Skirmish AI: E323AI 3.22.4

[slogic]

Got a crash right after the game started.

Running env:
* Spring 0.80.5.1
* mod: BA 7.04
* map: 2Lakes
* 2 BOTs v2.13.2
* me as spectator

[Error323]

UPDATE v2.13.3 Wed Oct 28 11:47:07 CEST 2009
Changelog:

• Compatible with BA 7.04
• Compatible with XTA 959
• Segfault fixes
• Config updates

E323AI SO/DLL: E323AI-v2.13.3-Ultralisk
E323AI SRC: E323AI@github

Important!!!! Update configfiles

Thanks for all your feedback!

[slogic]

The new version works with BA 7.04, but crashes with BA 7.01. Are you interested in infolog.txt? Or is it Ok for old mods?

[Error323]

I know it crashes, should have mentioned that probably, but since both BA and XTA introduced new models the config files are different. I should fix this by locking a certain unit on its short_name instead of its id, since ids tend to change when new units are added or old ones deleted. I'll work on it for the next release.

[Umrug]

BA 7.04, Spring 80.5.1, Comet Catcher Redux vs RAI

playing as CORE - seems like update of config files didn't do it much good (only ak and crashers) - and crashing at 12:20

playing as ARM - cool but crashed at 17:00

In both cases crash is identical to what was before - laggy feeling, growing and growing until a crash. Empty infolog. Log files are full of (EE) for "push failed for unit category" (of course). Nothing else. Occasional (WW) for MoveFailed.

1) Are you sure you supplied correct configs? (Cause you didn't)
2) Are you sure that you supplied correct version? Last version I tested was waaaay better then this one.

[Error323]

Hmmm thanks, the config files are definitely not correct yet then. My pc is probably just to fast to notice, didn't crash here when I tested... Anyway if the logs get flooded, the performance drops.

I'm gonna work on a improved categorization parsing system tonight/tomorrow and give it some proper testing.

[Umrug]

Well, IMO the auto-parsing of units in the mod is way less important then anything else. Cmon, just ask people to make good configs for you, that's it. Some basic categorization so it doesn't crash on first run and generates stub for people to edit is more then enough imo.
I'll be happy to make BA config for you (again, if the one i did isn't good for some reason).

[slogic]

Pathfinding algorithm is worse than KAIK has. Tested on map Tangerline. See the image below.

[slogic]

Got another crash. This one during the battle vs KAIK on Victoria Crater map.

[slogic]

Played personally with AI. It is very good at beginning. Really very good. But it does not increase groups of units. The middle of the game you can observe on attached image. Crazy AI looped on Peewees (is it electronic love? =) ). Also looks like AI continuously was losing unit control during the battle & you see Peewees are standing everywhere as statues. And finally, AI did not even manager to restore its economic. Its builders stubbornly was assisting in building tons of Peewees instead of building couple of builders & send them to build metal/energy makers. Looks like economy expansion algorithm is based on duration of the battle & never revert back. But during the first part of the game AI was spreading its metal makers everywhere. That was great.

PS. May be your AI just surrendered this way? Can it? :D

PPS. Forgot to tell, AI never builds defenses. This is pity cause i used this hole to push him with only 3 or 4 flashtanks from his native birthplace (left-top corner) to center when he was attacking me. His base was absolutely uncovered by any forces.

[yuritch]

I've tried to configure this AI for my mod yet again. This time it almost worked - the commander was moving around, building power generators and metal extractors... and nothing else :) But anyway, that's a huge progress over what was there before.

Also, looks like it needs at least 1 factory to be defined as KBOT, else it crashes at start. It didn't try to build that fac though.

Now I think the problems were because the power generator building is armed and maybe it was counted as a combat unit. I'll remove that tag from it and try again.

Edit: nope, with ATTACKER removed from power generator it's still the same.

[Error323]

Hey Umrug, Slogic, Yuritch

Just to let you all know I'm working on it right now. I would like to go into detail on these matters, however that quite directly results in less time spent on development. I'll perform some real proper testing before next release and make sure it will spawn no (EE) msgs.

After this is done, I'll start working on defense code.

[Error323]

Hey Everyone,

After a day of some hardcore debugging I found two serious segfaults within the dungeons of my code. Also I improved the config parsing system and target selection for scouting. It kicks some serious ass now, that is, it beats KAIK on comet in a 2v1!! (see attachement). Please report any segfaults you find (I REAAAAAAAAAALLY hope none).

UPDATE v2.13.4 Sat Oct 31 22:40:34 CET 2009
Changelog:

• Fixed two nasty segfaults
• Config updates
• Config parsing update, better compatibility with newer versions
• Improved target selection for scouts
• Compatible with XTA and BA (both latest)

E323AI SO/DLL: E323AI-v2.13.4-Ultralisk
E323AI SRC: E323AI@github

Good luck & Have fun!

Ps: !!Be sure to update configfiles!!

[hoijui]

as the demo did not work for me (mod checksum mismatch :/), i tested myself on windows (demo attached), and i have to say, it is impressive indeed :D
good job!

E323AI v2.13.4 now referenced in spring master, update with git submodule update --init.

[jeykey]

for me it says I've to download mod before watching replay... but I have Ba7.04 downloaded (Ba works)...

[yuritch]

I'm still trying to make it work with my mod, and there is some success, it plays one of the factions quite well (until the crash). So far I found some more reasons for crashes (and fixed them in config). If any of the following is missing, the AI crashes:

- at least 1 factory at each tech level defined as KBOT (but the same fact can be defined as VEHICLE as well);
- at least 1 building defined as ESTORAGE (but the same building can be MSTORAGE as well);
- at least 1 unit that is LAND and MMAKER (that's a tough one, my mod for ex. has no makers...);
- both paths (KBOT and VEHICLE) should lead to TECH2 (so when it has either of TECH1 factories, it can make a builder capable of producing TECH2 factory).

Continuing to investigate, I feel I can make it work when I'll find all the items it needs. Log is very helpful, last line will mention what it was that the AI could not find and crashed.

Edit: because of requirement for metal makers to be present current version of E323AI cannot be made to work crash-free with my mod... unless I figure which unit can be marked as MMAKER without actually making metal :)
But at least it plays long enough before trying to build metal makers (causing crash) to defeat AAI.

[Achilla]

How do you 'update' the config files? I simply pasted entire E323AI where it's due, having original folder structure in mind and it pops up in as a choice already.

Anyway, I gave it a go!

Comet Catcher remake02, one E323AI vs two KAIK ... and it indeed beat them. It was funny to watch, Peewees everywhere doing some kind of guerilla warfare ... hit and run, hit and run. At some point both their bases were completely destroyed and around 100+ of their kbots moved in one mob chasing one Peewee in circles for some time, till bigger clash and final defeat. Commanders got eventually annihilated as well.

My impression is that this 'beginner micro' simply exploits KAIK weakness in fullest ... I will have to throw it against RAI once in a time, since the latter is rather passive-defensive and is obsessed with enemy trying to enter it's base.

Cons so far? Well, apart from the rather primitive build order, it's quite efficient at what it's doing. It started to build tier 2 kbot lab but enemies destroyed it twice and they exploded anyway before any unit was built from that factory. Lack of defences and naval is kind of obvious, but I believe your first priority will be land + air anyway? Not everything at once, they say.

Though, real con remains, it eats much, much more CPU power than any other AI. When I accelerated the game to 3x speed, it went up to 30%, 40%, 45% and then crashed on second run at some point. I can imagine the same thing happening on normal speed on bigger map and with more units or enemies. I don't know why it eats so much resources, but I'm safe to say version seems to be quite stable on machines which can handle it's demanding requirements.

What impressed me the most was micro of the units ... they actually really fought in the combat, maneuvering to avoid missiles or extra casualties. I only wonder if it's possible to tell the AI units to not shoot through wrecks for too long if they can't reach and damage their target.

Overall, what I have experienced and seen is certainly beyond what I expected, despite the primitive (yet) tactics employed by it. I didn't play against it personally, but so far it seems to be a killer of other AI's on small-normal sized land maps.

[slogic]

as the demo did not work for me (mod checksum mismatch :/), i tested myself on windows (demo attached), and i have to say, it is impressive indeed :D
good job!

Your battle lasted for 18 min.

In contrast i tested with 2xRAI, which can build basic defends. They could stand for 25 min. Who will stand longer against E323AI?

[slogic]

I only wonder if it's possible to tell the AI units to not shoot through wrecks for too long if they can't reach and damage their target.

In OTA this was basic functionality of units. So we could address this to Spring engine.

[hoijui]

sometimes you move a unit behind a wreck for other units not beeing able to shoot at it
therefore, it is better to not auto move it from such a position engine wise.