How AI evaluates Trades?

CombatSquirrel · #1 November 4th, 2002, 02:45 AM

I am just testing this, and I do not yet have a clear picture of how the program determines if a trade is valuable or not to an AI opponent. It seems to take real junk sometimes and I wonder how effective it is at understanding the importance of tech levels, and how much it values comm channels and such... I know that you can mod under the AI files what percentage of value in both sides of a trade the AI will accept, but no way to affect the method of its evaluation.

So my question is :
"How Do It Do the VooDoo That it Do?"

Kind of a sweeping question, I know, but it is puzzling. I am looking for insight. Insight, or anecdotes of the trade oddities.

Inquisitively,
CombatSquirrel

[ November 04, 2002, 00:47: Message edited by: CombatSquirrel ]

Fyron · #2 November 4th, 2002, 09:59 AM

I think that may be hard-coded.

If so, only Aaron Hall would know.

[ November 04, 2002, 08:00: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

dogscoff · #3 November 4th, 2002, 10:39 AM

I suppose you could conduct a series of tests, to see what an AI would accept for what, and so build up a grid of the relative values of everything.

However, I imagine the value an AI attaches to different things would change according to it's mood and economic status, which would make it just about impossible to gauge consistently.

Still... it would be interesting to try.

Arkcon · #4 November 5th, 2002, 02:13 AM

It's hard to know exactly what the AI will take. It really does depend on it's mood. Here's just one example.

[Cheeze mode] [CM]
I can easily find a resource trade the AI will accept -- I just wants any profit. For example, it will (often, not always) give 100,000 minerals for 101,000 organics or rads. Maybe 110,000 if they're in a bad mood. They will even do it if they're at war with you. You can backrupt them of minerals they need for ship maintenance -- they wont stop until they run out
[/CM]

[ November 04, 2002, 12:13: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

Gryphin · #5 November 5th, 2002, 02:20 AM

One item they will Almost always trade:
Colonization types.

I thought there was a setting that affected the willingness of the AI to trade. Last night the United Flora refused to trade at a 10 percent profit in their favor. Hm, could be we were at war even though no clashes had tanken place.

Captain Kwok · #6 November 5th, 2002, 02:37 AM

There are settings in AI_Politics that are used to determine if a trade should take place. In general, if you're friends with the AI, they'll usually trade at a loss - if an enemy then you'd have to trade something more then'll you get back.

[ November 04, 2002, 12:39: Message edited by: Captain Kwok ]