Mechanized Assault & eXploration Reloaded

Subject: AI for MAXR

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Hi,

I used to love this game and I was thrilled to find it, today. Better still, there is a Mac version - Manna from heaven.

Except, after playing for a couple of hours, I realised that there was no enemy. Is there any plan to get the AI working for the Single Player version? I still have my old installation CD, so even a Reinstaller stye programme would be good. Pleeease!

Yours Aye

Stuadh

Subject: Re: AI for MAXR

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Hi Stuadh!

We can't get the AI working, because it it not possible to import it from the original game. That means, we would have to develop our own AI from scratch. And that is a very difficult and time consuming task. More important for us is, to get the multiplayer mode complete. So AI is one of the last things we are going to implement.

Subject: Re: AI for MAXR

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I shall have to be patient, then. Thanks for all your work, though.

Subject: Re: AI for MAXR

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I believe this is not the first time someone new to the project that has started up singleplayer and played for a while not knowing that their was no AI. Perhaps someone should add a bugtracker ticket for a more clear warning in singleplayer that their is no AI.

Subject: Re: AI for MAXR

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There is a ticket.
There is a FAQ.
There is a Manual.
There is a README.

At what else places should I write "NO AI"? In the headline of the website perhaps?

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Subject: Re: AI for MAXR

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For me that's obvious - on "Singleplayer" button. For example: "Singleplayer (No AI)".

Writing an AI intrigues me. I'll try to get into code this weekend.

Subject: Re: AI for MAXR

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> For me that's obvious - on "Singleplayer" button. For example: "Singleplayer (No AI)".

Looks ugly but I like the idea. Added.

> Writing an AI intrigues me. I'll try to get into code this weekend.

If you're going to do this it might make some sense to check with the devs *before* you waste precious time.

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Subject: Re: AI for MAXR

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I too am thrilled to find MAXR, M.A.X. was my first turn based strategy game, and led to my discovery of Civ and others. I still have my original disk but have been unable to get it running on XP even using dosbox, so I thought MAXR was the solution I've been looking for for years.

I too played for about 45 minutes before figuring out that I was alone on the planet, no AI. I usually play at random times, middle of the night, or between work projects, so online gaming doesn't work for me, unless there is some kind of drop in community. I'd love a new AI for MAXR, I'd pay $ for it. Or perhaps it would be possible to get the original MAX running on XP via MAXR, or some workaround to import the old AI. ?

In any case, thanks to all who worked to create this project!

Subject: Re: AI for MAXR

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A drop in style game would be fun or at least the ability to join an already begun game. Not to mention dropping out of a game needs to be improve. My idea would be for the host to have the option of allowing player(s) after a game start to join the game. The newly joining player(s) would get additional gold based upon the average composition of the already present players. For example a newly joining player would get an amount of gold equal to the starting gold + the amount of gold to equal the average army + additional gold based upon base composition.

This wouldn't be truly "drop in" but would make it easier to find a game. Plus the results of a new highly mobile force entering on the planet would make the game much more interesting and dynamic.

Subject: Re: AI for MAXR

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The funtion to join a running game is already considered and on the tracker. We're going to implement this *after* 0.3.0. Check the milestones about this.

Importing AI from original is next to impossible. If you want AI get dosbox running.

We've several people playing at "random times" and since there are time zones as well it's always worth a shot. Most people ask on the IRC, especially on weekends and in the evening. Some use the forum, google calendar, icq, mail and so on. Pick your's until we've some sort of game lobby and "drop in"

$$ are always welcome btw. In case you didn't notice the donation button.

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