There might be reasons for AI-code-privacy but all that I can think of are somewhat far-stretched edgecases. (Academia is imo such edgecase, too). Maybe in some cases it really is a blocker, in such case (honestly) "too bad" but I think in most cases it is not an issue. I am not against it, just think it is not so important.
As for the mutator nooby metalheckler thing, I don't see what in that archive enables me to run that on one machine, independent of the game archive.
Not possible with how NoobyMetalHeckler thing is made, and afaik being independent of the game archive is not possible with how depencies work.
BUT I guess question is "how to make multiple such AIs play against each other, without too much hassle?"
This is setup that AI-devs might use, not players.
Have some AIs, they depend on nothing like this:
NoobyMetalHeckler-AI's modinfo.lua wrote:depends={}
PorcMaster-AI's modinfo.lua wrote:depends={}
PorcMaster-AI-v2's modinfo.lua wrote:depends={}
Then instead of each AI depending on a game-file, you have another module:
For example a package of all AI's for Balanced Anni might look like:
BA-AI-package's modinfo.lua wrote:depends={Balanced Annihilation}
These AI-packages would include all the AIs for one game.
Note: Did not test whether AI can have its own LuaAI.lua or if there must be a combined file in the AI-package.
This allows all AIs to be downloaded, updated and used (for playing) together.
If you want the AIs to play a different game, then just change the
depends= entry in the AI-package module or make a new AI-package.
So there is no need to copypaste files around, just editing entries in one file.
Think with proper use of github/svn blub maintaining such AI-package would be possible without being superannoying. Similiar to how it was planned to have for example chili-UI's git project to be included as subproject-thing in some mods.
Simple version might even be to have one SVN-project and just different folders for each AI.
If someone wants a new AI, he creates a new folder and adds an entry in LuaAI.lua.
Requires some coordination but if there are so many AI-devs that coordination becomes impossible than that would be a success in itself
Not perfect, but a way that technically seems possible and managable?
Or start even smaller. Post your Lua-AI with note "copy this into BA\LuarRules\Gadgets\" and if someone wants to challenge it, then he also posts his AI. And then both peoplepersons widly copy files around and if that has been going for a while THEN start looking at better solutions. (like the one above perhaps)
Otherwise seems a bit like solution
("how to manage AI vs AI") looking for a problem.
("who even wants to make AIs? this way")
Though it is hen-egg situation, maybe if solution is there then the problems will appear.