AI must be patched!

[Jason2]

I am so frustrated.

I know this has been said over and over - but I haven't heard any words from Malfador yet.

I am playing a game where I GAVE two of the AI races ALL of my technology throughout 2/3rds of the game (until they all declared war ie. the Mega-Empire rule).

Even then, they lacked in research and in attacking me. There is NO coordinated aggression.

I have played games since the 70s, and SEIV is my dream come true EXCEPT the AI sucks!!

Had to vent this. I realize this is already posted - but needed to voice my frustration.

I'm hoping the rumors I've heard about Shrapnel Games dedication to patching is true!

I commend the designer for this game - but please, please, please patch the AI so it will be the best strategy/tactical game out there!!

Jason2

[Courageous]

You think the A.I. sucks? Play _Ascendancy_.
Then you will count your blessings. Anyway,
for a harder game, play in a small universe
with the maximum number of AI opponents.
Turn off the neutrals. Set the AI to hard
and give the AI's the maximum bonus. You
might also hand generate a number of AI
players as opposed to using the random ones.
Make them all bloodthirsty xenophobes.

[Talenn]

Courageous:

From what I can tell, making them 'Bloodthirsty Xenophobes' will do nothing. 'Xenophobe' is just a Cultural trait with attendant modifiers to production etc, but 'Bloodthirsty' seems to be a simple text description that has no bearing on the game.

I could be in error here, but I see nothing in the AI files that references whether it is 'Friendly' or 'Bloodthirsty'. Aside from that, simple game experience has shown me that the two type will act no differently.

I think that seems to the #1 complaint at this stage...lack of variety and competence of AI.

Talenn

[Warlord Adamus]

Talenn- Bloodthirsty is a happiness type and does have a big effect in the game.

[Talenn]

Ahh, ok, I thought he meant in the 'Description' part. But actually, making an AI 'Bloodthirsty' as a Happiness type just seems to screw it up. It still doenst respond and it just has unhappy colonies instead. I experimented with that when I first had doubts about the AI's aggressiveness. Has it been changed in 1.11? I didnt see anything about such but I havent tested it yet.

Thanx,
Talenn

[Courageous]

Eschew peace. Declare war; this will make
those AI's quite happy, I assure you.

C//

[Warlord Adamus]

"But actually, making an AI 'Bloodthirsty' as a Happiness type just seems to screw it up. It still doenst respond and it just has unhappy colonies instead. I experimented with that when I first had doubts about the AI's aggressiveness. "

That kinda depends on the situation the AI is in. If they are fighting many other AI's bloodthirsty is often better. I posted some improved AI files on the bottom of this, or the previous page. It has the AI's using different happiness types and includes the rest of them at a 2000 point start. It should be in the next regular patch, I think.

[Taqwus]

...on happiness --

Is there some minimum ratio of ships to colonies that one must have to stop mass riots?

In a long (maybe 280-turn), large (255-system) galaxy where eventually the Ukra-Tal, Xi-Chung and Fazrah all surrendered to me, *all* of their planets were rioting. The Ukra-Tal, first to go, were rioting for years...

It's simply wasn't practical to garrison them all, or to build useless warships just to hang out in each system -- I had stopped years before at a total of 19 DNs, 8 BBs and 1 BC, because more weren't justified from a military POV. In fact, the sole opposition was an isolated neutral that hadn't yet been found, and hadn't developed anything more menacing than a DUC-1 it seemed.

Never mind that they were now protected by the most powerful ships they'd ever seen (as in -- destroying fleets of 7 DNs, solo, with ease), never mind that given the chance I'd have improved their lives via atmosphere conVersion and similar facilities, never mind that my espionage system would keep them safe from saboteurs or that their previous leaders were incompetent...

------------------
-- The thing that goes bump in the night

[Talenn]

Warlord Adamus:

Were those .emp files created using the patched Version? I noticed that since the 'cost' of certain things changed (racial characteristics), some of the old .emp files were obsolete. But I've made so many mods to mine that I can no longer keep track, so I just figured I mention it.

Also, just my opinion here, but Maintenance Aptitude should be HUGELY expensive to increase. I have it currently set at 150rps/1%. It is now a flat decrease on upkeep costs...ie 13% of Maint Apt is 50% off of your upkeep! Pretty healthy bonus there.

In fact, I tweaked many of the 'costs' of these points as the defaults seem a bit off. IMO, Ground Combat (Physical Strength) should NOT in any way cost as much as say Intelligence. There are many similar items where the costs seem like they arent properly balanced with the effect.

Anyways, just my $.02 on the subject. It doesnt really bother me as I can change it (the TRUE beauty of this game! ), but if you are looking for feedback on stuff like that, there's mine.

Talenn

[Courageous]

The unhappiness of conquered populations has
been problematic enough for me to scour
planets clean instead. If someone has a good
method for capturing populations and then
keeping them happy, I'd like to know it.

C//