Difference between revisions of "AI War:Vengeance of the Machine"

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== Dire Guardians ==
 
== Dire Guardians ==
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Guardians in general are scarier than they once were, but we've also added much nastier versions called "Dire Guardians" as new "heavy-hitters" in the AI's toolbox, specifically:
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* Needler
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* Laser
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* MLRS
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* Implosion
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* Sniper
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* Spider
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* Tractor
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* Widow
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* Disassembler
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* Gravity
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* Munitions Boosting
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* Infiltration
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* Artillery
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* Raider
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* Shield
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 +
Normally you'll only encounter these through a few "Dire Guardian Lairs" seeded in each map (unless you disable them in the lobby).  Each lair is normally not a problem... until its planet goes on alert.  Then it starts building a Dire Guardian inside.  You're warned when these are building and you'll want to be ready to take it down (not easy, but doable with major fleet action) when it spawns.  For some lairs you'll probably want to deal with them permanently at some point, and you can do so by destroying them.  But destroying them releases a one-time spawn of _three_ Dire Guardians.  Ouch.
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If you have any "Exogalactic Attack" sources on (Fallen Spire, Broken-Golems-Hard, etc) then Dire Guardians are also eligible to see
  
 
== New AI Types ==
 
== New AI Types ==

Revision as of 13:01, 5 June 2013

What exactly is added in the Vengeance of the Machine expansion?

A: This expansion focuses on adding still more variety to your main opponent: the AI. There's already a ton of that variety, but our community is very excited about the new stuff VotM brings to the table, including "Dual-type" AIs, Dire Guardians, AI Planetary Subcommanders, and the "Hunter" and "Shark" AI plots. There are also new bonus ship types, AI types, map styles, core guard posts, guardians, core turret controllers, and a lot more music from Pablo Vega. The expansion also adds a new "Showdown" option that provides a brand-new way to win (or lose) in the form of an ultimate stalemate-breaker. This expansion is slated for official release in June 2013.

Dual-Type AIs

Now you may optionally assign a secondary type to each of the two AI players so you can see what it's like to play against a Speed-Racer/Thief and a Spire-Hammer/Neinzul-Youngster (answer: the former is quite amusing in a morbid sort of way, and the latter is _rather_ challenging).

You can also use it to "mix in" some of the new AI types like Chivalric and Bouncer to make the game perhaps a little easier in some ways, while still getting the distinctive features of the other types chosen.

AI Planetary Subcommanders

Now some of each AI's planets (mainly picked from the MkIV and Core ones) will have a "subcommander" represented by a special command station. Most subcommanders can also pick from some of the special new guard posts (like "Plasma", "Implosion", and "Widow") and most also try to be extra clever in how they place their station and guard posts.

The "Paranoid" subcommander, for example, will place its station as far away from all the wormholes as it can, and pick only Command-Station-Shield posts and space them as far away from the wormholes and each other as it can.

The "Knife Fighter" subcommander, on the other hand, will pick from short-and-medium range combat-oriented stations and posts and try to place them so as to cover all its wormholes with overlapping fields of fire.

And so on, with types like the long-range-favoring "Lobber", the tractor-and-gravity-loving "Obstructionist", and the ever-popular "Rude Gesture" (who is not at all happy about no longer being able to stack 13 counterattack posts on its planet, having to settle instead for 4).

Dire Guardians

Guardians in general are scarier than they once were, but we've also added much nastier versions called "Dire Guardians" as new "heavy-hitters" in the AI's toolbox, specifically:

  • Needler
  • Laser
  • MLRS
  • Implosion
  • Sniper
  • Spider
  • Tractor
  • Widow
  • Disassembler
  • Gravity
  • Munitions Boosting
  • Infiltration
  • Artillery
  • Raider
  • Shield

Normally you'll only encounter these through a few "Dire Guardian Lairs" seeded in each map (unless you disable them in the lobby). Each lair is normally not a problem... until its planet goes on alert. Then it starts building a Dire Guardian inside. You're warned when these are building and you'll want to be ready to take it down (not easy, but doable with major fleet action) when it spawns. For some lairs you'll probably want to deal with them permanently at some point, and you can do so by destroying them. But destroying them releases a one-time spawn of _three_ Dire Guardians. Ouch.

If you have any "Exogalactic Attack" sources on (Fallen Spire, Broken-Golems-Hard, etc) then Dire Guardians are also eligible to see

New AI Types

New AI Plots

  • Hunter
    • (wiki in-progress)
  • Shark-A
    • (wiki in-progress)
  • Shark-B
    • (wiki in-progress)

New AI Core Guard Posts

New AI Guardians

New Map Styles

Core Turret Controllers

New Bonus Ship Classes

  • Lightning Torpedo Frigate
    • (wiki in-progress)

"Showdown Devices" Minor Faction

New Music Tracks

(To Be Announced)

Other Miscellaneous Additions

(To Be Announced)

AI_War:Fleet_Command