI more willing to fit them.
Grappler, Disruptor Whip and Absorber Harpoon fitting costs, supply and crew requirements decreased slightly.
Grappler, Disruptor Whip and Absorber Harpoon firing range on planets set to match its max range to prevent AI bug.

Loa Hammerhead section frontal turrets firing arc fixed. (left turrets could not fire forward properly.)
Loa Standard Command section light turrets firing arc fixed. (Same as before, light turrets could not fire forward.
Enviromental Tailoring AI desirability increased... yet again...
Solforce AI interest in Orbital Drydocks and Heavy Platforms increased.
Solforce AI interest in Node Pathing increased... again.
Solforce AI interest in DN construction increased... again...
Tarkasian and Zuul AI interest in EMP torpedoes decreased to reasonable levels so they get back to researching other more important early game techs.
Zuul CR production time decreased by 20%

Dreadnought Construction AI value increased... for like the eighth time...

Armada CnC research cost halved. (Bottleneck for AI DN construction)
AI interest for Armada CnC research increased dramatically. (Should make them research it after getting DN construction).
Liirian AI now has a massive focus for getting DN tech early. (Test due to their AI in tactical combat being horrible for their ships)
Solforce interest in Shield Command section increased.
Disruptor Whip made less interesting for the AI - may be good for them but research time is too long early game.
Zuul Colony Support costs decreased by 25%
Grappler lifetime decreased, rate of fire improved, damage improved a little bit. (Should make the AI consider using it. Again.)

Grappler is now impacted by Missile upgrades.
Grappler is now tagged as StandOff. (Zuul AI should be more tempted to field it.) (TEST)
Cube construction cost (only for the cube section for now): decreased to 8000 from 9000.

------------------------
Notes & Comments:

This has been fairly thoroughly tested using default settings. There should be no mod-related crash bugs.
Loa may still have issues and are still not recommended to be used in large maps due to very large turn times. Small maps should be fine.
The mod has improved performance ingame (slightly) but turn times can be longer since the AI is doing many more things each turn than it was before.
I have to say that some factions are going to be very difficult to overcome if they are set on Very Hard difficulty - only put them on this difficulty if you are playing something like a 1v3 or don't mind the AI having major advantages in income, construction and population.
While the mod is called VAE (Vanilla AI Enhancement Mod), there has been numerous changes so this is not a purely vanilla experience. I've done my best to keep it as close to the base game as possible, but the AI is simply not going to be able to perform very well with pure vanilla settings.

If you have problems, crashes, feedback or suggestions, please post in this thread and let me know.

CREDITS:
Kerberos Productions.
Mecron.
Slashman.
Haplo Patryn.
willdieh.
ZedF.
And the others who've provided encouragement over the time VAE has been in production.
If I've forgotten someone, let me know.

[Rossinna-Sama]

If you have problems, please post them here and I'll see what I can do.

Usual warning about not posting Mod-related issues in the Technical Support section of these boards, though I doubt that really matters anymore.
Suggestions for addon content is okay, but I will be returning my focus back to Project Hiver so any larger suggestions may take some time to be accomplished.

Also, I give blanket permission for anyone who wants to use VAE as a base for their own mods to do such, just remember to credit Kerberos - they did make the game after all.

[Slashman]

Congrats on the release and thanks once again for the effort you put into this RS.

Playtime is a bit limited but so far the AI is behaving decently enough. Lost a fledgling colony to the Tarka already as well as a survey fleet.

Have not seen much of the Zuul AI but that may be due to them fighting the Tarka and me playing on a smallish map. No crashes so far either.

[Rossinna-Sama]

As long as it does something to help the AI, I'm happy.

[caddybear]

Hey thanks for this. Good to see you still haven't given up on this gem.

[willdieh]

I'd like to especially thank you for fixing the initial fleets/designs I hated spending 15mins every game to re-design everything... Although I thought I read somewhere that green beamers were the best initial Point Defense weapon until actual PD was researched, I'm just happy there are designs for all ship types in the list now!
I'll have to see how having a full fleet of constructors and colonizers changes things too

Thanks!

[Haplo_Patryn]

Thanks Rossinna for your mod and your hard work

One question. I will try this mod ASAP but, what we can expect about IA building Dreadnought ships? For example, with Reforged Mod the IA was capable of do that. Can we expect the same with your mod?

Thanks

[Rossinna-Sama]

The AI is always capable of building DNs and LVs - its just whether or not they can pay for them is what prevents it in most cases.
Since maintenance is all but gone and if you're using the very hard AI setting they get 75% more income, they should happily field large DN fleets and LV fleets eventually.

[Slashman]

I don't think the AI ever had problems building dreadnaught ships before. I've seen them from Tarka, Zuul, Liir and Solforce for sure.

I think that the issue became that the other AI always fell behind and simply couldn't afford to build new big shinies like RS said.

Loa had their own issues which I'm not sure if the VAE will fix. Will test in a new game soon.

[Haplo_Patryn]

Thanks Rossinna. I hope to get some time to test it in a new game this weekend

[Hawawaa]

Hi Rossinna, I just have one mirror bug it aint game breaking.

At the bottom of my empire In the system Foo I can't adjust my overharvest slider, terraforming slider or ship construction slider (population hasn't changed either). Way earlier in the game either the turn I colonized it or one turn after I colonized it the hivers came into the system fought me and I kicked them out. (I colonized both planets the same turn)

Sorry for reporting this really late.

Would you like save files at different points of the game to see how the ai is progressing?

[Rossinna-Sama]

That sounds like an actual bug which can't be solved by modding. If the planet is new, you could try saving your game and abandoning the world, then recolonizing it.

Nothing VAE does impacts the UI in any area apart from the initial lobby.

[willdieh]

The only issue I've noticed so far is a missing graphic for "colonization fleet has finished delivering support to planet x"

Untitled.png

[Haplo_Patryn]

I've been testing the mod this weekend. So far so good, no bugs, no CTD

I've been playing one map with 6 players (115 turns). LOA has been eliminated before arriving turn 100, seems they have the same problem as when playing in Vanilla mode (they are not updating their fleets, using the same weaponry in every attack, etc). Tarkas are doing a great job, attacking every turn the borders of my Empire, improving and updating their fleets with new equipment and weaponry. No more contacts except some scouting Morrigi fleets.

[Slashman]

Yeah my new game has no Tarkas or Zuul. I wanted to see how the other AI perform. So currently it is me as Solforce, a Lirr, a Morrigi and Hivers.

Tarkas were performing OK even before the mod so now they are like on steroids or something.

LOA had several issues before the VAE and I don't think RS can address some of them.

I'm more hopeful of the Liir and Morrigi. I always feel like the Morrigi should be on par or close to the Tarkas but in Vanilla this was never the case.