(How to add automatas) Is it possible/advisable to create zombie player on purpose ?

[firgon]

Hi,

The game i'm working on is almost ready and i would like to implement a feature that exists in the game box, but i don't know how to emulate it properly and according to the bga usage.

The (real) game propose to add automas in your games. how can i emulate it ? Automa do everything like a real player but their turn a precalculated.

What is the best way to do it ?
Is it possible to add 'fake player" or zombie player in the mysql player table ? but in this case i will have to put some fake id. Is it possible? or will it create some problems (for the meta game, ELOS, and so on) ?
Are there some games doing something like that ?

Thanks for your help.

[Tisaac]

Hi,

The game i'm working on is almost ready and i would like to implement a feature that exists in the game box, but i don't know how to emulate it properly and according to the bga usage.

The (real) game propose to add automas in your games. how can i emulate it ? Automa do everything like a real player but their turn a precalculated.

What is the best way to do it ?
Is it possible to add 'fake player" or zombie player in the mysql player table ? but in this case i will have to put some fake id. Is it possible? or will it create some problems (for the meta game, ELOS, and so on) ?
Are there some games doing something like that ?

Thanks for your help.

Nope, adding a Line to player table will break everything. The easiest way to handle automa is to create a "nextPlayer" function that will either do the normal transition if the "next" player is real, or go to another state if the next player is an automa

[firgon]

Ok I feared that.
Seems to be much more complex because all the game is based on "deck_ID", "plane_ID", "name_ID" everywhere so it would have be simpler to create fake player, but ok, i will do as you say. Thanks !

[firgon]

Well, in fact i need to treat automa as player because at the end of the game i need win or loss will be display depending on automa score as it was a zombie player score... Harder than i thought...

[Tisaac]

Well, in fact i need to treat automa as player because at the end of the game i need win or loss will be display depending on automa score as it was a zombie player score... Harder than i thought...

Yep, it can be really hard to do if you didnt planned it at thé beginning of the dev. Really one of the most horrible feature to dev IMO.

[RicardoRix]

Not entirely sure how it's done, but I think I've seen solo mode games with a win or a loss at the end. Is it just <=0 losses and >0 wins?

IMO there is definitely room for a new configuration array in the gameinfos that could be used for a wide variety of ways to better let the developer manipulate the end results of the game. Why BGA want us to last minute to switch the scores to 1's and 0's is bizarre.

[KuWizard]

As far as I remember BGA inspire devs to create multiplayer games and really dislikes single player mode. I was listening to Greg's (CEO) interview about half a year ago and he was justifying this decision.

[Een]

As far as I remember BGA inspire devs to create multiplayer games and really dislikes single player mode. I was listening to Greg's (CEO) interview about half a year ago and he was justifying this decision.

Unless I am mistaken that was about software for AI players, not about Automata included in the game rules. We have had several of those implemented in recent games, as it is becoming more common in games to have a solo mode with an Automata. The main subject being if the developer is willing to put in the extra effort, as mentioned by Tisaac it is often quite a lot of work.

[firgon]

Yes you are right. I'm interested in developping solo mode, only because automas are on the basic rule, in the box.

Still thinking...

[firgon]

Nope, adding a Line to player table will break everything. The easiest way to handle automa is to create a "nextPlayer" function that will either do the normal transition if the "next" player is real, or go to another state if the next player is an automa

I'm sorry to insist but in these conditions, what is the purpose of the "player_ai" column in table 'player'. Is there any documentation on it somewhere ?

Thanks for your help.