[3.1+] NullBot: an adaptive skirmish AI

[Arreon]

If it helps clear up those annoying traffic jams, I'm all for it.

[NoQ]

There are no traffic jams in the savegame discussed.
Also, in this particular case, VTOLs are being discussed, not tanks.

[themac]

The match took so many hours because my NullBot team player was too devensive, so I had to do all alone at the end: he did not help me in any way *confused*. Normally, me and NullBot in team should be able to perform better while researching together right from the beginning and on (the other AI had to research alone). I personally think my NullBot team member lost a lot of time at the moment where he was nearly killed very early in the match. I send him some trucks and some power (again and again) to keep him alive. Maybe NullBot felt a bit demoralized when being nearly killed so early in the match. O.o

[NoQ]

All right, since noone wants to take responsibility for answering the question in bold, i guess i can do whatever i want.
Also, is anybody using the Light AI? Probably we don't need it anymore? Were those CPU intensity issues fixed?

Ouch sourceforge upload is broken again Trying to upload a new version and it says "sorry i'm broken" =/ will try again later

Error uploading file(s): Sorry, that upload didn't work. Please try again.

(you can still get the old version from /oldstable/)

[iap]

Guys, is it a good idea to make him send to death some small groups of units that are anyway not enough to kill the enemy, if he is at the unit limits?

I can't answer from a strategic point of view, but from the game play point of view it is better then just sit and do nothing. If the purpose of the AI is to make the game interesting - then you should send groups of units just to show some action.
You can, maybe, tell them to retreat at medium damage.

[NoQ]

I can't answer from a strategic point of view

You don't need to, it's a part of the assumption.
I modify the question so that it were clear: If it is known that the best strategy is to do nothing, should the AI keep doing nothing? Or should he try to provide this "fun" thing instead?

[NoQ]

Ok, got the upload working via SCP.

v1.34 tries to fix the stall at unit limits again, by decreasing the maximum group sizes (which might make the AI play worse). There were also some changes in VTOL attack code and Turtle AI (especially on v3.1).

If anybody still uses Light AI, please let me know. I just didn't want to upload, but the code is still present. I'm just not sure if it's of any use.

[iap]

There is nothing more disappointing than exploring the entire map, thinking the AI enemy is just behind the corner, but the find out it was just sitting in it's base waiting for you.

It's like I'm playing with my self.... ummmm Yup.

Finding random groups of units and fighting them gives the feeling that the computer is playing, even if it calculated all the statistics in advance and figured out he will lose. After all, it might as well just print a message "sorry, I've calculated that you won." and end the game.

[NoQ]

Waiting on the base is wrong and thus unrelated to the question. Waiting at your half of the map is not always wrong.

After all, it might as well just print a message "sorry, I've calculated that you won." and end the game.

Why should he do that in a case of, for example, artillery war stalemate, which is one of the cases when attacking is wrong? Why should he never be able to make one, always loosing when it approaches?

You still fail to understand the problem

[Giani]

Why would nullbot get to max of units?...

[Shadow Wolf TJC]

@NoQ: I haven't tried either the light and the normal AI yet, though given that my 10+ year old computer has trouble running Starcraft 2 at normal speeds, even with minimal settings, I MIGHT have some trouble running the default Nullbot AI.

[NoQ]

Why would nullbot get to max of units?...

Well, you can try checking out the savegames.
Anyway, even humans are often at the limits in high oil games.

my 10+ year old computer has trouble running Starcraft 2 at normal speeds

Mine too (:
The question is rather whether the simplifications in -light actually make it faster, or just make it weaker without seriously affecting CPU intensity.

[Giani]

@NoQ: I haven't tried either the light and the normal AI yet, though given that my 10+ year old computer has trouble running Starcraft 2 at normal speeds, even with minimal settings, I MIGHT have some trouble running the default Nullbot AI.

10+ year old computer?
My old computer had around of 8 years old, but whit some upgrades. But I couldn't play beta whit it
I wonder how you can play whit such an old computer...

[Giani]

Is it possible that Nullbot is causing this?: http://developer.wz2100.net/ticket/3491

[Cyp]

I think I have a 20-year-old computer, although I think all parts except for the floppy disk drives (which I'm not even sure if still work) have been replaced at some point.