AI concerns - Page 3

neofit · #21 April 22nd, 2002, 11:34 PM

Thanks for the advice.

quote:
Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
Small Galaxy (the max number of systems should be the standard: 100 systems)

Can you change the max. number of system? 100 systems is more like a Large quadrant, I usually get around 30 systems in a Small one.

Vulture-B · #22 April 22nd, 2002, 11:45 PM

Hello,

in the settings.txt, line 15 you have the "maximum number of systems" set it to max 255.

small, medium and large maps are "in percent" of the max. setting. so youre now medium will be small and large will become medium.

hth
Vulture

Master Belisarius · #23 April 22nd, 2002, 11:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by neofit:
Thanks for the advice.

Can you change the max. number of system? 100 systems is more like a Large quadrant, I usually get around 30 systems in a Small one.

Yep. You can change the max number of systems (looking inside the file /data/settings.txt, you can find the line:
Maximum Number Of Systems := 100
The max is 255.

This setting is for the max number of systems, and then it's the max that can reach games with a large galaxy. Games with a medium or small galaxy, will use a precentage of this max number of systems.
Then, if you usually are playing game with 30 systems, probably already are you playing games with an small galaxy and the standard max number of systems.

Sinapus · #24 April 23rd, 2002, 12:48 AM

Has anyone noticed that when you have a large number of races with the same atmosphere, then the number of planets with that atmosphere type appears higher? (Haven't really tested it out yet, it just seems that way.)

When that happens, I find at least one of the AI races (usually TDM) with that atmosphere type will suddenly have its score skyrocket. Usually getting higher than mine and ending up with a HUGE fleet of ships. Tactical combat becomes a survival necessity.

ColdSteel · #25 April 23rd, 2002, 01:34 AM

Don't forget that if you change the Settings.txt file to increase the number of systems to 255 you'll need a new SystemNames.txt file with more system names so you don't run out.

-CS

[ 23 April 2002: Message edited by: ColdSteel ]

Jmenschenfresser · #26 April 23rd, 2002, 05:05 PM

quote:
Ahhaahh, you HAVE seen the Growltigga tactical gameplan then?

What's so bad about it? Do you auction off your own ships for beer?

Baron Munchausen · #27 April 23rd, 2002, 05:58 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Sinapus:
Has anyone noticed that when you have a large number of races with the same atmosphere, then the number of planets with that atmosphere type appears higher? (Haven't really tested it out yet, it just seems that way.)

When that happens, I find at least one of the AI races (usually TDM) with that atmosphere type will suddenly have its score skyrocket. Usually getting higher than mine and ending up with a HUGE fleet of ships. Tactical combat becomes a survival necessity.

I think that the way SE IV places the empires includes adding/changing planets to the correct type occasionally. If it does this several times per empire (i.e. it rejects a location sometimes & starts over) that would increase the number of planets of the given type. If you have lots of empires using the same atmosphere type, that would create this effect you are seeing.

Lisif Deoral · #28 April 23rd, 2002, 11:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
Anyway, every time that I want a challenging game against the AI, I like settings like this:
[...]

Anyway, every time that I want a challenging game against the AI, I like settings like this:

Just out of curiosity, how do you set up a challenging single player game?
My setup is usually like this:

TDM (latest -& Last- Version for SEIVv1.49)
(standard, unmodded) large quadrant
all warp points connected and located anywhere within the system
standard events (low/catastrophic)
high technology costs
low starting resources
1 average starting planet
empires are neither evenly distributed nor allowed to start in the same system
Low starting tech
2000 racial points
19 AI empires (loaded from saved race files)
no neutral empires, and no random empires
high computer player difficulty
no computer player bonus (I hate cheating AIs...)
simultaneous movement (and, obviously, no tactical combat)

The low starting resources and the high tech cost IMO help even the odds. The main (and insuperable) AI flaw is that it can't adapt to the situation. With limited resources it's harder for the human player to use his "special ability", that is, to quickly adapt to new AI strategies. On the other hand, the AI doesn't suffer much for these settings - it blindly follows the same research/production schedule.

Just as an example, in the initial turns of a solo game I was at war with two AIs which used direct fire weapons (Xi'Chung and Sallega, IIRC). I researched CSMs and easily managed to keep them at bay. Then, the Terrans decided to break our treaty, attacked my home system with carriers and forced me to start another game

.
Probably in another game I might have had enough time (I spotted the carrier about 2-3 turns before it entered my home system) to research decent point defense and to build PDC ships/sats, but I hadn't enough resources (I did not expand much due to my 2 other hostile neighbours)...

Master Belisarius · #29 April 24th, 2002, 03:03 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Lisif Deoral:

Anyway, every time that I want a challenging game against the AI, I like settings like this:

Just out of curiosity, how do you set up a challenging single player game?
My setup is usually like this:
TDM (latest -& Last- Version for SEIVv1.49)

(standard, unmodded) large quadrant

all warp points connected and located anywhere within the system

standard events (low/catastrophic)

high technology costs

low starting resources

1 average starting planet

empires are neither evenly distributed nor allowed to start in the same system

Low starting tech

2000 racial points

19 AI empires (loaded from saved race files)

no neutral empires, and no random empires

high computer player difficulty

no computer player bonus (I hate cheating AIs...)

simultaneous movement (and, obviously, no tactical combat)

The low starting resources and the high tech cost IMO help even the odds. The main (and insuperable) AI flaw is that it can't adapt to the situation. With limited resources it's harder for the human player to use his "special ability", that is, to quickly adapt to new AI strategies. On the other hand, the AI doesn't suffer much for these settings - it blindly follows the same research/production schedule.

Just as an example, in the initial turns of a solo game I was at war with two AIs which used direct fire weapons (Xi'Chung and Sallega, IIRC). I researched CSMs and easily managed to keep them at bay. Then, the Terrans decided to break our treaty, attacked my home system with carriers and forced me to start another game .
Probably in another game I might have had enough time (I spotted the carrier about 2-3 turns before it entered my home system) to research decent point defense and to build PDC ships/sats, but I hadn't enough resources (I did not expand much due to my 2 other hostile neighbours)...

Everybody have their own preferences, right? But think that the AI without any bonus, usually have problems managing their resources. Also, with so many AI players, my experience say that they have problems to expand their borders.

oleg · #30 April 24th, 2002, 11:34 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Lisif Deoral:

no computer player bonus (I hate cheating AIs)

IMHO, it is impossible to get a decent game against AI without giving it a bonus. And I do not consider it as "cheating". It is just... bonus. The main concept of SE IV AI is that it does NOT cheat: it doos not know a priori where are you planets and ships, what you are building in your planets, etc. Just compare SE IV with for example Civ(1,2,3), Moo(1,2) and many other well known games. In fact, I consider SE IV, bonus or no bonus, as a most honest and ethical (well, I may be getting to far) artificial intelligence around !