Proposal: include ChooChoo as a default AI

[Michiel]

With the addition of the latest feature I now feel bold enough to make a proposal: would OpenTTD be interested in shipping ChooChoo with the game as a "preloaded" AI? I think it would be nice for the game to include an AI by default, and I think ChooChoo would be suitable:

- It tries to build good looking rail networks with junctions and signals, with some road transport sprinkled in for looks
- It aims to play competitively, but not murderously so: it will survive on pretty harsh maps and game settings
- It's casual friendly through its "limit company value" option
- It supports multiple instances of itself in the same game
- I've tried hard to optimize the pathfinding, so it's not just "sitting there" (though it's not as fast as AAAHogEx)
- It's stable and free of major bugs
- I've maintained it for over 16 years with no plans to stop

I have no new features planned, and I can't promise any particular development effort, but I do always try to address any bug reports.

[Ketsuban]

I think a built-in/preloaded AI for OpenTTD should be able to use every form of transport, not just trains. As it stands I think AAAHogEx (or a fork which disables renaming stations and adds ChooChoo's company value limit as a more brute-force way of curtailing its competitiveness than reducing the number of AI processing cycles) is a better candidate for a "default" AI if they do choose to add one.

[BW89]

I also think a default AI should use as many modes of transport as Possible, but while AAAHogEx is a very impressive AI and can even challange experienced players it is in my opinion not really suitable for a more casual playstyle.
If default AI should become a thing i would propose two AIs. ChooChoo (with maybe the addition of planes as connectors between seperate train networks and boats to connect Islands to the network or for feeder services along a coast) as a default / casual option and AAAHogEx as challange mode.

[Michiel]

Well, it also does buses, a little

Planes are pretty boring, so I don't have plans to add those to ChooChoo. Some boats might be fun though! I guess steam ships technically "choochoo" as well

[Michiel]

Although, now that you mention it - airports to connect major cities in separate networks might actually make sense! Thanks for the idea