M28AI Devlog (v228)

Saver

Hello maudlin,

I can confirm the message that the M28 detects special units such as Experimentel or Nuke even without sighting. Unfortunately I don't have an ID because I tested it in the offline mod. However, here is a picture. The M28 was in support mode here.

Laso

@maudlin27
You are correct the nuke was marked when it was fired.
Replay is #24774490
I watched the replay and the bomber looks ok. Fast reactions but ok.

maudlin27

@Saver If it's the last game you played then the replay should be available, e.g. in:
C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\My Games\Gas Powered Games\Supreme Commander Forged Alliance\replays\FAPROFILENAME\LastReplay.SCFAReplay

I expect in your case M28 sent an air scout near the enemy units at some point which allowed it to detect them (e.g. since both those units have an anti-air attack, it could've been that they fired this at the air scout; alternatively M28 could've got intel with no Omni coverage, or subsequently stalled E, meaning the unit was visible for a brief period of time to it)

However in the case of nukes I'll tone down it's approach to highlighting units for enemies so if it doesnt have a visual and it is a long ranged unit (like a nuke) it should just warn in chat (since while a player might have a good idea where the unit is from the direction the missiles/arti shells come from, on some larger maps it can still be hard to infer)

maudlin27

v225 Update
17 changes, including:

New game options to make M28's micro more configurable. You can now specify the maximum number of units it can simultaneously apply dodge micro to, and/or hover micro to (previously there was just an option to enable/disable dodge micro, or to use M28Easy to disable). Refer to the "M28: Use hover air micro?" and "M28: Use dodge micro?" settings in Game Options. @Swarm133 this means you can disable its hover-micro with asfs without affecting other micro.
Gunships should use a more precise check of if the enemy has nearby groundAA when deciding whether to retreat (or search for further away targets)
T1-T2 gunships should be more cautious when taking damage so they're less likely to die (e.g. meaning jesters have a chance of surviving when fighting a single flak)
Several refinements to how ASFs decide whether to attack targets, including factoring in nearby enemy ground AA that isn't large enough to make the asfs run in its own right, but when combined with the enemy air force could turn an air win to an air loss
Changed the use of markers to a general chat message where long ranged units that M28 hasn't seen start firing at it and it wants to warn its teammates

Acknowledgements

Votex – Highlighting M28 building t3 shields to protect 1 mex from a t3 arti

Saver

@maudlin27 Thank you for your detailed feedback. I will do another test without air units in the next few days to see if the supposed case occurs again. Nevertheless, I think your improvements are a success. Thank you for your work

maudlin27

v226 Update
12 Updates, including:

Refinements to Inties/ASFs to make them more cautious if the enemy has an air threat in an adjacent zone to the one it plans on defending, or if lots of airAA units have been sent for refueling
Several tweaks to the first bomber for some rare cases where they'd get stuck not attacking a unit, and to consider hover-bombing before firing their first bomb
ACUs should be more likely to run from approaching land experimentals
4 mod specific changes, including removing AA threat from ACUs in QUIET, recognising if bombers in QUIET/LOUD fire salvos, and increasing the AirAA M28 wants to defend friendly targets

Acknowledgements

Vortex - QUIET replay on big wonder
Little Tank – Replay and highlighting a strange M28 message (where it just said “1” in chat, when it should’ve been saying it had gifted a mex)
Zhanghm – Log with some error messages relating to a unit mod

maudlin27

v227 Update
13 changes, including:

Various adjustments to air anti-air (i.e. asf) logic, increasing the number M28 wants to think it has air control (including a bugfix) and having them be more likely to follow strat bombers to protect them
If M28 wants to build an experimental, but first wants more T3 units, and lacks power, it should be more likely to build a pgen instead of a land factory
Fewer pre-emptive SAMs should be built if the enemy lacks a nearby air threat and M28 could be spending the mass ecoing.

Acknowledgements

Vortex – QUIET v225 and v226 replays

Saver

Hello I have now been able to do three tests and have not found any errors with the unit markers for threats. but I have a small comment. Is it possible to remove the markers automatically after a time of x seconds?

maudlin27

I'm not sure, as the method used by players will be via the UI, I've made a note to potentially look at in a future release

maudlin27

v228 Update aka the 'Vindex beat 1.5 M28 AIx update'
17 changes, 15 of which were based on a replay where Vindex beat 1.5 AIx on the Ditch, including:

8 improvements and bugfixes to M28's 'telesnipe defence' logic, including making it no longer think the laser can be dodged as though it was a t1 arti; the ACU should no longer stop running after a short while of being chased by a tele-laser com; it should recognise the enemy has a laser ACU sooner (if it has visual of it); PD should be built preemptively to defend (instead of waiting for the teleport to start); and other changes
Fixed an issue where M28 would try and drop plateaus but choose a tiny land zone to drop, causing it to drop early (not on the plateau)
Reduced the core base T2 builder so it no longer send all engineers to build T2 PD in response to a single heavily outnumbered enemy tank
Air facs should be more likely to be built on larger maps once M28 has 4 land facs in its main base
(unrelated change to the replay) T1-T2 skirmishers shouldn't be built if the enemy has T3 land.

Acknowledgements

Vindex - 4 replays against M28 AIx on the ditch

Trophy Award
A rare update to the trophy holder - @Vindex is now the holder of the Sladow trophy for beating M28 at 1.5 AIx on the ditch - the first time I've seen anyone manage the feat!