As I flesh-out the Planetary expansion, one of the topics that has surfaced is opponent AI (Artificial Intelligence).
Talking with Joe about it, he sees it as being a simple deck of Space Pirates that contain fifteen (15) cards with different variations of Pirate fighters.
So far this sounds okay: each Pirate Fighter card will have a Resistance and Firepower.
But the problem I am having is determining HOW many of these cards can be in space. Let us assume that we will use 1d6 to determine how MANY of the Pirates will appear (from one to six - using 1d6)...
The problem lies not in how many Pirates will appear but instead how long they will stay to fight and when MORE Pirate ships should appear. This is not a trivial matter because this will highly affect how the scenario will turn out... Meaning: will it be fun and a challenge to play...
Perhaps stating that AT MOST there can be six (6) Pirates in the Space Lane and roll 1d6 to determine WHEN the next wave will attack/appear.
Not certain... Ideas and comments welcome! This is something very *New* and I am interested in finding the most appropriate AI possible for the Space Pirates!
Comments
15 card Pirate Deck...
Let's say the deck has something like this:
This is just a start... Now the AI needs to be defined...
Ideas welcome
Although these UTC (United Trade Cartel) starships seem to be reasonable, I am struggling to find a WAY to have them controlled by AI.
The problem I am struggling with is how the "basic" game's mechanics work. So let me explain them and then maybe some of you might have some AI ideas:
How it works is that players must reach a target goal of X credits to unlock a starship. At the beginning of the game, players have 0 starships. When they reach (for example) 10 credits, they "unlock" ONE (1) starship and may launch one starship into the Space Lane.
Now the problem with the UTC starships is that maybe the player's starship may be able to destroy three (3) UTC starships. But however these have to be relatively *weak* starships. It would be very unfair if the Warlord destroyer was put into space along with the two (2) Xanadu capital starships... 10 Firepower and 13 Resistance would be hard if not near impossible to beat with three of your own starships. But think if the Warlord destroyer is played against ONE (1) of a player's starships. Again no fun and it only takes five (5) turns to lose the game...
So AI and how to implement it IS A PROBLEM. I really need some feedback from other designers - tell me if you have ideas or concepts that might work well with this expansion scenario...
Reduce the duration and "stack the deck"
Kris,
One thing you might want to consider is establishing the number of turns for the solitaire game. Once identified, you can offer a rising threat over the arc of the entire story. For instance, if the game with Pirates is 10 Turns , Pirates appear on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th Turns. In this case, maybe only 1-2 ships appear, but the remain until defeated.
As to the "stack the deck" idea, this mechanic has been used well in a number of games, but most elegantly in my game experience, with Kingsburg, in which an enemy is fought, and while you know the range of possible strengths, you don't know the exact strength until it's revealed.
In the case of the Pirates, you might have five different ships for the 2nd Turn attack with three C: 1/W: 1; one C:2/W:1; and one C:2/W:2 Ships from which you'll draw 1-2. In this case you provide a respite every few turns for the player to build ships of his own and get them into the Space Lane. At the highest end, maybe you have five different ships with the following configurations: three C: 4/W: 4; one C:5/W:4; and one C:4/W:5.
Cheers,
Joe
Doesn't solve my AI problem
Sorry Joe, I fail to understand how knowing the number of turns helps in determining the Pirate starship AI.
I think your example of having Pirates appear every 2nd turn is well TOO OFTEN! You need down-time to BANK cards and to also build up your defenses. How do we handle the "unlocking" mechanic so that a player is not swarmed with a bunch of Pirates he cannot beat. You know that allowing too many opponents in the Space Lane can be a fatal move (e.g. you lose the game).
Having three (3) or four (4) starships against the Pirate Warlord (Destroyer) is reasonable. But if it happens when you only have one (1) starship it's doom (e.g. you will lose the game).
The combination (of 15 cards) seems like a reasonable bunch of Pirate starships. It's more about how the AI will attack the player...
We are also forgetting that the GOAL of the SOLO scenario (with the Pirates) is to accumulate the MOST quickSilver as possible. The Pirates are there to provide SOME AI so that the player requires to defend his Homeworld from the invading attackers.
But I don't want to make the AI the reason for winning the scenario...
More on the AI dilema
Another important point is this:
So if you had six (6) turns less three (3) turns means you are left with three (3) remaining turns to "breath" and BANK to earn a second starship (unlock).
Six (6) turns sounds reasonable because what if you are not lucky on a turn and waste your turn trying to attack the opponent... So in reality having that many turns helps make it possible to defeat the Pirate starships but in reality it may take six (6) turns to defeat those opponent starships... Because of initiative rolls which result in failed attacks!
Your starships +1
Maybe an idea for a rule would be: "Your starships +1".
So if you have no starships, the Pirate attacks your Homeworld UNTIL you manage to unlock that first starship. This is the same TENSION as found in The Derelict scenario...
All I need is some way to formulate the duration of time taken to defeat your Pirate opponents...?!
This is just an idea - not sure if I like having such a "rule"...