Newbie Question: Neutal Races

tbontob · #1 August 17th, 2002, 01:24 AM

Yes, I think the AI is kinda lacking in that regard.

In real life, a weaker nation usually adjusts itself to the stronger nation...especially if it is receiving a benefit.

For example, if I my empire produces 3 times the resources of the neutral (say 60,000 vs 20,000)have a trade treaty with a Neutral and it reaches 20%, then the benefit I recieve is only 4,000 (20%x20,000) vs the benefit the neutal recieves of 12,000 (20%x60,000).

But it gets worse, the neutral now needs to produces less because half of its resourses come from my empire, so I eventually receive only about 1,000 while giving 12,000.

So the benefit to the stronger empire can be piddling compared to the benefit received by the neutral...yet they will always go to war...to face almost certain destruction.

Grandpa Kim · #2 August 17th, 2002, 03:36 AM

A neutral race never leaves its home system. Look at them as technically advanced but have yet to discover warp technology. And yes, they are very easy to beat. I regard them as a resource rather than an enemy.

Kim

ckotchey · #3 August 17th, 2002, 05:29 AM

So one more question then: what controls the number of neutrals present in a game? Since they seem easy targets, is it simply a fixed percentage, random, or adjusted by the difficulty level of the CPU players when setting up a game.

I also notice that the neutral races seem to have flags that are simple - of a single color. Is this a good assumption to help identify them?

Grandpa Kim · #4 August 17th, 2002, 05:57 AM

Quote:

what controls the number of neutrals present in a game?

As are many parameters, these numbers can be found in settings.txt in the data folder. In this case low is 1 to 3 neutrals, medium is 3 to 7, high is 6 to 10.

Quote:

I also notice that the neutral races seem to have flags that are simple - of a single color. Is
this a good assumption to help identify them?

Yes! A one to one correlation here.

Kim

Arkcon · #5 August 18th, 2002, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tbontob:

For example, if I my empire produces 3 times the resources of the neutral (say 60,000 vs 20,000)have a trade treaty with a Neutral and it reaches 20%, then the benefit I recieve is only 4,000 (20%x20,000) vs the benefit the neutal recieves of 12,000 (20%x60,000).

Hmm ... as I understood the manual, the trade alliance worked differently. You got 20 % of YOUR production. It wasn't trade with the AI per say, it's meant to reflect a boost to your production caused by the trade. I think that's how I've seen trade income reported in the empire window as well.

So in your example, the 20 % bonus would be 12,000 for you, 4,000 for the neutral.

[ August 17, 2002, 17:09: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

Arkcon · #6 August 18th, 2002, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ckotchey:
So one more question then: what controls the number of neutrals present in a game? Since they seem easy targets, is it simply a fixed percentage, random, or adjusted by the difficulty level of the CPU players when setting up a game.

I also notice that the neutral races seem to have flags that are simple - of a single color. Is this a good assumption to help identify them?

1). Well at game setup you can select few, moderate, and many AI opponents. If generate neutral empires is on, then it will generate them. I think it's locked together -- if 4 regular AI's are generated, then 4 neutrals are generated

2). For the default game, flag color may do it. But the flag can be any design for a mod race. But then, someone could make a race with a description "Psycho warrior expansionists", give them a fascinating ship set and make them a neutral.

Grandpa Kim · #7 August 17th, 2002, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Arkcon:

quote:
Originally posted by tbontob:

For example, if I my empire produces 3 times the resources of the neutral (say 60,000 vs 20,000)have a trade treaty with a Neutral and it reaches 20%, then the benefit I recieve is only 4,000 (20%x20,000) vs the benefit the neutal recieves of 12,000 (20%x60,000).

Hmm ... as I understood the manual, the trade alliance worked differently. You got 20 % of YOUR production. It wasn't trade with the AI per say, it's ment to reflect a boost to your production caused by the trade. I think that's how I've seen trade income reported in the empire window as well.

So in your example, the 20 % bonus would be 12,000 for you, 4,000 for the neutral.

Sorry Arkcon, I'm quite sure tbontob has it right. The easy proof is that the trade amounts you get from your allies vary widely. If you were getting an amount based on your own production, you would get exactly the same amount from each ally-- at least once they all reached the 20% plateau.

Kim

[ August 17, 2002, 16:17: Message edited by: Grandpakim ]