Retro Skirmish AI

Sedistix · Cyborg Engineer **Joined**: 27 Mar 2010

When I first started mapping C&C3. I noticed custom maps failed to include the older AI system from Generals that many of us are familiar with, and yet the maps all seemed to work fine. Even quality maps lacked these AI details. You remember the Generals method of implementing skirmish ai through waypoints and triggers, don’t you? So, considering the game worked fine without these and no one else was using them, I continued mapping, never thinking twice about them again. Assuming, the method was proprietary to Generals. Turns out that’s not the case.

For the hell of it, I implemented full AI support per-General’s standards, on a four player map. Giving each starting location a InnerPerimeter and OuterPerimeter trigger fields along with Center, Flank, and Backdoor waypoint routes leading Into them, and to my surprise the AI actually used them for attack teams.

To validate this. I created a complex path leading to a backdoor behind my base. Setting up waypoints that forced the AI to go around large quantities of impassable geography. Well out of the way of any normal A-B attack path, and sure enough, the AI took advantage of this route quite often.

Guerillas made effective use of Backdoor and Flank with teams of fanatics, stealth tanks, and various other cloaked units quite often. Hell, even aircraft got in on the fun. While the other personalities seemed to focus on Center and flank routes, devoting less teams to the Backdoor. The AI still has its units run around willy nilly, doing their own thing, especially in response to attacks and harassment, but a great deal of it’s own initiated attacks are orientated to the Center, Flank, and BackDoor waypoint routes.

Its an interesting aspect, that puts a twist on the possibilities.

Judging from the amount of skirmish maps lacking these details I’m assuming it’s not very well known. Either that or not many people like comp stomping.

So if you map, check it yourself, it might bring some new life into otherwise old play.

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Why worry about snakes in the garden when there's spiders in your bed.

Dutchygamer · Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 9:38 am Post subject:

Interesting discovery. It does explain why the AI does sneaky backdoor attacks on official maps, but not on most custom maps.

Sedistix · Cyborg Engineer **Joined**: 27 Mar 2010

I created a video demonstrating the implementation of General/ZH Skirmish AI in Tiberium Wars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOm1YP2kqjY

Could be handy for new comers who are not familiar with this method.

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Why worry about snakes in the garden when there's spiders in your bed.

Sedistix · Cyborg Engineer **Joined**: 27 Mar 2010

Turns out extensive tinkering with unused AI components is what enabled this feature.

While having what seemed to be great success in editing the AI and enabling disabled aspects of it, I've later found out that mid-too-late games all suffered CTD's.

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Why worry about snakes in the garden when there's spiders in your bed.