First, a question, how many strategy games out there use neural networks? An application for Genetic Algorithms... Second question, how do you defeat the enemy? May sound stupid, after all, the answer is that you shoot him until you win. So, what do you shoot? If we look at history, we stumble upon Napoleon. If I remember right, he won so much because he cut his opposition''s supply lines. This can make a strategy game much more fun because there are many types of resources which can be destroyed. Perhaps different elements of strategy can be used in a genetic algorithm. What if we have a ''usual'' player who goes for the swarm attack, focusing on numbers, not quality nor strategy? What if we have an enemy who puts his energy into research for better weapons, defense, and destroying the player''s research? Who wins? At first, the ai, he abosrbs the player''s attacks and eventually produces units capable of devastating the player. The player learns and protects his research and wins. The ai would not win if it failed to research more powerful weapons and so would that chromosome. Looking back to my first question, if strategies learned by the ai could be placed inside this genetic algorithm, the ai would not be limited by the elements of strategy that a developer can think of. Second Act... Now, this part you may not like, you might have to learn something . Genetic algorithms are fun and all, but they require a fitness function. This requires we evaluate how effective a particualr strategy or battle is working. A good way I think would be statistics(this is the part where you might have to learn something). Another possibility would be neural nets. What to measure? Well, there''s like the damage inflicted, territory gained, survival rate of troops, etc. Whatever criteria is used could actually be part of the strategy itself. This can be applied to different levels as well, there''s the grand strategy-what side to attack from, what resources of the enemy to destroy, etc. there''s tactical strategy-unit combinations(do I send infantry, tanks, or both?) Of course, a lot of this is about deciding what to do and deciding what information is important, for gathering information I''d still go with influence maps. Well, it''s about 4:33 a.m. where I''m at, so good night. Create.

I know another good thing to check with fitness: time spent in a single session.

Measure the time the player is playing, and when he quits ask why (either a scheduled appointment, or just because he had enough of it).

Sheduled appointments do not count.

When a player leaves because he played enough of the game, measure the time he played. The longer he played, the more he was absorbed by the gameplay... So, the AI was probably good enough to entertain te player

Just a general idea, I don''t think you can just implement it, but perhaps it''s something to think about......

I know another good thing to check with fitness: time spent in a single session.

Measure the time the player is playing, and when he quits ask why (either a scheduled appointment, or just because he had enough of it).

Sheduled appointments do not count.

When a player leaves because he played enough of the game, measure the time he played. The longer he played, the more he was absorbed by the gameplay... So, the AI was probably good enough to entertain te player

Just a general idea, I don''t think you can just implement it, but perhaps it''s something to think about......