AI Guide
PLEASE NOTE: This page is under construction as more info is being documented, and the wording revised.
This wiki page includes:
- What is AI? – A definition of what AI is on Horizon's end.
- AI Hunting for New Players – This section serves as a guide to AI hunting, providing tips and strategies for dealing with AI effectively.
- AI Breakdown – How AI works in the game.
- AI Factions – Explains factions and their ships.
- World Event Index – A complete, indexed table of all world events.
- AI Ships Index – A digitized index of all AI ships currently on the server.
What is AI?
AI is AI Ships that spawn around the map. These ships are either civilian or militaristic the militaristic variants are hostile. Howewer, ai will not shoot you unless you get close. AI can be identified by the contact's bar.
AI Hunting for New Players
For this stage, this guide assumes you already have basic starship knowledge. If you don’t yet have a ship suitable for AI hunting, this guide recommends purchasing a Vulcher from an NPC Ship Dealer to begin. Once you have your ship and officially start AI hunting, you must first locate and destroy AI starships. All AI kills provide both XP and credits, making AI encounters a core source of progression and income. AI ships can spawn naturally in space when a player remains in an area for a prolonged period, so you don’t always need a world event to find them.
AI can be located in two main ways:
AI World Events
Use:
/listships ai
/encounterstatus
This command shows active or upcoming AI world events. These events spawn periodically across different systems and often contain groups of AI ships depending on the event tier.
Natural AI Spawning
Use:
/listships ai
AI ships can also spawn naturally in space when a player remains in an area for a prolonged period of time while piloting a ship.
This means:
- AI encounters are not always event-based
- Simply staying in space can eventually trigger AI presence
- Higher activity areas tend to produce more frequent encounters
AI Breakdown
AI Spawns
- AI spawn in all space systems - Asteri, Regulus, Ilios, Sirius, Horizon, Trench, AU-0821
- In the human populated systems being Asteri, Regulus, Ilios and Sirius, only specific AI factions can spawn
- Horizon Transit ships (minhauls, sparrows, wayfinders, etc.)
- Mining guild ships (Beaver, Badger which is the largest that can spawn, Type-V11, etc.)
- Privateers (rare chance for resolutes, usual chance for daggers, bulwarks, pioneers, contractors etc.)
- Pirates (Bloodstars, vendettas, wasps, etc.)
- Tsaii (Only from bait ships - horizon transit, specifically the 3 explorer ships, as seen in /listships the ship piloted by a pirate colored pilot, or on the dynmap seeing a horizon transit bait ship with a pirate name)
- Largest ships to spawn can be a tsaii bait trap reaver - 6.5k size frigate, or a privateer resolute ~8.1k destroyer
- In the Horizon, Trench and AU-0821 systems, 3 extra factions can start naturally spawning, and in those systems all AI factions can spawn
- Plant aliens (these are marked with a green unknown signal tag.)
- Bread aliens (there's definitely an official name i just dont remember what it was)
- Tsaii (spawns without bait ships, sometimes with a reaver as the capital)
- In the human populated systems being Asteri, Regulus, Ilios and Sirius, only specific AI factions can spawn
AI Tiers
- Tier 1 - Lobotomy/Newbie level [Tier name: EASY]
- AI is purposefully stupid, they use I believe a 5th /dc slot for movement and almost dont aim, they fire their guns very infrequently and are bad at combat in general, perfect as an introduction to PvE combat for any new player
- Their identifier in the contacts bar is 1 emoji
- Tier 2 - Mediocre [Tier name: NORMAL]
- AI moves at the 9th /dc slot from here, they aim directly at their target with no leading (no movement prediction), they fire their guns frequently and are a strong step up from tier 1 AI, but with some distance keeping you can evade most fire from them
- Their identifier in the contacts bar is 2 emojis
- Tier 3 - Adept [Tier name: HARD]
- These AI are relatively skilled, they lead their targets now, fire guns frequently and have a new mechanic that the tier 1 and tier 2 AI don't have - Fleeing. They are a threat in numbers and require mediocre skill from a player pilot to be evasive and keep a proper distance from the AI for the evasion to be useful
- Fleeing - Once the AI's shields are either close to being cracked or the AI is already taking hull damage, around that time the tier 3 AI enters a fleeing mode - it tries to move up to 500 blocks away from the player and stay there until its shields are fully regenerated to full health.
- Their identifier in the contacts bar is 1 unique emoji, the unique emojis are:
- for horizon transit
- for mining guild
- for pirates
- for privateers
- for tsaii
- for Chifanren (bread aliens)
- for Watchers (plant aliens)
- for certain halloween AI and for the two pumpkin halloween AI
- Tier 4 - Expert [Tier name: BRUTAL]
- These AI are skilled and should not be underestimated, they are the strongest fair-fighting AI tier and they also have the fleeing mode which activates earlier, often before they start taking hull damage.
- At this tier, these AI have about a 30-40% chance to target your lowest shield instead of targeting your general center of mass on the ship which makes them already more deadly than they are.
- Their identifier in the contacts bar is 2 unique emojis
- Tier 5 - Aimbot [Tier name: INSANE]
- These AI are tier 4's with cheat codes - they have a 1.1x (aka 110%) /directcontrol speed buff, and can use 60% powermodes which is functionally impossible for a player to use. AI at this tier usually enter fleeing mode a bit before their shields get low and oftentimes they escape with no hull damage to them to regenerate.
- At this tier the AI targets your shield with the lowest health with around a 90-100% chance for shooting at it, which essentially forces you to angle your shields on larger ship classes. Evasion is nearly impossible as their shots lead is extremely precise, and only the most skilled players can consistently evade the AI's fire as all AI are artificially set to have a low reaction time to allow players to be able to beat them
- Their identifier in the contacts bar is only 1 rare emoji, the rare emojis are:
- horizon transit
- mining guild
- for pirates
- for privateers
- for tsaii
- for Chifanren
- for Watchers
- rare emoji used for the Halloween AI, unknown on tier 5 ai for event ai.
AI Factions
Privateers
A fleet of armed military patrol ships these aligned ships patrol Horizon's End.
Common ships:
- Dagger (Starfighter)
- Bulwark (Corvette)
- Pioneer (Speeder)
- Contractor (Gunship)
- Resolute (Destroyer)
Behavior:
- Escorts aggressively defend convoy ships
- Higher-tier convoys may attempt coordinated fleeing maneuvers
- Resolutes are extremely dangerous for smaller player ships
Rewards:
- Weapon components
- Mid-to-high tier salvage
Minning Guild
Industrial mining fleets operating in wild space or asteroid-heavy sectors. Common ships:
- Type-V11 (Starfighter)
- Beaver (Transport)
- Badger (Corvette)
- Ostrich (Light Freighter) (PLEASE NOTE: Ostriches' are increidbly dangerous to new players)
- Mining drones and escorts
Behavior:
- Usually defensive unless attacked
- Escorts focus targets threatening mining barges
- Larger operations may call reinforcements
Largest natural spawn:
- Badger-class mining vessel
Rewards:
- The Angle tends to drop rewards for the one who kills it.
Horizon Transit Convoy
Civilian transport fleets traveling between systems. Common ships:
- Minhaul
- Sparrow
- Wayfinder (NOTE: these are immobile ships, but they can also be bait ships for pirate convoys)
- Explorer variants
Behavior:
- Usually passive
- Escorts may respond if attacked
- Certain explorer variants may secretly be Tsaii bait ships
Important:
Some Horizon Transit ships are disguised Tsaii ambush vessels. These can be identified by:
- Pirate-colored pilot names in
/listships ai - Suspicious behavior
- Unusual convoy routes
Possible escalation:
- Tsaii ambush fleets
- Reaver-class frigates (~6.5k mass)
Pirates
Hostile raiding fleets that attack nearby ships on sight. Common ships:
- Bloodstar (Gunship)
- Vendetta (Corvette)
- Wasp (Starfighter)
- Other fast attack craft
Behavior:
- Extremely aggressive
- Focuses weaker or isolated targets
- Higher tiers use advanced shield targeting and fleeing tactics
Danger:
Pirate fleets are among the most common combat-focused world events and can overwhelm inexperienced pilots quickly.
Rewards:
Unknown Signal (Green Aliens)
Also known as Watchers or plant aliens.
Marked by:
- Green Unknown Signal contact markers
Behavior:
- Strange movement patterns
- Can appear passive until approached
- More common in Horizon, Trench, and AU-0821
Common traits:
- Organic-looking ships
- Unusual weapon effects
- Higher-tier AI can be extremely evasive
Ships:
- Verdolith (Frigate)
- Teralith (Frigate)
- Aerbolith (Destroyer)
Rewards:
- Superconductor
Unknown Signal (Yellow Aliens)
Believed to be the 吃饭人("Bread Aliens").
Behavior:
- Less understood than Watchers
- Often appear in deep-space systems
- Can travel in organized fleets
Common traits:
- Yellow signal marker
- Unique ship designs
- Aggressive response to nearby playersShips:
- Other Ships (Names need to still be added)
- Fashigun (Destroyer)
World Event Index
AI World Events are scheduled encounters that spawn groups of AI ships at specific locations. Use /encounterstatus to view active events and /listships ai to track active AI vessels.
| Event Name | Type | Difficulty | Locations | Faction | Risk Level | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System Defense Forces Small Patrol | Patrol | Universal | Core Systems | System Defense Forces | Low | SD_SmallPatrol.png | Routine patrols securing core systems against minor threats. |
| System Defense Forces Medium Patrol | Patrol | Universal | Core Systems | System Defense Forces | Low | SD_MediumPatrol.png | Larger patrols in core systems, prepared to respond to moderate threats. |
| Horizon Transit Lines | Locai | Tiered | All Systems | System Defense Forces | None | HorizonTransit.png | Security and monitoring of inter-system transit routes for player safety. |
| Privateer Inspection | Locai | Tiered | Core Systems | Privateers | Medium | Privateer_Inspection.png | Privateers being inspected by authorities; potential for combat if rules are broken. |
| Privateer BootCamp | Locai | Tiered | Core Systems | Privateers | Medium | Privateer_BootCamp.png | Training exercises for privateer recruits; may involve simulated combat. |
| Pirate Disturbance | Locai | Tiered | Core Systems | Pirates | Medium | Pirate_Disturbance.png | Local pirate activity threatening trade or patrols; dangerous for new players. |
| Increased Pirate Activity | Locai | Tiered | Core Systems | Pirates | Medium | Pirate_Increase.png | Spike in pirate raids and attacks in the core systems; advanced threat. |
| Mining Guild Barge Convoy | Patrol | Universal | Horizon, AU, Trench | Mining Guild | High | MiningGuild.png | Guild ships conducting routine patrols around mining operations. |
| Tsaii Warband | Locai | Tiered | Horizon, AU, Trench | Tsaii | High | Tsaii_Warband.png | Raiding Tsaii forces appear in frontier zones; moderately challenging. |
| Privateer Naval Drills | Locai | Tiered | Horizon, AU, Trench | Privateers | High | Privateer_NavalDrills.png | Privateer naval exercises in frontier systems; may engage nearby ships. |
| Unknown Signal (Yellow Aliens) | Locai | Tiered | Horizon, AU, Trench | 吃饭人 | High | Signal_YellowAliens.png | Mysterious yellow alien signal detected; exploratory or hostile encounters possible. |
| Unknown Signal (Green Aliens) | Locai | Tiered | Horizon, AU, Trench | Watchers | High | Signal_GreenAliens.png | Mysterious green alien signal detected; exploratory or hostile encounters possible. |
AI Ship Index
Note: This AI SHIP Index is not the final AI Index. This template is still a WIP.
| Ship | Image | Faction | Class | Block Count | Threat | Armament / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparrow | (Insert Image) | Horizon Transit | Shuttle | ~??? | Low | Civilian transport ship |
| Minhaul | (Insert Image) | Horizon Transit | Freighter | ~??? | Low | Civilian cargo vessel |
| Wayfinder | (Insert Image) | Horizon Transit | Explorer | ~??? | Medium | Can appear as Tsaii bait ship |
| Type I-41 | (Insert Image) | Horizon Transit | Shuttle | ~??? | Medium | 2 laser cannons, 1 torpedo |
| Type V-11 | (Insert Image) | Horizon Transit | Mining Craft | 265 | Medium | Mining escort ship |
| Type A-21B | (Insert Image) | Horizon Transit | Mining Shuttle | ~??? | Medium | Mining laser, ore storage |
| Woodpecker | (Insert Image) | Horizon Transit | Scout Shuttle | ~??? | Medium | Recon vessel, torpedo armed |
| Beaver | (Insert Image) | Mining Guild | Transport | ~??? | Low | Calls Dagger escort |
| Badger | (Insert Image) | Mining Guild | Heavy Miner | ~??? | Medium | Calls Bulwark escort |
| Ostrich | (Insert Image) | Mining Guild | Freighter | ~??? | Medium | Fast jumper, dangerous to new players |
| Grouper | (Insert Image) | Mining Guild | Heavy Miner | ~??? | Medium | Calls Bulwark reinforcement |
| Dunkleosteus | (Insert Image) | Mining Guild | Heavy Industrial | ~??? | High | Calls Bulwark + Contractor reinforcements |
| Angle | (Insert Image) | Mining Guild | Capital Mining Barge | ~??? | Extreme | Massive AU-only spawn, heavy escort fleet |
| Teneta | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Starfighter | 444 | Medium | Light combat craft |
| Dagger | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Starfighter | 475 | Medium | Standard combat fighter |
| Bulwark | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Corvette | 4000 | High | Defensive escort vessel |
| Pioneer | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Utility Ship | 25 | Low | Convoy support ship |
| Contractor | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Utility Ship | ~??? | Medium | Mid-tier support vessel |
| Resolute | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Destroyer | 8264 | Extreme | High-tier capital destroyer |
| Bloodstar | (Insert Image) | Pirates | Raider | ~??? | Medium | Aggressive raider craft |
| Vendetta | (Insert Image) | Pirates | Assault Ship | ~??? | Medium | Standard pirate combat ship |
| Wasp | (Insert Image) | Pirates | Interceptor | ~??? | Medium | Fast attack craft |
| Scythe | (Insert Image) | Tsaii | Starfighter | ~??? | Medium | Standard fighter |
| Swarmer | (Insert Image) | Tsaii | Light Fighter | ~??? | Medium | Dangerous in swarms |
| Raider | (Insert Image) | Tsaii | Gunship | ~??? | High | Strong anti-player craft |
| Reaver | (Insert Image) | Tsaii | Frigate | ~6.5k | Extreme | Capital ambush ship |
| Verdolith | (Insert Image) | Watchers | Frigate | 6505 | High | Can duplicate spawn |
| Terralith | (Insert Image) | Watchers | Heavy Frigate | ~??? | Very High | High durability capital ship |
| Arborealith | (Insert Image) | Watchers | Destroyer | ~??? | Extreme | Capital ship killer |
| Mianbaozha | (Insert Image) | 吃饭人 | Starfighter | 226 | High | Extremely evasive |
| Loumai | (Insert Image) | 吃饭人 | Gunship | 1753 | High | Summons Mianbaozha |
| Mianbao | (Insert Image) | 吃饭人 | Corvette | 4000 | High | Strong mid-capital ship |
| Malingshu | (Insert Image) | 吃饭人 | Light Frigate | ~??? | Very High | Extremely durable |
| Fashigun | (Insert Image) | 吃饭人 | Destroyer | ~??? | Extreme | Strongest alien capital ship |
merging tables*
| Ship | Image | Faction | Class | Block Count | Threat | Armament / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparrow | (Insert Image) | Horizon Transit | Shuttle | ~??? | Low | Common civilian transport ship |
| Minhaul | (Insert Image) | Horizon Transit | Freighter | ~??? | Low | Civilian cargo vessel |
| Wayfinder | (Insert Image) | Horizon Transit | Explorer | ~??? | Medium | Can appear as Tsaii bait ship |
| Beaver | (Insert Image) | Mining Guild | Mining Ship | ~??? | Low | Common industrial vessel |
| Type-V11 | (Insert Image) | Mining Guild | Mining Craft | 265 | Medium | Armed mining escort vessel |
| Badger | (Insert Image) | Mining Guild | Heavy Miner | ~??? | Medium | Largest Mining Guild natural spawn |
| Teneta | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Starfighter | 444 | Medium | |
| Dagger | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Starfighter | 475 | Medium | Common Privateer combat ship |
| Bulwark | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Corvette | 4000 | Medium | Defensive combat vessel |
| Pioneer | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Utility Ship | 25 | Medium | Commonly seen in convoys |
| Contractor | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Utility Ship | ~??? | Medium | Mid-sized Privateer ship |
| Resolute | (Insert Image) | Privateers | Destroyer | 8264 | High | Rare natural spawn |
| Bloodstar | (Insert Image) | Pirates | Raider | ~??? | Medium | Aggressive pirate attack craft |
| Vendetta | (Insert Image) | Pirates | Assault Ship | ~??? | Medium | Common pirate combat vessel |
| Wasp | (Insert Image) | Pirates | Interceptor | ~??? | Medium | Fast attack ship |
| Mianbaozha | (Insert Image) | 吃饭人 | Starfighter | 226 | High | 2x Laser Cannons, Plasma Cannon, 2x Torpedoes; extremely evasive |
| Loumai | (Insert Image) | 吃饭人 | Gunship | 1753 | High | Heavy Lasers, Pulse Cannons, Light Turrets; summons 2x Mianbaozha |
| Mianbao | (Insert Image) | 吃饭人 | Corvette | 4000 | High | Crescent-shaped warship with Tri Turrets and Pulse Cannons |
| Malingshu | (Insert Image) | 吃饭人 | Light Frigate | ~??? | Very High | Plasma Cannons, Phasers, Light Turrets; highly durable |
| Fashigun | (Insert Image) | 吃饭人 | Destroyer | ~??? | Extreme | Heavy Lasers, Phasers, Heavy Turrets, Tri Turrets |
| Verdolith | (Insert Image) | Watchers | Frigate | 6505 | High | Tri Turrets, Heavy Turrets, Phasers; summons another Verdolith |
| Terralith | (Insert Image) | Watchers | Heavy Frigate | ~??? | Very High | Heavy Turrets, Tri Turrets, Phasers |
| Arborealith | (Insert Image) | Watchers | Destroyer | ~??? | Extreme | 4x Heavy Turrets, Phasers, Tri Turrets |
| Reaver | (Insert Image) | Tsaii | Frigate | ~6.5k | Very High | Tsaii capital ship; can appear in ambush fleets |