Modding the AI / Planet and ship name list

from Sins Forums
Two questions:
Is there a way to edit the AI scripting?  For example, if I wanted to make an AI behavior type where they built exclusively frigates, or buy lots from the black market, or (har har) send you lots of credits (:)) etc?

Secondly, where is the default list of planet/ship names?  And is it editable?  For example, I'd love to add in some extra names (Coruscant, Yavin IV, etc) for planets, and other ship titles.  That way, I wouldn't have to spend time individually renaming my empire :D

On a final note, I *love* this game.  I got the last copy available in my entire city.  (Thank you Software Etc)  Any responses are greatly appreciated :)
modding
3,113 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
- AI is pretty limited with what we can do, but I think you can set priorities on what to build, etc.

- Yes, its all in the String folder, in the only file there, english.str. Use Ctrl+F in notepad and type in one of the Vanilla names and that will jump you down to where they are, then edit away ;)
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
Expanding a little on what Uzii said:

gameplay.constants is the file that has weighting values for what the AI focuses on building for its various personalities, that's the only thing about it we can change

ObjectDock - Access shortcuts and frequently used applications from an animated dock.
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
Ah, thank you both. To see if I could get the "Kill 1000 frigates" achievement, I edited the cost and construction speed of light frigates to almost nothing/instantaneous (respectively) and picked 4 aggressive AIs on the hard setting. Yes, instead of, say, 5 light frigates they had more like 15-20, but they still built the usual variety of ships.

Not to mention the part where, yes, they did assemble a MASSIVE combined fleet one planet away from my homeworld, but all they did was sit there! I was thinking "ok guys, between the four of you, you'd be able to pretty much instantly destroy my planet. So WHY are you waiting?! >_<" /sigh

Anyways, after my original post I found a similar one in the forums explaining that AI behavior was stored in the *.exe, and I think I'd rather try to change out my car's fan belts while the engine's running than to mess with that :D And also, I did find the part in gameplay.constants that Annatar11 referenced, but it'd be nice if we had more access to some of the finer points. I'm particularly interested in where it says: "if enemyFleetSize > x then retreat()" I'd really like to change "x" :) I'm tired of bringing my large armada to fight with their armada then their armada goes "We're just as big as you, but for some reason we're going to retreat" (???)

Oh well. Maybe in future patches? Of course I can understand Ironclad's desire to maybe not share the entire inner workings with the general public ^^
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
if enemyFleetSize > x then retreat()
End of quote


That, my friend, is a very complicated equation :P The Sins AI takes many things into consideration when deciding retreats. The primary factor is a relative fleet strength comparison, and if your fleet is 75%+ "stronger" than the AIs, it will seriously consider (and in most cases will) retreat. There's other stuff in the equation like strategic importance of the location (enemy grav well, neutral, friendly/homeworld, for example), other allied presence in system, the AI's overall goal..

I don't think we'll ever be able to get our hands on being able to modify that kind of thing, but who knows :P