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Queen's Reinforcement pool[message #357587] Sun, 23 June 2019 16:46 Go to next message
Avenger is currently offline Avenger

 
Messages:10
Registered:June 2019
Hi there,

I was wondering how the "Strategic Enemy AI Settings / QUEEN_POOL_INCREMENT_PER_DIFFICULTY_LEVEL" exactly works.

Does the game check every 24 hours if there are troops in the pool and if not, increases the pool by the given value?

And does this mean, that if there are no soldiers on the map and I defeat the reinforcements that there will not be any more enemies until the next check on the pool? Or will the pool be reinforced immediately after dropping to zero?

Cheers, Avenger

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Re: Queen's Reinforcement pool[message #358801 is a reply to message #357587] Thu, 16 January 2020 08:49 Go to previous message
ZedJA2

 
Messages:202
Registered:January 2018
@ Avenger

I'm going to go by memory here, and I got this from reading the various descriptions in the Difficulties.xml file in TableData, plus the mock-up in same file for an example Difficulty Level, and asking some questions over the years on the boards (which you might find if you look at my member's post history, if you really want to go that far).

But this is only a gist of what goes on, I'm not certain of the actual mechanics since I had nothing to do with the coding and don't go into the game code, unlike someone like Flugente, SilverSurfer, or SevenFM who do look at the code often.

So basically, the Queen has a number for how many start in the pool. Then she also has a delay in hours before she reacts, plus a certain variable amount as well in hours related to that. In addition, in depends on what state she is in. Some things that the player can do can cause the Queen to go into a more active state, where she is more pro-active.

So there are several fields in the Difficulties file, and maybe some old ones in other files like JA2options.ini, where you can define how often she checks on the status of the war, then the AI will make decisions and allocate troops depending on that. So there is a base number of hours, a delay which varies (which represents her variability to either react or give a darn) and some other settings. You sort of have to read all the settings in the difficulties.xml and then piece it together.

Certain key events, might be taking over a key location, or having achieved a certain level of progress, or a key quest being achieved, will push the Queen into overdrive for a while.

Sorry if that doesn't go into as much detail as you would like, but that's the basic notion of it.

I'd remind you, that my memory is that you will find many definitions at the top of the Difficulties.xml file, but also again just before the Easy Difficulty entry, which defines a mock-up of how to build a difficulty entry and defines things there again.

Now, this used to be divided in about three files. So it can pay to look at all those xml files in the same folder (use Notepad or Notepad ++ for this -- Notepad ++ really has some great features now and is much better than over a decade ago, so I recommend that). You will also find sometimes something defined better in another file. Like say you want to know about certain CTH stuff, or AI stuff, well the various INI files in other folders may help you there.

Never be afraid to look at thos XML or INI files in Notepad or Notepad ++ . They have a pretty simple syntax, which Notepad ++ even knows how to indent really well, and everything is in plain text in those files anyway. A very large XML file might not load into Notepad, but Notepad ++ can handle much larger files. That being said, I don't think there are any JA2 files, in v1.13 or original that exceed even Notepad's max size to open a file.

Just another note. I forget which file it is, but there is another file, or used to be one, that controlled more when and how aggressively the Queen attacked you upon your getting the Video where she promised to Send All Her Troops At Once To Omerta. Basically, the game in the last 2 years or so changed that up anyway. In one case, if you choose the more aggressive setting, you will get a Counter-Attack at Drassen once you capture all of it. You can input an amount of delay, you can allow it to repeat as long as you are there, or not. But if you choose not to do it, I find that there are Elites at Omerta instead, although they have been nerfed, either by my reducing their quality, or by another variable or field you can change a number on.

Basically, when I'm saying Field or Variable or Number or Value, I'm just saying you can pick the value and change the behavior, quality, or difficulty of that portion of the AI in that way.

In other words, you can have a Large Pool with aggressive patrols (there are values to enter for how easily they track you if you are adjacent to them, how well they continue to reacquire, and how much their interest dissipates over time, for example), that replenishes slowly, but has aggressive Counter-Attacks, and I think there is even a value somewhere now for it to Counter-Attack in every City you own.

So, the locations of the values have been spread out in various files, and although most of them are in Difficulties.xml , you have to realize that there are other ways in other files (I think still) that can also influence the overall effect and behavior.

Fool with it enough, and you can really change how it feels. Also there are values to change whether Elites arrive early, and so on. And don't forget you also have the Progress values in JA2options.ini defining how Progress it measured, which is a trigger for the AI as well. Plus you have at start of the game, the Option given not just for More Weapons and Sci-Fi, but to choose how Weapons Availability Progresses -- I like Slower for example, as this gives me more time to enjoy the early pistols and shotguns, well at least in the old non Lev-Arris set-up.

Sorry for long post, realize you may have moved on and figured it out all yourself. But if I put this reply here, maybe someone doesn't have to dig for the basics in other threads. Plus, appreciated your follow-up reply with how to create another Bobby Ray Drop Site, so maybe this will help you in return.

[Updated on: Thu, 16 January 2020 08:50]

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