M28AI Devlog (v324)

maudlin27

@Malitarh Thanks for the feedback! Unfortunately I'd need a working replay to debug the scenarios you described (as I don't think it's likely I could easily reproduce them from the description).

maudlin27

v323 Update
28 changes, mostly from a dual gap replay and some typos highlighted by Azrael and c04spoon, including:

Dual gap eco slot should be more likely to build a game-ender instead of T3 arti (since T3 arti if built in the rear of the base can't hit much)
Asfs should be better at protecting T3 arti from strat snipe attempts
Land combat units should, if outranged, be less likely to suicide into the enemy
18 reference/typo fixes to various parts of M28. Since these didn't result in errors previously I expect most will relate to niche parts of the code that rarely trigger.

Acknowledgements

Azrael and c04spoon - linking to separate changes made which amongst other things contained fixes for reference/typo errors

Malitarh

Something was wrong with the FAF, but here’s the replay file — it’s working.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pFA9iAgP0QiZyQMGo8L0rIm4pHrFsPk0/view?usp=drive_link

Malitarh

I played another interesting game. I don’t know if the M28 is designed for the smallest maps (less than 5 km), as well as specific maps like ACU Arena, etc.
I didn’t find any mention of the map size in the description. But it’s definitely weaker under such conditions.

I defeated the M28 Adaptive, although on maps larger than 5 km I can’t defeat the M28 Easy, except with a modifier of 0.8.

Here’s the replay:
https://replay.faforever.com/27835049

maudlin27

Thanks, I'll make a note to have a look. Generally though AIs are much easier to beat on smaller maps compared to larger maps, one reason being players will usually be better with microing their ACU and have fewer parts of the map to focus on at once
e.g. I'm around 1k rated 1v1 and can comfortably beat M28 on 5km maps, but on 10km maps can only occasionally win.

maudlin27

v324 Update
8 changes, mostly relating to SCTA, including:

Adjusted SCTA build order to build wind turbines, and prevented mine layers being built
SCTA T2 tactical nukes can be fired by M28
Added a limit on how long transports should wait to load more engineers before moving out
Low mex map logic shouldn't be applied to sub-5km maps that have more than 2 mexes per player

Acknowledgements

Malitarh - replay on sub-5km map where M28 played poorly (note I need access to the other replay where the ACU was locked in an upgrading-cancel upgrade cycle to look into that issue)

Malitarh

@maudlin27 , Perhaps this wasn’t obvious. I have already sent the replay you were interested in. This is a link to Google Drive in this message:

Malitarh said:

Something was wrong with the FAF, but here’s the replay file — it’s working.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pFA9iAgP0QiZyQMGo8L0rIm4pHrFsPk0/view?usp=drive_link

Sorry, it’s not available on the FAF server. Only as a local file.

maudlin27

@Malitarh I don't have access to the replay file (I requested access to it at the time)

Malitarh

@maudlin27
I’ve opened access. Sorry, I very rarely use Google Drive. In many other services, copying an open link already changes the file status to “open to everyone via the link.”

maudlin27

@Malitarh Thanks, checking the replay the enemy AI kept trying to TML M28's ACU when it was upgrading, so it'd cancel the upgrade and move the ACU when it could see the TML missile approaching. However I can refine slightly so it considers if it has TMD that will block the missile.

Mass storage not being built would've been that M28 didnt have many engineers in its core base as it was focusing on building units since its base was under near-constant attack (and those engineers it did build had more urgent issues to deal with), but I'll look at having T2 land factories build a few engineers even where it has a T3 HQ if it's lacking storages for a t3 mex.