Hello.

I don't think you need to work much with lua to get the AI working.
It's a lot of xml work, you only need to add a few build plan names into a lua script but not more.

Go to ...\Xml/Ai/Players, copy one of the basic player sets, rename it to Hutts and adjust it to your needs.
In GC, simply assign the newly created file to the Hutt faction and the basics are done.

The hutt AI should be active now but it will run out of units eventually. To compensate for this make sure to create plans in ...\Xml\Ai\Goals. Take a look at the AI_Goals_Underworld_Galactic.xml for example, and lets take the Build_Underworld_Droid_Works goal.
It is referenced in: ...\Scripts\AI\AI_Plan_Underworld_BuildUnderworldDroidWorks.lua, ...\XML\AI\GoalFunctions\AI_GoalSet_Underworld_Galactic.xml and ...\XML\AI\PerceptualEquations\AI_Equations_Underworld_Galactic.xml.
It's a good start to open the mentioned files and take a look on how the AI is taught to build the structure.

I have to admit that I didn't work much with any kind of GC AI yet so I'm probably not able to explain every tiny bit but if you got any questions just ask and we'll do our best to answer them

Don't bother looking for it.
The games always crashes with the same error; none of the crash logs is actually helpful:(


(Usually you can find the crash logs in the same folder the executable is located. If you're using Vista or higher and have the UAC enabled, look here: C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\LucasArts\Star Wars Empire at War Forces of Corruption)

Try to find this : _Except.txt
I think this is what you search.

Indeed adding a new fraction is very hard.
Maybe it would be an option to rework the Zann Consortium as they are already close to the Hutts?