[freeciv-ai] Re: (PR#4744) More pathfinding

["rwetmore@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <rwetmore@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Given that Jason has the scenario described correctly, I am actually
confused as to why any randomness would change the outcome. If the
chariot could reach Nairobi this turn, then it should certainly be
able to reach it with full movepoints next turn, and thus supercede
the 2/3 case Jason sees. Is there some other factor like danger at
play?


But to ask a stupid question without doing any background code checks
to try and avoid the embarassment, is it not possible to have the
random case resolved by pathfinding under an optimistic or a pessimistic
mode flag.

What I mean is that player/AIs could have a cautious/defensive or
aggressive personality trait which caused PF to resolve random chance
in a defined success or failure mode, i.e. assume one of the two
non-random outcomes.

It seems like this code would be required if randomness were a ruleset
option with 2 or 3 case options, i.e. pessimistic, random or optimistic
outcome probabilities. Civ3 fans would of course choose optimistic.

The result is not a fuzzy weighted answer about the optional pathfinding
choice, but one of two non-random binary extremes that are selecteable in
some way. This should be codable now, and would be at least an improvement
on hardcoding one or the other PF assumptions which currently has at least
half the user community asking the why question all the time. If they did,
RTFM and pick your poison would be the standard answer with the flexible
option fix.

Cheers,
RossW
=====

Gregory Berkolaiko wrote:
> Sorry about not replying to it straight away.
> 
> [chrisk@xxxxxxxxx - Sat Aug  2 16:52:24 2003]:
> 
>>CVS 02 JUL 2003 GTK 1
>>
>>Load savegame, turn done, attack Malindi with cruiser from Nairobi, send
>>transport with charriot to that island's west coast, use GOTO to send
>>chariot into Nairobi.
>>
>>Goto wants to surround the city, using the road, rather than go direct.
>>The direct way has a 50% chance to conquer Nairobi this turn, the
> 
> chosen way
> 
>>definetely takes 2 turns, but leaves the chariot with 2/3 MP after that.
>>
>>Is this an unfixed bug, or is this me have been talking you into
>>overoptimize this thing?
> 
> 
> There is no bug.  PF is unable(*) to cater for all possible tastes /
> scenarios in the presence of randomness in moves.  End of story.
> 
> (*) And will never be able, in polynomial time.
> 
> This is a very good reason IMO to adopt non-random moves.  I have been
> playing Civ3 lately, this is one of the things they definitely got right.
> 
> G.