AI trackbuilding

[Hajo]

Hi,

the AI trackbuilding in TTD is terribly. Any ideas how to improve that?

Algorithms like A* or Dijkstras shortest path don't work well once the AI is supposed to alter the landscape in order to create better paths.

c.u.
Hajo

[SHADOW-XIII]

First bad method of AI in TTD: ... it building tracks both from one station and from other .. he should building from one station to other ... ...anyway we must create algorithm for AI to 'show' him where he should build station .... .... it can build like that ... it put 1 square of track .. (tt2 check how he could build tracks .. that it will be closer to second station, [first we must create algorithm for building straight way .., and not only for railway])

[Peter Dobrovka]

In 3DTT trackbuilding works like pathfinding. So when building starts everything is evaluated already and building itself is very quick, so the player has no chance to block the AI´s work. Of course he can still do it by accident...

Peter

[mp3Pro]

thats more realistic anyway ... maybe break track laying up into steps
surveying
land purchase
actual track laying
that would give the benefit of pathfinding to the AI but still slow it down enough for the player to block it? Maybe send the player a message when the AI starts each phase "Doofus transport begins Surveying near Townsville" or something of the sort... Limit the AI land purchase to x amount of tiles per turn maybe?

[Lilman424]

Surveying
Land purchasing
station placing
basic track building (no intersections)
advanced track building (intersections)
depot placing
train building

[uzurpator]

I would rather go for:

Surveying
Station terrain reservement
Connecting them with track (single/double)
Optimising the connection
Adding passing loops if necessary
Adding stations
Adding depots

The Optimisation is the most important and proper algorithms for it need to be created. This includes making the connection flatter and straighter.

What analysis is to use here?

IMO - it would be reasonable to use leaf based analysis: game would take a YxY area and optimise the connection within it. This would make things much faster, but the lines wtill would not look like created by humans. OTOH they would also not look like TTD's ai creation.

[SHADOW-XIII]

Yep ... in Optimizng or in adding loops AI should put also lights ... but we must teach AI to create Railway Network, not to build separatly railways

[Jan]

Everyone approach is different. My network is different then, let say yours. Will be very hard for many people to let AI to make a decision. For example, I never use more then two lines, go for the underground if possible and making all the branches connected with clove leaf type intersection.

[Raichase]

I think we should look at the current AI - basic 1 or 2 train tracks, and focus on making their routes efficiant, with the pathfinding and so on - we want competition, but if we want human-quality competition, we can play over the net.

[SHADOW-XIII]

First .. before AI .. we should allow play users ...

[Raichase]

First .. before AI .. we should allow play users ...

The man makes a very persuasive point.

[mp3Pro]

What I meant was break the AI's track laying into steps and let the player just build.... to offset the AI's advantage when using pathfinding... that way we get less AI "Garbage" lines but can still compete because the AI has to build slower than the player

[GoneWacko]

WHAT if the landscape would change whilst the AI is building it's tracks? Wouldn't that screw up the track?

[mp3Pro]

No the AI is only allowed to buy x amount of tiles per turn @ the buying phase... if the landscape changes before it buys it has to start @ survey again..

[ChrisCF]

I know this is only half-on-topic, but can we also apply the ideas from this to prevent RTPS? (Retarded Town Planner Syndrome)

/me goes back into his hole, hoping to get back on IRC at some point - address below