AI War Beta 7.006-7.007 "Design Meddling" Released!

[keith.lamothe]

(Crossposted from this blog post)

This one continues our work on the winner of the "Big Items For 8.0" poll.  Specifically: more hacking! :)

This release actually only adds two new forms of hacking but I think many of you will really enjoy one or both:

1) Corrupting an AI bonus ship design to prevent that AI from building that type of ship for the rest of the game. (Farewell, AI-controlled Tackle Drone Launchers, you had a good run)

2) Copying an AI bonus ship design to let you build that type of ship (much as if you had unlocked it from an ARS).

Naturally there's a catch: first, for a given "backup server" you can only corrupt OR copy the design on it, and the hacking-progress costs of either are significant (particularly further hacks of the same type).

There are also some key changes to the hacking and hacking-response calculations in response to feedback since 7.002.  Please keep it coming!  I've got more planned hacking types and such, but where the feature as a whole goes is largely up to player feedback.

And we fixed a few bugs, and finally got around to answering some longstanding requests to modernize the Orbital Mass Driver's stats (I don't suggest getting shot at by that thing).

Update: 7.007 hotfix to fix a bug in the last version preventing knowledge gain.  The AI wasn't counterhacking, though.  Nope.  No siree.

Enjoy!

This is a standard update that you can download through the  in-game updater itself, if you already have 4.000 or later. When you launch the game, you'll see the notice of the update having been found if you're connected to the Internet at the time.  If you don't have 4.000 or later, you can download that here.

[Aeson]

Does the Backup Server only keep ships which the AI can currently use available, or does it draw from a list of all the ships the game has?

(also, it looks like this idea was similar to madcow's in reply #66 of the Poll: Big Items for 8.0 thread)

[keith.lamothe]

Does the Backup Server only keep ships which the AI can currently use available, or does it draw from a list of all the ships the game has?

It's only the types the AI has.  So if you're facing an Everything AI you can expect to see a lot of them (probably with more than one type per planet).

(also, it looks like this idea was similar to madcow's in reply #66 of the Poll: Big Items for 8.0 thread)

Yea, I'd heard the idea a few times but the most recent mention that actually set me in that direction a couple days ago was the one I credited; will amend the thank-you line, though.

[MaxAstro]

So do new backup servers spawn when new ship types are unlocked for the AI?

[keith.lamothe]

So do new backup servers spawn when new ship types are unlocked for the AI?

Yes.  And it's retroactive for old saves.

[Eternaly_Lost]

So, what is the chance of being able to hack the Cookie Monster or the Dyson Sphere for some insane amount of HaP?

[MaxAstro]

So, dunno if it's just me, but science labs don't seem to be working in the new version.  Um... at all.  They just sit there, not gathering knowledge.

AI War: Hard Mode, anyone? 

[keith.lamothe]

I suppose that's certainly a possible thing that could have gone wrong   Checking it out.


AI counterhacking, anyone?

[keith.lamothe]

Update: 7.007 hotfix to fix a bug in the last version preventing knowledge gain.  The AI wasn't counterhacking, though.  Nope.  No siree.

[Aklyon]

"Sir, we solved the supply problem, we don't need any!"
[after seeing nothing happen for awhile]

"...Did they solve it by dieing? I'm not going to accept that kind of solution, you know."
-A Commander Dood

[keith.lamothe]

IT Boss: "Our servers aren't secure against attack!"

IT Sysadmin: (disconnects servers from internet, then from the power, then buries them)

IT Boss: "Phew, that's better!"

[LordSloth]

I'm thinking for a Cookie Monster hack:

Spoof Fleet Signal - aka Doublestuff Lure

Lures the Cookie Monster to system X for the duration of the hack by boosting the warp signals of interstellar traffic, making it the system look like a double-stuffed space oreo.

HP cost drops off the further the Devourer Golem is from the target system, and the countermeasure the AI takes are relatively moderate. If the devourer is in said system, the AI will not send ships against the hacker, but hacking points will be spent at an exorbitant price.

Dyson Hack: Antagonize Dyson (allied or not), no hacking cost, but eventually and irrevocably ends with a Doomsday nuke. ... Just be sure to wrap up the game before then. More Hacks increases the countdown, but also increases the number of (allied?) dyson gatlings.

Who says Hybrids should have all the fun?

[Toranth]

Well, um, I broke it?  It somehow desync'd on me in a single player game... Might have to do with the fact that the game ran out of memory in a mere 6 seconds.  I'll attach the save, so you can check it out.  Load it up, switch to Murdoch, and you'll have 6 seconds before it'll hang for 15+ minutes trying to resolve the counter-hack.  The HaP was 'only' -4500 or so.

Also, I noticed

Code: [Select]

...
wild-roll:InnocuousRoll, spawnStrength = 6300975675.2
wild-roll:QueueAnotherSpawnAfterThisOne, spawnStrength = 6365934187.32
wild-roll:ShortRangeWarpJump, spawnStrength = 6430892699.43
wild-roll:AddStrength_PreRollStrengthTimesTwo, spawnStrength = 6690726747.89
wild-roll:SwitchToSniperGuardianSpawn, spawnStrength = 6690726747.89
wild-roll:TriggerCounterWave, spawnStrength = 6690726747.89
wild-roll:SwitchToRaidStarshipSpawn, spawnStrength = 6755685260.01
wild-roll:TriggerMiniExo, spawnStrength = 6755685260.01
wild-roll:ShortRangeWarpJump, spawnStrength = 6820643772.13
spawnedType:AIRaidStarshipV quantity:106,572,559 (strength-each:64)
that Counter Waves and Exowaves don't replace or reduce the strength of the counter-hacking spawn at all.  That seems unnecessarily unpleasant.
I also noticed the presence of the QueueAnotherSpawnAfterThisOne, which may be contributing.

I was kind of disappointed that the game was unable to spawn all 100 million Raid starships.  It would've made a nice update to my avatar.

Finally, a question about the change to AIP - HaP.  This is Total AIP - current HaP = HaP used, right?  And it is merely replacing where the equations used to use Effective AIP?  So, as you go negative it will still use this value for a little while, until the HaP^2/10 takes over?

[keith.lamothe]

The HaP was 'only' -4500 or so.

I'll make the arithmetic-logic-unit protection mechanisms kick in earlier, but fwiw how is it in a remotely-sane scenario.  Y'know, something above maybe -200 HaP?

I know, I know.  That doesn't generate the right order-of-magnitude of raid starships.

Finally, a question about the change to AIP - HaP.  This is Total AIP - current HaP = HaP used, right?  And it is merely replacing where the equations used to use Effective AIP?  So, as you go negative it will still use this value for a little while, until the HaP^2/10 takes over?

It's effective AIP - HaP.  So AIP reduction helps.

[Aklyon]

How many raids did it spawn though?