[Hurricane]

I'm waiting for beta to see these AI in action before I get to excited. Right now with 70+ peek players I know I would be happy to see some AI miners out there gathering some of the commods that I'm having a hard time finding. Helium being #1 at the moment with silicon being a close second.

The second problem I'm having at the moment is I have to sit at a station for hours feeding it electronics, or laser comps and optic slowly so that some profit seeking best profit run cargo pilot doesn't move all the commods that took hours to build / gather and move them off to some station that will eat them for some size 1 crap laser that no one will ever want to use.

But I doubt in the end that AI haulers will replace -=MACK=-. Hopefully they will make things a little easier, s I can spend more time moving equipment and commods and less time sitting at a station baby sitting all night.

[biteme]

wouldn't it be better to adress the areas of poor game play you mentioned rather then add AI to do the work?

[Pyldrvr]

I think the main objective of the AI is to make space feel more occupied and busy than to do everyone's job Biteme. I'm sure they will be able to scale thier actual productivity so that it doesn't ruin the game play for everyone. Now shut up and go kill some Octs. Thats an order!

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by biteme

wouldn't it be better to adress the areas of poor game play you mentioned rather then add AI to do the work?

I'm not sure we will have the same areas of poor game play as the online numbers increase. For example, if there was more miners sucking up rad roids and dropping ore at depo stations, there would be more Helium for me to produce lasers with, not to mention the side benifit of more silicon around for syntethics and electronics.

If more of my truckers come back, there will be more of us moving the helium/nitro/xenon to QC to make laser comps, and hopefully enough of a surplus that babysitting wouldn't be needed.

The major time sink now I think is just due to lack of supplies because of lack of pilots. If the AI of Jumpgate Evolution fills in when online numbers are low, but are mostly inactive when online numbers are high then the problems will already be solved. If AI haul guzzlers to wake, and actively produce all the "kit" equipment that all cookie cutter ships use, then they would be replacing haulers, which I doubt will actually be the case.

[Radi]

You forget that there will be AI pirates. So w.o some support from players, AI bots might balance each other.

[dahalb]

IMO AI is there to serve two functions, for things to "look" busy, and to "assist" PC's with tasks. AI should not be there to take over or be UBER enough to negate the need for PC's. I agree that its a delicate balancing act but so long as they test it then i don't foresee too many problems.

[GrimGriz]

I share biteme's concern but think it can be worked out in beta.