Does anyone else try to play with a "high" AI bonus - Page 2

Nitram Draw · #11 May 15th, 2001, 01:07 AM

Tried high bonus a few times. After getting stomped every time I decided to be realistic about my abilities and went back to low.
I wish there was a way to adjust the affects of the bonus. The bonus resources are a nice help to the AI, espescially in a high tech game, but the research and intel bonuses are really hard to overcome.

Will · #12 May 15th, 2001, 06:09 AM

Just wondering, since I never figured it out myself... what exactly *IS* the AI bonus? I see resource, research, intel, and construction here, but how much for each level, in each area?

Just wondering, because I haven't really noticed any difficulty with high bonus difficult AIs... Maybe I'll get modpack and try those AIs. Maybe it's just the fact that I love tactical combat, and can usually easily beat an AI force that outnumbers me 5 to 1... or maybe my playing style (neutralize, capture, reinforce, proceed) gives me enough of a boost to rival big AIs...

Biggest challenge so far has been pirates against one normal AI (difficult/high bonus). I'm thinking of pirates vs. three normal AI next, or maybe nomads...

Krakenup · #13 May 16th, 2001, 12:02 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Will:
Just wondering, since I never figured it out myself... what exactly *IS* the AI bonus? I see resource, research, intel, and construction here, but how much for each level, in each area?

The low, medium and high bonuses give the AI 2x, 3x and 5x resources and intelligence and research points. This only applies to generated points, not to starting points or points acquired through trade. The construction bonus is harder to quantify, but, as far as I can tell, it is +50%, +100% and either +150% or +200% for low, medium and high bonuses, respectively.

Nitram Draw · #14 May 16th, 2001, 01:05 AM

I'm pretty sure the bonus effects the amount of research, intel, resources and construction rate of the AI. It may effect other stuff like population growth and happiness.
The high bonus is almost a necessity if you play a high tech game. The extra resources help keep the AI from running out of resources when building expensive ships from the start.

henk brouwer · #15 May 16th, 2001, 12:24 PM

I'm playing a reall interesting game with high computer difficulty/high bonus right now. I'm playing in a 150 system galaxy with 15 AI's (10 TMD) low tech start, high tech research cost.

I used to be at war with the colonials the Earth alliance and the phong, but since a few turns everybody is sending me peace treaties. I refused peace with the earth alliance however, I want revenge for the destruction of my homeworld.

I'm not sure why everybody is acting peacefull all of a sudden, but it could be because the Rage have gone Mega Evil a few turns ago (it's now turn 2405.4) I haven't met the Rage yet and I don't want to, they are doing very, very well

right now the ranking is:

1: Rage collective
score: 724.4 K
tech levels 99
Planets 39

2: Earth Alliance
Score 254.2
tech levels 49
planets 14

3: Terrans
Score 222.2
Tech levels 52
planets 12

I'm coming seventh with:
score 189.5
tech levels 45
Planets 13

GruelThePurple · #16 May 16th, 2001, 08:39 PM

My current game is Mid-Diff with High Bonus, set for 255 systems, Low Tech and high cost, single homeworld, 13 AI & 5 Neutrals, TDM Modpack; and I have seen some henious things.

I have run through about 145 turns so far, and the top spot belongs to the Zorians. They have spread like the plague and colonized everything they could. After nailing some of the colony ships, I found out why... They are only running with 5M to 10M colonists a pop.

However, with a huge operational base of planets (something like 140), it is not uncommon to see 40+ ship fleets being thrown against my forces.

Whenever I do gain some ground against the zealots, I normally have to withdrawn shortly thereafter to resupply and re-equip. By the time I return to the system I had cleared, it has been recolonized.

Talk about cockroaches...

Not to mention they and the Darloks are currently both Espionaging me into the ground.

If it wasn't for a couple key warp points and tons of mines, I would have been overrun a long time ago.

I have also run into the Borg and the Rage. Strangely enough, the Borg has yet to leave their home system, and they own only their home planet... I have run into very little of the Rage, but they had propositioned me with a Trade Treaty right off. Due to their distance from me (with some Partnered Neutrals in the middle), they are not a threat any time soon.

This should prove to be a long, bitter struggle.

[This message has been edited by GruelThePurple (edited 16 May 2001).]

DirectorTsaarx · #17 May 17th, 2001, 08:42 PM

quote:
Originally posted by GruelThePurple:
Strangely enough, the Borg has yet to leave their home system, and they own only their home planet...

Did you remember to put them on computer control at game startup? You may want to take control of them for a turn, turn on "Full AI" (i.e., all ministers, etc.) and return them to computer control...

GruelThePurple · #18 May 17th, 2001, 09:42 PM

quote:
Originally posted by DirectorTsaarx:
Did you remember to put them on computer control at game startup? You may want to take control of them for a turn, turn on "Full AI" (i.e., all ministers, etc.) and return them to computer control...

Yeppers. They, as the rest, were on computer control. I did take temporary control of them to see what was up, and it looks like they may have run into another race quite early in the game, which caused them to flip modes before they got any colonization under way. They had a sizeable fleet, but were not producing colony ships (hence my assumption above).

On a side note, due to the Zorian cockroach problem, I am left with but a single remaining option to dislodge them; Stellar Nucleonic Torpedoes.

[This message has been edited by GruelThePurple (edited 17 May 2001).]

DirectorTsaarx · #19 May 17th, 2001, 10:33 PM

You could be really nasty and use an Inverted Quantum Beam... not even asteroids left for them to remote mine or turn back into planets... and they have trouble moving ships through...

Dracus · #20 May 17th, 2001, 10:36 PM

Go in and add the colony ship to each mode, that way they will build them no matter what mode they are in.