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Mod: Dawn of Skirmish WA AI Mod 1.6

Dawn of Skirmish WA AI Mod 1.6.

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File Instructions:: Dawn Of Skirmish *WINTER ASSAULT EXPANSION ONLY* v1.6 RELEASE and Acknowledgements (Dec 16.2005)
=====================

Meet the Cast:
Thudo (Thudmeizer)..>> Team Lead/Coder/Gfx/Bonafied Cheerleader
ArkhanTheBlack......>> Lead Coder/Scripter
LarkinVB............>> Lead Coder/Scripter
Flenser.............>> Lead Coder/Scripter
Corsix..............>> Coder/Package Installer
Excedrin............>> Beta Tester/Coder
Oozish..............>> Beta Tester
Markoso.............>> Beta Tester
Malkor..............>> Beta Tester

Introduction
============
Prepare for a more enhanced Dawn Of War/Winter Assault Skirmish Experience!

This project started after the release of Dawn Of War with the intent to bring to the global DoW community a more intense and satisfying AI opponent on the field of war. We hope you will agree that has been achieved with the understanding more is to be done in the future. Our work continues to evolve and in the coming months will make current efforts pale in comparison. However, you have to start somewhere and hot damn what a jumpstart!

Its been a slice from start to, well, continuing! We're so looking forward to enhancing the AI even further in the coming months!

A Personal Thanks
=================
At this time I would like to personally thank all the participating members of the team:

ArkhanTheBlack, LarkinVB, Excedrin, Corsix, and Flenser as well as our beta testers, Oozish, Malkor, and Markoso (all who keep our work "in-perspective" and "on-track" with our ultimate goals of achieving the most competitive DoW AI opponent we can create!).

Its through your dedication, patience, and technical expertise that allowed the work to commence and prosper. Without you fellers, there'd be a pittence of work compared to the greatness this project has become. We've come a long way and do sincerely hope to continue our expert correspondance into the future of the product.

Disclaimer
==========
This is to acknowledge that we take no personal responsibility for any hardware damage or data corruption brought forth by the use or installation of this DoW modification. As used, this modification works "as is" and has been thoroughly tested and should not cause any major problems. In the event, however, that something serious does occur, it is up to the user(s) of their computer(s) to make appropriate backups before any attempt is made to install the following DoW modification. Use at your own risk.

Whats In The Package?
====================
o Main Installation Package containing the Enhanced DoW AI scripts (contains ONLY those .ai files that our team altered)
o Dawn Of Skirmish WA v1.6 README.txt (what your reading)
o Dawn Of Skirmish WA v1.6 Script Changes.txt - containing every script change as compared to the original DoW AI scripts (meant for faction modders to see what changes have been made)

Installation
============
Piece of Cake! Run the executable and it will extract to where your is.

Once installed, run the newly placed shortcut on your desktop "Dawn Of Skirmish WA v1.6" or from StartMenu/Programs/"Dawn Of War Skirmish AI Mod". You will know if the modification is running when on the top-left section of the Dawn Of War Main Menu it will display: Dawn Of Skirmish v1.6.

To uninstall this modification, go back to StartMenu/Programs/"Dawn Of War WA Skirmish AI Mod" and choose "Remove Dawn Of Skirmish AI Mod" to remove the modification from Dawn Of War.

**NOTE**

This version of the AI mod will NOT work on the original versions of Dawn of War (v1.40) so PLEASE update to the Winter Assault expansion! We have not fully tested this under the older v1.40 game-code so we don't support it currently.

Future Objectives
=================

To Do:
~~~~~~
(Short Term)

o Send idle engineers (if there are no strat points to capture) to the nearest SAFE strategy point
o Ensure Commander Unit is kept away OR minimizes his exposure to combat under Assassinate victory conditions
o Ensure continued AI aggression under Take&Hold and Control Area victory conditions
o AI Squads should pursue enemies who are near defeat and deliever the final deathblow rather than halt the advance
o AI Squads should better attack in large numbers rather than sacrifice single weak squads instead
o Eldar AI - advanced SkirmishPlan code (more vehicles used, smarter hit&run)

(Long Term)

o Engineers that repair buildings (using between 1-2 Engineers for Space Marines, Chaos, and Eldar - Ork buildings already auto-heal)
o Build 2-3 turrets around Large Generators
o Creates a secondary HQ + unit production buildings w/ defensive turrets (randomly upgraded) all built away from the enemy
o Allow AI to recreate his HQ on another unthreaten Listening Post if his original HQ is destroyed
o Inter AI communications between alliance games (better AI team coordination when defending fellow allies and assaulting enemy bases/LPs)

Maybes (If Possible):
~~~~~~
o Squad-level awareness and effective use of Cover
o Allow 1-2 Engineers to repair damaged idle vehicles at/near the battlefront (possible issue if vehicle group is called back to battle)
o Before an AI Ally is conquered, he will tribute all his req/power to fellow players
o Transporting infantry into combat using transports
o Determine how to get the AI to use such things as Infiltrate and the Squiggoth's Rampage (both non-standard abilities)
o Determine why AIs allied on a human team build up and attack more slowly than on a exclusively AI team

Omitted:
~~~~~~~
o Mine laying (both at base and on expansions) - Mines are useless, more annoying then anything, and take up build space
o Adding vehicles that were removed for the AI to use (ie. Space Marines/Chaos Rhino) - Such vehicles aren't "yet" worth their battlefield reputation

Known Issues
============
o Maps with limited Startpoint build space (ie. 4p_Biffys Peril) *may* still cause the AI to clutter buildings together thus disallowing some vehicles and even uber-units through. This will be rectified in subsequent releases.

o Maps with known Startpoint issues for Eldar Player (ie. Startpoint#3 on 4p_Mountain Trail or Startpoint#3 on 8p_Burial Grounds) - there is a known issue where for some reason when Eldar is placed on a certain Startpoints as mentioned above he will refuse to build. Other maps (ie. 6p_Testing Grounds) have even more severe Startpoint issues where half the Startpoints diminish the effectiveness of the AI no matter what faction starts there. The AI on such startpoints will only build up to an Armoury and then will only continue to Tier2 units/buildings ONLY IF attacked. This is game code-related and something Relic needs to address.

o Maps with limited check/strategy points where income gathering is somewhat low (ie. 8p_Penal Colony), the AI tends to struggle a little more than usual. Until we can determine a means to dynamically-change the AI's resource plans, it will flounder a little more than normal compared to maps with prolific resource points.

=========
Thanks everyone and especially to the Relic devs and THQ pubs for further bringing the Warhammer 40,000 universe alive to our PCs! Looking SO forward to the WinterAssault Expansion!

Comments?
=========
Visit us at our home base: http://forums.revora.net/index.php?showforum=478
You can also drop by the official Relicforums here: http://forums.relicnews.com/

Cheers DoWers!

File Name: dawn_of_skirmish_v11.6_ai_mod_install.exe		Author: Admin
File Size: 638 KB		Files Added: 9,382
Downloads: 199 (2 last week)		Author Downloads: 16,153,937 (88,431 last week)
Posted: 15.04.2006		Supporters: n/a