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

[Gandalf Parker]

I think this might be the best direction to go. Multiple personalities written by the programmers is probably a faster action than externalized scripting for Users. Possibly even faster than improving the AI thinking of the game in general.

One big advantage is that the "wrong decisions" of the AI player can be minimalized by not allowing it to go too far in a particular direction. And the challenge can be improved by having the AI player change its tactics even if the tactics it switches to is not a particularly good one.

In this situation even a bad tactic has an advantage of being a surprise. Such as, Arcos might be given a preference for using the "build a mage then spend the rest on elite troops" style. The "buy lots of cheap units and rush outward until they are all dead" strategy would be bad for them. However, pursuing the mage-research thing wouldnt be good to do TOO much of and having a 5-turn run of barbarian horde tactics can be a good thing for them to do occasionally. On the other hand Ermor might be better with a preference for horde and an ocassional mage/research shift.

So the disadvantages of any strategy can be lessened by shfting to another for short periods without having to try and come up with perfect smart decision-making for the AI. Probably not what you wanted this to do. I know it can be done better. Im just pointing out a possible advantage.

[ November 05, 2003, 17:11: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]