Re: Thoughts on magic and adjusting the research cost
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Good thought - how do the ai's go on this map Gandalf?

Cheers

Keir

Re: Thoughts on magic and adjusting the research cost
 

>Err - why not? What have I missed?

The computer doesn't understand "playing for dominion", it simple plays. It's equally poor with the vicory point condition. It builds and attacks the same way no matter what the goal of the game is. Since it doesn't account for victory loctations or dominion issues, it is easily defeated in such situations.

The AI is already weak in many ways. Adding in a victory condition that it doesn't understand just adds insult to injury.

Re: Thoughts on magic and adjusting the research cost
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I will crank the indies up one. The computer seems to expand well on 5 but if it still expands well on 6 then I'll go there.

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Not sure what you are refering to. The main way I handle diplomacy in dominions is to show strength and leave my enighbours avenues for expansion - or not if I want war. High border defences and visible armies tell the enemy you are prepared for war and thus a bad target. This seems fair enough.

Is there another form of diplomatic manipulation I'm unaware of?

Do you consider the approach mentioned above cheesy? I'm happy with it though its a basic diplomatic model.

Its funny I'm happy to set the game up so I am disadvantaged, take a dodgy race or whatever but once I'm playing the focus comes in and I play as optimal as I can. Some people are happy to play without trying to maximise results and find it easy to handicap themselves during the game to get a better game. While I'm prepared to do this diplomatically playing PBEM, as diplomacy can ruin games if to effective, other than that I'm locked into the focus and there is not contemplation of that which does not serve the plan. I get drawn into the logic of the situation and any attempt to play in a sub-optimal fashion will destroy the focus and suddenly I'm surrounded by custard. Sure its ok to lose track of a few details as long as its clear in my head what the fundamentals are. Once I lose track of this I find everything becomes so much harder.

"Concentrate Luke, use the force" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Anyway I'm off for some therapy with Utgard Jotun and my new approach to Jotun as a bless effects race. *rubs hands with glee* Muhahahahaha

cheers

Keir