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ENDLESS™ Space 2 is turn-based 4X space-strategy that launches players into the space colonization age of different civilizations within the ENDLESS™ Universe. Your Vision. Their Future.

Dagart

Dagart

7 years ago Jul 05,2017, 15:45:00 PM

Endless Space 2 - AI Modding closed beta

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Hello 4X lovers and especially modders, 


We have some great news to share with all of you: From 20 July to 1 September 2017, we'll give some of you a first look at the AI modding feature for Endless Space 2


Here are some details, if you're interested and want to sign up for the closed beta: 

  • You will access to the AI modding feature, including:
    • Access to a closed beta build of the game,
    • Using the AI engine to add new behaviors,
    • Access to E.N.F.E.R to see what your AI does,
    • Access to a private modding sub-forum to discuss and ask questions to our AI programmers. 
  • The current version requires a good knowledge in C# programming
  • This is a volunteer event

We will help you create some AI mods during this closed beta, before enabling the AI modding feature for everybody with a highlight on your creations.

If you are still interested, check out the requirements and our guidelines below.!


REQUIREMENTS 

  • Applications are open to anyone except members of the press or video game affiliates
  • You need to speak either French or English if you want to be able to discuss with programmers
  • You need to own Endless Space 2
  • You need to have your Steam account linked to the Game2Gether platform.


GUIDELINES 

Contact us with a valid email address at playtest [at] amplitude-studios.com, specify us your G2G username, tell us if you have already published a mod for a game (not necessarily Endless Space 2), your level in C# programming, and the kind of mods you're into!


There is no wrong answer, we just want to evaluate how much demand there is!


DEADLINE 

The deadline for submissions is July 18th, 2017, at midday (GTM +1). We will get in touch asap if you have been selected, so make sure you check your emails! 


We hope you're excited, and we can't wait to see what you'll do! :)

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7 years ago
Jul 5, 2017, 3:51:06 PM

Wow! Very cool! Hope this is well received and people participate!!!

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7 years ago
Jul 5, 2017, 3:53:46 PM

Access to E.N.F.E.R? great!

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7 years ago
Jul 5, 2017, 3:54:13 PM
Dagart wrote:
  • Access to E.N.F.E.R to see what your AI does,

E.N.F.E.R. Is Currently accessible with "--enablemoddingtools" so will this version of E.N.F.E.R. be different or just available from the get go.


Sounds good anyway, I will be applying.

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7 years ago
Jul 5, 2017, 5:28:01 PM

ohh wow !! helping to AI modding for closed beta , this game dont stop surprising me !!!!!

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7 years ago
Jul 5, 2017, 6:14:43 PM

No C# programming skills so not for me, but I am happy for the folks who have the necessary skills. I hope this brings about some great improvements to the AI.

Updated 7 years ago.
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7 years ago
Jul 6, 2017, 12:05:57 AM
Falkner wrote:

So how do you reconcile opening up AI for modding with treating mod-users as 2nd class players?

See your official position previously expressed here.

That Post was just after they built the whole modding system, I doubt they liked the prospect of doing a lot of the work they just did over again to satisfy a small few.

They may be more open to it now, I don't know.


But being accusatory is not going to help your case.


Also are you aware of how much work would be required to make the changes in the .Net Assemblies to allow for blacklisting/whitelist of mod datatables?

It’s not that easy


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7 years ago
Jul 6, 2017, 11:19:08 AM

If AI is getting modded then the entire rationale for whitelists/blacklists collapses. An AI mod will necessariy impact gameplay, unlike purely graphical ones.


If Amplitude will be relying on crowd-sources AI improvement then it would be necessary to stop discriminating against modders. It's a bit of a mixed message that they want the community to mod the game but don't want the players to use the mods...

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7 years ago
Jul 6, 2017, 12:06:01 PM

Falkner wrote:

If AI is getting modded then the entire rationale for whitelists/blacklists collapses. An AI mod will necessariy impact gameplay, unlike purely graphical ones.

What ? the entire rationale for whitelists/blacklists was that it was a seemingly simple solution to implement, it already collapsed as its not. I myself don't see the fuss about achievements even now there are very few mods that are purely cosmetic, and most will probably be used in conjunction with non-cosmetic mods negating this whole issue in the first place as there would be so little change for a lot of work being put in. This AI modding has a much higher impact over work put in, so I assume that’s why they are supporting it.


If Amplitude will be relying on crowd-sources AI improvement then it would be necessary to stop discriminating against modders. 

I don't feel like modders are discriminated against. If anything it feels like we (I make mods for ES2) are discriminated towards. when I've asked the Devs a question in relation to modding I always get a response and get it quicker that people in the bug reports / tech support forum if they get a response at all.


It's a bit of a mixed message that they want the community to mod the game but don't want the players to use the mods...

If they did not want players to use mods they simply would not add modding support, so that’s simply not true, over exaggeration is not going to convince the Devs to do as you ask.

Updated 7 years ago.
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7 years ago
Jul 6, 2017, 3:10:33 PM

We're looking into finding a way to parse whether a mod alters gameplay, which if it works out the way we intend it to, might lead to graphical-only mods not affecting achievements anymore.


Mods that do affect gameplay, however, are a completely different kettle of fish.

Updated 7 years ago.
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7 years ago
Jul 6, 2017, 4:03:06 PM

Good to hear it's being looked into. 

I do not mind if Mods that do affect gameplay have achievements disabled, as a computer can't really determine what mods are balanced.

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7 years ago
Jul 6, 2017, 4:24:36 PM

C++ wow, that puts me out. LUA, HTML I guess I am outdated!! or maybe unskilled

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7 years ago
Jul 7, 2017, 9:53:28 AM

Hello, 


if you knew the basic of c#, we can help you :)

We are here to answer to all questions.

If you are motivated, the are no problems !



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7 years ago
Jul 7, 2017, 2:32:38 PM
zBobiwan wrote:

Hello, 


if you knew the basic of c#, we can help you :)

We are here to answer to all questions.

If you are motivated, the are no problems !



hot damn!   Time for me to do that crash course in c# on codeschool.  It will mean interrupting my progress in java to git 'er done in a week, so hope I get approved; if I can pull off a couple courses, that is.  I haven't been so motivated since I was developing my first app...even tho it was purely cosmetic.  And before that it was my first (and only) website that spurred me onward towards learning again.

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7 years ago
Jul 7, 2017, 7:36:11 PM

It sounds really interesting. Playing with AI development is always fun and full of new things to learn. Count me in!

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7 years ago
Jul 8, 2017, 8:29:16 AM

I'd like to apply but am not sure I'll have much time to look into it. I'm also not sure if one could call me a "video game affiliate" or not. I worked on other video-games (Pandora: First Contact, Dominus Galaxia) but it was all voluntary work without paycheck.


I am experienced in coding AI in C# from my work on Dominus Galaxia. I have modded Civ3, ES1 and Pandora: First Contact. The mods were mostly AI mods and rule-changes in order to make games easier to play for AI.


I have only played 1 game in ES2, so I am not good yet at knowing what is good to do.


One thing that annoyed me was that there was no Common Governor, only specialized ones. That's a thing I'd like to work on because this would drastically improve my experience. I don't want to micromanage every colony but I also don't like how the specialized governors work.

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