Question on refusing Treaties.

[Talenn]

Mithras:

Yes, that is the 'Mega Evil AI' kicking in. It is set for the 500 mark in your score. All AI players will hate you, but I've found that there is usually not a lot that they can do at that point. Its just mop up anyways in my games.

What I am looking for is instances earlier in the game where the AI is the aggressor for seemingly little or no reason...ie a THREAT.

Thanx though, at least we know at SOME point, the AI will fight back.

Talenn

[Ebonyknight]

FWIW, the AI always gets mad at me after a year or two. But then again...I don't really know why. I do refuse a treaty now and again (which I am sure annoys them) and never ignore them. Maybe that is why I have such a hard time.

Most of the time I play (I have yet to complete a game) the AI eventually declare war after the first year or two of contact. What am I doing that ya'll aren't? I always seem to piss off the computer and you guys always are upset at the peace. Ironic.

All I do is build my fleet, and increase the population, but I have been recently playing with small galaxy, medium to low players and low player difficulty. Pretty soon the AI goes ballistic and the game drags on in stalemate. I end up bottled inside my own systems too busy fending off attacks to expand or attack them.

Oh, well...the grass is greener...

[Shepherd]

If you are looking for a game where the AI is a threat, check the 'Team Mode' box in the game setup. That makes all computer players irrevocably hate all human players...and you'll have a galaxy at constant war.

[Taqwus]

Ebonyknight -- try playing in a Large universe instead. When an AI feels it has sufficient lebensraum it may be less belligerent; perhaps the galaxy is so small that they feel they have to wipe you out in order to have room in which to grow.

I normally play Large, and until I hit 'MegaEvilEmpire' status, most AIs haven't been *that* quick to anger without provocation.

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

[Ebonyknight]

Maybe you should try it out and see if makes the AI as aggressive as you want it.

I know that even with a three good planet head start, I can only hold them off. By the time I start taking systems, it's too frustrating and I spend so much time producing ships for defense, that my R+D falls behind. With such a limited amount of planets, you won't have to worry about out researching the AI, I'll bet you will have a challenge just keeping up.

It is a VERY similar experience to the island hopping campaign the US Marines did in WWII. It is very difficult to dig the enemy out of a system, then keep it. As soon as I would take a system, the AI would push me out or I would have to abandon it to get my battle fleet repaired (hanging around with a damaged fleet will get your *** kicked on a small board). Many a crippled ship was left floating to be later destroyed by the enemy. I even returned to the system after limping home and repairing to be greeted by a minefield. A very surprisingly, unplesant surprise.

Maybe you guys should stop playing on YOUR terms and see if you can play on it's terms. The AI seems to like the small Boards. The medium was okay, but it got a little tedious by the time I met up with them. Large Boards in any 4X games, give us anal retentive humans too much time to plot.

I hear so much "back off and let me build up my empire", then challenge me AI. Then you are dissapointed when it can't. I like the small Boards and apparently so does the AI. You want an "aggressive" AI, I just gave you the formula. It isn't so much a plea for help as it is an argument for masochism. Try it, I am sure you will like it.

[Talenn]

Ebonyknight:

Oh yes, the Small Map is far more interesting against the AI. I play it on Small, with Max Number of AI players. I dont add in the Neutrals on Small anymore as I found that it tended to stifle the AI players expansion too much.

They would end up with too few planets colonized and this led to unbalanced Econs that hampered their ship production. I think the Neutrals work out better on the Medium+ maps.

And yes, the AI can be pretty bloodthirsty in the opening stages of the game. I think there is a negative modifier to its treaty acceptance logic for the first 50 turns or so. On a small map, that can seem like forever when you are engaged in an Escort and Frigate war from about turn 5.

Also, if you give it the 'Low Bonus' it can definately outproduce you in the early stages and everything else being equal, numbers will tell. Its not entirely fair to a HUMAN player in these early stages, but it sure does make it tense. Also, there is a pretty large feeling of accomplishment when you finally DO beat it down and stomp their Homeworld. Of course just about that time, another AI race come waltzing in with Tech that is MILES ahead of your cuz all its been doing is expanding while you've been fighting for your life!

But overall, I think this makes for a far better game than the typical 'build until I'm ready to come out and play' that tends to happen on the larger maps.

Talenn

[Psitticine]

I also enjoy the small map games. Aside from all the excellent points y'all have made, I also find it makes each and every planet worth something. Even those tiny domed worlds can be important refuelling points.

It also adds spice to the stellar manipulation and planet utilization fields. When there aren't so dozens and dozens of systems to choose from, you need to pay more attention towards improving what you've got!