AI & .RMP files

[Hobbes]

There's an issue that has been an enigma since I started modding maps, which is if the AI use some of values contained on the .RMP files, namely bytes 21 and 22 of each route node (whose function has always been a mystery), and for what propose.

So I'm wondering if someone could shed some light on if and how these 2 values are used. My interest on this comes precisely from designing maps since knowledge about this issue could make new maps a lot more... interesting

[Warboy1982]

flags (21) are used as a "priority" for patrolling aliens inside the ship, or any alien if there is no UFO. they will search for the connected node with the highest flag value (that they didn't just come from, and no one else is headed to) and try to move towards it, for example: in battleships the commander moves between two nodes with priorities 8 and 9 repeatedly.
note that this is different from byte (23) which is sometimes also called "priority" but is used for SPAWNING and not PATROLLING

reserved (22) is used to denote what kind of behaviour should take place at the node. the only value that means anything here is 5 which means "look for base modules to destroy"

[Hobbes]

flags (21) are used as a "priority" for patrolling aliens inside the ship, or any alien if there is no UFO. they will search for the connected node with the highest flag value (that they didn't just come from, and no one else is headed to) and try to move towards it, for example: in battleships the commander moves between two nodes with priorities 8 and 9 repeatedly.
note that this is different from byte (23) which is sometimes also called "priority" but is used for SPAWNING and not PATROLLING

reserved (22) is used to denote what kind of behaviour should take place at the node. the only value that means anything here is 5 which means "look for base modules to destroy"

This sums it up basically what I've observed from experience about byte 21 and it's nice to confirm this from the engine itself. I had already written most of this on the UFOPaedia on a Tactical AI page. The value for 5 for byte 22 has also been noticed by others that only occur during base modules although I can't remember exactly to have seen this behaviour .

Thanks for the clarification