External AI for MoM?

[Asfex]

To me it seems game developers did not implement move-to-coordinates strategy. Am I wrong? In Unit_strategy_exe() the unit either attacks, moves towards target, casts spell or does nothing.

wrong. There is function 'goto xy if no valid target', usualy xy=gate. But widely, what sence to go to xy,if there no mind target?

Kyrub,i have not
insighted by disassembling, i like see some useful. So,any information from you are welcome.

But, we have problem: some bugfixes may intersect with your fixes, so i cannot public it.,to not break your fun.
Also,i must disassemble your work, i dislike make my work harder.

[Jtm]

wrong. There is function 'goto xy if no valid target', usualy xy=gate. But widely, what sence to go to xy,if there no mind target?

Thanks for the hint. I'll have to check that. The ability to move is for the sake of building an external (at first, combatting) AI interface. Besides it's not always best decision to simply attack or rely blindly on the pathfinder routine. The AI could be taught to catch the running human player for instance (using multiple units to converge and kill).

[I like Serena]

If you need the crucial AI variables, it's quite easy for me to retrieve them.

But widely, what sence to go to xy,if there no mind target?

I propose to implement a small change in the AI that is noticeable, useful, and will start up the discussions in all 4 threads.

I'm thinking of making a unit with wall crusher break the wall.
This is something I have never seen in MoM and would make city walls more interesting.
It would also be a nice use case that impacts all 4 points.

1. We need to know how to make a unit attack a tower in wizards.exe.
   Or have a change for wizards.exe that makes it possible.
   
   
2. We need a mechanism to get the information in.
   
   
3. Investigate Wosnoth and/or C-Evo if they can do that, and if so how.
   Anthony?
   
   
4. Come up with a couple of rules when and where to break the wall, and perhaps when not to.
   

Furthermore, I'd like to be able to visualize the battle and the plans the units have.
This is something I could build into the tweaker similar to the overland map I already have.

How does that sound?
Or does someone have a counter proposal?


Btw, I also would like to start the discussion on how to call this new external AI thingy.
What about 'The External MoM Mind' or 'MoM-exai'?

[Asfex]

I propose to implement a small change in the AI that is noticeable, useful, and will start up the discussions in all 4 threads.

I'm thinking of making a unit with wall crusher break the wall.
This is something I have never seen in MoM and would make city walls more interesting.
It would also be a nice use case that impacts all 4 points.
...

We need to know how to make a unit attack a tower in wizards.exe.





Furthermore, I'd like to be able to visualize the battle ...

What about 'The External MoM Mind' or 'MoM-exai'?

About wall crash: to see it you need:1 fly unit,1 enemy foot wall crusher, phantom warrior. You need stand fly unit on the gate, and summon warriors on tower adjasent to this engineer.all others your units must be inside city sqare 2x2.
Yes,specific,but can happen.
To visualise battle you must set breakpoints into the wizards...so,use int 3f.
Any external ai must use unusual procedures,so,we must patch wizards (in memory).i see no other way.

[FrancoK]

wrong. There is function 'goto xy if no valid target', usually xy=gate. But widely, what sense to go to xy,if there no mind target?

Going there puts one unit into the city and the latter is destroyed (people killed, buildings destroyed at the end of the combat) if the unit is not killed.

So this is why attacking units go to the "main door" if no target is available.

[FrancoK]

I propose to implement a small change in the AI that is noticeable, useful, and will start up the discussions in all 4 threads.

I'm thinking of making a unit with wall crusher break the wall.
This is something I have never seen in MoM and would make city walls more interesting.
It would also be a nice use case that impacts all 4 points.

1. We need to know how to make a unit attack a tower in wizards.exe.
   Or have a change for wizards.exe that makes it possible.
   
   
2. We need a mechanism to get the information in.
   
   
3. Investigate Wosnoth and/or C-Evo if they can do that, and if so how.
   Anthony?
   
   
4. Come up with a couple of rules when and where to break the wall, and perhaps when not to.
   

Agree.
I've made a quick example before, but I can expand it.
The task should be very simple (move and break the wall IF we need it) and only if the AI is the attacker.

Furthermore, I'd like to be able to visualize the battle and the plans the units have.
This is something I could build into the tweaker similar to the overland map I already have.

Cool.
OT: can we change the map (bonus, land type or even shape) with the Tweaker?

Btw, I also would like to start the discussion on how to call this new external AI thingy.
What about 'The External MoM Mind' or 'MoM-exai'?

What about MoM-AI 1.40?

[I like Serena]

Cool.
OT: can we change the map (bonus, land type or even shape) with the Tweaker?

Just released version 0.2.5 in which you can.

What about MoM-AI 1.40?

Sounds good too.

[Jtm]

What about MoM-AI 1.40?

No because this exmomai has nothing to do with Insecticide Patch and 1.40 would indicate otherwise. We need something more general

[Anthony]

What about MoM-AI 1.40?

Only if the AI version is 1.40.

[Jtm]

To visualise battle you must set breakpoints into the wizards...so,use int 3f.
Any external ai must use unusual procedures,so,we must patch wizards (in memory).i see no other way.

Could you be more specific about using the int 3f opcode? Could you give us some working code example? For instance an example where it stops the execution of unit_strategy_exe() and continues only after external ai is done. I'd love to see a more concrete example. Because in all honesty, I've no clue how to use int 3f with external ai.