I Am Praying For a More Intelligent AI

Gatekeeper · July 11, 2000, 19:33

Everyone:

SP on Civ II and Civ II Gold is quickly losing its appeal to me. All the AI seems to do — especially on the King level and above — is exist to destroy the human player. No matter the characteristics of the AI nation, it behaves so one-dimensionally around the human player: aggressive and stupid.

It's an old argument, I know. But I couldn't resist rehashing it after the damn AI automatically sacked my newly-established cities three games in a row (that city-ESP thing, ya know) and the damn French regressed back into Neandertals when they found me.

Maybe after a few days or so my weariness will wear off again. Until then, the AI really disgusts me. Civ III had better have a more three-dimensional and flexible AI. Hopefully it will be ported over to the Macintosh, too.

And MP doesn't work well with me, either. My dial-up connection probably won't allow for it (56k).

CYBERAmazon

finbar · July 11, 2000, 20:45

A 56K modem's okay for MP games. I survived with it for a long time before I got cable. And I only really got cable for stability reasons.

The AI in SP really does suck. You really should have a crack at MP. The human involvement of MP lifts the game to levels you'd never dream of in SP.

And let's hope Civ 3 for the Mac is a whole lot better ported than Civ 2. Only after countless patches is it working properly.

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finbar
Mono Rules!
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[This message has been edited by finbar (edited July 11, 2000).]

Gatekeeper · July 11, 2000, 21:20

Finbar:

I'll definitely try out MP when (not if) I upgrade to a cable modem (or ADSL). But it will be a while, as that's a definite *want* whereas a car payment is a requirement

.

CYBERAmazon

Empress · July 11, 2000, 23:20

Hey now, I have played MP online for almost 2 years now with a connection speed of around 26.4

Carolus Rex · July 12, 2000, 08:16

Another vote for improved AI in Civ III.

Carolus

Ming · July 12, 2000, 09:33

I too wish for a far superior AI in Civ III.
I don't mind the AI being aggressive... actually, I would like it to be more aggressive

But I would like the AI to handle diplomacy in a realistic fashion. Nothing worse than having an ally turn on you for no reason after you have been helping them out for hundreds of years.

The big key will be their combat skills. I'm sick of them cranking out a unit every turn just to die against a strong defensive position. You think they would learn to either give it up, or at least attack it with more units in a single turn. The AI's concept of a coordinated attack is just pure luck if they happen to have multiple units available... otherwise... Give me an AI that knows how to fight!

Sabrecat · July 12, 2000, 10:46

I definitly agree with Ming. I think it would be possible to program the ai so that they send paratroopers after all those freaking nukes. Although they'd probably get a movement bonus (we get 10, they get 20 etc.), it would maybe make the game harder.

And i also think that they could have a simulated battle, and if they wouldn't win over 50% of the time, they would not attack (like in heroes of might and magic).

I also agree with Ming in the fact that they need more "realistic" diplomacy. Why wouldn't you want to ally with the most powerful civ that has a spotless reputation? (not for long mwahaha

)

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SABRECAT

--The man who dies with the most toys is still nonetheless... dead.

cavebear · July 12, 2000, 18:08

I, too, wish for a better AI. Not that I want it to be more successful, but I want it to play more in accordance with the rules for a human player.

Let it build WoW or city improvements more intelligently, but let it build them the same way I have to. Let it fight with some sense, but make it use it's shields to build units where it earns them.

Just because the primary program has to know where every city, land square, and special is doesn't mean that the AI civ routines have to also know!

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Scouse Gits · July 12, 2000, 19:41

One of the strange features of the game is the difference between the Barb attacks and those made by the AI civs. As Ming says, the one unit at a time attack, is a nonsense. I have lost more cities to barbs than to other civs. The surprise attack from a frigate stuffed with dragoons is very effective, especially against a city with no walls. This tactic is seldom employed by anyone other than the guys in red!
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SG (2)

Ming · July 12, 2000, 20:22

Yeah... unless the AI just happens to have a bunch of units around... But again, the barbs are only tougher because of circumstances... not strategy!

July 12, 2000, 23:35

I do want a more intelligent AI but being aggressive is pretty smart. I just sack whatever I can in multi-player games and I win most the time. The only thing I have against AI is that they never challenge you naval-wise.

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Gatekeeper · July 13, 2000, 00:20

Everyone:

Hear, hear! More power to TPTB in exchange for a three-dimensional and flexible AI in Civ III!

CYBERAmazon