something the EB team will have to look into.... i think

**/Bean\** · 09-07-2008, 20:11

I am no good at modding so I dont know the reasons or how to change this, but I used to play Imperial Glory, which is a basic (in comparison) game which is much like Shogun or Medieval 1.

The AI seems to handle battle tactics in this game much better than in Total War, for instance the cavalry pretty much always heads around the infantry and attacks the artillery behind the lines, and infantry will often deploy into defensive square formations if a cavalry charge seems likely.

Like i said I dont understand why or how any of these things work, but would a skilled modder be able to spot differences in the code or whatever makes this games AI better, and impliment it into the code of Total War?

**Foot** · 09-07-2008, 22:06

The code won't even look the same. There isn't some code that is used for AI in every game, it depends on the base engine for each game.

Foot

**Ludens** · 09-08-2008, 13:39

In addition to what Foot said, modders don't change the program itself. The program files are generally encrypted and distributing altered program files is illegal. What modders do is change the data files. Now in the TW series it is possible to change A.I. battlefield behaviour by altering their formations and priorities. However, you cannot reprogram the battle A.I. itself (well, technically you can, but that is very, very difficult, and it still would be illegal to distribute altered .exe files).

**/Bean\** · 09-08-2008, 16:31

I thought code might look different depending on the game, but surely the modder knows what they are looking for? Or is it that you would have to be seriously skilled or actually took part in designing the code...is it really that different for things so similar?

**davidtotalwar** · 09-08-2008, 20:41

Just an idea, there are a lot of mods out there which have made the AI better so if you want to have better AI why don't you try asking them for some help. It could speed things up a bit but its your decision in the end.

**Foot** · 09-08-2008, 21:03

We will certainly ask for advice, but it is something that we will need to work through and tweak on our own, as we will have designs and desires of our own to complete.

Foot

**bovi** · 09-09-2008, 05:50

Originally Posted by Baen

I thought code might look different depending on the game, but surely the modder knows what they are looking for? Or is it that you would have to be seriously skilled or actually took part in designing the code...is it really that different for things so similar?

This is compiled code, only readable by a computer program (the executable).

**Tellos Athenaios** · 09-10-2008, 14:45

Originally Posted by Baen

I thought code might look different depending on the game, but surely the modder knows what they are looking for? Or is it that you would have to be seriously skilled or actually took part in designing the code...is it really that different for things so similar?

This is a fragment of Lisp code:
(* (- 3 4) 5)

This also is a fragment of Lisp code:
(* (- 5 4) 3)

And that is just a very obvious example which hasn't even been compiled to binary not to mention encrypted. Now imagine that the functions *, -, 3, 4, 5 were much more complex, decision making algorithms written to influence behaviour of the cavalry in battle? How should it be (immediately) obvious what changing order of 5 and 3 does to the final outcome?

Slightly OT: The reason why I choose Lisp for the example is that it is/has been a popular AI language, programs written in Lisp can be made such (and often are, by design of the language) that these modify themselves at runtime. Such properties allows AI written in Lisp to 'learn' as you play.