I have seen in several threads that players want more personality in the AI. This caused me to do some musing, and some questions and ideas occurred to me. Forgive me If these thoughts portray a lack understanding of programming or how the AI currently works. Also these ideas can effect players, and could help you play elemental.
What is the current goal of the AI? To win obviously, but how? For instance all firms seek profit but how they go about it is very different. When I play I play to maximize tech, that is my overriding goal, everything else I do leads to increased tech. If I build troops it's towards protecting my tech production. If I build buildings it's to allow me more resources to spend on tech. I win through teching. That is for lack of a better word my mission statement, "Victory through technology".
What does the AI have as it's mission statement. Does it even have one or does it just react. An AI that just reacts would be very weak and easy to beat. In fact if we break down the ways to win we have the victory conditions. You can win through Conquest, Magic, Diplomacy, and the Ending Quest. Does the AI actually attempt to achieve these goals? Or once again does it simply react. It occurred to me that if they at the beginning you gave each computer one of these victory conditions as his goal they would not only act more efficiently but have more personality. A diplomatic AI that seeks to win by allying with everyone would act very different then one dedicated to conquest, or magic. Of course this isn't specific enough, how do they seek to accomplish this goal? A conquest orientated mission statement would be something like "I seek to win through conquest by building as big and advanced an army as possible". Another one being "I seek to win through magic by claiming shards through expansion or military and maximizing arcane research". I think AI's operating in such a way would be much harder to beat and have much more personality. Their diiferent priorities would make for interesting alliances.
I don't think that as is the AI actively seeks to win through anything but military conquest, and maybe not even that. I could be wrong here but this is what I have observed. Of course there are downsides to the idea of AI mission statements. If AI are actively seeking to win then games could be much shorter. You could be building up your army at turn 300 to suddenly get a defeat screen because the AI succeeded in a diplomatic or quest victory. Sandbox type players may not like this idea.
On a off topic note i find it interesting that the most heavily used tech tree Civilization is the only tech tree without a possible victory condition. Might be interesting to add a end game wonder.
