[Mod] Glavius's Ultimate AI

[UltimateTobi]

Hello all!

As of 3.0.3, GAI has returned in an alpha phase. More information on the Steam Workshop page.

As of now the mod modifies an AI player if it's a Gestalt-Consciousness with Robots (excluding Servitor, Exterminator, Assimilator).

The aim is to have a more personality-based economy for various Ethics and Civics, with fall back improvements (general GAI_COUNTRY improvements), in case the unique GAI flags can't find a fitting AI (such as a Machine Empire).

Currently, if a Machine Empire spawns, it'll be renamed GAI Basic Robots and have a unique flag set (GAI_ROBOT). This AI will have GAI's improvements to economics with behavioral differences fitting to a machine empire.

If you test right now, you'll notice that the Machine Empire will play differently than any other AI which is not a Machine Empire. With this, we can test modded AI vs vanilla AI in the same game in real-time (huge boon).

Tip: You can create a custom Machine Empire and force spawn it if you want to reliably test every game you do.

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Recent Change Notes​

• Update: 23 May
  • No specifics

• Update: 23 May
  • No specifics

• Update: 22 May
  • No specifics

• Update: 20 May
  • No specifics​

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Also, at everyone at PDX, if you need assistance, just ask @Glavius!

And I encourage you to support him on Patreon! Because if it wasn't for his AI mod, I probably would've dropped Stellaris a long time ago.

I hope I don't come across as too advertise-y, as I just want to garner attention that the AI needs serious work and if it wasn't for our dedicated modding community, Stellaris would have a much lower standing in my opinion.

Thanks all!

Additional links:

1. Glavius's Ultimate AI (Stable Branch)
2. Glavius's Ultimate AI #1 and #2 (Manual Download Link Servers)
3. Glavius's Patreon
4. @Todie's Blog Entry About AI
5. GAI for 2.2.7

 

[wingren013]

Uh where should I send bug reports? Pretty sure this is caused by Glavius's AI:

 

[Glavius]

Uh where should I send bug reports? Pretty sure this is caused by Glavius's AI:

On it. I'll fix it when I get up out of bed in 4 hours or so. That's not supposed to happen.

 

[wingren013]

On it. I'll fix it when I get up out of bed in 4 hours or so. That's not supposed to happen.

Ah a man after my own heart.

Other things I noticed: the AI likes to switch it's leaders a lot, it does switches it's scientists every day. Not sure if that is a vanilla issue though because the observer view is new. Oh and the AI really loves the marketplace. It sells things and then buys them like crazy. May want to check whatever weights you set there.

 

[UltimateTobi]

Uh where should I send bug reports? Pretty sure this is caused by Glavius's AI:

Hi!

I suppose posting bugs here is okay since @Glavius took notice.
You're also able to provide feedback in the Comments section of the mod: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/comments/1584133829

(@Glavius, maybe you could create a pinned Bug Reports thread on the Discussions page of the mod?)

 

[Folket]

Does the mod also fix the broken sectors for hive minds?

 

[UltimateTobi]

Does the mod also fix the broken sectors for hive minds?

According to @Glavius, it does, to an extend. It's the same AI, although the event that fixes ruined buildings and to upgrade them won't be used as players would see resources vanishing. That only applies to AI controlled empires.
But else, yes, your sectors should run better than vanilla AI sectors.

 

[Folket]

Sorry, I missed loading the mod. Will try for real now.

 

[UltimateTobi]

Sorry, I missed loading the mod. Will try for real now.

Alright, keep us posted if you notice any odd behaviour/bugs! Be it here or on the Feedback thread in the Discussions area of the mod in Workshop.

 

[dezuman]

I'm having an issue with Hiveminds not colonizing at all. I suspect it could be because the ai budget for food has a fixed maximum of 200 food set off for colony ships, but for hiveminds it actually costs 500.

Edit: As for other empires they are expanding real nicely after the last fix. They are however having trouble building a navy early game because they seem to build exactly 0 anchorages before getting Starholds.

Edit 2: The hivemind instantly started colonizing when I lowered its colony ship cost to 200 food, so it seems like the cap of 200 in the ai budget is the issue indeed.

Edit 3: Might as well note some further issues:
*Hivemind empires build really few resource districs, instead leaving their drones in the default "scavanger" job producing only 1 mineral. Obviously terribly inefficient, but I'd assume the build logic just looks at unemployment.
*All AI empires really loves to build resource-boosting buildings (mineral purification plant etc) as first picks without even having any mining districts. This severely crippling their alloy production early-game, and generally makes no sense. Gating it to having 3-4 of the relevant district before would be reasonable IMO.
*AI empires have lots of module-less starbases and generally sucks at building anchorages, leaving them with far smaller fleets that their economy can sustain.
*AI empires love to build cities as first picks for new colonies for some reason instead of a resource district.
*Hivemind AI seem to ignore building amenities whatsoever, causing massive instability.
* AI empires in general seem to build no research labs whatsoever.

 

[Glavius]

I'm having an issue with Hiveminds not colonizing at all. I suspect it could be because the ai budget for food has a fixed maximum of 200 food set off for colony ships, but for hiveminds it actually costs 500.

Edit: As for other empires they are expanding real nicely after the last fix. They are however having trouble building a navy early game because they seem to build exactly 0 anchorages before getting Starholds.

Edit 2: The hivemind instantly started colonizing when I lowered its colony ship cost to 200 food, so it seems like the cap of 200 in the ai budget is the issue indeed.

Edit 3: Might as well note some further issues:
*Hivemind empires build really few resource districs, instead leaving their drones in the default "scavanger" job producing only 1 mineral. Obviously terribly inefficient, but I'd assume the build logic just looks at unemployment.
*All AI empires really loves to build resource-boosting buildings (mineral purification plant etc) as first picks without even having any mining districts. This severely crippling their alloy production early-game, and generally makes no sense. Gating it to having 3-4 of the relevant district before would be reasonable IMO.
*AI empires have lots of module-less starbases and generally sucks at building anchorages, leaving them with far smaller fleets that their economy can sustain.
*AI empires love to build cities as first picks for new colonies for some reason instead of a resource district.
*Hivemind AI seem to ignore building amenities whatsoever, causing massive instability.
* AI empires in general seem to build no research labs whatsoever.

Thank you. The fleet thing should be a little better now as the AI tends to go for a stronghold instead of an ancorage in the earlyish game. Also, I fixed the starbase bug before seeing this post.

Update 30: (Thank you dezuman)
Fixed AI hive minds not colonizing bug
fixed AI resource districts for hive minds not building
Fixed resource boosting buildings being built without having a reasonable number of mining/generator districts
Fixed AI building cities as there first district on a planet
Fixed hive mind not building amenity buildings
Fixed AI not building research labs

 

[UltimateTobi]

Fast as always!
I will update the thread with recent updates when I am back because with a phone it's quite fiddly.

Edit: Also, I don't get to add known bugs, since you fix them immediately.

 

[dezuman]

New issues:
* AI is far too liberal with restricting/preventing pop growth, it severely impacts their overall growth without actually helping much. I think the natural impact of negative housing would often be more than enough. The penalties for taking growth limiting decisions is magnitudes worse than the penalties from overcrowding.
* Hiveminds will now often build resource districts to the cap without having the pops to work it, presumably due to the previous fix for them not building at all. Perhaps add a check for number of drones working the "scavanger" job as a replacement for unemployment check? The same should probably be used for all "uncapped" jobs, e.g. slave servants.
* For some reason normal empires also seem to build resource districs to the cap without unemployment, no idea why though. This baloons their empire size unnecessarily and also prevents them from adapting their district building to current productions/deficits.
* While the district requirement for mineral hubs etc is an improvement I still think the AI overbuilds them instead of foundries and research labs. They mostly swim in raw resources, it's the advanced stuff they need more of. Maybe an even higher resource district requirement would improve this?
* I have noticed that the AI sometimes have large negative housing but also unemployment on more developed worlds, perhaps they aren't replacing resource districts with cities when they should?

In other news these last updates has really made the AI more competitive, I love it! They do seem very reluctant to declare war though.

Edit: At 2275 (admiral difficulty) most AI have fleets at around 15k, with one having 30k. Decent, but they're bottlenecked in alloys by rampant population control and unnecessary resource boosting buildings instead of foundries. Research and unity is fine though.

@Glavius

 

[sresk]

I'd noticed the thing about overbuilding too. so not that this helps fix the problem but it makes the game way better for me. I modded in extra growth for having vacant jobs and housing. And I changed the admin cap for districts from 1 to .2 I really like how much better the game feels with those minor changes.

 

[Glavius]

New issues:
* AI is far too liberal with restricting/preventing pop growth, it severely impacts their overall growth without actually helping much. I think the natural impact of negative housing would often be more than enough. The penalties for taking growth limiting decisions is magnitudes worse than the penalties from overcrowding.
* Hiveminds will now often build resource districts to the cap without having the pops to work it, presumably due to the previous fix for them not building at all. Perhaps add a check for number of drones working the "scavanger" job as a replacement for unemployment check? The same should probably be used for all "uncapped" jobs, e.g. slave servants.
* For some reason normal empires also seem to build resource districs to the cap without unemployment, no idea why though. This baloons their empire size unnecessarily and also prevents them from adapting their district building to current productions/deficits.
* While the district requirement for mineral hubs etc is an improvement I still think the AI overbuilds them instead of foundries and research labs. They mostly swim in raw resources, it's the advanced stuff they need more of. Maybe an even higher resource district requirement would improve this?
* I have noticed that the AI sometimes have large negative housing but also unemployment on more developed worlds, perhaps they aren't replacing resource districts with cities when they should?

In other news these last updates has really made the AI more competitive, I love it! They do seem very reluctant to declare war though.

Edit: At 2275 (admiral difficulty) most AI have fleets at around 15k, with one having 30k. Decent, but they're bottlenecked in alloys by rampant population control and unnecessary resource boosting buildings instead of foundries. Research and unity is fine though.

@Glavius

I'd noticed the thing about overbuilding too. so not that this helps fix the problem but it makes the game way better for me. I modded in extra growth for having vacant jobs and housing. And I changed the admin cap for districts from 1 to .2 I really like how much better the game feels with those minor changes.

Sresk, I can't do balance changes in the mod since it's purely and AI mod. I'd do them but it's outside the scope but you can always launch a balance mod as the game does need one.


Thanks guys. I've updated using the feedback.
Update 31:
AI will no longer build districts when it doesn't have the pop to work them
AI now more agressive at building alloy factories
AI now fully aware of its fleet capacity and how to increase it
AI will no longer build mineral processing plants/energy grids when the planet has <6 districts
AI will now scrap buildings if they no longer provide any benefit to them
AI will now scrap districts like mining/energy/farming for city districts once the planet is "full"
AI will only activate population controls when below -20 free housing

 

[UltimateTobi]

Updated OP, thank you @dezuman for active feedback!

 

[dezuman]

Updated OP, thank you @dezuman for active feedback!

I just want to be able to play a properly challenging 2.2 game as fast at possible, so you gotta do what you gotta do

Now, if pdox could actually fix the scientist swapping bug so AI empires aren't stuck with unused scientists and only 1-2 functional science ships for surveying...

 

[UltimateTobi]

I just want to be able to play a properly challenging 2.2 game as fast at possible, so you gotta do what you gotta do

Now, if pdox could actually fix the scientist swapping bug so AI empires aren't stuck with unused scientists and only 1-2 functional science ships for surveying...

So do I, eventually. Waiting for the Diplomacy & Politics rework.

I think @Glavius already reported that bug in the Bug Reports section. First they swapped ONE scientist, now they swap multiples. Hope they fix it soon as well.

Also, keep the feedback coming.

 

[sresk]

Sresk, I can't do balance changes in the mod since it's purely and AI mod. I'd do them but it's outside the scope but you can always launch a balance mod as the game does need one.


Thanks guys. I've updated using the feedback.
Update 31:
AI will no longer build districts when it doesn't have the pop to work them
AI now more agressive at building alloy factories
AI now fully aware of its fleet capacity and how to increase it
AI will no longer build mineral processing plants/energy grids when the planet has <6 districts
AI will now scrap buildings if they no longer provide any benefit to them
AI will now scrap districts like mining/energy/farming for city districts once the planet is "full"
AI will only activate population controls when below -20 free housing

Yeah I'm not recommending you do make any balance changes. I mean this AI mod is pretty amazing and makes the game 10x better than vanilla. I was just throwing that out there for others.

 

[UltimateTobi]

OP updated with new Recent Change.