What is "group AI" exactly?

[munch]

Hi,

I keep reading about "group AI", which I'd previously assumed was part of the game AI (as opposed to player AI), which works out how to move a group of units from A to B. However I read somewhere about having multiple groups AIs or something, which didn't make sense to me. So what is group AI? (And what is the idea of having multiple ones)

Thanks in advance.

Munch

[[K.B.] Napalm Cobra]

The group AI controls an assigned group of units, apposed to the global ai which controls the the team.

[CaptainExo]

Group AI acts as the squad leader, and a middle "man" between the units and the global AI. For example, a human controlled team is global. He/She can assign group AIs with formations to his/her squads to do some of the work for him/her.

In the case of computer controlled teams, the global AI will assign units to group AIs, then give the group AIs orders, instead of giving them to individual units.

Comparison;

Squad/Group AI: You can issue a move-to-and-attack order very easily

No S/Q AI: You may have to issue the orders to each individual unit

Saves you from micromanaging, really.

[munch]

Hi Guys,

Thanks, this helps a little, but I still don't quite get it - probably just me being slow:

Comparison;

Squad/Group AI: You can issue a move-to-and-attack order very easily

No S/Q AI: You may have to issue the orders to each individual unit

Saves you from micromanaging, really. :-)

This all makes sense except the same is true of non-AI groups. If I just select a load of units and do Ctrl-1 then I can reselect them any time I like and give the whole lot attack/move orders with a single click (just like in OTA)....

So what do AI groups give you beyond that? I've tried a couple of the group AIs and they just seemed to behave like an ordinary group to me, but maybe that's because they're still under development? What are they supposed to do?

Thanks in advance

Munch

[smokingwreckage]

I think the idea is like a more versatile "formation" button as featured in many historically inspired RTSs these days. SO you could tell a bunch of units with a few artillery amongst them to assume the "box" formation; they form a square with the artillery in the middle. Or maybe you could grab a group including builders and set a "hold the line" AI; the builders repair nearby units and the soldiers fight but you can select the group with a hotkey, move them somewhere new, and they will resume their positions with the builders effectively "on patrol" in the new location, rather than moving them and having to re issue patrol commands at the new location, or having the builders arrive first and die, etc, etc, etc.

At least, that's how it COULD work, eventually.

[munch]

OK, brilliant - that answers my question =)

At least, that's how it COULD work, eventually.

Ah, so what do they actually do now? I've tried a couple of them and they don't seem to do anything... are they just menu options with nothing behind them at the moment, or are the "simple formation" and "default" groups supposed to do something?

Thanks

Munch

[smokingwreckage]

I'm not totally well-informed on this, but I THINK they are either place-holders for now (most likely) or in very early prototype stages (less likely).

[Metaltrash]

Prorotypes, if i know right ...
under /aidll there are dll with there names

metalmaker handler should switch them off if there isn't anoth energy and switch them on again.
centralbuild, makes the build units automaticly help each other
easy formation, should let the units move in a formation with direktion, but crashed the engien as i tried it

[AF]

The metal maker AI is th only one I knwo deffo works, and it works very well, I would suggest it be built into the ngien as a subAI automatically used for metal makers unelss wsitched off in the options.

Central build AI however is unusual. It doesnt actually work for me, it just seems to do nothing at all. However it does have some quite itnerestign code inc omparison tot he other dll's.

[Min3mat]

oh yeah that metal maker AI is fucking sexy especially on maps with little metal and lots of space. could be improved tho i'd like it to run ALL metal makers until energy = 10% of total storable amount so that it runs in cycles and makes use of any energy storage you build (obviously this is NOT a priorty but would help make energy storage slightly more usefull early game hehe

[Triaxx2]

That would be a beautiful adaption of a MM AI. I love it. Now, to make it work. *vanishes to scan through the code*

[Archangel of Death]

Well, I noticed a few things about the build AI:
If you put some construction units (construction buildings at least) under that AI together, and then you select the group it has a different menu setup with more units on page one and iirc some of the other commands removed.
If you go to page two of that menu and tell it to build a unit there it won't go back to page one like it does (to me at least) when I select the buildings instead of the group.
I thought I remeber reading somewhere at sometime that it was supposed to be able to loop the build queue, but it doesn't unless I'm missing something.

[munch]

I thought I remeber reading somewhere at sometime that it was supposed to be able to loop the build queue, but it doesn't unless I'm missing something.

Loop the build Q by clicking the "Repeat" button to "on" =) You can do that on anything though, it's not to do with the group AI as far as I know.

Cheers

Munch

[Triaxx2]

But figuring out how the 'Q' key does that will show us how to duplicate it elsewhere.

[munch]

Sorry. To clarify, when I said "build Q", I was just being lazy and using the letter 'Q' as an abbreviation for the word "queue". This has nothing to do with the Q key used to select a group-AI group. Unless I've missed something (which I may well have), the "repeat on" order, which applies to single units, has nothing to do with group AI.

I hope this helps!

Cheers

Munch