Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

I've been playing SE4 Gold now for a couple of months, and lurking on the Boards for about the same amount of time. I'm enjoying it, but I still haven't quite figured out what the best Mods and game settings are for a challenging single-player game against the AI. In particular, it seems that the AI in the late-game, once a lot of tech has been researched, is very weak and doesn't build in the numbers necessary to be competitive.

I just finished a couple of TDM games that were interesting and much more compelling than the standard AI. But the same late-game issue of not building enough powerful ships seemed to happen there as well.

I've read through the FAQ a couple of times and haven't seen anything specific to this question, so here I am:

Any advice from the pros out there about the best Mods and/or Races to use for single-player vs AI games? Any settings or tweaks recommended to make the AI more 'intelligent'? I'm not really interested in multi-player games, for a variety of reasons I won't bore you with here.

I get that creating challenging AI is difficult, so maybe there isn't a good answer to this question but I thought I'd ask and see what happens.

Sockum

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

Try AI Campaign Mod...
It plays great solo http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

The way you are talking, try starting with a low AI Bonus at the most for your first game.
For AIC Adv. Trait options 1 thru 4, just try opt 1. Don't forget the top one also http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
Or just take the Terrens or Phong examples for Moderate play and edit to your likeing.

Build alot of StarLiners to transport your pop.

LINK > AI Campaign

[ June 01, 2003, 22:18: Message edited by: Grand Lord Vito ]

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

If you are looking for a challenge, try playing Pirates and Nomads mod with TDM AIs (converted to P&N with the program SJ wrote for that) as a Pirate or a Nomad race. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

And of course, there is always multiplayer via PBW.
Humans will always give you a run for your money http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Pirates&Nomads links are below.

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

AIC is IMHO the best mod for solo play.
This is why I think so:

It is indeed not easy to mod SE AI. One of the reasons is the way AI calculates how many ships to build. It is primarily based on the number of colonies (with some minimum number reserved). The computer bonus does not come directly into account. If for example AI is programmed to build a cruiser per every two planets and it has 100 planets, it will build 50 ships no matter what (if it has enough resources of course). But the same 100 planets produce 5 times more resources if AI has bonus ! So, what should Ai modder do ? Make AI build a lot of ships for high bonus game and go broke in no-bonus game ? Or be safe and let AI underperform at high bonus but not get bankrupt in low-income game ? As it is, there is no way to make different AI files for different bonus games and let AI automatically decide what set to use. SE AI files must be universal, which automatically means underachivement in high bonus games. This is exactly what you are complaing about - AI does not build enough mean ships. In fact, one can relatively easy mod AI to work much better than now in high-bonus games, but it will not do any good at weeker settings !

John Sullivan decided to solve this dilemma by modding AIC in a way AI has a bonus even in no-bonus game. It is always on steroids and extra AI bonuses are only for extra enjoinment http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[ June 02, 2003, 00:16: Message edited by: oleg ]

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

What Oleg said, and in the settings use an small quadrant, with 4 AI races ( so you don't have to scroll in the diplomacy window http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif ) dificulty Hard, AI bonus in medium.
Don't use neutrals, they are trouble to the AI and a bonus to you.
Chose the AI races manually, so you make sure you don't get any "friendly" AI, like the Cue Cappa or the Toltayan.
The AI always fight better on small quadrants.

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

I'll give AIC a shot, thanks for the advice. And thanks for the tip on small quadrants, that had not occurred to me.

Sockum

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

Don't let them give you a false impression. AIC is not the only good SP mod. Make sure to give P&N a shot too. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

http://astmod.com A good star trek based mod.

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">In some respect, P&N is very close to AIC : both let you handicap yourself by selecting humans only tech area : pirates or nomads in P&N and "humans only tech." in AIC. Thus you can have stronger AI players even without resorting to AI bonuses. In other mods the playing field is level : humans can have everything AI have.

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

In AI Campaign the AI acts and plays as most Human Players I have played against http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

This is the best game I have to play Solo that is also Multiplayer http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[ June 05, 2003, 01:30: Message edited by: QBrigid ]

Re: Best Mods & settings for single-player game?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Aloofi, in general this may be true however, in AIC this will yield.

In small Quadrants with many AI, the AI will soon be crowded and all but the most Serine may decide for the expansion fight. It may be best to keep the AI players down (1 per 4-6 Systems), and not to play with any AI bonus in this style game of AIC.

Neutrals for the most part are always good http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
After they become warm to you offer a trade of 50k of resources, Comm Link even your Colonizer Tech, for their Colonizer Tech http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Most Neutrals are great for Trade Agreements and refueling, not to mention somebody to pick when the time suits you http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

For your first AIC game:
Play a Standard default Setup.
You may want a Medium or Large Default top Map at first.
With Low to Medium AI Player Count.
Low to Medium AI Difficulty selection.
Absolutly NONE in Computer BONUS.

In the Advanced Traits when you Edit your Race, you are Required to choose the *top HUMAN Trait* and then please take the FREE options of 1 and 2 as well as any other choices you may want.

Please, further take any or ALL the FREE MP Handicapping choices to help you build the Empire you are comfortable with. The AI does not mind, so don't you http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

PLEASE NOTE: The ending AI Traits are reserved for the AI, and will break your game if you choose any inadvertently.

~

Start building a Scout or two, a few BSY Colonizers etc.
Like GLV indicated, you will need many star liners.

If you find you are neighbors with an Aggressive race, be prepared http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Important starting researches are, Ship Construction 2 and 3.
Military Science for Point Defence.
Construction so the Colonies will build with further designs.
Propulsion 2 is good for the Scouts to install efficient engines.
Ship Yard Techs for faster build rates if you are not Temporal Race.

Any research path is fine, above are just a few absolutely needed base line Techs, in AIC.

In regards to the Best overall Race Package in AIC, the choice may arguably be the Crystallurgy Racial Trait then the Temporal Race.

Organics as expected, will give you a fine war footing. Also, there are abondent organic resource in AIC for the even the most rapacious of the Organic Species http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

You may also find that the AI in AIC is very interactive http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

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May I recommend you veiw Malfadors Home Page MOD LIST, for a good assortment of most MODS.

LINK BELOW
MM MOD LIST

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[ June 06, 2003, 04:01: Message edited by: JLS ]