a visual representation of AI building patterns

McPwny · Chem Warrior **Joined**: 29 Jan 2018

the other day i noticed that if you give the AI a pavement building, it builds a ring around their base in pavement because since
it cannot actually make the building, it keeps trying to place it. the first pavement it will build in the node location, after that it will
attempt to build in the "next available spot" so to speak. i found that changing the `AIBaseSpacing=` entry changes the pattern.
ive compiled images with spacings 0 through 5 to give a nice visual demonstration of what the AI does in its head.

Crimsonum · Seth **Joined**: 14 Jul 2005 **Location**: Fineland

McPwny wrote:

it builds a ring around their base in pavement because since it cannot actually make the building, it keeps trying to place it.

Technically the AI does place down the pavement building, but it gets instantly converted into terrain, which means the building no longer exists and so the AI builds another to meet the quota. The same thing happens with buildings that have a zero (0x0) foundation.

It's also interesting to note that the Construction Yard doesn't play any production animation when the AI deploys a building. IIRC someone once told me the AI doesn't actually construct buildings the same way human players do, instead using preset nodes even in multiplayer (it clearly has a predefined base plan).

_________________