[potterman28wxcv]

When you have a mission where you can modify weapons and vessels used by AI bots, which ship and which weapons do you find the most useful for AI ?

My question is not what is your favorite vessel, but which vessels and weapons are the most effective for AI ?

And, do the bots have limited energy for weapon (like us), or do they have unlimited energy for weapon ? How do they manage their energy ? Does their energy always still at 33% for G, S and E ?

[TopAce]

You have to know the mission before assigning weapons to your wingmen. If the campaign is made any well, you can complete the mission with default loadouts. Altering their weaponry is risky if you don't know how the mission plays out.

Sometimes it's clear that you must make some changes: Switching Prom Rs to Subachs or, in fan-made missions, Subachs to Prom Ses or Kaysers.

[The E]

Yeah, it really depends on the mission in question quite heavily, not to mention the mod in question.

For example, in BP with the Fury AI, I have no qualms about handing out loads of Trebs and Tempests to the AI, which is just something that you shouldn't do on retail.

[Snail]

Here's what not to do: Give Serapis to the AI. Ever.

[potterman28wxcv]

yeah, but some AI don't control some ships good.. for example, with an ursa, I easily can destroy some shivan fighters : powering down the engine, and aiming at the fighter ; but AI are very bad to control Ursas, and are unable to destroy fighters..

So, for AI, is it better to let them control Ursas (that are the best bomber i know in fs1), or lighter like athenas ?

[TopAce]

Use Ursas. They can carry Harbingers. But don't let them enter dogfights. Fly fighter escort and Ursas will break havoc on anything.

[potterman28wxcv]

Yeah, in all mission of bombarding, that's what I do : even I have a bomber, I destroy all hostiles

[Fury]

Retail AI has significant penalty to their turning and rate of fire. Which means a ship like Ursa is like a brick in the hands of AI. Use custom AI and the story is quite different. Regardless of whether you use retail AI with fire rate penalty or custom AI without it, AI uses slower firing weapons better than rapid ones.

[potterman28wxcv]

Ok, so, an AI with a prometheus will be better than an AI with an avenger ? (I'm speaking in FS1 terms)

But, prometheus will cost more energize to the AI fighter... if an AI hasn't enough energy, does he still firing ?

[TopAce]

I can't answer the latter question, but I can tell you that the AI is better with a Prom, simply because the Prom is a better weapon.

[Fury]

Difference between Avenger and Prometheus damage output is minimal, personally I'd pick Avenger over Prometheus any time. Prometheus S is a different matter.

And as far as I know, AI is limited by energy requirements like player but scaling is different.

[potterman28wxcv]

Is different... the scale of AI is better or worst than the scale of the player ?

[TopAce]

The AI is slower. The lower the diff level, the slower their rate. On Insane, it's the same.

[NGTM-1R]

And as far as I know, AI is limited by energy requirements like player but scaling is different.

Having seen AI fighters lay down Kayser fire for minutes on end, I would dispute this point.

[Fury]

The AI is slower. The lower the diff level, the slower their rate. On Insane, it's the same.

I think you were referring to rate of fire, to which this doesn't apply either. Even if AI profiles says the number is "1", it scales by AI class which makes it far slower than player even on Insane. If you disable AI class scaling, then "1" would be same as players'.

In AI profiles there is no way to control energy requirements or regeneration of AI. The higher the difficulty, the less energy weapons use for AI. On Insane, energy requirements seem to be zero.

[TopAce]

I'm not a coder, so I can only judge it by the ai_profiles.

[potterman28wxcv]

The AI is slower. The lower the diff level, the slower their rate. On Insane, it's the same.

I think you were referring to rate of fire, to which this doesn't apply either. Even if AI profiles says the number is "1", it scales by AI class which makes it far slower than player even on Insane. If you disable AI class scaling, then "1" would be same as players'.

In AI profiles there is no way to control energy requirements or regeneration of AI. The higher the difficulty, the less energy weapons use for AI. On Insane, energy requirements seem to be zero.

Ok, so, I can equip my mates with prometheus S or Kayser and they won't stop firing, that's good to know