Petra Needs Improvement

[Perzival12]

So, after both playing against and editing Petra, I have found several features that Petra needs to really stand a chance against a competent player.

#1: Petra doesn't build walls. This is a real problem, since it leaves it open to anyone with some siege rams and a catapult or two. It also means that Petra never really acts like a real player, especially when set to defensive (when it should essentially just turtle).

#2: Petra doesn't upgrade buildings or units. I know this is more minor, but it is important, as it means that the closer you get to the center, the weaker Petra is, since it built Sentry Towers in Village Phase (with little territory), then started building Defense Towers in Town Phase (as it spreads out). It would make Petra more challenging if it upgraded Sentry Towers to Defense Towers. This also has another problem: Petra never upgrades units, so it has to wait till City Phase to get the Centurions, when it could upgrade them as soon as they reach Elite Rank. Also, the Mauryan Maidens never switch from their melee version to their ranged version, which is a problem.

#3: Petra doesn't turret on walls. While this requires walls (see #1), it is another thing that would be useful to add.

I know it is too late to put these into A28, but maybe we should try to implement them for A29?

[hyperion]

Petra is in maintenance mode, unlikely to get new features or at least not anytime soon.

A bot can be created as a mod, such a bot could be bundled with the main game alongside Petra if it is mature.

Keep in mind, Petra is generally considered to strong for new players, a newbie friendly bot could help getting more people into the game.

[Perzival12]

If I were to make a more friendly bot and post it here, could it be packaged in the game? And then we can start improving Petra to be more challenging and realistic?

[hyperion]

Well you could make a more friendly one and a more hostile one, then there would be three bots. A bot that better scales with difficulty settings might be another path.

Petra has design limitations, you better create a new one with Petra as a guide only. Writing bots isn't easy but if you want to give it a try and it's fruitful then a lot of value can be added to 0ad.

[Perzival12]

I'll get started on that (probably start by editing Petra, neve made a whole bot before) sometime soon, and see what I can come up with.

[Tapothei]

Make an ai to simply counter/keep up a certain playstyle.

I play turtle and I never send any troops, so call this Ai "Fat-Grubber" a literal no defense but it intends to maximise economy to keep up with my booming, fixing the issue of pathfinding harvesting resource, 8 or more second of total walk will require the building(I forgot whats its called) on a dense tree(beyond 5) in an area. No 2nd CC unless metal/stone is out, no towers will be built/fortress. It produce woman mostly at the start, 40-50 farmers, 12-24 on stone/metal depending on its civ, still using woman(uses only food). The army will take care of wood, produces barracks and cranks out amass amount of citizen footman, and no horseman/siege/elephant units. If it gets attack on a certain number of units(say 30/more), it will retreat and group up an army double/all that amount to counter my army.

In C&C:TW. I played 1vs7 against easy nod. You know what they crank? Only infantry at the start. I get to enjoy hearing their shooting~ they make vehicles after some point but at the start man... I like seeing large blobs being rolled by my medium vehicle~~~ they hardly made any advanced vehicle if I recall. Another thing was they start building defense upon being attacked in base(so in 0a.d you can try to code the female workers to make mass amount of towers, followed with wooden walls to prevent my advance when I start attacking in their base).

In conclusion, play with what the ai can build with its limited choice(depends on playstyle). Then improve the base mechanic for it to shine, I hope this helps you, yawn...

Edited 5 hours ago by Tapothei

[Perzival12]

Okay everyone, so I got the easier ai done. I present to you, the one and only (AFAIK) EasyAI!!!

EasyAI has the following changes (read the README for more details):

- EasyAI never builds arsenals or fortresses.

- EasyAI never trains heroes or siege machines (though it can use captured ones)

- EasyAI sends smaller attacks, around half the size of Petra's.

- EasyAI takes much longer to phase up.

- EasyAI trains less workers.

- EasyAI builds less fields.

I tested EasyAI against Petra, and Petra beats it consistently and severely. Let me know what you think of it. 

This is only version one, I might make some more changes in the future (EasyAI never betrays the player, EasyAI never captures buildings, etc.), but here it is: 

EasyAI.zip