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AIvolution

Posted: 06 Mar 2008, 03:36
by Uber Schwarz
So what are the differences between the standard Skirmish AI and AIvolution?

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 06 Mar 2008, 08:50
by The Commander
I would like to know but I cant even get this mod to work with the new Beta. It just chrashs the game when ever I try save it.  :'(

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 06 Mar 2008, 18:42
by Troman
Uber Schwarz wrote: So what are the differences between the standard Skirmish AI and AIvolution?
Aivolution (that's the correct name btw, looks like it is misspelled in the installer again, some things just never change as it seems...) is a custom non-cheating AI. However if you need more challenge you can use the skirmish difficulty modifier slider to make it get some additional power during the game, otherwise move it all the way to the left, just before disabling the AI.

Aivolution is able to learn during the game. Whenever it finds oil or good spots for defenses or enemy bases it remembers those locations even if you restart Warzone. It needs about 3-7 games on the same map for saturation. All per-map experience is saved for each player (ie per AI slot) independently.

This is an interactive AI and understands a couple of chat messages. This way you can communicate with AI as if it was a human player, on a much more primitive level of course.

Another highlight is that it is much tougher than the stock AI or any other AI currently available for Warzone for that mater, it is highly efficient in everything it does. It coordinates attacks with its allies using chat messages, as it is done in ordinary multiplayer games between humans, which deminishes the chances of the enemies to survive.

I guess this summs it up. I didn't plan to release the current version with the current release, so there is no readme.
The Commander wrote: I would like to know but I cant even get this mod to work with the new Beta. It just chrashs the game when ever I try save it.  :'(
Well you don't really need to be able to save to find it out, unless you play no more than 30-40 minutes a day, but the good news is this problem is fixed in the trunk already and you will be able to save games in the next beta.

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 06 Mar 2008, 23:14
by Uber Schwarz
So is there anyway to reset this AI?

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 06 Mar 2008, 23:41
by Troman
There's an indirect way. If you are on Windows go to "Local Settings\Application Data\Warzone 2100 2.1\multiplay\learndata\". You can either erase experience for certain player or for certain maps by deleting appropriate .lrn files.

If you are not on Windows you will have to find out where Warzone user settings are stored.

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 07 Mar 2008, 14:33
by Verminus
on Linux they are stored in /home//.warzone2100-2.1/ ( for version 2.1 obviously)

so they would be in "~/.warzone2100-2.1/multiplay/learndata/

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 08 Mar 2008, 08:24
by Buginator
Troman wrote: There's an indirect way. If you are on Windows go to "Local Settings\Application Data\Warzone 2100 2.1\multiplay\learndata". You can either erase experience for certain player or for certain maps by deleting appropriate .lrn files.

If you are not on Windows you will have to find out where Warzone user settings are stored.
You can also use the command line switch of --configdir whatever_path_to_directory and it will make a new virgin config directory.
Just make sure that whatever_path_to_directory exsits, or it will crash.

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 08 Mar 2008, 17:03
by MetalBeast
I tested Aivolution today for a few hours (without saving).
I must say, the new AI is "kick ass" good ;)

But there is any problem, which I can not describe good enough, due to my bad english.

Anyway, if you play a litte, and there are many units, the screen starts to "hop".
It means, the screen-scrolling and the unit-movement isn't smooth anymore, but it "hops".

It hurts to my eyes ;)

Without Aivolution I haven't this problem.

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 08 Mar 2008, 17:06
by Kamaze
You men in stutters?
Maybe disabling shadows ("alt+s" ingame) will increase the framerate.

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 08 Mar 2008, 17:09
by MetalBeast
Yes it's a kind of "stutter", but only with this mod, without Aivolution all is working OK.

And it starts not from beginning, it comes, if you are just playing some time and the units count is raised.

My machine is good enough to handle all details in WZ.
Amd Turion64 x2, Nvidia gforce 7600 512 Mb, 2 Gb RAM, Win XP SP2 + all fixes and newest drivers.

This problem seems to apear only with Aivolution, so I think it's AI-computation related.

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 08 Mar 2008, 18:47
by Troman
Aivolution performs many more computations compared to the stock AI, but I haven't noticed any significant slowdowns because of this, though I never compared both AIs head to head performance-wise. It is most likely pathfinding that causes slowdowns, AIV pumps units relatively fast as long as it has enough power.

Some performance tips:
  • Disabling shadows (Alt+S) might not have any significant effect on the frame rate, but it is worth a try.
  • Limit number of AI players on the map: less AI players -> less units -> less pathfinding calculations must be done.
  • Play on smaller maps: the smaller the map the faster pathfinding works.
  • Use skirmish difficulty modifier slider to limit amount of free power AIs gets during the game. This will decrease number of units AI will possess at a time.
  • Attack more often: the often you attack the less units there are on the map. This is meant semi-serious though ;) and will depend on your tactics you choose for the game.

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 09 Mar 2008, 00:06
by MetalBeast
Like I already wrote, this problem is only in AIvolution mode.

I tested this map already in normal mode with full, max screen-resolution, shadows on, max details, max units, no problems.

I'm not a C coder, so I can not say, what the cause may be, but it's definitively AIvolution related.

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 09 Mar 2008, 00:16
by Troman
As I already replied this is possible. The main cause for slowdowns is most likely pathfinding, it is a real CPU hog in Warzone and since Aivolution is highly optimized it can end up having more units compared to the stock AI. Units also get orders more frequently, so the pathfinding has more work to do.

Use the tips I listed in the previous post to minimize this effect.

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 09 Mar 2008, 01:25
by MetalBeast
Ok, thx.

Smaller maps and limit to AI players seem to help a little.

Now, it would be perfect, if I could save my game ;)

Re: AIvolution

Posted: 09 Mar 2008, 04:39
by The Commander
MetalBeast wrote: Now, it would be perfect, if I could save my game ;)
QFT, Id give any one a  :-* who compiles the version that isnt broken with this mod,  :D