Elemental Forums
*** 1.19d is a beta patch ***
*** 1.19d is scheduled for release on 2/24/2011 ***
Changes:
1. Memory leak fixes.
2. We will allocate more memory before saving (so that you don't OOM while saving and corrupt the save).
3. 4 new maps.
4. AI is more careful with their sovereign.
5. Crash fixes.
6. Fixed a crash bug in the map editor.
Ah ha, First! Seriously though I didn't think we would be getting a patch today, it's a nice surprise.
I pray every time I see a change log there's something about AI sov/hero equipping items. Still, AI being more careful with their sov is nice, as are stability fixes. Does this mean I can finally go from the map editor to a new game, without have to restart in between? Hopefully the update is on Impulse before I get home from class. 
Me too. 
Looking forward to seeing how the sovereigns protect themselves in 1.19d. Thanks, Derek!
You are welcome, but that thanks is really owed to Brad for all the hard work he puts into the AI.
Thanks, Brad! I sincerely hope you don't take my strategic AI bloviating as busting your balls. The AI has come a LONG way since Sep '10. I also remember how hard you worked through the Christmas break. It is a fun game - lots of work yet to do but progress is being made.
My ultimate goal: come to this forum with my tail between my legs, announce your strategic AI kicked my ass, and ask if you could pretty please dial it back. A Heavenfall, Lord Xia, Trojasmic, , Vallu751 (or anyone else I missed who posts about the AI, sorry) thread confirming they also lost on ridiculous would be icing on the cake. 
Drats! This is going to make it much harder for me to accidentally win!
Morgul, there's some stuff in the forums on those topics already- like a 1.3 thread. Search for Brad's posts for some info.
https://forums.elementalgame.com/replies/full/1- this links to all of Brad's replies- the info should be in there.
POSSIBLE BUG:
Since the update has anyone else ended up with Umberdroths who can cast spells now? Never tried to imbue them, came out of the training queue with "Cast Spell" ability...
I've noticed that all animals and wierdo races can cast spells, but only Dragons seem to have the intelligence high enough to actually do it. Been like that for awhile.
The performance of 1.9d is much better than the previous beta, but got my first OOM error on or just after turn 181 on large map (have auto save set for every five turns). The AI seems improved, good job. Single player is really coming along.
In addition to the OOM issue the AI never seems to build Party or larger units. It also never seems to use bows. That really makes it too easy for the human player. The latter two issues have also been true for some time.
In some of my games (ver 1.11), a female spouse of an opposing faction does use a bow to good effect fairly early on in the game. Unfortunately, I can't remember which factions, but the first time I encountered it, it came as a welcome, but rude, shock.
Posted 1.19d Strategic AI analysis here: https://forums.elementalgame.com/405730
In short, good progress from patch to patch but hero love is lacking. Although the AI is doing a pretty good job of normal unit design and creation, it's not functioning anywhere near to a player regarding heroes. A player would, at a macro level, rock out their sovereign, spouse, and champions and let normal units be a lower build priority, primarily as garrison units. The fact that heroes level, can upgrade their gear over time, and the only resource needed is gold, makes heroes, by far, greater than normal units. For some reason the AI is acting opposite to a player in this regard.
I truly hate to speculate but I think it may cause balance issues across difficulty levels. Fully geared AI heroes running wild on novice level probably wouldn't be too fun for the entry level or casual player. If that is the case, I wonder if it could coded to be a ridiculous only function so us more seasoned players can duke it out with the AI. All levels except ridiculous could function as designed but we could get our "hero bone" (Xia, mind out of gutter!) on ridiculous. I just want to lose a game!
At any rate it would be cool if Brad or Derek shared their thoughts on this - it would keep me from speculating a proverbial foot in mouth.
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