AI Automatic Docking - HOW TO - Space Engineers

[@kahunakool2155]

Quick tip I found useful is to put two different AI flight controllers onto the drones, one for flying long distances and one for landing. While in flight you usually want the AI to fly fast and stay at a high altitude with collision avoidance on so it doesn't run into mountains or large blocks. But when you bring the drone in to land with the aid of a recorder, you want it to operate at a much slower speed and lower altitude with collision avoidance off so it doesn't try to avoid hitting the connector when you actually want it to hit the connector. All you need to do is make the AI task block instant trigger a timer block that turns off the long flight AI and turn on the landing AI blocks, while also turning on the AI recorder block.

[@comensee2461]

You can use scripts for this as well. Once it arrives at a designated waypoint you can have it trigger a script to shut off collision and lower your max speed before initiating the docking sequence.

[@Jeremy9697]

​​@@comensee2461consoles don't have scripts. So the ability to do these things wothput scripts is important

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

7:50 Sounds like you should be using reference beacons for static grid landing pads as well as mobile; standardise beacon location relative to connector and then you can set up and blueprint one drone and the only thing you then need to so is change the reference beacon. And so long as the recorder and connector locations remain the same relative to each other you can freely modify the rest of the drone.

[@catmanaz6975]

thats what I thought too

[@Yukimaru0]

Yeah I figured maybe I could have a landing beacon next to a connector that I turn on when I want a drone to land there.

[@Raishiki]

Okay but where's a swarm of mining drones at ? 😂

[@ventraderworld8753]

Thatll be cool to see coming at you like a drone revolution xd

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

Oh, that's an idea; you'd probably want a command vehicle with an ore detector and reference beacon(or a set, one for each mining drone so they don't collide), maybe put the beacon on a rotor(and possibly piston to control depth), and the mining drones mine relative to where you park and position the commander and it's beacon. As they mine, adjust the command rover/beacon position to move them to different parts of the deposit, and give the drones event controllers that get them to switch from the mining AI set to the return set at % cargo so they'll stop part way through the mining path when full, go unload(and maybe also have them fully recharge so they never just drop dead), then come back and start again. Can even have them go park if they ever hit the end of their mining path. Well, assuming you can get them to fly into the ground; haven't tried it yet but heard they didn't like doing that; wonder if a subgrid would get around that?

[@LordDrackonel]

Tbh... I'm underwhelm by how little stuff the community is doing with this, they hyped it so much and now that they have it they ain't doing much lol, meanwhile I'm suffering cause I haven't had much time to play lately and assembling my fleet is taking too much xD

[@KevanTess]

​@@LordDrackonelApparently the AI don't have much api support apparently.

[@LordDrackonel]

@@KevanTess I didn't mean by mods, I meant with creations such as blueprints, and even less worlds... specially considering this is the only way for communities such like consoles...

[@thevaf2825]

3:20 I found in multiplayer it's better to actually dock at the desired connector and then create the final waypoint. Reason being, quite often there's some de-sync and so if you are not locked, the way point may be quite a bit off the intended location.

[@mediocreman2]

Very cool. Looking forward to more in depth tutorials showing the entire function of mining or defense, from start to things like running low on battery so they return using the event controller and then head back out when they're charged and supplies offloaded.

[@malcho1234]

Tip and trick: the flight module seems to have issues when they need to be underground. Namely, it won't go underground. I tried to use a mule drone in my cave base, and it kept wanting to go through the ceiling even when set at 0. Edit: Another thing I remembered, about locking the ship to a connector like at 4:07. The Event Controller has a setting to do something when a connector is ready to lock, so it can be used to dock as soon as it can instead of activating a timer block.

[@brandondawtrey6874]

Maybe it’s to do with the Alignment with P-gravity ?

[@malcho1234]

@@brandondawtrey6874 I admit, I didn't think about checking that. I'll have to see when I'm back planetside.

[@JulianSkies]

That Connector Ready to Lock is *new* from the beta. It wasn't there at the time! It's actually perfect for those situations.

[@blak4831]

@@JulianSkies unfortunately it has an issue with also proccing as soon as the connector unlocks, because the "locked" state overrides the "ready to lock" state. Usually what I do is have the event controller feed into a timer block, which locks the connector and turns off the event controller. Then I have the event controller turn on as part of the docking sequence, either from the timer that starts it or as an action at one of the approach waypoints

[@nicktechnubyte1184]

Never been this early for a video from this channel before! Or ever for that matter!

[@lifeofvadim]

Very impressive. Your girlfriend must be proud.

[@datman6266]

Missiles, mining, rescues, plus tips on reference beacon.. Good stuff!

[@LastStandGamers]

On the way shortly. Are you having issues with the reference beacon or would you like me to try and find some tips when it comes to using it.

[@datman6266]

@@LastStandGamers Oh, I just worded it poorly. This is the first tutorial with connecting drone to mobile grid and I appreciated you mentioning how. As for myself, I will try the update sometime in the future and knowing myself will tinker till it works, but these tutorials, they give great head start and ideas. Thank you!

[@mattstorm360]

Great tips and how to. Can't wait to see more tutorials.

[@LastStandGamers]

Thankyou got a few more coming.

[@RichardGQue]

I would agrue this entire update is a generous use of the word automation.

[@christiansrensen3810]

I total agree on the set up... It's alot. I went back and used Samv2... But then made a defensive ai... And event controller, so if attacked my work-drones find shelter... Samv2 is just superior when frst block is set up. The script handles the rest. But for fighting, Samv2 doesn't help..it leaves cargo and work drones helpless... So with the new update.. it's quite powerful..

[@dabigmack2]

Quick tip Use event controllers to monitor battery or fuel levels and have them turn off the ai task block, and turn on a different one that has it dock until charged or fueld up, then have another event controller turn it back to its original task once full

[@dabigmack2]

I had cargo drones for drill setups a few km away from base, on a dedicated server, kept coming back to them either crashed in between or on my base, i had them setup to dock on my base for 5 minutes, do the 3 minute trek, and repeat, but they kept dieing still, so i plan to test with the event controllers to see if its any better

[@SUNDREDSTAR]

Just spent a good three hours trying to do this with the new blocks. Very disappointed that block doesn't record what position the way point is recorded at so this block adds very little to what the remote control already does.

[@thepatriarchy1637]

It does record orientation if that is what you mean. But It looks like the recorder refuses to turn the drone while aligning to gravity unless the waypoints are fairly far apart. It does work perfectly in space. I assume that is a bug.

[@SUNDREDSTAR]

@@thepatriarchy1637 You're right, I was messing around with it today and it seems as though it was some sort of bug that was causing my ship not to orient properly. My set up was in space with no gravity to align to so I found forcing the ship to approach from a certain direction allowed it to properly right itself.

[@robowolf3748]

I have three ultimated docking drones solely meant for offense/defence. There is a perimeter around my vehicle that they stay on, if an enemy comes within that range they undock surround the enemy dismantle them and then go back to docking station, park and turn off. I love being a summoner in space engineers lol.

[@JoshuaKA02]

Here for a refresher on setting this up, and gotta say... "Is this AI?" at the end was a little prescient of you, seeing as this is from a year ago. Everything's branded with "AI" just like those things that are branded with "Gaming" as a hook.

[@jamesscalzo3033]

Loved the video @LastStandGamers! Can't wait for the next video man! These Tutorials will come in handy when I build a Vietnam War Period Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Space Engineers LMAO! Let's see those SAM's Fly!

[@DeadsTBD]

Haven't tried the new block yet, letting some time pass by for some workshop drone to pop up that inspire me to play...

[@jackschitt7783]

Great vid! Thanks! Is that ship on the workshop? ♥ that ship!

[@abacus3550]

Planning a mining mothership drone running PAM, but have 2 daughter drones hauling ore back to base so the mothership can keep mining.

[@petrzacharias6622]

Von Neumann drones. We can build them now. :D Imagine large ground vehicle, slowly crawling forward on some flat surface like desert. That vehicle, Lets call it "queen" mine material under her from surface while moving forward. Process material, automaticaly build components... And prints small drones defending queen, or build variety of drones for multiple tasks. Endlessly. She build her workers, its swarm now. And if possible, and that's the hardest part. Queen that replicate herself. Like one in two hours or something like that. Boom, you unchained skynet. :D You created replicants. You relased cylon army. :D

[@WDMtea]

I like to start of at the docking connector first then record the waypoint, then in the block, click "Reverse Order"

[@NicolasRIOU33]

Nice Tuto, thx for taking the time to make those instructive and enjoyable videos. To your question at the end regarding AI, I would argue it is not because in my understanding, there should be some machine learning involved for it to deserve to be called AI, am I wrong? I would also point-out SE is not alone out there to call AI something that is arguably far from the AI definition. Regardless this update is to me the biggest one in terms of how it impacts gameplay, bigger than the planet update I dare say!

[@HighLordCrypto8951]

Thanks dude! Was a big help haha

[@CptCaptainClockwork]

I tried playing around with the AI blocks the other day, with mixed results. I found asking a ship to follow a beacon on another ship with no success. My drone proceeded to fire all thrusters randomly, draining all its power while proceeding to its destination at 1.5 m/s. Then if an enemy came nearby, it would abandon even that and just give up entirely. Not impressed so far. Perhaps a way point, relative to that beacon will work more reliably.

[@tryorse8340]

Can you do a tutorial for fighters to undock and launch from a hangar to defend a ship and then redock when no enemies are left?

[@akilled3646]

It should be the same process. Using event controllers you can have the ai blocks perform their task once certain conditions are met. Like no enemies or once fuel is low

[@tryorse8340]

@@akilled3646 thnx, but when I tried in the beta it didn't seem to work. Undocking worked but the ships did not leave the hangar properly. They just stayed put.

[@Volkaer]

I want the AI to dock to the inside hangar of my carrier, while it's performing combat maneuvers in the middle of an asteroid field though - how would I do that? :P

[@typhonplume9374]

I am realy interested in the miner, so far alot of videos on how to make combat drones, but no one really tackled the mining or even salvage (grinder) aspect of them.

[@blak4831]

The only thing I've been able to get working for miners is to just build a bog standard stationary mining rig, modified to lock w/ landing gear instead of being a station. Slap thrusters and an AI on it and drop a gps point on the ore vein. What'd be really useful is a function for the sensor (or a new block if need be) that detects specific voxel types in an area. That way I could set up a few such sensors to inform the drone of when it's pointing at ore, or if there's ore nearby that it isn't pointing directly at

[@marcusw86]

I’m interested in the auto mining drone, PAm is no longer supported. So how could we make a auto miner would be great

[@Toughbeard]

Thank you for the video. I am trying to figure out what these things do but I have still not found the difference between this and the standart remote control. So I agree on that last comment.. why do we have these? you need to build two blocks instead of one... Makes no sense... as far as I can see you can not make the drone dock to a moving grid... I will keep tinkering with them to see if I can come up with a way to make it work the way I want it.

[@treasend-o7]

can you pre load a drone with orders (say its set as a homing drone ) when you need it you build it from a projector hit start and send loot or even yourself off?

[@101Vaut]

Would be possible to due a tutorial with a drone flying to different static grids

[@MedicMainDave]

For another tutorila, it might be interesting to do a Solar Tracking Guide, I was having a lot of trouble setting it up with the Custom Turret Controller with Solar Tracking and even after a lot of trying it still did not work. Help would be appreciated!

[@TengertLanes]

Solar tracking needs a camera as the pointer, it will attempt to put the camera at the sun,

[@MedicMainDave]

@@TengertLanes Yeah I know, I already connected it, besides, the turret controller will say it doesn't work without a camera. Not sure, it might even be a bug for me...

[@TengertLanes]

@@MedicMainDave sounds like it, or sometimes I found I had to manually adjust the turret before the ai control took over

[@mediocreman2]

Just make sure you have your horizontal and vertical azimuth set correctly and of course the camera and it should be good to go. It even follows it at night which be entertaining.

[@MedicMainDave]

@@mediocreman2 everything is set up correctly, I even manually controlled it towards the sun, it doesn't want to turn, not sure...

[@sovietwalrus]

You sound exactly like FrankieonPCin1080p or the How it's made narrator

[@YoStu242]

Has something changed during these months because nothing seems to work like it should for me? For example I can't see waypoint line even if I check all the settings for it. Also AI just faces the first waypoint but doesn't move when I try to play recorded landing procedure and I have all blocks and AI enabled. I can move the ship just fine myself so it's not thruster problem. I just don't understand why it doesn't work.

[@belerbenbeleren2372]

I want to ask could you please make a mining drone using AI blocks tutorial please?

[@isaacshenton9330]

is it possible to dock it onto a large grid ship though? deployable and dock-able Railgun drones? Edit: I've actually just done it. A drone goes near and fires on enemies when they get in a proximity 1200m, return for re-arming when out of ammunition, then reverse order and go back to the fight. all I can say is THEY'RE DAMN AWSOME and wreak carnage.

[@gerv962]

Tried the beacon thing, the ship is just overing above it at like 25 meters and never getting close to it. Any solution?

[@stinkyknight]

How to make that thing from trailer where cargo disconnects?

[@KyrieRuakere]

Got that down easy but how do you transfer the items from say your truck to the drone then also unloading at another destination? I have built a mobile mining drill but want a drone doing cargo shipments between my mining outpost and mobile drill.

[@kmr_tl4509]

unfortunately you can only do that with a pair of sorter+connectors you would only need one if sorters could be switched

[@Zombiemain1simp]

How do you do it in space?

[@-drey]

can you think of any way to control drones from a carrier ? (as in not remote control each one) - for example to order them to dock

[@LastStandGamers]

Video will be up tonight covering this.

[@-drey]

@@LastStandGamers THANK YOU !!!

[@gridlock501_7]

No link to the truck?

[@WarbeastMGC]

-.- the function i was mostly looking forward to got only 1 min of screentime and explaining.... i would love to see some how to for 2 mobile ref beacon i got a big moveing reffinery and a mobile drill rover that need a droneship to carry the cargo between them... sadly the thing i made with scripts stopped working a while ago and now im interrested in this variant

[@theslicer4430]

I think they're called ai becuase they still handle getting to the way points. They controll what the trusters do and maybe to avoid things.

[@theslicer4430]

Omg guys he hearted my comment this is the best day of my life. It's complete now I can die happy. 😀

[@별가루-j8v]

can i ask how to make a AI MInig ship(drone)?

[@JustA_Dude2933]

I’m sitting here wondering why it doesn’t work, but then I realized, I told the block to lock the connecter at the first waypoint…..

[@kinngrimm]

No grit relative waypoints, which would be needed for carriers.

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

That's what waypoints set using reference beacons are.

[@kinngrimm]

@@WulfgarOpenthroat please elaborate

[@cheesejuice_]

can we use ai on the rovers too?

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

AI blocks can't control wheels(atleast for now, hopefully changes in the future; I'm sure a modder will take a stab at it anyway), but you can fudge it by setting wheel friction to zero and using forward/reverse/left/right thrusters and gyros so long as the terrain isn't too bad.

[@darthtempest4722]

I know that it works with the connector on the bottom but has anyone try with the connector in a different position like in the back or above the container?

[@darthtempest4722]

NVM I just figured it out

[@White_ops_arcade]

You say drones i say mass

[@Flamehazard]

I literally did this with the normal remote control block, this didn't add anything at all to an automated docking procedure.

[@LastStandGamers]

Would love to know how you did that on a moving grid ?

[@arez-dev]

If you want to be exact, none if this is actual AI/ Machine Learning. that's something you'll encounter quite often in game development. Most of the behaviors of enemies etc. are always labeled AI even though they are just simply algorithms which do not in fact "learn" in that sense, but rather repeat and decide based on a strict ruleset. They can not come up with solutions for problems they are new to aka. you have not considered when programming those. I would love to see some actual AI be integrated into SE (especially considering Keens close work with GoodAI, who seem to develop "real" AIs).

[@TheCatIsAMonster]

Xbox is broken it won’t show any of the points or paths set even when the options to see the path are on

[@TheFishKebab]

So, genuine question here: Does anyone know how to get connectors to work on the Xbox version? I mean, I have the AI set up in my planet rover so that it follows me, collects the ores/rocks when i'm mining and when it get to 95% full, it'll drive itself back to the base and reverse into a parking bay. That isn't the issue. The issue is that it reverses upto the connector, gently bumps against it, then does nothing. no connection at all. If anyone does know how/why it acting like this and could possibly even help, it would be appreciated.

[@ninjacat7507]

A tip I saw on another video is that when you set the final point (where it's ready to dock), turn off the connector and get it right up against it before marking the point. They also suggested not making the action at that point be to toggle the connector lock, but to start a short (1.5s) timer block that does it instead, to give it the best odds of getting into the magnetic field and successfully docking.

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

@@ninjacat7507 I've also seen the suggestion to use an event controller to lock the connector when a connection is possible.

[@milesmcallister8542]

Hi

[@tangoseal1]

I cant get any of this junk to work - ai just points my ship to space and looks at the stars and doesn't even move

[@danielsturdivant632]

At best, keen dropped VI into the game. Virtual(basic) intelligence, not AI which would emulate a player. Can people stop calling every “smart” program AI lol

[@justjackson8673]

Comment

[@Huntertrapper9]

first

[@wildocado5376]

How about conneting with a drone a base with a moving object? like a drone that brings minerals from a moving miner to a base

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

I think you just add a second set of AI blocks, and have them trigger timer blocks that turns themselves off while activating and starting the other set so they alternate; maybe event controllers too so it heads back to base when X% full, lands and docks to a connector with sorter set to suck the cargo out, sets battery to recharge, then back to auto and triggers the return to miner AI block set when it's battery is fully charged, so it never runs out of power while enroute? Haven't messed with it yet myself.

[@wildocado5376]

@@WulfgarOpenthroat yeah but how do you keep the way points accurate

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

@@wildocado5376 When set to use a reference beacon, it sets reference points relative to that beacon; when the beacon moves, the way points move with it. So you put the reference beacon for docking to the vehicle on the vehicle, and the AI blocks for docking to the base either use a reference beacon on the base or use regular waypoints without a beacon.

[@wildocado5376]

@@WulfgarOpenthroat does it move the whole waypoint chain or just the one you select? because if it moves them all then it also moves the one on the static bass

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

@@wildocado5376 As the video explains it you need a different pair of recorder and flight blocks for each landing location, then use groups, timers, and/or event controllers to control which one is active(iirc you should only have one set of AI blocks turned on at a time but that was from the beta). One recorder+move block uses the rover's beacon, the other set uses the base's beacon or just isn't set to use beacons for it's waypoints, as he shows being set up first. When the first docks to the mining rover it activates timers that locks the connector, turns the first set off; event controller is triggered when the cargo is full then disconnects the connector and turns on/activates the second set of AI blocks which fly it to the base, where they trigger timers which lock the connector, set the battery to recharge, and turns the second set of AI off, while a sorter sucks the cargo out of the drone. Once the battery is recharged, a second event controller triggers another set of timers which set the battery to auto then turn the first AI on and activate it, sending the empty but recharged drone back to the miner to fetch more ore. This AI is awkward, clunky, and not very smart, but should be fairly versatile once you figure out how to work around it's limitations.