Auto-engaging Devourer Golem

[Sigma7]

While most veterans know how to prevent units from auto-attacking a Devourer Golem, there's less of a reason to do so than attacking Astrotrains.  That vessel shouldn't be auto-engaged.

Of course, if we allow units to attack (but not engage) this golem, there might also be a need to update Astrotrains as well.

[Buttons840]

I would rather auto-attack astro trains than the devouring golem.  Best is probably not to auto-attack either.  Or perhaps have a control node to enable the auto attack of astro trains.  Especially now that astro trains have no AI penalty (at least, the UI no longer shows a penalty).

I disable the devouring golem because it seems like a gotcha.  The devourer is a problem not because of it's grand strategies, but because the the basic behavior of ships is not intelligent enough to avoid it.

I got tired of babysitting my units so they don't mass suicide.

[keith.lamothe]

Well, I'm going to try to make ships behave more intelligently with regard to the devourer... the problem is that I'm strongly tempted to interpret that as (in addition to not auto-attacking it) making it so that they will refuse to obey any order to move towards or fire upon it

[Buttons840]

Well, I'm going to try to make ships behave more intelligently with regard to the devourer... the problem is that I'm strongly tempted to interpret that as (in addition to not auto-attacking it) making it so that they will refuse to obey any order to move towards or fire upon it

No worries.  When the player issues an attack order against the devourer just pop up the delete/scrap screen.  "Are you sure you want to scrap these units?  Press Y." 

Devourer is only interesting, IMHO, when your attacking an AI who is getting devoured at the same time and you can maneuver and use the devourer to help protect your fleet.


I could see weather ending up in a similar boat.  When the weather comes your units just die because they don't know how to handle it.  However, if you program them to auto-avoid weather and dangers then whats the point of even having the weather?  Just a thought.

[vonkolberg]

If ships on FRD don't attack trains, they *really* shouldn't attack the Devourer.  As it is now, it's really just test of reading the alerts and getting the ships out of harm's way.  Not terribly fun, though it is cool to try and profit from his attacks on the AI from time to time.  Preventing ships from auto-attacking would be a great first step.