Situation Assessment Empirical Analysis in IStrategizer
In this article we’ll introduce the idea of situation assessment in IStrategizer.
Situation Assessment is a process of gathering high-level information using low-level data to help in better decision making.
We’ll use 3 terms here: o Situation: is a high-level representation of the state of the world o Situations can be predicted based on raw features that can be directly computed from the game state, i.e.
shallow features. o However, shallow features by themselves are not strong enough for selection of a strategy in a game.
Additional derived deep features for a situation are needed.
For example, shallow features, like the ratio of a player’s resources to that of the opponent, by themselves are less suggestive of usefulness of an appropriate strategy. However deeper features, like knowing the existence of path or a barrier between the player and its opponent, can help in choosing a rush or a tunneling strategy.
We’ve 3 Situations: o Note that for each set of shallow features above we’ve a set of deep features that will help us to pick the most suitable set of plans to choose from. o Base Development Situation:
 Shallow Features:

Basic player infrastructure is not available.

Advanced player infrastructure is not available.

Near resources for player base are not available.

Player has a lot of resources that are not consumed well in building the army.
 Deep Features:

Basic player infrastructure is not available. o What’s the missing building exactly? Is it farm? Town Hall? Lumber Mill…

Advanced player infrastructure is not available. o What’s the advanced building you would to upgrade to? Get new units (i.e. dragons)? Upgrade unit attributes?

Near resources for player base are not available. o What’s the resource that is not available? o Where’s the proposed place to gather from?

Player has a lot of resources that are not consumed well in building the army. o What are units that you’d like to build their building more? o What’s the proposed direction for expanding your empire? o Build Army Situation:
 Shallow Features:

Player has enough resources and infrastructure to construct an army.
 Deep Features:

Player has enough resources and infrastructure to construct an army. o What’s the most available resource to construct an army? o From history, what are preferred units by my opponent? o What’s natural situation of the map (islands, no paths in between). o How opponent defend his base? o Attack Situation:
 Shallow Features:

Player has enough units to attack opponent.

Player resources are obsolete and he wants to get an opponent resources.


Player wants to expand his empire and enemy captures a near place.

Enemy is near from player base.
 Deep Features:

Player has enough units to attack opponent. o What’s the natural of enemy’s base and current player units to utilize them for attacking? (i.e. backdoor exists, enemy doesn’t have long range units …).

Player resources are obsolete and he wants to get an opponent resources. o What’s the natural of enemy’s base and current player units to utilize them for attacking? (i.e. backdoor exists, enemy doesn’t have long range units …).

Player wants to expand his empire and enemy captures a near place. o What’s the natural of enemy’s base and current player units to utilize them for attacking? (i.e. backdoor exists, enemy doesn’t have long range units …).

Enemy is near from player base. o What’s the natural of enemy’s base and current player units to utilize them for attacking? (i.e. backdoor exists, enemy doesn’t have long range units …).

Here let us talk more about the deep feature used in this assessment. o Natural of player’s army:
 Ranged.
 Anti air-attack.
 Air attack.
 Strong units.
 Massive number of units. o Natural of enemy’s base:
 Not defended at all.
 Has backdoors.
 Has an air attack defense.
 Has an anti air attack defense.
 Has lot of units inside.
 Has weak points (i.e. important buildings that are not defended well) o So, based on combination of these 2 natures we can pick a suitable attack strategy. Example:
 Natural of player’s army: Air attack.
 Natural of enemy’s base: has backdoors, has weak points
 Air Attack Strategy is used! o Defense Situation:
 Shallow Features:

Player base is not defended.

Enemy is attacking player or constructing an army.
 Deep Features:

What’s the natural of the map duo to defending player’s base? (i.e. surrounded with wood)

Where are backdoors in player’s city?

Where are most important regions in my city?