The problem I find with the AI isn't the decision making, its the templates. The AI gravely needs better (and more varied) designs IMO. It just feels like I'm fighting the same ships with different weapons as opposed to every NPR feeling unique.
The only ships that I find proving the slightest challenge are missile ships but even then it feels like I'm fending off the same size 6 missiles
It's a lot of work to setup complete NPR templates, including the tech progression, operational groups, etc. but I do agree the game would benefit from more templates. Time is the main issue at the moment.
Is there any way the community could help? if you provide a template of the format you would need, then the community could probably help by making designs etc. to save you some time and work maybe?
Edit:
Might also have the added benefit of even surprising you a bit in some of your games, by meeting designs you don't already know well because you made them yourself =)
I know there are many forum veterans who would jump at the opportunity to do this - you already do this with the CSV format for medals.
When I say a lot of work, I am not kidding
It requires some code changes, but the bulk of the work is done by modifying the database unless new AI behaviour is needed. It involves several different complex tables and there is a lot of scope for creating bugs.
You need the following new records:
DIM_AutomatedClassDesign for each new ship design. Unfortunately, it is all done numerically with the program tracking what each number in each field means. There are about seventy different parameters, most with multiple options. New options need new code.
DIM_DesignTheme is overall design theme for the NPR and affects different elements of ship design plus how the Empire is run. The same automated ship design will be different for each design theme, so two NPRs would design the same missile cruiser with different weightings for speed, armour, shields, weapons, fuel, etc. Again, lots of numbers for different options. There are 32 different themes at the moment, although some are more common than others.
DIM_OperationalGroup for the operational groups used by the NPR (battle fleet, patrol, survey scout, etc.). 58 group types so far. Any new group types would need extra AI code.
DIM_OperationalGroupElement: Which automated design combinations go into each operational group.
DIM_OperationalGroupProgression: How the NPRs builds new fleet types. Seven different progressions at the moment.
DIM_DesignThemeTechProgression: Order of tech development for all NPRs, but not every NPR develops everything.
DIM_TechProgressionCategory: Different approaches to tech development, including what techs not to research. Fourteen different progressions at the moment.
DIM_AutomatedGroundTemplateDesign for each new ground force template
DIM_AutomatedGroundTemplateElements for each element of each new ground force template
DIM_DesignThemeGroundForceDeployments for the normal deployments of the ground forces for a specific design theme
Have a look at the tables to see what I mean. If it isn't all setup correctly, it will cause bugs when the program runs.
Even with all of that, it is still just variations on a theme. To add something new, like NPR carriers, or to create different behaviour, such as Swarm or Invaders, requires a lot of new code.
