[Gandalf Parker]

However, the AI is much better than Dom3. Instead of one generic AI for all nations, these are separate and play specific to that nation. A marked improvement.

Ive been in debates in the AI forums of dev sites about smart vs cheats. Levels of smart AI are hard to envision. That would be taking the best you have, and chopping it up to make it dumber. Its going to be awhile before the upper level of that would be a better-than-human player so that the range extends below AND above the average human player. The best that has been achieved in games has been randomly chosen different AIs (aggressive, defensive, medium) which Dom3 had. Its possible with one AI (such as games with only one opponent to write the AI for). To mix different AI styles (defensive, research, turtle, expansion, aggressive, horde) within the AIs logic for each nation, would probably move a games release at least a year further IMHO
But it would be nice