SMACX Thinker Mod

[EmpathCrawler]

Have you been fiddling with other parts of the smac-in-smax alphax? That's a line for some unimplemented feature in the helpx file.


https://github.com/induktio/thinker/blob/master/docs/smac_mod/helpx.txt#L52


And if you don't want crawlers, you also have to Disable the crawler module, not just the predefined crawler unit. Thinker relies on crawlers, though, so you're handicapping the AI.

[EmpathCrawler]

Good to know it can be fixed in that way. That's very useful. Did you find any way to make it start in the native desktop resolution (e.g. DirectDraw=0 in vanilla)?

It will usually start in the native resolution, the 1024x768 start is sporadic. I wonder if that's related to the starting issues under Windows 10/11 or something else? If you have something you want me to try let me know.

[Induktio]

> Some techs say they allow supply crawlers to haul multiple resource types, yet I couldn't figure out how to make use of that ability?
> https://github.com/induktio/thinker/blob/master/docs/smac_mod/helpx.txt#L52

Ugh. That documentation must be incorrect. Thinker Mod or the base game has never allowed multi-resource convoys for crawlers. That help file is probably imported straight from Yitzi's mod, then merged with Drazhar's smac-in-smacx repo, and then merged with Thinker. It's possible Yitzi's mod did something with that, but I've never tried to import those changes, as they were unmaintainable binary patches.

I'm almost thinking of just throwing out all changes from helpx.txt but there are also some useful additions among those 1900 lines. It's just a hassle to manually check all those changes. If there are any other mentions of new features or binary changes in the file, they are probably also incorrect as they refer to Yitzi's changes. If the changes in helpx.txt are not mentioned in my documentation, it's almost certainly not in the mod.

> It will usually start in the native resolution, the 1024x768 start is sporadic. I wonder if that's related to the starting issues under Windows 10/11 or something else?

If you can figure out what the determining factor for that changing behaviour is, that might be helpful.

> And if you don't want crawlers, you also have to Disable the crawler module, not just the predefined crawler unit.

Yeah, you need to set both the crawler weapon module and the predefined crawler unit tech prereq to "Disable" in order to correctly remote them from the game.

[Hagen0]

Hm, I installed Thinker over GoG version. Game is choppy also tech costs are 2.5 times what they should be. Did you mess with this or did something break while installing.

[DrazharLn]

Thinker does change the tech cost formulas. You can turn that off in thinker.ini or maybe even from the in-game menu, I think.

[Hagen0]

Didn't see it immediatly. Also what a weird design choice.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

Are you talking about tech cost change in general or switch?

Induktio, are you talking some of your thinkier.ini switches can be changed in game menus???

[Neil]

Didn't see it immediatly. Also what a weird design choice.

What is weird about it? You can read the new formula and the reasoning in the readme.

https://github.com/induktio/thinker/blob/master/Details.md#:~:text=double%20cost%20threshold.-,Revised%20tech%20costs,-In%20the%20original

[Hagen0]

Almost 60 research needed for Centauri Ecology on the huge planet map is baffling. Late game, higher tech costs makes sense. But not this.

Also, Alt + T hides bases and units intead of opening a menu. Maybe there is something wrong with the installation.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

I agree that direct proportionality to map square root is a vanilla remnant. Many people already pointed out that map size does not change the development speed at all. The only difference is that bigger map allows longer period of initial uninterrupted development. I.e. all progress tied parameters should grow about same speed on all maps and should account for expansion slow down at some point in the game. That moment appeared later on bigger maps.

Induktio formula is good. It actually inspired WTP formula that similarly uses cubic acceleration at initial stage. Subsequently, though, WTP curve transitions to linear growth simulating slower development after initial expansion. Obviously, this is not a perfect approximation either only next level iteration. Let me reiterate (😉) I clearly understand tuning tech speed is an enormous job and don't keep an illusion this formula is any way a final solution.

Here is the formula from the code.

Code: [Select]

Calculates tech cost.
cost grow accelerated from the beginning then linear.
a1 = 20                                     // constant (first tech cost)
b1 =-20 // linear coefficient
c1 = 40 // quadratic coefficient
b2 = 600 * <map size> // linear slope
x0 = (b2 - b1) / (2 * c1)                   // break point
a2 = a1 + b1 * x0 + c1 * x0 ^ 2 - b2 * x0   // linear intercept
x  = (<level> - 1)

correction = (number of tech discovered by anybody / total tech count) / (turn / 350)

cost = [S + (x < x0 ? C * x ^ 3 : A + B * x)] * scale * correction

And some sample graph for medium map attached.
As you can see I have tried different functions: cubic (damn, I misspelled it on a graph), quadratic, quadratic with linear component, exponent. Cubic one seems to work perfectly from implementation and expectation point of views. Quadratic grows too slow, exponential - too fast. So cubic is the one.
Interestingly that vanilla formula is also linear-quadratic acceleration transitioning to linear slope. You can clearly see it on magnified graph. The only distinction is that a bent at transition point (around level 4). Whereas new functions are constructed to have a smooth transition - also around level 4 you don't see a bent on other graphs.

[Hagen0]

Early vanilla tech costs work very well. If anything they could be a bit lower. The problem starts in midgame when development speed gets very high. Still quadratic growth is just fine, maybe quadratic initially and cubic later.

[Alpha Centauri Bear]

There is a lot of guessing how exactly research accelerates. No one has statistical base to found this on. That's why I propose to include research statistic collection into mods to gather it and present to everybody. Currently I am thinking to add this to WTP.
https://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?topic=21359.msg133675#msg133675

[Induktio]

> Almost 60 research needed for Centauri Ecology on the huge planet map is baffling. Late game, higher tech costs makes sense. But not this.

You are playing a mod and this feature is very prominently explained in Details.md. It's recommended to take a look at the docs since the mod has some new game mechanics.

Previously the early tech cost was a little too much and I adjusted it by introducing the cheap_early_tech parameter. It results in around 50% diminishing discount for earliest techs. Vanilla early tech is very cheap and combined with directed research that enables a bunch of OP rush strategies. It's kinda important to nerf them in some way. You can also adjust the general tech discovery rate in alphax.txt if this feels too slow.

> Also, Alt + T hides bases and units intead of opening a menu. Maybe there is something wrong with the installation.

So far nobody has reported any problems with the keyboard shortcuts when just using the vanilla GOG installation. There might be some issues with shortcuts when using PRACX at the same time, but you didn't mention it, so I assume you're not using it. Make sure to check the game version menu (Ctrl+F4) that you're actually running Thinker with the game. Or else I would need some additional info to reproduce this issue.

> Induktio, are you talking some of your thinkier.ini switches can be changed in game menus???

Well, that should be kinda obvious looking at the docs and code. But the tech cost settings cannot be adjusted while in game.

[Hagen0]

Ctrl + F4 works and tells me Thinker is running. Alt + T also worked when I started Thinker the first time. But after that it consistently produced the described effect. It is very baffling. Maybe a reinstall will fix it. So far I was too lazy to do that.

[PvtHudson]

Seems, AI sometimes bombards units of his enemy (your ally), stationed in your base. This qualifies as surprise attack on you. Is this a bug, or have the AI had enough of your collaboration? Also, I don't remember seeing a warning about rival's SP nearing a major breakthrough in a very long time.