Package net.sf.freecol.server.ai

The main package of the ai package tree.

See:
Description

Interface Summary

Transportable

A single item in a carrier's transport list.

Class Summary

AIColony	Objects of this class contains AI-information for a single Colony.
AIGoods	Objects of this class contains AI-information for a single Goods.
AIInGameInputHandler	Handles the network messages that arrives while in the game.
AIMain	The main AI-class.
AIObject	An AIObject contains AI-related information and methods.
AIPlayer	Objects of this class contains AI-information for a single Player and is used for controlling this player.
AIUnit	Objects of this class contains AI-information for a single Unit.
ColonyPlan	Objects of this class describes the plan the AI has for a Colony.
GoodsWish	Represents the need for goods within a Colony.
TileImprovement	Represents a Tile which should be improved in some way.
Wish	Represents a need for something at a given Location.
WorkerWish	Represents the need for a worker within a Colony.
WorkLocationPlan	Objects of this class contains AI-information for a single WorkLocation.

Package net.sf.freecol.server.ai Description

The main package of the ai package tree.

AIMain has the responsibility of creating and managing AI-objects. Each instance of AIObject stores AI-specific information relating to a single FreeColGameObject. For example: AIUnit contains information about a single unit and has the methods the AI needs for controlling this unit.


Communication with the server

The server uses a Connection when communicating with the clients. The subclass DummyConnection is used for the computer controlled players, in order to avoid unnecessary network traffic. AIInGameInputHandler handles the messages received on the DummyConnection and calls the appropriate methods in AIPlayer. An example: the method AIPlayer.startWorking() gets invoked when it is the AI-player's turn.

The ai package is a part of the server so the server model is used by the computer players. We have defined the following interface for getting/modifying data within the model:

• The AI may access information in the model directly.
• Any changes to the model should be done by sending a network message through the "DummyConnection" the computer player is using. The reason for not changing the model directly, is that the server's control code has the responsibility of updating the clients when a change occurs.

This interface is a bit confusing and will probably be changed in the future (possibly by supporting direct manipulation of the model from the ai-code).