NEW IMPROVED AI MOD FOR STRONGHOLD CRUSADERS 2!!

[Mizo]

Hope that will grab your attention folks :P

{LINK REMOVED}https://www.mediafire.com/file/fgxd5g9cw6a7kxx/Stronghold_Crusaders_2_Improved_AI_1.1.zip/file

Well Apparently Steam is removing my link so do join our Stronghold Discord group to get the mod: You can find the invite link here :

https://steamcommunity.com/app/232890/discussions/0/1473096694444560655/


This patch changes a lot of things about Stronghold Crusaders 2 AI to the point it is nigh unrecognizable.

While I haven't found a way to edit castles themselves, I did find a way to alter AI Market logic, unit rosters, timings, purchases, defense and seiges. Other stuff are unfortunately hardcodded.

Something worth to point out that with the AI changes, there is no longer an "easy" NPC. All the AIs will give you a nice challenge in different ways....yes even the Rat.


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Cheat Script Changes for the AI:

- Removed the extra 300 gold x Character specific Gold Multiplier per 25 seconds. THIS was the thing that kept giving the AI gold despite them being starved out. I generally dislike cheats like this as they are very blatant.

- While I could not remove the "Emergency unit spawn at lord" script, due to it crashing the game otherwise, I did attempt to reduce those spawns to only 1 Archer/Arabian Archer/Crossbowman depending on the character. It wont feel overwhelming. ( Previously they spawned 12-25 units magically). This script does not require barracks/merc post so it is kinda anoying that I couldn't completely remove it.

- AI market discounts has been kept. Not everything is purchased for a lower price, just core stuff including weapons. While this is a cheat, it is less blatant than the former 2. Besides Stronghold Crusaders 1 also used this cheat.

- Unfortunately though it seems that Seige equipment purchasing for the AI is not connected with gold, and can be built regardless. This is something that is hardcodded. Building them will still deplete their golds, but if they can't afford it for a siege they'll get them regardless.

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General Changes to the AI:


- All AI NPCs will purchase wood if they are running low.

- All AI NPCs will purchase 20 of every food type in order to increase taxation.

- Arabian AI NPCs market behavior is drastically improved. They will no longer stock up on raw materials but opt to sell them, sell food as well, and maintain high popularity to increase gold income.

- Arabian AI NPCs will now build 1-2 extra Quarries.

- European AI NPCs will now build 1 extra Quarry and 1-2 extra Iron Mill ( if they build them already.)

- European AI NPCs will purchase weapons faster to assemble attack forces.

- All AI NPCs harass faster, and stronger, with faster army size progression.

- All AI NPCs will purchase more seige units ( Expect to see a nice number of husslewagons and mantlets).

- AI will train units 100% faster.

- Added new behavior which is the "Fast Army Training Frequency". This is enabled during large attacks, which allows the AI to constantly pump out units if they have a good amount of gold reserves. They will maximize popularity, and give bribes to increase rate of troop recruits.
This usually lasts up to 60 seconds during a siege. Allows the AI to reinforce the front.
- All AI NPCs have their army size and attacks increased.

- For More Details regarding AI Character specific changes, read the changelog included with the patch.

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Disclaimer :


- This AI is still in very alpha stage. There are bound to be issues with 1 or more AI NPCs to have issues.

- Obviously balancing is pretty nigh non-existent. This is just a mere project to see what I can do with the AI in terms of scripting.
- The AI gold income is maybe still wacky due to the fact the AI might have hardcoded higher income. I doubt that, as I made tests to make sure this isn't the case, but maybe it is ( my tests could be wrong and the AI does get secret cheat gold after all). The reason it's hard to assess, is due to the fact the AI sells their products faster, and gain gold quicker. THey also manage their taxation by the second, which makes them very efficient at raising gold quikcly. This unfortunately might feel cheesy.

- Again to repeat the above point, gold income might be too high due to the buffs in market logic that the AI is doing. It's not cheat gold ( probably), but the logic might be too effecive in the AI's hand.

Method of Installation :

- Simply copy the assets.v into your main game directory inside the assets folder.

[Lebhleb]

Would there be a way to increase workers efficency by something like 100% and minimize AI cheating? I think that would a much better choice for better AI, tough unless that fear factor code remains from Stronghold 3 it might not be actually possible.

[Mizo]

You can increase worker efficiency globally ( so even you get that 100%), otherwise it's impossible.

I did not find any renmants for the fear factor code that can be salvaged unfortunately :/.

[Lebhleb]

So it can't be done for AI specifically and just every worker for every player?

[swardy27]

Does this work in multiplayer?/have you tested it in multiplayer?

[Lebhleb]

It prob can if both players use the mod, aka all players in the lobby.

[swardy27]

Cool.

[YouMoMCallME]

Cool !!!!

[♠️Sanity Logic♠]

How well does this work? I'm thinking about redownloading the game, but I want to be certain that this mod would give a "flare" for the AI.

[Mizo]

Basically, you just copy paste the asset.v file. It's on the community discord group, just pm me.
It really changes the AI and makes them extremely hard to fight. Their attacks growth is rapid, and they build new units.

Listing all the changes would take ages, but I'll give a few examples :

- The Rat will buy swords, shields, and pikes for him to build swordsmen/knights/pikemen/rangers. These units aren't built in bulk though, they're meant to suppliment his men at arms squads.

- The Shah will get Horse Archers and Sasanid Knights.

- The Sultana focuses more on Assassins than before, and she also gets a mix of all the arabian units besides slaves.
- The Slave King and Caliph play similar, but the Caliph uses more Assassins and Swordsman, while Slave King will use slaves as the bulk of his units.
- Richard will purchase Crossbows, and Pikes to build their appropriate units. Thereofre since he get crossbow units, his defense is better.
- The Wolf builds almost every unit in the game.
- Saladin has the best eco in game.

There is alot more changes, but their mainly with numbers.

[Lebhleb]

Originally posted by Mizo:

Basically, you just copy paste the asset.v file. It's on the community discord group, just pm me.
It really changes the AI and makes them extremely hard to fight. Their attacks growth is rapid, and they build new units.

Listing all the changes would take ages, but I'll give a few examples :

- The Rat will buy swords, shields, and pikes for him to build swordsmen/knights/pikemen/rangers. These units aren't built in bulk though, they're meant to suppliment his men at arms squads.

- The Shah will get Horse Archers and Sasanid Knights.

- The Sultana focuses more on Assassins than before, and she also gets a mix of all the arabian units besides slaves.
- The Slave King and Caliph play similar, but the Caliph uses more Assassins and Swordsman, while Slave King will use slaves as the bulk of his units.
- Richard will purchase Crossbows, and Pikes to build their appropriate units. Thereofre since he get crossbow units, his defense is better.
- The Wolf builds almost every unit in the game.
- Saladin has the best eco in game.

There is alot more changes, but their mainly with numbers.

I always tought Richard had weak defence, i felt even the Rat had a better defendable castle than him sometimes.

[Mizo]

So go to discord and get the patch :P. I posted a new version recently.

[Lebhleb]

Originally posted by Mizo:

So go to discord and get the patch :P. I posted a new version recently.

Ye sure ill check it when i got time, curently playing other games i got recently.

[Benilith]

any chance of doing some kind of tutorial for modding SC 2?

[War Machine]

The invite is no longer working

[Jaboleon]

You do a damn good job at highlighting how bad the AI is in this game :(
I hope this cheating is less in Warlords but I highly doubt it :(

It's a shame really, but I still enjoy the game none-the-less.