[Roanon]

I agree, Geo, but only partially. Being a programmer myself, I know how difficult it would be to programm a real AI. To be as creative as a human, as resourceful, considering all options and possible strategies derived from whole sets of options, thinking ahead a few turns and choose the best way to act for multiple units as a strong, simultaneously striking force, persuing a final goal consisting of numerous single targets and objectives - impossible with the technology at hands right now.

AI able to ACT like a human - ok, lets put that aside. But what I, too, consider as "not doing a job" is really *stupid* AI that does not even know how to REACT properly. There are a lot of simple problems - own fleet out of supply, enemy fleet near own planet, enemy planet in friendly system, etc - that the current AI has no real Algorithm for to cope with. Instead, it seems that each turn each fleet decides anew what to do, independent of all other fleet actions, unaware of longtime major problems and the overall global situation but reacting to nearby local events happening Last turn, mixed with a good shot of the random generator. This could have been done better in nearly all games I know. Though this also is not simple - for small companies like MM it might just be too expensive, but I cannot accept excuses like this from big companies obviously spending like 100 times more money on graphics and design than on AI programming.

Yes, it might be possible to play a challenging game vs. the AI. But this is always happening like an elderly grandpa engaging in hand-to-hand combat against a young strong brutish bully - and winning finally. Looks challenging, is not. And advices like "if you want it more interesting, tie the grandpa one hand on the back and blindfold him" may sound interesting, but he still is winning, and this just makes it more ridiculous.

Thank god (and Geo!) for PBW !!!