Slith Random Enemy Plugin

[Brummbar44]

I thought I understood this one...but apparently not.

I set up some fixed enemy and used this plugin to assign points to the different teams. When I tested it out, only the fixed units showed up...no new enemy.

Am I misunderstanding how this works? I can't seem to find any information at all about it other than the info associated.

Any advice? It would be great to randomly generate enemy in a certain area.

[pipfromslitherine]

If memory serves, the plugin will only spend whatever points you allocate to the team on non-fixed units. The plugin works by having you place more units than you want to show up, and then spending the points on a random selection of the units up to the points total. If that makes sense!

Cheers

Pip

[Brummbar44]

I'm not sure I follow...but I placed a whole bunch of units...set some non-fixed unit points...then set the points on the plugin low to see if just one of them show up...but they all show up. I must be doing something wrong...or maybe I'm not using it right.

I'm trying to set the AI team to randomly show up in an area...is this even on the right track?

Is there any documentation on this plugin? I can't find any references to it.

[pipfromslitherine]

There is a help button on the plugin itself. The plugin isn't very complex, so no real documentation. Basically the units you place will be in the places you put them, but any unfixed units are purchased with the points you allocate the team.

Cheers

Pip

[Brummbar44]

Thanks Pip,

I must be doing something wrong...or am expecting wrong results. I only ever seem to get the fixed units regardless of the plugin.

Here's the example...
I've set 3 fixed enemy units in team 0...turned on the plugin and allocated 100pts. to team 0...set the non-fixed units pts. to be spent to 300.

What I thought would happen is that I would get the 3 fixed units as well as 100pts. worth of randomly generated enemy (not sure where they would show up?)...but I only get the 3 fixed units.

What I am trying to do is generate a random enemy force to show up in an area (perhaps I need to define the area?) so that when I play, I don't know exactly where the enemy is...maybe I'm asking too much of the plugin...or just wishful thinking.

Suggestions to steer me in the right direction?

[pipfromslitherine]

I'm not sure what you mean by non-fixed unit points? The only thing the plugin does is to spend points you allocate, in the plugin, to the team on non-fixed units in the team. The plugin shows the points allocated verses the total value of unfixed units in the team. Note that with 100pts, if your teams was (e.g.) all Panthers then nothing would get deployed as it can't afford anything.

The units you place will (if they are randomly selected by the plugin) be placed exactly where you put them on the map.

If you want to have more generally random enemy deployment then you would need to use some custom scripting to achieve it.

Cheers

Pip

[Brummbar44]

Thanks Pip.

By non-fixed unit points, I was referring to the points slider underneath the units on the left side. I thought I needed to increase that to get the non-fixed units...however, I'm not sure that does anything for the enemy based on your description above. I'm not sure how I get 'non-fixed' units now? I only seem to be able to fix them.

The plugin does show a split on the points ie. AI Team 0: 300/0 - I can increase or decrease the points number on the left...but am not sure what or how to affect the right number...I suspect it has something to do with the non-fixed units points ratio...again, just not sure how the non-fixed units are assigned at all (plugin aside).

But if I understand you correctly, I would fix a number of units (say infantry) in the team...these would be acting as place holders...so then, if I manage to figure this all out, the random enemy plugin would replace those fixed units with randomly drawn units up to the number of points assigned in the plugin? Is that correct?

[pipfromslitherine]

Not really

I'll deal with all the points seperately.

- when you place a unit it defaults to fixed. You can un-fix it by hitting the F key while over the unit.
- the points on the left side are only used by the player side and are used in the force selection screen. They are used to purchase any unfixed player units.

- the left number in the plugin is the points allocated to a team. The right number is the points total for all the un-fixed units you have deployed in that team so far. So if you place a Panther on the map, make it un-fixed, and set it to team 1, then you should see the right number for team 1 increase by 250 (or whatever a Panther costs).

- the units you deploy on the map are the only units you will ever see on the map. The plugin doesn't try and be clever (it doesn't know what OOB or setting you want to use). It basically just randomly buys any un-fixed units using the points available for each team, pretty much as the player does on the force selection screen. And un-fixed units which cannot be afforded are removed from the map.

Cheers

Pip

[Brummbar44]

Thanks Pip, that makes things more clear...but I still must be doing something wrong (or expecting a different result).

I've now un-fixed the 3 example infantry (and yes, I now see those points on the right in the plugin /126)...I've added 300 points on the left (so 300/126)...saved and went into see what was there from the campaign perspective but I still only see the same 3 infantry (I expected to see a random 3 units up to the total of the 300 points)...tried it a few times to see if it would randomize but only ever get the same 3 infantry.

Am I still misunderstanding how this should work?

(ps - thanks for your time Pip, I do appreciate it!)

[pipfromslitherine]

You will never get 'random' units. You only get a random selection of the units you place. You need to place more units in a team than the points you allocate to the team, and you will then get a random selection of those placed units up to the points value available.

So, you place 6 inf, 2 tanks, 3 half and give 500 points, you will see 2 inf, 1 tank, 1 half the first run, then 4 inf, 2 tank the second (e.g.).

Cheers

Pip

[Brummbar44]

Ahhhhhh.....(light bulb finally goes off).

Ok, so it looks like the secret to this is to place a whole bunch of units into a team, make sure they aren't fixed then set up the plugin with a lower point score than the total points to get a random placement of units based on the initial placement...some units will appear where they were placed and some won't.

Makes sense now...guess I was hoping for something much more elaborate...perhaps for BA2?