[Gandalf Parker]

One of the biggest problems with creating diplomacy AI is giving the AI time to think, and a memory. Luckily this being mainly a PBEM game, we have some room to do with but Im not sure how much of that "twirling block" the Dom players would put up with. I suppose if diplomacy had a game switch for having it skip that part of the "thinking" process then we would have some more room to play.

Lets see, simple memory would be a variable for each race. Simple storage would be a range of some variable of 8 such as 8, 16, 64, or 256. Lets say 256. OK obviously the extremes would be something like 1is jihad, total concentration toward destruction and sending everything to that border. 255 would be total friendship, we are as one nation what is mine is yours. At 100 a nation is attackable. At 200 a nation is giftable.

For killing my pretender -200
for killing my prophet -100
for killing my commander -10
for taking a province -20
for dominion overlap -20? maybe a formula?

For giving me a magic item (questionable use there) +20
for giving me gold (cant go wrong here) 10+donation/10? max 100? cant make it too easy to buy a 256 rating
for giving me gems 10+donation/10? max 100?

Army size near me -army-size/50?
every province neighboring me with only defence +20

Now comes the tricky part. As one example, to give troop movement memory means remembering things.
for suddenly increasing army size on my border -50
for decreasing the army size on my border +20
but this means they must remember the army sizes from Last turn. The AI can do specific +/- based on what it sees. I dont think it actually "sees" troop movement. The change is only visible if it "remembers" what was there before. That means it must be stored in a file? I dont think that would be good for the game and probably not a fast add either.

[ October 17, 2003, 15:13: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]