Artificial Intelligence in TA:Frenzy


You will see by yourself how vast and deep the Ai in this mod is. I'll just brievely describe
you what the numerous featured Ai profiles do and how to choose one according to which map 
you're playing on.

Note that you can copy the exact name of the Ai from here and then open your map with 
annihilator (or open the ota file of your map if you have/made one), paste it, save the file 
and quit. The Ai profile you selected will be chosen for the said map.

Also, know that this mod has full ai support for every Cavedog map (those shipped with TA, CC
, BT, and even those released for free). This means that you can start any official map in a
skirmish game and be sure that it'll give you back a great challenge. Yes, even those that 
used to be unplayable offline because of the silly OTA Ai. I must point out however that a 
proper use of the Ai Torpedo Planes Patch (that comes with this mod) is required in order to
prevent the Ai from acting really idiotic on certain maps. Please see "TA Frenzy 1_41 Ai 
Torpedo Planes Patch" in this very rar file and learn more about it. Note that the Easy mode 
is, as the name suggests it, not quite good. The below descriptions are very specially meant 
to be an echo of what awaits you on Medium or Hard mode.


ACIDLESSWATER	(copy'n paste it)

Acid, but less water than most common acid maps. "Acid Foursome" is a good example of maps 
that should use this Ai profile. Note: this Ai can also be used on maps that have water, but 
not enough of it to build a naval base. Basically, this Ai is the Default one with all water 
structures and units disabled. Remember this if ever you start a non-acidic map where you 
think it'd be silly for the Ai to build any naval unit (because the Default Ai will not 
prevent this).

ACDLSSWTRWIN	(copy'n paste it)

Same than above, with decent winds.


Acid		(copy'n paste it)

The Acid Ai, modified to match well with TA:Frenzy. Beware, the computer is smarter than you 
think. It'll use hovercrafts as main force, but will also try to harm you with long range 
canons and eventually nukes. Obviously, no sea unit and structure we be built.

Acidwind	(copy'n paste it)

Same than above, with decent winds.

ACDVART1	(copy'n paste it)

Little variante to the Acid Ai. The computer should do a better use of certain units.


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Airbattle	(copy'n paste it)

The name says it all... Note that the computer player will also use land forces and may build
some ships and hovercrafts.

Airwind		(copy'n paste it)

Same than above, with decent winds.

AIRMETAL	(copy'n paste it)

Airbattle ai on metal maps.

AIRNOMETAL	(copy'n paste it)

Airbattle ai on maps with no metal.

AIRNOLANDMETAL	(copy'n paste it)

Airbattle ai on maps with no land metal. It will thus seek everywhere those underwater metal 
patches hidden on the map!

AHANOLANDMETAL	(copy'n paste it)

Where AHA means Air, Hover, Amphibious units (see below). This is the AIRHVRAMPH ai (plus few
changes applied there and here if I remember correctly) with no land metal. The Ai will thus 
try to build many underwater metal extractors. "Steel Jungle" map makes a good use of this Ai
.

Airbvart1	(copy'n paste it)

Little variante to the Airbattle Ai. The computer should use more planes and less ground units, while not turning out to be as air-only as Air
Supremacy Ais.

AIRHVRAMPH	(copy'n paste it)

Air, hovercrafts, amphibious units. And eventually ships if the game tends to last for long. 
This is without doubt the most "popular" and useful Ai this mod has. Many Cavedog maps use it
(or one of its variants), and there's an incredible amount of 3rd party maps that would give 
you back an actual offline challenge when choosing this Ai. Be it rivers, lakes, or canals 
that block the progression of classical ground units, this Ai will always manage to come into
your base with solid forces and not only that it does also build a reliable amount of planes 
to regularly defy your defences. Don't use this Ai if there's too much sea, otherwise the 
computer will turn silly trying to concentrate its main units' production structures in a 
little surface and starting to build shypiards way too late during the game. In this case, 
then prefer the Airseabattle Ai. Few examples of maps using that Ai: "Brilliant Cut Lake", 
"Dire Straits", "Evad River Confluence", "Expanded Confluence", "Luschaven", "Luschie", "The 
Bayou", "ThundurLok Rok".

AIRHVRAMPHWIN	(copy'n paste it)

Same than above, with decent winds. Few examples of maps using that Ai: "Abysmal Lake", 
"Assault on Suburbia", "Canal Crossing", "Cavedog Links CC", "East indeez", "Ice Scream", 
"Long lakes", "Luschinfloggen", "Red River North", "Red River".

AIRHVRAMPHMET	(copy'n paste it)

Airhvramph Ai on metal maps.

AIRHVRAMPHMETWIN	(copy'n paste it)

Airhvramph Ai on metal maps with decent winds.	

AIRSEABATTLE	(copy'n paste it)

It is hard to explain clearly why it is sometimes preferable to use this Ai rather than the 
Seabattle one. Basically, the use of planes will make the computer to attack your base easily
and more often, because the ships are very costly. However, islands and builable shores on 
the map are required for this Ai profile to give decent results. But there mustn't be too 
much of it, otherwise you should instead use the Airhvramph Ai. I know, this sounds 
complicated, but that's the price of full Ai support in such a varied and open game. Note 
that this Ai will build hovercrafts and amphibious units but just not as many as the 
Airhvramph Ai. Few examples of maps using that Airseabattle Ai: "Crater Islands", "Crystal 
Cracked", "PC Games' Evad River Delta", "Ring Atoll", "Ror Shock", "Shore to Shore" (I know, 
there's much buildable land on this one, but I noticed that the Airhvramph Ai would not very 
well take advantage of the huge part of sea separating the two players), "Two Continents" 
(same reason here).

AIRSEAMETAL	(copy'n paste it)

Same than above, on metal maps. Few examples of maps using that Ai: "Metal Isles", "Over 
Crude Water", "Seven Islands".

AIRSUPREMACY	(copy'n paste it)

The Airsupremacy Ai is meant to be used on maps where ground units are pretty useless, at 
least for an ai player. The same way Acid Ai ignores sea units, this one will not build any 
armed ground unit (except Lvl3, and, very rarely, lvl2 or lvl1 that have the ability to hit 
planes). Construction vehicles and k-bots are also rare, but still used. This profile will do
anything possible to strike your positions using air fighters, bombers, but also, it will 
conscienciously build long range canons to eventually destroy your AA stuff. It may build 
ships, but no hovercrafts. Airsupremacy Ai is a must have on maps like: "Biggie Biggs", 
"Higher Ground", "Lava & Two Hills", "Lava Alley", "Lush Puppy", "Sector 410b", "Tremblorian 
Mist".

AIRSUPRMETAL	(copy'n paste it)

Same than above, on metal maps. Very rare Ai, but a map like: "Metal Gridlock" definitely 
benefits from using it.

AIRSUPREMACYWIN	(copy'n paste it)

Airsupremacy Ai, on maps with decent winds. Few examples of maps using that Ai: "Cluster 
Freak", "Luschious", "Ooooweeee".


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BLANK		(Not meant to be used ingame)

Just an empty Ai profile that has all the latest units' entries. Allows you to use it as a 
basis to make your own.


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DEFAULT		(copy'n paste it)

The most open Ai. It will at least give decent results on almost every map. The computer can 
build everything, but it'll always have a preference for pure ground forces. Planes are not 
neglected at all though, and you'll surely see few hovercrafts in enemy's troops. It rises 
solid defences, but can also worry you with Berthas and Intimidators. It'll build Lvl3 if it 
has enough ressources and if the game tends to last. It can even build a reliable naval base,
even though that's clearly not its priority. I've once accidentaly used this Ai on a 
Seabattle map and it worked fine. Again, this is the most balanced Ai of all, but that 
doesn't mean you shouldn't try out the other ones, specially to optimize greatly your offline
experience with TA:Frenzy.

DFLTVART1	(copy'n paste it)

Little variante to the Default Ai. The computer will tend to use more k-bots this time. 
Overally, the Ai is a kinda less powerful, but would in theory access earlier to the lvl 3 
k-bots.

DFLTVART2	(copy'n paste it)

Definite variante to the Default Ai. This Ai is great on maps made in a way that certain
areas are hard to hit using normal weapons (lasers, canons...). The computer will prefer 
cheap units that can go through the most narrow passages, and also it'll usually add in its 
troops a reliable amount of armed units fighting with v-launch weapons. Also, this is a very 
good Ai on small maps, because the computer can now rush (though on that purpose, see below, 
Invasion Ai). Don't forget this Ai, it'll surely improve your games on some 3rd party maps 
(such as one of mine, called "(pp)Per" for those who know it). Currently, only the "Full 
Moon" map uses this Ai.


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DEFENCE		(copy'n paste it)

I really love this one. This is the opposite of the Invasion Ai, there, the computer will 
build an insanely defensive base! Don't be fooled though, it knows perfectly how to strike 
your positions. Overally, TA's artificial intelligence by nature tends to focus on attack, so
I couldn't feature a completely defensive Ai that wouldn't turn out rather quickly to be 
extremely random and idiotic. Just be aware that the Defence Ai, much like the Krogoth one, 
requires a certain amount of ressources (specially metal) in order to work as planned. If you
want to try this one out at once, then "Yerrot Mountains" map will be your grave... Or your 
personnal playground.


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Hover		(copy'n paste it)

The hover Ai is meant for maps where the use of hovercrafts would faciliate a lot an Ai
to attack some enemy base. Read carefully what I've just said, "faciliate". That doesn't mean
ground units couldn't do it as well, otherwise, you'd better choose the excellent Airhvramph 
Ai. The best example that comes to my mind is the map I made called "(pp)Oopmka". This map is
filled with small rivers spreading all over the terrain and in all directions, thus if you're
planning to attack with tanks and k-bots then you'll have many curves to do. With the hover 
Ai, the main hovercrafts force comes quickly to your base, while the other tanks and k-bots 
(because it won't refuse to build a few of them) take the longer path and stay behind. Don't 
use this Ai if a river or a lake on the map can permanently block land units. That being said
, it will also use planes and eventually ships. That's a good Ai but not to be confused with 
the Airhvramph one. Few examples of maps using it: "A Plethora of Ponds", "Polar Range".

Hoverwin	(copy'n paste it)

Same than above, with decent winds. A few examples of maps using that Ai: "Lake Shore", "Red
Triangle", "The Cold Place", "Trout Farm".


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INVASION	(copy'n paste it)

Unique and excellent Ai. This is basically a rush Ai, that will almost exclusively focus
on offensive strategies. Beware, it will use lvl3 earlier than you think. This is one of my 
favourite Ai and should play fine on many maps (even the "metal" ones!). Just keep in mind 
that it will mainly use land forces (although planes are not forgotten, far from it), so 
don't set it on a map with too much water or rivers. Currently, two maps use this Ai: "King 
of the Hill", and "Moon Quartet".


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Krogoth		(copy'n paste it)

Well, this one will do everything required in order to gather a reliable army of lvl3 k-bots.
But since TA:Frenzy doesn't use cheaty lvl3 labs, you shouldn't expect a Kroggie invasion... 
To summarize, it's but the Default Ai with higher predispositions to build really harmful 
things. Just make sure that the map offers decent proportions of ressources (specially metal)
, otherwise you might not see anything particularly noticeable.


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Metal		(copy'n paste it)

The Default Ai for metal maps. One tip: if you can't beat the ai players on metal maps, then
simply choose the Default ai instead of that super cheaty one.


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Seabattle	(copy'n paste it)

Made for maps with water, but also some area where to build few land structures. It won't 
build any armed ground unit, except amphibious ones. Hovercrafts and planes will be used 
wisely, but to create a whole naval force stands as a priority for the ai player(s). Remember
, don't use this Ai on full water maps. Examples of maps using this Ai profile: "Flooded 
Glaciers", "Hundred Isles", "Tropical Paradise".

SeaMetal	(copy'n paste it)

Same than above on metal maps. Due to the way metal maps are made, I have yet to find any 
wherein that ai would actually do a decent job (Airseametal often plays much better).

Seabattlewin	(copy'n paste it)

Seabattle Ai with decent winds. A few examples of maps using that Ai: "Pillopeens", "Sail 
Away", "The Barrier Reef".


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Urban		(copy'n paste it)


This is a twin Ai of the airseabattle one with some small changes (more hovercrafts).


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Waterwrld	(copy'n paste it)


For maps filled up with at least 90% of water. This is the opposite of the Acid Ais; there, 
the computer will not build land structures at all (except metal extractors for those maps 
with very small islands which have metal patches on them. Otherwise, that Ai plays pretty 
well. Few examples of maps using it: "Caldera's Rim", "Icy Bergs".


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Wind		(copy'n paste it)


Default Ai with decent winds.


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WINDNOMETAL	(copy'n paste it)


Unique and very good Ai that will offer you a great challenge even on maps with no metal. Be 
sure that wind strenght is high enough though. I made this Ai for a map I haven't released 
yet when writing this, but I think there may be other fan-made ones that would truly require 
it.


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