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Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Simulator Enhancements (03/13/24)

Author Topic: Ship AI to respect player groups  (Read 795 times)

Jaghaimo

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Ship AI to respect player groups
« on: October 05, 2021, 01:59:01 AM »

I'd like the designated group (via ctrl+x) to work as an actual group - stay together and assist each other - while preserving default AI behaviour. Right now, the only way of doing it is via rally / defence order, which locks those ships in that location.
An acceptable solution would be a new set of orders - flank - which would work like rally / defence but allow those ships to advance towards enemy from relative position (waypoint towards centre of mass of enemy).
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JUDGE! slowpersun

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Re: Ship AI to respect player groups
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2021, 04:00:14 PM »

It doesn't already work that way...?  Man, super glad I never use command groups!
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SCC

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Re: Ship AI to respect player groups
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2021, 10:10:33 AM »

No, command groups are like command groups in RTSes, they just make selecting a group of units handy.

Thaago

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Re: Ship AI to respect player groups
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2021, 10:16:33 AM »

They are moderately handy - I like to group my carriers by type so I can send interceptor or bomber strikes quickly without having to hunt down exactly where each carrier is.

I wonder if putting the current logic of a defend/rally onto a ship would work? Then all the ships assigned to it would stay in the area of it but still go to engage targets more freely than 'escort'. Without modifications they are totally going to block the firing lines of the 'rally ship' though, which isn't ideal.
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Alex

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Re: Ship AI to respect player groups
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2021, 12:26:57 PM »

Yeah, it seems like there are two potential ways to do this that could work - both basically putting the existing "Defend" behavior onto a mobile point. That point could either be explicitly a ship, or it could be simply the center-of-mass of a bunch of ships (though that might be harder to to convey UI-wise). Retooling "heavy escort" to be this could well be the easiest (and most clear) way to go, though it has the downside of breaking the group up if that ship goes down or retreats.

Without modifications they are totally going to block the firing lines of the 'rally ship' though, which isn't ideal.

This should hopefully address that aspect of it.

Regardless, this probably isn't in the cards for the .1 release - seems like too much playtesting / messing around with it to see what's actually good, and how useful this is (thoughts very much welcome!) would be required - but I'll definitely keep this in mind!
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JUDGE! slowpersun

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Re: Ship AI to respect player groups
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2021, 06:56:06 PM »

https://twitter.com/amosolov/status/1451988382888992769?s=20

Not "in the cards," hah!  Congrats on having quickest game suggestion added!  Will rebalance carriers some, hopefully.
« Last Edit: October 23, 2021, 06:58:24 PM by slowpersun »
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IonDragonX

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Re: Ship AI to respect player groups
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2021, 07:39:14 AM »

@Alex Thanks for implementing this. I always wanted to have a "wingman" system. Q: Did you look at my suggestion for a combat notification?
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