AI VS Mode is a feature in R-Type Final that allows pilots to set up automated battles between two R-Craft. Different kinds of strategies can be implemented and customized, and craft have a health bar. Running simulations here doesn't have any impact on the story of Final, and is more of a mini-game feature.
Gameplay[]
The AI versus mode features two main modes, Battle and Championship. In Battle mode the player can either set up both AIs themselves or have a friend set up one, while in Championship mode the player's AI ship does battle with a series of craft with pre-set AI settings.
The player has no direct control over their ship, instead setting up an AI and then watching the battle unfold. The AI settings section allows for up to eight AI presets to be created which govern the overall behaviors of the craft in combat. The AI's aggression, desired distance from their opponent. tendency to use normal shots or Wave Cannon shots, tendency to use their Force attached or detached, and whether it will prefer a specific Laser Crystal when fully powered up can be selected. There are two sets of AI settings, 1st and 2nd, and the player can determine under what circumstances the craft will switch between them: time (switches when half the time is gone), HP (switches when the craft has lost half its starting HP), Foe HP (switch when the enemy has lost half their HP), Equip (switches when the ship has acquired its second Laser Crystal) or Foe Equip (switches when the enemy acquires its second Laser Crystal).
The "passcode" option allows for a passcode to be generated for a specific ship and AI setup. This can even be used to bring over a ship not unlocked on the save file being used, though it will remain locked. AI settings can also be loaded from another player's memory card.
The same overall AI model is used for all ships, and so ships will not act in a manner that takes advantage of their individual strengths and weaknesses: for example, the R-9S Strike Bomber does not "know" that its Wave Cannon can fire through objects. Ships with a large number of Wave Cannon loops also have an alarming tendency to get killed while trying to fully charge their weapon. Since the ship AI is generally fairly stupid, ships with powerful, limited-loop homing weapons like the B-1D2 Bydo System Beta (a direct hit from which will kill another ship instantly) have a distinct advantage: even so, whether a ship wins or loses has a very strong element of randomness to it.
Championship[]
In this mode, players must advance up to 5 classes started from the lowest, each class has the 4 opponent ships that needed to beat. Each battle is played as a best-of-three match, so two wins are required to claim victory. Below here are the classes available with the ship opponents:
- Champion