AI trading

[Q]

While it may be very difficult to let the AI trade reasonably things like technologies, ships or planets, I believe the trade of resources could be improved without too much hard coded programming:
The AI should accept a resource trade only if he has enough (e.g. more than 80% of the maximum storage capacity) of the resources demanded and little (e.g. less than 50% of the maximum storage capacity) of the resources offered. On the other hand he should actively propose trades with resources that he needs in exchange to resources that he has in abundance.
If this could be realized the AI would certainly get stronger and trades would be more fun. Also in the long term you could modify the resource requirements for the special technology components, so that e.g. organic technology races would need more organic resources than minerals and therefore a need for trade would be established.


[This message has been edited by Q (edited 31 May 2001).]

[Matryx]

Sounds like an excellent idea.
Also, maybe writing in deceitful trading ideas as well (if not too difficult) so you never know when to accept trades from the AI (just like a human player)

[Edit: decided an example would be good here]

For example, when trading ships with people, you rarely know what you're getting... they could strip the ship before you trade or it might even be in a black-hole system. Perhaps the AI could be written to emulate this in some way?

Matryx

[This message has been edited by Matryx (edited 31 May 2001).]

[henk brouwer]

quote:

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Originally posted by Matryx:
Sounds like an excellent idea.
Also, maybe writing in deceitful trading ideas as well (if not too difficult) so you never know when to accept trades from the AI (just like a human player)

[Edit: decided an example would be good here]

For example, when trading ships with people, you rarely know what you're getting... they could strip the ship before you trade or it might even be in a black-hole system. Perhaps the AI could be written to emulate this in some way?

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The AI already does that, it trades ships wich are nearly destroyed, and planets that have no population or have plagues. actually, all of the three times I traded with the AI he somehow plays one of these nasty tricks. so I stopped trading....

[Q]

Matryx wrote: "For example, when trading ships with people, you rarely know what you're getting... they could strip the ship before you trade or it might even be in a black-hole system. Perhaps the AI could be written to emulate this in some way?"

That sound good for the Ferengi!

I see only one general problem: you as human player would soon realize, that these trades are bad and refuse them (see post of henk brouwer!). So you would have to mix them with decent trade proposals and that might get quite complicated for the AI: If you trade a ship that ran out of fuel in a black hole system it's excellent for the proposing AI, but if you trade the same ship outside the black hole system and make it a fair trade then the other side (especially if human) might benefit much more than the proposing AI (technology levels e.g. colonizing).

[This message has been edited by Q (edited 31 May 2001).]

[Taqwus]

It should depend on whether the AI is interested in repeat business. If it's an ally, wants to *stay* that way, and can figure that there's ample opportunity for mutually beneficial trades to come -- then it probably shouldn't be shafting you.

OTOH, if it *doesn't* need your support as a returning customer... time to break out the lemons. And if you have a bad reputation with it, perhaps it should be more distrustful.


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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

In my really big game the Ukra-Tal (turn 18-19)wanted a military alliance. I was about to hit accept when I recalled the beating they are taking from the Krill who use torpedos. Also I wanted their ice colony, and I figured they needed organics for their weapons. I was 1/4 full radioactives and running a deficit but half full organics running a surplus. So I offered to trade them my (ruins tech) gas colony plus point defence V plus 200k organics and military alliance in exchange for ice colony and 200k radioactives. They accepted! I suppose I could have replayed until I found the minimum trade but that was good enough for me....

If you refuse a treaty there is a penalty but I presume if you offer a counter proposal trade that includes the requested alliance and the AI turns it down there should be no penalty. So ask for the moon to avoid treaties greater than TR. Does anybody know how many points for trading purposes the MA was worth in my trade above ?