[ian-reeds-games] Re: AI Weirdness and request to update my map listings on the tb site

  • From: Jaromír Psánský <jaromir.psansky@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <ian-reeds-games@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 18:19:06 +0200

Hi dickson.
I think that last version parser for units is 3 no 1. I am not sure that it is 
center of problems, but you can try it.
Jarek

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dickson Tan 
  To: ian-reeds-games@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Sunday, August 25, 2013 3:26 PM
  Subject: [ian-reeds-games] AI Weirdness and request to update my map listings 
on the tb site


  Hi all

   

  Apologies in advance for the length of this email. I've been working on an 
update to my demon invasion map that I released several months ago to fix 
balance issues and add more strategies players can use. I'm having trouble with 
the odd behavior of the AI when I made a map with 2 units that are controlled 
by the player and the sole enemy unit being the boss mob.

   

  These are the following skills that it had:

  greater_healing_touch annihilation ground earthen_shroud aqua_ring 
fire_shield thunder_wave ice_imprison eruption plague mass_plague vulnerability 
corruption desecration move //skills

   

  This is what happens on a test map.

  Turn changed: The forces of evil

  the evil archmage eldrin uses ground on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  the evil archmage eldrin uses earthen shroud on  the evil archmage eldrin

  Round: 2

   

  It appears to process the fact that ground is a buff correctly and cast it 
only once. However, when I advance the game into the second turn onwards, it 
will cast only earthen shroud as many times as it can and ignore other buffs or 
attack skills. This is the skill and effect files for ground and earthen shroud.

   

  Skill

  2 // Parser version

  Causes a thin film of electricity to grow around the target increasing their 
resistance to electrical attacks by 30 for 5 rounds. Costs 15 mana and 1 AP, 
range 3. Key G

  friendly

  ai_buff

  effects=ground

  mana_cost=15

  actions_cost=1

  range=3

  key=g

  sound=ground

   

  Effect

  1 // Parser version

  Reduces electric damage taken by 30 for 5 rounds.

  unit

  health_protect=30|electric

  duration=5

   

  Skill

  2 // Parser version

  Causes a protective coating of earth to grow around the target increasing 
their resistance to physical and earth attacks by 15 for 5 rounds. Costs 15 
mana and 1 AP, range  3. Key S

  friendly

  ai_buff

  effects=earthen_shroud

  mana_cost=15

  actions_cost=1

  range=3

  key=s

  sound=earthen_shroud

   

  Effect

  1 // Parser version

  Reduces earth and physical damage  taken by 15 for 5 rounds.

  unit

  health_protect=15|earth,15|physical

  duration=5

   

  I removed the earthen shroud skill so the next skill after ground would be 
aqua ring. Sure enough, it casted ground properly but then got stuck and would 
only cast aqua ring. I tried to work around this by removing these buff skills 
and creating a passive skill called the robes of the archmage that would 
provide him the buffs he would get from casting earthen shroud, fire shield, 
aqua ring and ground separately. After doing that, the skills for this unit 
looks like this:

  greater_healing_touch annihilation thunder_wave ice_imprison eruption plague 
mass_plague vulnerability corruption desecration move robes_of_the_archmage //

   

  Unfortunately when I reloaded the map, it then proceeded to use thunder wave, 
which is a curse skill, on only 1 target. It would do so repeatedly like above 
and not switch to another target on the same tile. The skill and effect file 
for thunder wave follows.

   

  Skill

  2 // Parser version

  Delivers a powerful electric shock to the nervous system. The pain from the 
shock makes it more difficult to perform actions. Increases the AP cost of all 
actions by 2 for 3 rounds. Lightning demons and demonic giants are immune. 
Costs 20 mana and 2 AP, range 3. Key T

  enemy

  ai_curse

  effects=thunder_wave

  not_useable_on=lightning_demon,archmage_eldrin,demonic_giant,aeromancer

  mana_cost=20

  actions_cost=2

  range=3

  sound=thunder_wave

  key=t

   

  Effect

  1 // Parser version

  increases AP cost of all actions the target performs by 2 for 3 turns

  unit

  announce

  actions_cost_mod=2

  duration=3

   

  I'm extremely perplexed by the odd behavior of the AI. Does anyone have any 
clues on what might be causing it? My work in progress map pack, if anyone 
wants to recreate the problem, can be downloaded from 

  https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2138237/demon%20wars%20cycle.zip

   

  The map I used for testing is called test.

   

  BTW Ian, can you update the listing for my maps on the tactical battle site 
so that it is called the demon wars cycle, points to this link and says that it 
is by Victorious? I will probably use a different email for this list soon and 
go by the name Victorious as that is what most people know me as online and 
will help to avoid future confusion.

   

  Thanks

  Dickson

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