m25 AI: bad guy won't use the powers I want him to.

[EGD Eric]

Hi guys, I was fiddling around with the M25 AI scripter, and I was trying to get my sentinel to activate his "mag shield" so he can defend against characters that have electric based attacks. He doesn't seem to be using his mag shield at all though. Instead, he's using mainly hand blast and cold beam, and sometimes eye beam (a 'density max' attack against flyers) instead of the shield, and Explosive attack. He never seems to use his 'sentinel stomp' either. What gives?

['aoa_sentinel',
   ["target enemy",
      'weakness_melee_electrical',
      'weakness_ranged_fire',
      'weakness_ranged_cold',
      'weakness_ranged_energy',
      'weakness_area_crushing',
      'ranged_electrical',
   ],
   ["timer", 'auto',
      'TUseRemedy()',
      'TFleeMelee(type="any",subtype="emitting_damage",time=2.0)',
      "TActiveDefense('sentinel magnetic field',mindist=0,time=0.75, priority = high, defense_time = 40)",
      "TArea('sentinel stomp',time=1.8, subtype = 'not nearally', situation = 'not nearally')",
      "TRangedExplosive('sentinel missile', time=1.84, mindist = 60, priority = high)",
      "TMelee('sentinel electric tentacles', time=1.79, subtype = ['weakness_electrical', 'near'])",
      "TRanged('sentinel eye beam', time=1.04, subtype = 'flying')",
      "TRanged('sentinel cold beam', time=1.27, subtype = 'weakness_cold')",
      "TRanged('sentinel hand blast', time=1.27)",
      'TThrow(pickup_time=3.04,throw_time=3.0)',
      'TMoveTo(mindist=\'short\',time=2.0,subtype=["not emitting_damage","flying"])',
      'TMoveTo(mindist="melee",subtype=["not emitting_damage","not flying"],time=2.0)',
   ],
],

[Xenolith]

Spaces in the tactics lines?

priority=high
defense_time=40
etc.

I'm just taking a guess.

[TrajkLogik]

Try adding pct=100 and priority=1000 to the tactics you want an increased chance of being used. See if that makes them use them at all. Once you know that they are using them adjust the pct and priority so that they use them as often (or not as often) as you like. Then add subtype='ranged_electrical or area_electrical or melee_electrical' so they only use the tactic against targets with electrical powers. According to your tactic for the stomp, it won't be used if the character or target is next to any allies. The tactic already checks if the user is close to an ally, so you really don't need situation='not nearally'. You might want the tactic used if the target is next to an ally. If this is the case then change your subtype to subtype='clustered', or situation='swarmed'.

[EGD Eric]

Its weird, he still doesn't want to use his mag field, even with 100 pct and 1000 priority.
This is what he looks like now:

['aoa_sentinel',
   ["target enemy",
      'weakness_melee_electrical',
      'weakness_ranged_fire',
      'weakness_ranged_cold',
      'weakness_ranged_energy',
      'weakness_area_crushing',
      'not flying',
   ],
   ["timer", 'auto',
      'TUseRemedy()',
      'TFleeMelee(type="any",subtype="emitting_damage",time=2.0)',
      "TActiveDefense('sentinel magnetic field', pct=100, mindist=0,time=0.75, priority=1000)",
      "TRangedExplosive('sentinel missile', pct=80, time=1.84, priority='high')",
      "TMelee('sentinel electric tentacles',time=1.79, maxdist=60, subtype='weakness_melee_electrical or resistant_area_crushing')",
      "TRanged('sentinel cold beam',time=1.27, subtype='weakness_ranged_cold or resistant_ranged_energy')",
      "TRanged('sentinel eye beam', pct=80, time=1.04, subtype='flying')",
      "TArea('sentinel stomp',time=1.8)",
      "TRanged('sentinel hand blast',time=1.27)",
      'TThrow(pickup_time=3.04,throw_time=3.0)',
      'TLand()',
      'TMoveTo(mindist=\'medium\',time=2.0,subtype=["not emitting_damage","flying"])',
      'TMoveTo(mindist="melee",subtype=["not emitting_damage","not flying"],time=2.0)',
   ],
   # ['energy reserve',
      # 'low',
   # ],
],

[Xenolith]

I think there is a spacing issue in TActiveDefense and TRangedExplosive, and even some of your other powers.  There should not be any spaces after a comma in the tactics line.  I can only say that there are none in the AI files for my heroes, but maybe it's not imperative.

[TrajkLogik]

Are you getting any errors in your script.log?

[EGD Eric]

OK, so I removed the spaces, and no, I don't see any errors in the script.log. Weirdest thing though, I tried running the sentinel in the rumble room, and his AI actually works properly there. He'll activate his shield right away, he'll fly (in my mod's campaign, he'll just walk to a location, even when I tell him explicitly - with script - to fly there), he'll stomp if a character is on the ground, fire the missile, etc.. I wonder why he's not doing this in campaign mode? Its really odd, all he's been doing is his hand blast and cold beam.

This is his latest AI script. I removed eyebeam, because I was noticing an engine level error
(FF: Missing core_start for aff_eyebeam_orange) even though he was actually using it, I figured I'd take it away from him for now to see if it fixed other problems. It didn't.

Code Select Expand


['aoa_sentinel',
["target enemy",
'weakness_melee_electrical',
'weakness_ranged_fire',
'weakness_ranged_cold',
'weakness_ranged_energy',
'weakness_area_crushing',
'not flying',
],
["timer", 'auto',
'TUseRemedy()',
'TFleeMelee(type="any",subtype="emitting_damage",time=2.0)',
"TActiveDefense('sentinel magnetic field',pct=100,mindist=0,time=0.75,priority=1000)",
"TRangedExplosive('sentinel missile',pct=80,time=1.84,priority=100)",
"TMelee('sentinel electric tentacles',time=1.79,maxdist=60,subtype='weakness_melee_electrical or resistant_area_crushing')",
"TRanged('sentinel cold beam',time=1.27,subtype='weakness_ranged_cold or resistant_ranged_energy')",
# "TRanged('sentinel eye beam',pct=80,time=1.04,subtype='flying')",
"TArea('sentinel stomp',time=1.8)",
"TRanged('sentinel hand blast',time=1.27)",
'TThrow(pickup_time=3.04,throw_time=3.0)',
'TLand()',
'TMoveTo(mindist=\'medium\',time=2.0,subtype=["not emitting_damage","flying"])',
'TMoveTo(mindist="melee",subtype=["not emitting_damage","not flying"],time=2.0)',
],
],


[Previsionary]

Are you using the correct command hooks in the campaign to activate the sentinel AI (m25 version)? It sounds like your sentinel is using the generic minion AI.

[EGD Eric]

Actually he's using CZerocost... which now that I think of it means that he's only going to use abilities that cost 0 energy... d'oh! Campaign hooks... I'll look up how to do that now, thanks!

Edit: So I looked it up in the FFx manual and I think this document is a bit dated, as it refers to things that aren't there anymore.
For example, it says to import m252.py, a file that doesn't exist. It also says I should use a function called: "NextStage(), to init the AI for newly spawned charaters, this function doesn't exist. Also mentions m25newaidata2.py, which doesn't exist. Here's the instructions that I'm looking at: http://ffx.freedomforceforever.com/manual.htm
Step 3: "Using the AI"

Any direction you can give would be much appreciated.
When setting the baddie's AI in FFedit, should I be using CZerocost, CGenericMinion, or something else?

[Xenolith]

I've never been able to get the M25 AI to work with built in characters.  I know others have had the same problem, but other folks swear it works.  I dunno. 

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

As confirmed on my mod, you can get it to work on built ins, but it takes some additional work to get set up, and you have to manually initialize it.  Don't ask me how, I honestly don't remember.

[Previsionary]

http://freedomreborn.net/archive/index.php?topic=46935.msg644872#msg644872

I could have sworn that information was more publicly available these days. I also could have sworn I put it in the list of tutes thread, but I guess I didn't.

[EGD Eric]

Brilliant! Thanks.