RDNWiki: DOWScar/AI/Advice ...

Best Advice to give when coding DoW Skirmish AI:

1) Before any coding takes place, write a list in a text file for your mod which comprises the following under the \attrib folder:

1. The \abilities folder
2. The \addons folder
3. Both the \structures and \troops folders from the master \ebps folder
4. The \Research folder
5. The \sbps folder (mainly where the sbps names are for your units), and 
6. The \weapons folder

Now in your list, record what each unit has in terms of abilities and weapons (when dealing with the new .rdg format open each .rdg in Notepad and search for the word “abilities” and «weapon\" and you'll easily find the unit's abilities and weapons, respectively. Record these.

2) Preform a simple mod playtest all the way through noting the following:

1. Best Research and addon sequences
2. What buildings build what units
3. What the weapon upgrades are for each unit
4. How unit abilities are used effectively (VERY IMPORTANT!!!)

3) Begin AI scripting in this sequence:

1. unitstats.ai (code all the units, their class, rating, and weapon effectiveness tables)
2. cpu_manager.ai (code the basic clerical functions although leave out the individual unit tactics sections for now!)
3. attackstrategyinfo.ai
4. buildbasestrategyinfo.ai (mainly adding the research sequence and squads)
5. buildorderstrategyinfo.ai (adding initial build order – if you leave it blank for your faction, the AI will likely just do a default buildorder on its own)
6. infantrytactic.ai (code this file but due to not including it in cpu_manager.ai it should remain inactive for now)
7. vehicletactic.ai (as above)
8. <specific unit>tactic.ai (as above)

4) Once completed a) thru e) above, begin full quality testing. Note how the AI builds buildings, addons, follows the research queue, creates all squads you asked for, and generally behaves.

Note: If the AI seems to stop building/teching passed a point early in the game UNLESS you attack its units, check
your faction under buildorderstrategyinfo.ai to ensure the AI can build your sequence in the time it needs or has the 
prerequsites to do so. Chances are, if the AI stagnates early on and only seems to get back “on-track” after your
engage his units then a building, unit, or other item sitting in your initial buildorder will likely be causing the 
AI to stop building and hand itself over to other .ai files to continue playing properly. Usually, the best policy is
to have a shortened/streamlined buildorder in your buildorderstrategyinfo.ai. Keep it tight and the AI will quickly
automate itself.

5) If no notable errors occur, proceed with f) thru h) and add the tactic section in cpu_manager.ai to point to the new ..tactic.ai files.

6) Test the faction with unit abilities now activated. Check all units with abilities and how well their abilities preformed during real-time combat situations. If any error/crash occurs, troubleshoot which unit caused what error/crash. If unclear which one was the cause, slowly remove/disable some unit abilities and ..tactic.ai pointers from within “cpu_manager.ai” to determine the culprit.

1) Keep on-top of new code/feature addons since a mod is a dynamic, ever-changing, ever-revising entity! Have someone document any new changes since previous build or beta that might affect the AI.
2) When adding new content to a mod after already coding the AI for it, always remember to go back and revised the AI code so the AI can take advantage of the new added features. HOWEVER, always re-check your new script additions and ensure they are syntax-correct.