[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#3646) freeciv-ai ai_military_findvictim

["Gregory Berkolaiko" <Gregory.Berkolaiko@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 7 Mar 2003, ue80@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> On Fri, Mar 07, 2003 at 08:03:55AM -0800, Per I. Mathisen wrote:
> > 
> > On Fri, 7 Mar 2003, ue80@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > > When looking at some AI-games (with diplomacy patch) is saw that AI is
> > > better in landwar thenin seawar. Really bad in expanding, bad in
> > > cityplacement, not optimal in the building it builds ...
> > 
> > True. Mostly because the settler code sucks. Secondly because the ferry
> > code sucks.
> 
> Where is the settler code?

server/settler.c oddly enough

>  
> > > > Can someone give sketch some ideas on how the AI _should_ use paras? 
> > > > Since
> > > > the AI is omniscient, its use of paras can be deadly, if coded 
> > > > correctly.
> > >
> > > Jump into empty cities or on adjacent tiles and conquer it after.
> > > That is not more or less deadly than normal players do. I thought we
> > > want an AI which can beat players like K and not an AI which is
> > > hopeless.
> > 
> > I'm afraid it is not that simple. You have a para in city X, there is no
> > target nearby. This is the most common case - you build them one place and
> > use them some other place. What do you do? Do you let the standard AI
> > routines handle it until you are in a city and there is a jump target
> > somewhere? Then it will be unlikely to activate often. Or do we give it
> > over to special para code which attempts to find cities from which it can
> > jump? Here we risk not using paras as regular troops when they could and
> > should be.
> 
> You seldem build fighters near enemy cities, they have to "jump" to the
> front too. And using paras as normal units should be only done when you
> have to defend. But in the attacking case "jump" step by step to the
> front. When there is no front which can be reached within 10 fields of
> your imperium you have to move them with ships or build cities between.
> 
> Think the airlift code and the airgoto codo should be a good place
> to search how to handle the move from paras.

Yes, but at the current level I feel we should improve the basics: city 
placement, expansion, defense, rather then venturing into _very_ hard but 
specialised problems like paradrops.  

G.