AI Players and (lack of) Research

[Talenn]

Hi all,

Ok, I've just finished my 5th game. Well, finished it as far as the game would have been remotely interesting...nothing left but a few hours of mop-up.

Overall I greatly enjoy the game in the early stages but it quickly becomes far too easy in the later stages. I find that the AI has not the slightest chance from about the midgame on. Most of the time it is doing well if it manages to bring down one of my ships.

The Last 2 games I played I put the 'view all scores' on so I could track what the AI was doing. It seems that the AI does not favor research facilities for whatever reason. In all of my games the AI players lagged considerably behind in Research Point. When I had 16000, the next highest was 4000. This has a tremendous mushrooming effect on the game that quickly leads to a blowout.

For the record, I am letting it pick its own races etc. They are all stock AI players on the Hard Difficulty, no Computer Bonus (yet).

Last item: Many of the things on the CD Manual dont tell you anything. Items like 'Computer Player Difficulty'...the manual states something to effect of 'controls computer player difficulty level'...REALLY?!?! Wouldnt have guessed...but HOW does it do it? Does it give it cheats? Does it have more info? Does it simply play a tighter game? Same with 'Computer Player Bonus'...what does it actually do?

Please note that I am not really complaining, but even the CD manual is REALLY short info. Most things are like above. It tells you what the BUTTON does, but not the actual effects of the setting. Whats the point of that? Any chance of a more comprehensive manual in the future? If not, well, trial and error has never killed me in the past (yet).

Thanx,
Talenn

[Baron Munchausen]

This can be changed, though. You can edit the AI control files to make it place more emphasis on research. There is the risk, though, that if you bump research up too much it will not build enough other things, like mineral extraction facilities, and you'll still be able to beat it too easily. Let's face it, an "AI" with current computer technology is just not smart enough to handle a game as complex as SE IV at anything like the same competancy that a human can. <shrug>

[Talenn]

Baron:

True enough on the editing. I havent ventured into the AI scripting yet. I dont feel like I have a solid enough handle on the mechanics to start toying with the AI, yet.

Regarding AIs in general...well, I definately agree that they cant compete with Humans. BUT SE3 seemed to put up a better fight when it came to research and production. Sure, it lacked overall STRATEGY and could be beaten 'on the field', but its build up seemed comparable to a human player at times. I havent had the same results in SE4 yet. Every game has followed the same progression unless I've been forced into early war before I can easily out-tech the AI. Even at that, I easily pass the other AI players once I've dealt with my early war.

Anyone have yet to see the AI truly try and keep up on research points?

Thanx,
Talenn

[Instar]

The computer does not cheat at all. Unless you purposely give it a bonus.

[Arralen]

quote:

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Originally posted by Talenn:
Anyone have yet to see the AI truly try and keep up on research points?

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Yeap - demo Version .99 (from patches - this seems to make a difference );

In 1 of 4 games, 1 of 7 AI put really massive effort into research .. but as I started with "Hydrogen/Gas/Bio", I was in the lead all the time nevertheless

Arralen

[henk brouwer]

I had a game were I started with rock/CO2 and begun in the same system as the Eeee (gas/CO2). we started with low tech 3 planets, on turn 5 the Eee had constructed their first cruiser(!!!) only researching ship building level 3 took me 5 turns (not researching anything else)I did give the computer a high bonus though.

( I was lucky, I managed to defeat the Eee by trowing plague bombs on their worlds, they couldn't find one of my colonies)

[Tomgs]

I have started giving the AI a bonus and it does help, you can really tell a difference even with a small bonus. The AI seems to research point defences to stop the early "missle rush" strategy and they do seem to be able to get higher tech levels in shipbuilding earlier than I do. They also seem to protect their home planets a bit better, I was in one protracted battle on a homeworld that had 10 medium and 16 small weapon platforms that between them had 80 plasma missles and 10 point defences. That really makes it hard to get close enough to the planet to take out those WPs. This was only 4 years into the game (40 turns) so it was still fairly early.

[Talenn]

I've also finally been able to go through the AI Facilities file and alter a bit to encourage more research. Coupled with a small AI player bonus its finally starting to do well in some situations.

Now if I could figure out how to make the AI players more aggressive and less likely to be 'treaty happy'...

Talenn

[Seawolf]

FYI

AI is being constently tweaked. Expect it to get better and better.

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Seawolf on the prowl

[Arralen]

quote:

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Originally posted by Seawolf:
FYI
AI is being constently tweaked. Expect it to get better and better.

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Getting worse would be real difficult, wouldn't it ? ?

Arralen