AI overbuilds Precinct houses/enforcers

[starchitect]

Nearly every AI empire in game Ive met has 4 or 5 Precinct houses on the capitals, and its only 40 years into game. Im not even playing a criminal syndicate, I can imagine it would be infuriating if I was. -225 crime everywhere seems excessive. Even the fanatic egalitarian federation builders seem to love police states...

Tagged around to see if was just a fluke, heres data for what is built on the capital world of each empire in my game (skipped Machines and Hives)

Date: 2237
Average Capital World
53.8 pops
-155.5 crime
3.4 Precinct Houses
2.5 Alloy Foundries
2.2 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
0.2 Autochthon Monument
0.5 Holo-Theater
0.1 Luxury Apartment
0.1 Energy Grid

Spoiler: All Data

Empire 01
37 pops
-36 crime
1 Precinct House
3 Alloy Foundries
1 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
1 Autochthon Monument
0 Holo-Theater
0 Luxury Apartment
0 Energy Grid

Empire 02
52 pops
-210 crime
4 Precinct House
2 Alloy Foundries
2 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
0 Autochthon Monument
0 Holo-Theater
0 Luxury Apartment
0 Energy Grid

Empire 03
Machine

Empire 04
58 pops
-158 crime
4 Precinct House
2 Alloy Foundries
3 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
0 Autochthon Monument
1 Holo-Theater
0 Luxury Apartment
0 Energy Grid

Empire 05
54 pops
-182 crime
4 Precinct House
2 Alloy Foundries
3 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
0 Autochthon Monument
0 Holo-Theater
0 Luxury Apartment
0 Energy Grid

Empire 06
Machine

Empire 07
57 pops
-192 crime
4 Precinct House
2 Alloy Foundries
3 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
0 Autochthon Monument
1 Holo-Theater
0 Luxury Apartment
0 Energy Grid

Empire 08
56 pops
-193 crime
4 Precinct House
3 Alloy Foundries
2 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
0 Autochthon Monument
1 Holo-Theater
0 Luxury Apartment
0 Energy Grid

Empire 09
41 pops
-2 crime
0 Precinct House
3 Alloy Foundries
2 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
1 Autochthon Monument
1 Holo-Theater
0 Luxury Apartment
0 Energy Grid

Empire 10
59 pops
-203 crime
4 Precinct House
3 Alloy Foundries
2 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
0 Autochthon Monument
1 Holo-Theater
0 Luxury Apartment
0 Energy Grid

Empire 11
61 pops
-208 crime
5 Precinct House
3 Alloy Foundries
2 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
0 Autochthon Monument
0 Holo-Theater
1 Luxury Apartment
0 Energy Grid

Empire 12
53 pops
-171 crime
4 Precinct House
2 Alloy Foundries
2 Civilian Industry
1 Research Lab
0 Autochthon Monument
0 Holo-Theater
0 Luxury Apartment
1 Energy Grid

...so, I think the AI weight for building Precinct houses is a little high. It really shouldnt be the most common building in the galaxy. Im glad the AI isnt murdering itself through crime, but it seems like its going a bit over the top

 

[Jabby]

Similar to how the ai built a ton of fortresses pre 2.2.
Maybe they should be wieghted to build them equal to how much crime there is

 

[starchitect]

Maybe they should be wieghted to build them equal to how much crime there is

Yeah, that appears to be more complicated than it sounds.

Did some further digging, here is the current AI weighting for precinct houses:

Spoiler: Precinct House AI weight

ai_weight = {
weight = 1
#modifier = {
# factor = 0
# planet_crime < 5
#}

modifier = {
factor = 10
planet_crime > 4
planet_crime < 15
}

modifier = {
factor = 20
planet_crime > 14
planet_crime < 30
}

modifier = {
factor = 40
planet_crime > 29
planet_crime < 50
}

modifier = {
factor = 50
planet_crime > 49
}
}

Notice that the first weight modifier, which would have told the AI to never build precinct houses if crime is <5 is commented out. I assume this was done in QA to prevent the AI from easily falling into crime spirals. Well, a bit too much success there.

What is really needed is for the planet_crime modifier to understand negative crime. Right now, if a planet has either -1 crime or -200 crime, planet_crime thinks it is 0
Confirmed this with the game.log command:

Spoiler: game.log test

Test event:

immediate = {
        every_planet = {
            limit = { is_capital = yes }
            if = {
                limit = {
                    planet_crime > 0
                }
                log = "    [This.GetName] has crime"   
            }
            if = {
                limit = {
                    planet_crime = 0
                }
                log = "    [This.GetName] crime 0"   
            }
            if = {
                limit = {
                    planet_crime < 0
                }
                log = "    [This.GetName] crime negative"   
            }
            if = {
                limit = {
                    planet_crime < -10
                }
                log = "    [This.GetName] crime -10"   
            }
            if = {
                limit = {
                    planet_crime < -200
                }
                log = "    [This.GetName] crime -200"   
            }
        }
    }

game.log result:
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Alaaria crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Jibbasa crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Jurandar crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Jara crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Tzynnia crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Nuur crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Earth crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Khellzakka crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Domannica crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Pouzjok Prime crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Tu'Riab crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Cynndor crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Lilarobius Primus crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Alpha Complex crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. The Core crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Scheddi IIIa crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Neddum III crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Neddum IV crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Gish crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Ecio III crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Faltus II crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Ryl Somot I crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Occidan II crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Algol IV crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 15. Savassic I has crime
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Nemozi III crime 0
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 15. Bazzanac IV has crime
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 15. Ebbarmacchus I has crime
[11:48:50][effect_impl.cpp:17973]: [2245.7.2] Log command triggered from effect in file: events/test_events.txt line: 21. Rantemario III crime 0

So, Devs, Any way we could get planet_crime to read negatives? That way, you could write:

Spoiler: SUGGESTION: Precinct House AI weight

ai_weight = {
weight = 1
modifier = {
factor = 0
planet_crime < -10
}

modifier = {
factor = 10
planet_crime > 4
planet_crime < 15
}

modifier = {
factor = 20
planet_crime > 14
planet_crime < 30
}

modifier = {
factor = 40
planet_crime > 29
planet_crime < 50
}

modifier = {
factor = 50
planet_crime > 49
}
}

And then ai would only build precinct houses if it was close to needing one

 

[Mauer]

No wonder it's hard to keep any branch offices for long as a Crime Syndicate.

 

[Kougar]

Very interesting reading. Though poor AI management I assume leads to a lot of unemployed pops and lack of housing late game so they need some extra precincts?

I have noticed almost every single governor I install develops the crime trait as well for +25 crime. My planets can be crime free, yet I somehow 3 of my 4 governors are crime lords and the last had Arrested Development. Once at the late game, every single governor will now develop a negative trait in my game, and I've gone through dozens of them. it is almost always a crime lord trait, or whatever it's called.

 

[Beer Fiend]

Very interesting reading. Though poor AI management I assume leads to a lot of unemployed pops and lack of housing late game so they need some extra precincts?

I have noticed almost every single governor I install develops the crime trait as well for +25 crime. My planets can be crime free, yet I somehow 3 of my 4 governors are crime lords and the last had Arrested Development. Once at the late game, every single governor will now develop a negative trait in my game, and I've gone through dozens of them. it is almost always a crime lord trait, or whatever it's called.

Power corrupts...

 

[Ovan]

It's a little crazy at this point, there's no way for criminal syndicates to keep up with the number of precinct houses that the AI loves to spam. At the moment, I had a planet with only 18% crime, and the AI instantly decided a precinct house was the way to go.
18% crime? Really? All I had was a branch office, no structures.
Other planets that I can actually build things as an addition to the branch offices have 2 - 3 precinct houses as if the entire galaxy is now a massive police state. I'd really like to see some level of balance to when the AI actually builds a precinct house, because right now, they just cripple themselves and it's basically pointless to be a criminal syndicate. Having crime isn't even that horrible, bar some bad events.

 

[starchitect]

I'm trying a game now by just adding back in what is commented out in the vanilla ai weight, (common/buildings/02_government_buildings.txt) which will keep the AI from building them until they have crime:
ai_weight = {
weight = 1
modifier = {
factor = 0
planet_crime < 5

I haven't noticed any death spirals or unintended effects yet. Ideally, the AI should think about building them just before they have crime but since negative planet_crime doesnt work this seems to be a decent workaround.