I have tried a couple of times so far to build a UMS map involving computers but i cant seem to make the AI scripts work effectively or sometimes even at all. ( I am talking about the campaign and custom AI scripts) I have tried looking up a few things online but i hant found anything that is helpful in explaining how to make them work/use them at all. So i was hoping someone could explain them in some level of detail to me. (For those of you that need to know i use the basic starcraft map editor and i am no guru at it but i do understand most of the triggers and how locations work.)
Well, it depends whether you run a script at a certain location or not. you have to make sure you are running the script for the right player. and, scripts such as the scripts for the campaign levels, probably won't work because they are specifically designed for that map and the units that that map gives the player to start with. It would be best to use the scripts such as "Protoss-Insane" or any of the ones similar to those. (oh and i have a question... do player-made AI Scripts work even in an un-modded starcraft? if so, what does one have to do to use them, and are there any tutorials on creating them?)
With the exception of Area Town scripts, only one Campaign AI script should be run for each player. Each Campaign AI Script is associated with a Location. This Location must be centered near a source of Minerals and a source of Vespene Gas. Campaign AI scripts are designed to start with an advantage over the player in initial resources and units. They will attempt to wear down players over time. They do not expand aggressively and perform best if supplied with enough starting resources to build through the technology tree (roughly 6000 each of gas and minerals). Custom AI scripts are designed to start with the same resources as other players. They expand to gain new resources and attack players aggressively. Only one Custom AI script should be run for each player. They should not be used with Campaign AI scripts.
I have read the help section and even gone to the blizzard site as well as some other sites. What im trying to understand is what makes the computer ai scripts do what (ex. what makes the script attack). I think something on the blizzard site sorta explained this but i didnt understand it so im looking for a more clear explanation.
The scripts attack randomly based on their programming. I've found that as long as you start the computer with a significant amount of resources (10,000 of each personally) they will attack the human player fine. The only way to get the computer to exactly attack as you want is to create your own 'scripted' attacks by creating units and issuing an attack order.
That's been my experience as well. It's usually easiest to create a "flag" action, such as building a Starport, for the player and when this occurs, units are generated and then attack. This can be both beneficial and detrimental to the map as it makes it a little too "rigid." It also hampers players who tech earlier. I usually just go with an aggressive custom script and include more than one computer, if necessary. You can make it harder and harder by giving that Custom AI larger amounts of starting minerals. This ensures variable attacks and gameplay similar to playing another person. You can then use terrain to make the match fair and give the player the advantage they need to stay alive.
I think i understand what your saying about the minerals but i am curious about you mean by "aggressive custom script" becuase i havnt seen anything except the the "normal" custom settings and the campaign scripts. And if there is a way to change how agressive a custom AI script is, does the way exist in the normal staredit (or whatever the one that came with startcraft is called)?
there are i think 4 different scripts for each race, each with a different aggression setting. i am unsure of their names. also, is there a tutorial for creating/using player-made AI scripts?
There is actually a site dedicated to making more competitive and custom AI scripts for StarCraft. Check them out at BroodWar AI Project. Also to make your own triggers I do believe you need certain modding tools.
