FAF beta - AI does not die

[AwarE]

Running latest FAF beta patch we found that although we killed all the units of all three AIx, only one actually died correctly. The other two AIx had no units, built or half built, and after waiting 10mins we Ctrl+k'ed to end the game.
This was a TeamPlay_AI game with two Humans verses 3 AIx.

This problem has come up in previous patches, I can't remember the solution.

game log - http://pastebin.com/download/Az6yksqe
forever.log - http://pastebin.com/download/BFR7Vku3
replay # - 4769297 - you will need the map to watch the replay and the map is not in the vault.

[Uveso]

Hello AwarE,

this mostly happens when a unit script caused a lua error.

The Ai has a List of all builded units. If a unit dies, the unit will be deleted from the list.
But, if the unitscript is causing an error the unit will sometimes (depends on the error) not deleted from the global list.
At the end of the game, the Ai still thinks, there is a unit left. And the game won't end.

There is nothing that you can do on your side. (Well, don't use bugged mods )
But you can change your victory settings from "Assassination" to "Supremacy".
This way, the game will end correctly in 19 of 20 games.

greetings Uveso.

[AwarE]

This has been a problem for some time.
Could some admin please take this on and fix it.

To graphically show the problem I will provide screenshots.

The 1st shows that Red AI has no units left at 1hr:17m:35s ...the Undead Red.


The 2nd shows all AI enemy dead at 1hr:28m:20 ...now there are 2 Undead


The 3rd shows that Pink AI has no units at 1hr:28m:30s


The 4th shows that both Red and Pink AIs are still alive, with zero units, at 1hr:28m:40s and the only way to end the game is to leave without going to the score.


Game Log: http://pastebin.com/ftZrJaTX
Forever Log: http://pastebin.com/2aJb7Y6h

[Uveso]

I only can give you the same answer then before;

Try "Supremacy" game mode.

I dont know, when this will be fixed. Every fix to a unit, that caused an error, is a step toward it.
If all fixes are done, this will work.

Well after searching through your game log i found 2 lines:
1507 info: GAMERESULT : \000score 1
1529 info: GAMERESULT : \000score 2

So, both AI kills are registered. Maybe this was a Sandbox game ?

[AwarE]

Hi Uveso,

Thanks for your reply.
All TeamPlay_AI games should be played with Victory Conditions set to 'Annihilation', where all AI units must be killed for a win.

For that reason all the games that have failed to end were in Annihilation mode.
Shows in the Forever log as:
2016-07-25 16:39:30,980 INFO fa.game_connection.GPGNetConnection GC >> : GameOption : [u'Victory', u'eradication']
Note: 'eradication' = Annihilation.
The 20 odd games that have not ended correctly were with a team of two or more human players against teamed AIx. In this case, to keep it simple, I did a single player skirmish with an AI partner 2v2.

We have tried with and without mods and it made no difference, in this case I was running the cheap anti-nuke v3.1 mod.

roj

[Uveso]

You are saying TeamPlay_AI games "should" be played as Annihilation.
Maybe a dump question, but why ?

I am asking this, because Annihilation is bugged for years now, and i don't see a fix coming.
Thats why i play only Supremacy. You still need to kill the Commander, all buildings and enginers.

[wilso]

Firstly, a BIG thankyou to all who maintain and work and play the game, It is still , very much, the best.
When i played the original Chris Taylor game "Total Annihilation", I played with the view of total annihilation for the enemy or opponent . Call me fussy but i want to totally annihilate my foe , and yes i do still play TA occasionally
But , unfortunate as it is, something has happened in FAF (more often than not) where the ai will not die to give an end game score. I disagree with "Annihilation has been bugged for years" statement, because it's the only way i have ever played TA,SC,FA,FAF and now FAFbeta.
In fact my whole computer is setup to crunch numbers that the ai needs to be as tough and strong as possible to the point where system RAM is <40 ns latency time (AIDA64 memory bench). So that's nearly two decades of game setups , battles, wins/loss' and then a score.

As the Supreme Commander in so many battles I don't want to own the ai (supremacy), my game ends when i've destroyed all enemy units (annihilation). The fighting element count in my game is enormous compared to the Commander, all buildings and engineers. Aware strives to get maps to facilitate the ai's path to build and fight .His efforts have a twofold effect where the game doesn't slow down with ai congestion caused by terrain issues. My cpu is a constant at 4.8ghz (FAF bench is 145) and so it's not unusual for us to kill 80 plus experimentals in a total comibined kill of 5,000 units on land maps. These battles are 90 to 120 minutes of a flatout clickfest
We don't use a "build time" but do allow time to get a good defense going, because if you give the SorianAIx half a chance to grow (about 10 mins to get established), you'll need good defenses. I don't go for the quick kill, i want to battle and then i check the game stats. Having to suicide to end a game is a toughy when i've killed all ai and even then i may not get a score at all. "no data available"......

I hope the issue doesn't last and that we get back to a normal game end.

[Uveso]

@wilso:
Thats exactly the way, i play against the AI.
And even in Supremacy I / we have to search for the last Engineer or building on the map.

mostly the game ends with 0-5 Enemy units, still alive. Thats almost a Total Annihilation

Btw, if you want some more units to play against the AI:
All units there have AI support, so the AI can well play with them.
viewtopic.php?f=41&t=12416

greetings, uveso.

[wilso]

Thanks for the greeting uveso

I'll try supremacy and see how we go
Never tried it to be honest

regards
wilso

[AwarE]

The reason 'Annihilation' Victory Condition is required for TeamPlay_AI?
1./ Tradition ...as wilso has pointed out.
2./ It was so that the match continues after an AI commander dies. I think Supremacy may work just as well, but for consistent time related scoring I chose 'Annihilation'. This mode was fine up until about May 2015, when after about patch 3642? we had a series of problems. AI running slow, AI not expanding, AI not reclaiming and now the AI will not die.

Screenshot shows Red AI still alive with NO units in Superacy.


3./ I think Annihilation is the strongest mode for the AI, as it could still win if it only had one experimental unit and no engineers or plants.
Note: In TeamPlay_AI if a Human team player's Commander dies of leaves the game is lost, all Humans that start must finish for a true Allied Victory.
If you think you have won against a TeamPlay_AI map in Record time you can post your recording # in the map's FA Vault chat. One of the things I would verify is that 'Annihilation' mode was set as it can make a big difference in time to complete the game.

We tried 'Supremacy' mode under the new patch 3655:
a./ I played a Skirmish against two AI and only one died.
b./ wilso and I did a TeamPlay against two AI and only one died.
So after killing all AI units we had to Ctrl+K suicide to get to scores ...showed that the AI won.
Strange random thing was that I also played a skirmish against two AI in 'Annihilation' mode and both AI did die. That was the random 1 out of 10 AI games that ends correctly.

So it seems that the problem is unrelated to the victory condition set.

Also the make matters worse the latest patch 3655 of FAF beta has a major bug with Cybran Siren Class T2 Cruisers. They now provide zero AA. There does not appear to be any way to manually toggle the new 'Auto toggle'.

roj