The script above first checks if we do not own a gateway. If the answer is yes (i.e. we don't own a gateway) it proceeds to nocheck and stops the multirun. If the answer is no, it continues to the next line. It waits a short while before checking whether it has enough (700 minerals, 0 gas) resources. If the answer is yes it continues to the start of the zealot rush (and eventually returns to ":a_zealotrush"), else it just proceeds and stops the multirun.

Thus the notowns_jump command checks if the AI is not (yet) the owner of a particular building and jumps depending on the answer. If the AI does not own a building it will use the jump, else it will proceed to the next line. The resources_jump command does exactly what we think it does: it jumps to a location if we own enough resources, else it just proceeds to the next line.

Now we come to the real multirun script parts. We use the same principle as in our example, once for each rush/attack. We first check if we can do a rush or attack with more advanced units. If we can't, because we lack the necessary resources or buildings, we proceed to check if we can rush or attack with less advanced units. This continues until we finally come to our zealot check.

; --- RUSH CHECK MULTIRUN SCRIPT PART
:m_rushcheck

notowns_jump arbiter_tribunal carriercheck
wait 1200
resources_jump 2000 2000 b_arbiterrush
:a_arbiterrush

:carriercheck
notowns_jump fleet_beacon darkcheck
wait 600
resources_jump 1000 700 b_carrierrush
:a_carrierrush

:darkcheck
notowns_jump templar_archives dragooncheck
wait 400
resources_jump 600 400 b_darkrush
:a_darkrush

:dragooncheck
notowns_jump cybernetics_core zealotcheck
wait 200
resources_jump 1200 200 b_dragoonrush
:a_dragoonrush

:zealotcheck
notowns_jump gateway nocheck
wait 100
resources_jump 700 0 b_zealotrush
:a_zealotrush

:nocheck
stop

---

Just take your time and study the multirun script part for a while. You'll notice the wait commands, which give the AI time to gather the necessary resources. You'll also notice that the resources required for the jump are slightly lower than the amount it takes to train the units. Here we presume the AI still gains resources as it trains the units. We could argue about where the returning points (e.g. "a_carrierrush") for each rush should be located: after each check (as it is now) or at the end, before the stop command. When located at the end, the chance, for example, of a zealot rush following an arbiter rush is changed to zero. This would seem better, but personally I prefer keeping the opponent occupied on all levels (ground/air).

The multirun script part containing the big attacks is very much the same as the previous script part:

---

; --- BIG ATTACK CHECK MULTIRUN SCRIPT PART
:m_bigattackcheck

notowns_jump arbiter_tribunal massreavercheck
wait 1000
resources_jump 2000 2000 b_massarbiter
:a_massarbiter

:massreavercheck
notowns_jump robotics_support_bay massdarkcheck
notowns_jump stargate massdarkcheck
wait 1000
resources_jump 2000 1000 b_massreaver
:a_massreaver

:massdarkcheck
notowns_jump templar_archives masszealotcheck
wait 1000
resources_jump 2000 1500 b_massdark
:a_massdark

:masszealotcheck
notowns_jump gateway nomasscheck
wait 1000
resources_jump 2000 0 b_masszealot
:a_masszealot

:nomasscheck
stop

---

For the mass reaver attack we check the availability of both a robotics support bay and a stargate, because we also want to add scouts to the attack.

Tutorial 4b: No offense without defense!

Rushing and attacking is fun, but unless we do something about our defense the AI won't know how to act when attacked. Thus we need to tell it what units to build and use when defending the base. This is actually quite easy to do. SCAIEdit provides us with a couple of commands: defensebuild, defenseuse and defenseclear:

• The command defensebuild tells the AI to build a particular unit (e.g. zealot) for defense when attacked.
• The command defenseuse tells the AI to use that particular unit (i.e. the zealot) for defense. The defenseuse command is always used in combination with the defensebuild command.
• Finally, defenseclear is used to clear the previous assigned defender information, so that new units can be assigned.

This is not the whole story though. These commands can be used to assign the prefered air to air, air to ground, ground to air and ground to ground defenders, which is very useful.

Here's an example:

---

; --- EXAMPLE DEFENSE BLOCK (not part of our script)
:b_startdefenseblock
defenseclear_gg
defensebuild_gg 1 zealot
defenseuse_gg 1 zealot
goto a_startdefenseblock

---

The code above assigns a zealot as a ground defense unit. Previously assigned ground defenders are cleared. A defense script part like the one above is generally used after the first zealots are ready.

Note: send_suicide 0 overrides the defensive orders of a unit. Thus also units originally build for defense are sent to attack the enemy. It might be a good idea to build extra static defense (e.g. photon cannons, sunkens) when using this command.

The following script part describes the start defense block we will use for our Protoss AI. It's quite big, but it's easy to understand.

---

; --- START DEFENSE BLOCK
:b_startdefenseblock
defenseclear_gg
defensebuild_gg 1 zealot
defenseuse_gg 1 zealot
defensebuild_gg 1 dragoon
defenseuse_gg 1 dragoon
defensebuild_gg 1 reaver
defenseuse_gg 1 reaver
defensebuild_gg 1 dark_templar
defenseuse_gg 1 dark_templar
defensebuild_gg 1 carrier
defenseuse_gg 1 carrier
defensebuild_gg 1 scout
defenseuse_gg 1 scout
defensebuild_gg 1 archon
defenseuse_gg 1 archon
defenseclear_ag
defensebuild_ag 1 scout
defenseuse_ag 1 scout
defensebuild_ag 1 dragoon
defenseuse_ag 1 dragoon
defensebuild_ag 1 archon
defenseuse_ag 1 archon
defensebuild_ag 1 dark_archon
defenseuse_ag 1 dark_archon
defensebuild_ag 1 carrier
defenseuse_ag 1 carrier
defensebuild_aa 1 corsair
defenseuse_aa 1 corsair
defensebuild_aa 1 scout
defenseuse_aa 1 scout
defensebuild_aa 1 carrier
defenseuse_aa 1 carrier
defensebuild_ga 1 carrier
defenseuse_ga 1 carrier
defensebuild_ga 1 scout
defenseuse_ga 1 scout
goto a_startdefenseblock

---

Note that air units can also be assigned to ground to ground defense. As can be seen scouts and carriers are important for our defense, because of their allround capabilities. We can support these units by adding shield batteries to our base.

Even though this script part will be used early on in the game, the more advanced units will only be build and used once the required buildings are available. Normally including a line like train 12 carrier while lacking a fleet_beacon would seriously slow down our AI. Fortunately in case of defensebuild this is not the case.

Where zealots are nice early in the game, later on we prefer more advanced units to defend the base:

---

; --- FINAL DEFENSE BLOCK
:b_finaldefenseblock
defenseclear_gg
defensebuild_gg 1 reaver
defenseuse_gg 1 reaver
defensebuild_gg 1 dark_templar
defenseuse_gg 1 dark_templar
defensebuild_gg 1 carrier
defenseuse_gg 1 carrier
defenseclear_ag
defensebuild_ag 1 scout
defenseuse_ag 1 scout
defensebuild_ag 1 dragoon
defenseuse_ag 1 dragoon
defensebuild_ag 1 archon
defenseuse_ag 1 archon
defensebuild_ag 1 dark_archon
defenseuse_ag 1 dark_archon
defensebuild_ag 1 carrier
defenseuse_ag 1 carrier
defensebuild_aa 1 corsair
defenseuse_aa 1 corsair
defensebuild_aa 1 scout
defenseuse_aa 1 scout
defensebuild_aa 1 carrier
defenseuse_aa 1 carrier
defensebuild_ga 1 carrier
defenseuse_ga 1 carrier
defensebuild_ga 1 scout
defenseuse_ga 1 scout
goto a_finaldefenseblock

---

Scouts and carriers are still important, but we removed less advanced units like the zealot.

In the first two sections of the 4th tutorial we have designed an attack and defense 'plan'. Now we still need an upgrade plan.

Tutorial 4c: Upgrades and techs

It is often said that upgrading and researching techs are one of the most important aspects of broodwar. On a map like Fastest Map Ever, where large groups of units are common, upgrades and techs are even more important. In this section we will write the concluding research script parts.

The first upgrade script part below will look familiar. It also holds the first upgrades for the cybernetics core:

---

; --- RESEARCH MULTIRUN SCRIPTS
:r_groundupgrades
wait_build 2 forge
upgrade 1 p_ground_weapon 70
upgrade 1 p_plasma_shield 70
wait 2700
wait_build 1 cybernetics_core
upgrade 1 p_armor 70
upgrade 2 p_plasma_shield 70
wait 3600
wait_build 1 templar_archives
upgrade 2 p_ground_weapon 70
upgrade 3 p_plasma_shield 70
wait 4500
upgrade 3 p_ground_weapon 70
upgrade 2 p_armor 70
wait 4500
upgrade 3 p_armor 70
stop

:r_cybupgrades
wait_build 2 cybernetics_core
upgrade 1 dragoon_range 70
upgrade 1 p_air_weapon 70
wait 2700
upgrade 1 p_plating 70
stop

---

Easy!

On to the next research script part:

---

:r_roboticsupgrades
wait_build 1 robotics_support_bay
upgrade 1 shuttle_speed 70
wait 3600
upgrade 1 reaver_capacity 70
wait 3600
upgrade 1 scarab_damage 70
stop

:r_observerupgrades
wait_build 1 observatory
upgrade 1 observer_speed 70
wait 2700
upgrade 1 observer_sight 70
stop

:r_templarupgrades
wait_build 1 citadel_of_adun
upgrade 1 zealot_speed 70
wait_build 1 templar_archives
tech psionic_storm 70
wait 2700
tech maelstrom 70
wait 2700
upgrade 1 templar_mana 70
wait 2700
upgrade 1 dark_archon_mana 70
wait 3600
tech mind_control 70
stop

:r_airupgrades
wait_build 1 fleet_beacon
upgrade 1 carrier_capacity 70
upgrade 2 p_air_weapon 70
upgrade 2 p_plating 70
wait 3600
tech disruption_web 70
upgrade 3 p_air_weapon 70
upgrade 3 p_plating 70
wait 4500
upgrade 1 scout_speed 70
wait 3600
upgrade 1 corsair_mana 70
wait 3600
upgrade 1 scout_sight 70
wait_build 1 arbiter_tribunal
tech statis_field 70
wait 4500
upgrade 1 arbiter_mana 70
stop

---

That's a lot of research, but trust me on this. The AI will make very good use of each upgrade and tech. If you plan to create a simple AI, which uses only a few unit types you might decide to leave out some upgrades or techs to save resources. Otherwise your AI will need all of them.

A Protoss on a suicide mission, beating the crap out of one of its opponents.


A Dark Archon and a few Dark Templars are teaching these Zerglings an important lesson.

Ok, phew! Now that we have studied all these lines of code it's finally time to put them to good use and create our first competitive AI script in the 5th tutorial!

---

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