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title: A Re-Imagining of the AI Malf Antag

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# A Re-Imagining of the AI Malf Antag
Or - How we shackled the AI with RTS economy mechanics.

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Rather than a long preamble, I think it best to start with a list of the main proposed changes.

## The Macro Game:
- Processing Time (hereafter called MalfBux) no longer exists as a resource. Hacking APCs does not give MalfBux, nor are MalfBux required to unlock abilities.
- Unlocking abilities now takes a number of minutes. The AI can queue an unlock, and will recieve said unlock as a power (or automatic effect) once the required time has elapsed. Re-purchaseable abilities (such as Machine Overload) will take the same amount of time for each purchase. As a starting point, purchase time is equal to the prior amount of MalfBux, in minutes. Ergo, Doomsday would require 130 minutes to unlock.
- Hacking an APC now uses the above system to unlock, as if it were a power. Time required is now five minutes, rather than one.
- Hacked APCs contribute to unlock speed. The exact contribution ratio is not yet determined, but ideally no less than 0.75x the AI's base core, per APC. For example, if the ratio were set to 0.75, and the AI had hacked three APCs, Doomsday could be obtained in 40 minutes. Similarly, with the same above numbers, hacking a fourth APC would take about a minute and a half.
- For a hacked APC to contribute, it must have power, and will consume a fair amount during (in addition to everything the APC is powering in the room).
- Certain upgrades, such as a decreased APC hack time or more unlock slots could be created as unlocks themselves, allowing for an early path to a macro-heavy strategy.

## The Micro Game:
- The AI can queue up to four abilties for unlocking at any one time. Their core's processing ability is split between all active unlock progresses.
- Using an interface, the AI can assign APCs to any of the four queue slots. By default, they will auto-balance across all active slots. Additionally, the AI can disable a specific APC from contributing to any slot.
- APCs hacked by an AI (as opposed to emagged) will only show their hacked sprite while actively contributing to an unlock slot. However, other tells will exist (such as cutting the AI wire not disabling the AI connection light in the wire panel UI).
- A limit to the number of APCs that can contribute to an unlock slot may be capped. Alternatively, the cap may instead be diminishing gains after the set number.
- While contributing to an unlock, APCs will be running hotter than normal, and as such will be more susceptible to heat damage.
- Cyborg hacking may be moved towards needing to be unlocked per use, rather than the current free price. This would make hacked cyborgs more individually important to the AI, who has at this point sunk opportunity cost into the cyborg's toolset.
 
## Silicon Domination:
With these changes, the Malf AI's game plan becomes more about behind-the-scenes management of resources and strategy rather than easter-egg hiding of hopefully-unvisited APCs. The AI loses the ability to be reactionary with its ability unlocks, and the better AIs will be one step ahead, queuing up now what they will need in the future. APCs are no longer forgettable after their hack is complete, and the trick of creating and deconstructing APCs in a space closet is less viable.

The changes also de-incentivize (but not prohibit) Malf strategies of intentional engine delamination and plasma flooding; APCs need to be powered to be useful to the AI, and plasma fires regularly destroy APCs. As APCs take time to acquire, their defense will be somewhat important especially early on. Alternatively, AIs may opt to unlock what they know they'll need, and then plasma flood regardless, content in the idea that they have no further use for APCs anyway.

For the AIs playing the long con, this allows a fairly tactile shift in the AI's power late-game, especially with a Robot Factory, where the number of hacked APCs tends to skyrocket as departments are emptied of employees. Once the AI has amassed a lion's share of processing APCs, their ability to acquire and use their malf powers becomes likewise oppressive. 

## Rage Against the Machines:
As a crew member facing a known Malf AI, you now can attack known hacked APCs to inhibit the AI's ability to obtain their Malf abilities. For each one destroyed or depowered, you will slow down the AI's ability to recover. Lasers will be exceptionally effective against a contributing APC  (indicated as such by the hacked sprite). On the other hand, as hacked APCs are no longer guaranteed to show a hacked sprite, more vigilance is needed to actually catch a careful Malf AI.