AI needs to be MUCH more aggressive

[Jason2]

The AI never seems to press the attack. It will maintain its boundaries with large fleets - but the AI should be coded that if it detects a hostile presence in any system next to one of its systems it will go in and wipe the other empire out. Then, once it reaches a predetermined strength, it expands one system outward and begins the process again.

The AI seems adept at defense, but almost NEVER goes on the offensive. Surely this can be programmed. I remember the massive fleets of MOO2 that would clean up the board. Once the AI has quantum reactors can't it be made to create fleets with the sole objective of destroying enemy colonies??

Before any other options are added to the game - I'd like to see the AI improved to be more offensive.

J2

[Weson102]

Space Empires IV has much depth but the hard coded AI is the downfall of the game.

I spent the Last 7-8 months tweaking data files and AI files, downloaded mods,etc. to get an opponent that would not just go thru the motions. The end result was not positive.

Can or will there ever be a patch to get the AI up to snuff? I'm willing to pay for an add-on if that's what is needed.

Is there a 4X game that has depth and an AI that is a challenge to a human opponent?

[jc173]

The AI is pretty bad at making long term strategic military decisions a lot of the time. Right now it mostly attacks planets only if they are in a contested system. I've seen the AI use DN's with quantum reactors as scouts that travel through most of my empire without attacking a single colony. On the other hand I have seen it attack ships/fleets in non-contested systems. I suggested a fix to the forum using a point system to give enemy planets a value for being attacked or captured within 3 or 4 warps of the border using a recursive search. The AI could just total up the points based on different characteristics such as the planet's size, breathable/non-breathable atmosphere, resource value, and any important facilities. Then it would just pick out what it considered to be the most important target and go off and attack.

The algorithm itself shouldn't be difficult it's just add up values and sort for the largest although you would probably want to randomize that somewhat so it wasn't too predictable. The hitch is that the AI would need to perform reconaissance or intel missions and then remember that data. Hopefully it isn't so complicated that Aaron can't add in something like this in a future patch.

[Lucanos]

The problem isn't that the AI is too friendly (lack aggrssion). The AI is merely too dumb - too aggressive, even.

"Know thy enemies..." someone once said (I think). Not until the AI is hardcoded so it can learn from its own mistakes and "remeber" important stuff will it be the challange you seek.

The AI must "understand" when to strike - how to strike - IF to strike. Today it can't make those kind of judgement why they just - strike.

It should be possible to make peace with the AI for instance.

[Jubala]

Anyone played Europa Univeralis? That game has a pretty good AI in my opinion. You can grease it, piss it off, ally with it (and it actually helps you in war), make peace and some other stuff. Don't remember it all now since it's been awhile since I Last played the game.

[out_law]

If your we're going to make AI more intressing to play with would you need more files (you'd need a bigger file any way) , my reasoning behind this - to make it harder to play against you would new more veribles with are to others?