Prerelease 1.005G now available.

[x4000]

Here's the latest prerelease:  http://www.arcengames.com/share/AIWar1005G.zip  

This is going to be one of those multiple-prerelease days, simply because I want people to have extra time to look at the keyboard methodology changes, to be sure that there are not any hidden issues with that new approach

That version is an upgrade from version 1.004, so you have to already have 1.004 installed. Just unzip it into your game folder (usually C:\Program Files\Arcen Games\AI War\ unless you specified something else). Please make sure that your unzip process keeps the folder structure from the zip file, rather than just unpacking all of the files into the base target directory.

What's new since 1.005F:

-------------------

-Keyboard handling has been recoded to now use windows messages instead of DiretInput.  This should allow for alternate keybindings such as software dvorak keyboard solutions to now function.

-Ship autotargeting now gives preference to targets that are closer and that can attack the ship, and targets that can shoot back over those that can't, all else being equal.

[x4000]

Keith,

Based on your comments, here's the new code I wound up adding to the bottom of that if/else block:

else if ( ( enemyUnit.WorkingRange < this.ObjectToKill.WorkingRange &&
      enemyUnit.UnitData.AttackPower > 0 ) || //prefer closer targets that can shoot back
       ( enemyUnit.UnitData.AttackPower > 0 && this.ObjectToKill.UnitData.AttackPower <= 0 ) ) //prefer targets that can attack us over those that cannot
       this.SetObjectToKill( enemyUnit, false, false, true );

I think this handles most of the examples you were referring to, so that things like cruisers will do better when they are being rushed by a bunch of fighters, etc.

[keith.lamothe]

Chris,

Thanks, looks good, I'll give it a test in a moment.

One thing is that I think your link to the zip file at the top of this thread still points to the F version, not the G.

Keith

[x4000]

Oh, crud, you're right -- that's now fixed.  Thanks!

[keith.lamothe]

Just gave it a test, and the change to targeting has done more or less what I was hoping.  It's really cool to be able to just move my ships in range of the enemy vessels and have them be really smart in the actual firing (they focus fire, they don't waste any shots even if that means not firing at all and waiting for other enemies to come into range, they prioritize more immediately dangerous targets).

I'm not sure if it's a bug in the build or me doing something weird, but when I hit enter in the tutorial it doesn't advance the tutorial message (I'm in the Intermediate Tutorial trying to get past the first message).

Thanks,
Keith

[Quitch]

I had an instance where Esc didn't register, does it work if you ALT-TAB out and then click the taskbar icon to get back in?

[x4000]

Just gave it a test, and the change to targeting has done more or less what I was hoping.  It's really cool to be able to just move my ships in range of the enemy vessels and have them be really smart in the actual firing (they focus fire, they don't waste any shots even if that means not firing at all and waiting for other enemies to come into range, they prioritize more immediately dangerous targets).

Awesome, glad that's a hit!

I'm not sure if it's a bug in the build or me doing something weird, but when I hit enter in the tutorial it doesn't advance the tutorial message (I'm in the Intermediate Tutorial trying to get past the first message).

This is exactly why I released this thing earlier, rather than waiting until late tonight.  Yeah, that was a real challenge to figure out, but I've got it working now (will post in a couple of minutes).  Also, the arrow keys and PgUp/PgDown and Space bar were really slow and jerky, too, and that's fixed...

[x4000]

I had an instance where Esc didn't register, does it work if you ALT-TAB out and then click the taskbar icon to get back in?

It seems to be working for me when I try that same thing.  With the new mode it is true that the window has to have focus in order for it to register key presses...

[Quitch]

Yeah it was probably just "one of those things".

[x4000]

Yeah it was probably just "one of those things".

I hate those things.

Sometimes if you have some other sort of popup DirectX window (such as in my case the popup window from MediaMonkey), if the other program has been running for a good while then it might cause key entry slowdown even in non-DirectX programs.  At least that happens for me when my RAM is running lowish (less than 700MB or so left out of 4GB).

[x4000]

Here's a version with the key handling issues from G fixed:  http://www.arcengames.com/share/AIWar1005H.zip

[freykin]

Hey there, playing with this version, and I think I might have discovered a bug with the Cutlass and possibly the Vampire.  I had a group of enemy cruisers enter one of my planets, and I had a big swarm of cutlasses so figured I would just buzz on through them.  However, whenever I tried to order them to attack them, or even to move through them, they would get stuck on something once they got close.  If I gave them an attack move, they'd get closer, but then pause and disperse out and then pursue again, never managing to catch up to the cruisers, which had 4 less speed than them.  Am I correct in thinking they should have been able to catch up to the cruisers and destroyed them?  This was around 70 cutlass versus 4 cruisers, both mark I.

Edit: reason I mentioned the Vampire is that they use a similar attacking method to the Cutlass, so it could be if one is bugged then the other is as well.

In other, more fun news, I'm making good progress in my first game, having captured three advanced research stations, an advanced factory, and destroyed a data center.  I've managed to only take one system that didn't contain one of these so far, and that one had four of each resource so I figured it was worth the progress increase.

[x4000]

Hey there, playing with this version, and I think I might have discovered a bug with the Cutlass and possibly the Vampire.  I had a group of enemy cruisers enter one of my planets, and I had a big swarm of cutlasses so figured I would just buzz on through them.  However, whenever I tried to order them to attack them, or even to move through them, they would get stuck on something once they got close.  If I gave them an attack move, they'd get closer, but then pause and disperse out and then pursue again, never managing to catch up to the cruisers, which had 4 less speed than them.  Am I correct in thinking they should have been able to catch up to the cruisers and destroyed them?  This was around 70 cutlass versus 4 cruisers, both mark I.

That sure does sound like a bug... I haven't seen this yet myself, but I have not tested cutlasses with the very latest.  So I'll try that out and see if I can duplicate it.  Sounds like maybe they are losing their target at the last second or something, I'll have to see.

Edit: reason I mentioned the Vampire is that they use a similar attacking method to the Cutlass, so it could be if one is bugged then the other is as well.

Sure thing, you're absolutely right.  With that style of movement, if one is off they probably both are.

In other, more fun news, I'm making good progress in my first game, having captured three advanced research stations, an advanced factory, and destroyed a data center.  I've managed to only take one system that didn't contain one of these so far, and that one had four of each resource so I figured it was worth the progress increase.

Nice!  That's a really great expansion out into the galaxy.  What size is it, and did you have to do any planet hopping to do that?  On 80 planet maps, seems like I wind up taking 10+ planets that are just gateway planets to new locations.  Although, I have found a use for planets that have no resources -- they make a great place to be attacked at, since you can bunch your forces and there's nothing to lose.  The more hostile planets they border, the better!  That's been an interesting thing I've been experimenting around with in my current campaign, and it's worked surprisingly well so far.

[x4000]

freykin:  Just tested it out with the current release, and I don't see that issue with the vampires or the cutlasses.  Both were doing as expected and chasing and killing targets.

The one thing that I can think of that you might have been experiencing was that the cruisers are a moderately undesirable target for cutlasses, and therefore the cutlasses might have been going for a better target.  Cutlasses are actually somewhat self-damaging every time they inflict a blow (vampires, by contrast, gain health but do less damage), and so heavily armored or high-health targets can be incredibly futile for them -- while, as you know, the more lightly-armored targets get sliced through like butter. 

It takes around 4 Mark I cutlasses to take down a single Mark I cruiser (you can tell that because cutlasses have -25% in the weak category against cruisers), so if there is something that makes a better nearby target, your cutlasses are likely to switch to it.  Cutlasses and vampires (and engineers, really) have quite a mind of their own.  If you give them really specific orders ("go here," basically) they will do it, but otherwise they tend to be fairly self-managing just because they are required to quickly close distances to enemies in order to inflict damage (and they have to select targets they will actually be effective against, etc).  Anyway, so what you may have been seeing there was "disobedience" from the ships hitting the cruiser, then realizing there was a more attractive target and going for that instead.

Let me know what you think, if you see that again and if that seems in line with what you're observing.  Thanks for reporting it, either way!

[freykin]

I'm playing in a 40 planet one, just to get a feel for things.  I plan on doing a 80 planet one next, and up a difficulty or two, 3 has been pretty easy so far.

I've hopped over three planets so far, and just found one of the A.I.'s core command stations.  Not certain my current fleet is up to the job, but going to try anyways.  Those cutlass's make short work of things when you've got Mk III and IV ones, they burned through a quarter of an ion cannon in about 30 seconds.  They all died doing it, but that's pretty handy.

Interesting, I could see that happening, but the only things in the system were the 4 Mk I cruisers.  When I was giving them a move order to go through the Cruisers, once they got close they would stop completely.  If I get attacked again by cruisers somewhere, I'll see if I can duplicate it.  In mixed battles they've been working perfectly.

Speaking of which, I love the way ships choose who to attack in this.  It's fun watching them all move on to a new target because the old one, while still currently alive and kicking, has 100 missiles enroute to ruin his day.

Edit:  Just found another use for Cutlasses, I put a fighter screen in front of them and just crashed a good 70 into a super fortress, knocking it down in 10-15 seconds.  I'm really liking this ship type so far, they fit my playing style well.