[Suggestion] Difficulty and AI

from Elemental Forums

The descriptions of the difficulty levels say that, on harder difficulty, you get an enemy AI which is harder, as well as one that gets various buffs in things like combat. 

I would very, very much like to see these two things separated. I hate playing against a computer opponent when I know it's "cheating". That is to say, when I know that his soldiers actually do 137% more damage than mine, and he makes twice the money i do from the same source, or whatever it is. 

 

Whenever I know that sort of thing is going on, I select whatever difficulty gives no buffs to either the AI or the player, as I want to see how the game is with the playing field level. But in this case, not only am I levelling the playing field in terms of stats, I'm picking the third dumbest AI.

 

I don't want that. I want to play against the best AI the game can throw at me, on that level field. Give me the option to set the AI difficulty, separate from the game difficulty. That even opens up more interesting options. I could set one enemy to Normal AI, but give him lots of buffs, and another to Smart/No Buffs, maybe a third AI in the middle. That would make for an interesting game!

7,177 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

I agree, but i think the case is that the only difference between difficulty setting are bonuses to AI, As i haven't noticed any changes in AI behavior on different difficulties.

 

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

From the game itself:

 

"Hard AI has moderately buffed units and economic growth rates along with an [sic] very high level of intelligence."

"Novice AI has handicapped units and economic growth rates along with a very low intelligence." (emphasis mine)

 

 

 

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Well just play "normal". AI needs to cheating to be somehow competive in complex games. ITs the sad truth. AI in a more complex game will always suck because player "exploit" stuff to his best while AI can't do it. Its just too complex.

 

So I WANT the AI cheating in harder difficult levels and making more options for this make things more complicated for common user.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

I think one of the differences is how much "CPU time" the AI threads are allowed to use. In other words, the game will be slightly slower but with a bette AI on higher levels. Atleast that is how I interpret the frog language.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting calmon, reply 3
Well just play "normal". AI needs to cheating to be somehow competive in complex games. ITs the sad truth. AI in a more complex game will always suck because player "exploit" stuff to his best while AI can't do it. Its just too complex.

 

So I WANT the AI cheating in harder difficult levels and making more options for this make things more complicated for common user.
End of calmon's quote

 

Why would I want to play with less than the best AI the game has to offer? It's not at all true that the AI of complex games "always sucks". It's limited, of course, but it exists within a limited rule-set. There are plenty of games that have good AI, and use few or no cheats to make it competitive. Try EU3 for one.

 

Even were your statement accurate, and AI is so terrible, why would I want to use the third-worst? I want it as smart as possible.

 

Quoting joasoze, reply 4
I think one of the differences is how much "CPU time" the AI threads are allowed to use. In other words, the game will be slightly slower but with a bette AI on higher levels. Atleast that is how I interpret the frog language.
End of joasoze's quote

 

Of course. And?

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top


@thebigJ_A

Its a tradeoff. Would you accept 30 seconds between turns to get a much better AI? There are two things that makes the AI "better". Cheating (bonuses) and more CPU time. Normal should in my opinion be where there are no bonuses and a reasonable amount of CPU time. On hard more CPU time an a touch of bonuses to help the AI.

I like the CIV IV way where the AI gets an extra unit to start with on higher levels. Then the rules can be the same for the rest of the game (except more CPU time ofcourse). Giving the AI an extra champion and a couple of units to start with would help a lot to add a decent challenge for us.

 

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting joasoze, reply 7

@thebigJ_A

Its a tradeoff. Would you accept 30 seconds between turns to get a much better AI? There are two things that makes the AI "better". Cheating (bonuses) and more CPU time. Normal should in my opinion be where there are no bonuses and a reasonable amount of CPU time. On hard more CPU time an a touch of bonuses to help the AI.

I like the CIV IV way where the AI gets an extra unit to start with on higher levels. Then the rules can be the same for the rest of the game (except more CPU time ofcourse). Giving the AI an extra champion and a couple of units to start with would help a lot to add a decent challenge for us.

 
End of joasoze's quote

 

Again, and?

What has what you are saying got to do with anything?

 

The ability to choose a smarter/dumber AI is already in the game. It's just tied to bonuses the AI gets, and I feel it shouldn't be.

You're being rather off-topic. Maybe reread the OP to see what we're talking about.

 

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

I agree (and this has been stated by someone else somewhere else):

There ought to be separate and distinct sliders for AI "Intelligence" Boni, AI Economic Boni, AI Military Boni, AI Production Boni, AI Resource/Start Location Boni, etc.