AI difficulty levels

deccan · #1 August 9th, 2004, 09:31 AM

I'd like to know how the different difficulty levels actually alter the AI. Does it get bonuses, or get smarter? Also, is there no way to make an SP game with completely random AI players? Thanks.

Chazar · #2 August 9th, 2004, 09:34 AM

I recall that someone posted in an older thread that the different settings will only affect the number of creation points the AI is able to spent on its pretender. Search for this for more info...

Gandalf Parker · #3 August 9th, 2004, 10:29 AM

Normal AI means it gets the same number of points for castle/scales/pretender as you do. Weak gets less, Hard gets more than you. The AI's "intelligence" is mostly by being random. Such as, it wanders its armies so that you cant figure out where to meet it in battle.

The game itself has no option for random opponents but visit the Random Support Site at www.dom2minions.com
There are .map files you can download there which will use the Aran map that you got with the game and start a game with random opponents (they are also randomly allied with each other). Since its only possible to do it with a .map file, those files are re-rolled every day with new opponents.

johan osterman · #4 August 9th, 2004, 10:57 AM

The Ai gets discounts on spells and troops as well at higher AI difficulties.

tinkthank · #5 August 9th, 2004, 11:48 AM

Quote:

The Ai gets discounts on spells and troops as well at higher AI difficulties.

This answer is very interesting, primarily because threads like this have been up for months and months and, so far, the only canonical answer we have seen is "AI gets more (or less) points to spend during pretender creation".
But now you say that troops and spells are discounted?
Yikes!
Does that mean that (some? all? which?) spells are researched more easily? That they are cast more easily? That troops cost less gold? Less resources? Only in certain places??
Yikes ... my head is spinning!

Demosthenes · #6 August 9th, 2004, 01:05 PM

First time I've seen that response indeed.

Hmmm. Very interesting.

johan osterman · #7 August 9th, 2004, 01:09 PM

I do not know where you got this 'canon' answer but for example here, almost a year ago I stated that5 the AI got resource and design bonus points.

http://69.56.133.54:81/threads/showf...ev=#Post230190

I have not looked further but as I recall I have stated it on other occasions as well. I also believe it had been stated by JK on at least one occasion, and probably by Kristoffer as well. This discussion is old and I thought it was over and done with.

Norfleet · #8 August 9th, 2004, 01:25 PM

Exactly how much more are we talking about? 10%? 50%? 100%?

Agrajag · #9 August 9th, 2004, 01:33 PM

Its such a shame that even in dom2 the AI cheats...
I know its already like that in most games, but somehow I expected the AI in dom2 not to cheat...
The devs of each game should compile a list of the benefits the different AIs get...
A %age would be nice in this particular case, if possible =P

johan osterman · #10 August 9th, 2004, 01:38 PM

Shrug, I do not even think cheat is properly an applicable term for AI handicap. The AI is not a player. At best it is an intresting obstacle, as a human you will never play on an even playing field with a computer in games with the sort of complesxity of dom2.