Dominions 2. AI. Suggestions, that how to fix it.

Mortifer · #1 November 2nd, 2003, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nerfix:

quote:
Originally posted by Aristoteles:
We have lot of problems with the strategic AI.

My list about the strat. AI problems:

1. The AI is massing weak troops
2. The AI wont protect his pretender/commanders/priests/mages
3. The AI wont build forts
4. The AI's battlefield tactics could be better
5. The AI is making very odd things. IE. wandering around with his pretender alone etc.
6. The AI won't stay in a province, it is always moving his armies.
7. The AI won't make complex strategic maneuvers. IE. Making a focused attack against a province.
8. The AI won't equip his supercombatants..at least I've never seen that in the demo.

(((((Feel free to add more, please continue with number 9.)))))))

1.Is true, but some nations like Mictlan just don't have heavy troops.
2.As paradoxal this is, i have seen indies protecting their commanders, but AI doesn't seem to protect it's commanders...
3.The forts are pretty expensive though... I haven't built a single fort in the demo... But AI doesn't seem to build them.
4.Yup.
5.Hey, i wander alone with my pretender too... Are you sure the pretender wasn't searching for magic sites? Or can the AI do that?
6.I noticed that too.
7.From multiple directions? Can you give any other examples?
8.The doesn't seem to be equiping commanders at all.

I agree with Aristoteles. These are the {major?) weaknesses of the AI. As I've said in the prev. topic, if these things will be fixed/updated, we won't have problems with the AI.

Nerfix · #2 November 2nd, 2003, 05:02 PM

I'm not sure about this, but anyway:

9)The AI builds too much temples

The AI could be in perpetual broke, explaining the cheap units and lack of forts, because a temple costs 200 gold and there could be better uses for the money.

Not that AI shouldn't build temples, it just seems to build too much of them.

[ November 02, 2003, 15:02: Message edited by: Nerfix ]

Gandalf Parker · #3 November 2nd, 2003, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nerfix:
I'm not sure about this, but anyway:

9)The AI builds too much temples
The AI could be in perpetual broke, explaining the cheap units and lack of forts, because a temple costs 200 gold and there could be better uses for the money.
Not that AI shouldn't build temples, it just seems to build too much of them.

Depends on the AI. Some AI's would be incredibly stupid not to build temples since its their big strong point. Also unless its changed in Dom2 not all AI's have to spend 200 for a temple. Some spent only 100 per temple.

Nerfix · #4 November 2nd, 2003, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:

quote:
Originally posted by Nerfix:
I'm not sure about this, but anyway:

9)The AI builds too much temples
The AI could be in perpetual broke, explaining the cheap units and lack of forts, because a temple costs 200 gold and there could be better uses for the money.
Not that AI shouldn't build temples, it just seems to build too much of them.

Depends on the AI. Some AI's would be incredibly stupid not to build temples since its their big strong point. Also unless its changed in Dom2 not all AI's have to spend 200 for a temple. Some spent only 100 per temple.

You're rigth, but i have only seen Carrion Pangaea and Man AI was quickly terminated by other AI's in my latest game.
OTOH i haven't seen Mictlan building temples, but since Mictlan's temples don't spread Dominion they don't realy need them.

Particle · #5 November 2nd, 2003, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aristoteles:
We have lot of problems with the strategic AI.

My list about the strat. AI problems:

1. The AI is massing weak troops
2. The AI wont protect his pretender/commanders/priests/mages
3. The AI wont build forts
4. The AI's battlefield tactics could be better
5. The AI is making very odd things. IE. wandering around with his pretender alone etc.
6. The AI won't stay in a province, it is always moving his armies.
7. The AI won't make complex strategic maneuvers. IE. Making a focused attack against a province.
8. The AI won't equip his supercombatants..at least I've never seen that in the demo.

Yup, I tend to agree with you on all points.
Maybe the 8. was a bit too early to mention, since the 40 turn limit demo is very short.
Well maybe not, I can fully equip a commander/pretender until turn 40...

[ November 02, 2003, 17:10: Message edited by: Particle ]

MythicalMino · #6 November 2nd, 2003, 09:30 PM

my question concerning the strategic AI is this: If it is indeed as weak as ppl are claiming it is, then what happened between Dominions 1 and dominions 2? Granted the AI in Dom1 wasn't the "end all, be all" of AI, but it was decent enough, hell, it can still give me a very big run for my money....so, what happened between the 2 games?

Something had to have happened during the final stages of development, where the beta testers couldn't have caught it. If they were saying that the ai was great, but now, completely new guys are stomping it, then something had to happen towards the end, right?

It either has to be something to do with a late-stage development code change or data change somewhere....or, the ppl that are saying that they can wipe the virtual floor with the AI are either lying about it (NOTE: I AM NOT SAYING ANYONE IS LYING, THIS IS JUST A POSSIBLE OPTION!!!!!!!!)....or, they are setting the game up strange or something along those lines....

Now, if it is indeed something went wrong in the late stages of development, then possibly IW will be able to find it easy enough....and fix it of course....

Alneyan · #7 November 2nd, 2003, 09:45 PM

My own opinion is that the current games played with the demo are limited in time, so people tend to rush the AI with full strenght, supercombattants, you name it. But the AI isn't supposed to handle such situations well, hence easier victories. Multiplayer tactics are usually not liked by the AI.

However, there are other concerns that cannot be explained this way: like the problem with unguarded Pretenders for example. But it seems like this problem is more along the lines of "Pretender forgot to seek reinforcements". I am still waiting to see what will happen without the turn limit, if late game AI armies are featuring stronger units or not. If it is the latter, I will start to be worried.

I would like a confirmation: is Dominions AI cheating? I would tend to believe it is not the case. If so, Dominions AI is really not that bad, and is one of the few AIs that does not rely on extra resources to provide a challenge. And I will be then in the side of "The AI isn't that bad, really". Finally, if you do want additional challenge, you may very well give the AI units/abilities/items and so on like someone mentioned in another thread dedicated to the AI. (If you are reading me, I am sorry, I forgot your name. You shall be called henceforth the Anonymous Poster, if you don't mind that is. *Silly me*)

Edit: it was Nagot Gick Fel in this thread , about halfway down in the page. (At the moment of the writing that is)

[ November 02, 2003, 19:47: Message edited by: Alneyan ]