Scenario Design

Time / Condition Based Activation of AI Players

Posted by: Lonely Tower (08-14-2002) on the AOW2 Scenario Forum

Known as "Time Release" in days of AoW1, this one basically cause an AI player to be activte only when certain conditions are met. Good for RPG/Strategy hybrid maps.

Basically, design the computer AI's territory as per normal, but set them to independents and no defenders. Put the AI wizard deep in the underground, surrounded by undiggable stone. Now, when you want the AI to start building armies and stuff, use the TELEPORT event to teleport the wizard into one of the independent Wizard's Tower and that AI will be "activtated"...

An example

We have two players on the map, Merlin and, let say, Mab. The idea is that Mab's goblins will overrun a small, helpless halfling island and it is up to Merlin to defend the hapless halflings from the cruel poisoned blades of the goblins.

To instill a sense of urgency, let have Merlin and his troops start someway from the island and they have to overcome some obstacles to get to the island (maybe they have to cross a vast sea, but they do not have the boats, so Merlin hunt about for a pioneer to build a city by the seaside so that he can produce the ships for his troops to cross the sea).

We don't want Mab to start attack the halfling island straight away. We want to have the ability to time the attack. Let say we want Mab and her minions to start ravaging about the village only when Merlin reaches a major city on the island - let call it Hobbiton ;-D

We create an area for which Mab will eventually inhabit. Perhaps we can dig out an underground area and fill it with some independent goblin cities, gold mines and a city with a wizard's tower, all with no defenders. Let's call the city with the wizard's tower "Goblinton". Next, we place Mab and perhaps some troops belong to her in an underground chamber with no exit whatsoever (perhaps just a one-hex area dug out from the stone). That way, we have a definite co-ordinate of where Mab is, which is important.

The script will look like this.

UNLEASH MAB AND HER CRONIES
Type: Teleport
From: {Mab's Coordinate}
Destination: {Goblinton's Coordinate}
TRIGGER
Type: Unit Enter Area
Coordinate: {Hobbiton's co-ordinate}
Radius: 1
StopMovement: No

This way, only when Merlin steps into Hobbiton only then will Mab be transported into her Wizard's Tower and only when the AI can find the resources (gold and cities) to start building armies. This is the basics - some other areas to consider is perhaps we have to give Mab's some gold mines at the beginning so that she can feed her starving goblins and so on. Another thing to consider is how about giving Merlin a 15 days time limit as well. Let examine how this can be done via control flags.

MERLIN HAS REACHED HOBBITON
Event Type: Control Flag
FlagID: 1
Active: False

Trigger: Unit Enter Area
Coordinate: {Hobbiton's Coordinate}
Radius: 1
StopMovement: No

DAY 1 to 15
Event Type: Control Flag
FlagID: 2
Active: TRUE (NOT false!)
Trigger: New Turn
Player: Merlin
Condition
Type: Day
Min: 15
Max: 15

UNLEASH MAB AND HER CRONIES
Type: Teleport
From: {Mab's Coordinate}
Destination: {Goblinton's Coordinate}
Trigger: New Turn
Player: Mab

Condition 1
Type: Flagged
Name: Merlin has reached Hobbiton
FlagID: 1

Condition 2
Type: Flagged
Name: 15 days have elapsed
FlagID: 2

Condition Clause: AND Merlin has reached Hobbiton OR NOT Day 1 to 15

Keeping the AI Player at Bay

Isolate the AI player in one corner (or an underground area) of the map and the only access to the world beyond is a teleporter. Set the co-ordinates' destination as per usual. The trick is this little teleport script below:

EVENT
Type: Teleport
Activate: ALWAYS
From: {location of the teleporter}
Destination: {anywhere in the isolated area}

TRIGGER
Type: Unit Enter Area
Radius: 0
StopMovement: Yes

CONDITIONS
Name: Day 1 to 15
Type: Day
Min: 1
Max: 15

CONDITION CLAUSE
AND Day 1 to 15

The result of this script is whenever the AI attempts to move into the teleporter, it will be teleported away from the teleporter. Of course, if there is lots of heavy traffic, a slow computer may be lagged down by the amount of events the AI generate.