Newbie Questions (on the AI)

[mlepinski]

Greetings,

I've fooled around with the demo a bit and just ordered the full game (with rush delivery!). I must say that as a strategy game fan who has wasted untold sums of money on strategy games over the years (I still can't believe I shelled out 50 bucks for Heroes of Might and Magic IV) I'm really impressed with what I've seen of Dom-2 so far. It seems the game is strategically deep, has lots of replayability, designed with multiplayer in mind and (judging by recent Posts on 2.08) well supported by the developers. (All of these things seem to be rare commodities in strategy games these days).

In any case, I was wondering if I could get an honest assessment of the game's AI. I've seen brief references in this forum to the AI (both that it sucks and that's it's pretty darn good) but nothing too specific. (If I'm missing a good AI discussion thread, please let me know). I realize that the best way to play is multiplayer and I hope to eventually have some of my friends playing the game, but realistically, in the short term, all of my games will be single-player, so I'm wondering:

A) How does the AI compare to AI's in other strategy games?
B) How long does one have to play the game before being able to beat the AI consistently?
C) When playing multiplayer with a small number of people, is it worth putting in AI players to fill up the game?
D) Does the AI get tweaked in patches?
E) Are there things that one can do to make the AI more competitive? (For example, things like: play larger maps, play smaller maps, play with more players, play with fewer players, play with stronger independents, play with weaker independents, etc)

Thanks a lot,
- Matt Lepinski :->

[Tricon]

Originally posted by mlepinski:
A) How does the AI compare to AI's in other strategy games?
B) How long does one have to play the game before being able to beat the AI consistently?
C) When playing multiplayer with a small number of people, is it worth putting in AI players to fill up the game?
D) Does the AI get tweaked in patches?
E) Are there things that one can do to make the AI more competitive? (For example, things like: play larger maps, play smaller maps, play with more players, play with fewer players, play with stronger independents, play with weaker independents, etc)

Thanks a lot,
- Matt Lepinski :->

Short answer, Sorry. (gotta go home now...)

First: welcome.
Now:
a) IMO it's pretty darn good
b) that depends on which nation you play, if it fits your style, how many opponents etc. In short :you'll have to find out for yourself.
c)IMO definately (beware of Ermor, as it tends to chew out the other AI's)
d) seems like it (I'm rather new myself)
e) yup you mentioned a few ideas yourself


The AI is competative and better then most fantasy strategy games. The game is so deep that you'll spend a LOT! of time exploring your options/new strategies. If people moan about certain aspects of the AI it is usually about something minor.... .

You'll get other opinions soon. Gotta go.

[Arryn]

Originally posted by mlepinski:
A) How does the AI compare to AI's in other strategy games?
B) How long does one have to play the game before being able to beat the AI consistently?
C) When playing multiplayer with a small number of people, is it worth putting in AI players to fill up the game?
D) Does the AI get tweaked in patches?
E) Are there things that one can do to make the AI more competitive? (For example, things like: play larger maps, play smaller maps, play with more players, play with fewer players, play with stronger independents, play with weaker independents, etc)

A.) at least as good as Warlords 3 or Age of Wonders 2. IMO, better.

B.) Depends on the player.

C.) No.

D.) Yes.

E.) Yes. I find that larger maps, and higher indy strength helps. The indy strength slows me down, which helps the AIs.

[fahdiz]

I'm very new to the game as well, and it always kind of startles me where I read about someone from this forum having the game for a couple of weeks and finding no challenge whatsoever in the AI. I figure those people must either be 1) lying; 2) incredibly lucky, or; 3) just so intrinsically good at strategy games that no SP game on the market would provide them any competition.

In my (very limited) opinion, I believe the AI is quite good. Sometimes it really surprises me. I am sure it has exploitable weaknesses, and that I will eventually discover them - but somehow I can't imagine that after *discovering* the weaknesses, I'll always be *prepared* to exploit them, since there's a lot of randomization thrown into the mix, especially on maps without fixed starting positions.

I've seen veteran players (who would probably utterly destroy me in multiplayer) posting on this forum who say that a continent full of Impossible AIs gives them a challenge, so that's good enough for me.

EDIT (for typos, poor wording, and grammar.)

[ February 18, 2004, 22:49: Message edited by: fahdiz ]

[Arryn]

Once you find that you can consistently beat the AI almost every time (barring bad random events that may cripple you early on) with a given nation, then it's time to switch and try some other nation. Before you can master all 17 nations, and the many themes, there'll be new mods and patches that will alter the game sufficiently for you to have to try to re-master it all over again. In short, anyone who claims to be an expert is either cheating vs. the AI, or lying. There aren't enough hours in a week to do the amount of gaming they'd need to do.

[fahdiz]

Originally posted by Arryn:
Once you find that you can consistently beat the AI almost every time (barring bad random events that may cripple you early on) with a given nation, then it's time to switch and try some other nation. Before you can master all 17 nations, and the many themes, there'll be new mods and patches that will alter the game sufficiently for you to have to try to re-master it all over again. In short, anyone who claims to be an expert is either cheating vs. the AI, or lying. There aren't enough hours in a week to do the amount of gaming they'd need to do.

My problem is that nations in Dom II are just like Lays' Potato Chips..."you can't eat just one." I find myself trying new nations all the time - practically with each game. Maybe I'm not systematic nor focused enough, and maybe that's why it will probably take me longer to gain expertise.

But I'm having fun.