AI tech trade bug

Nitram Draw · #1 June 13th, 2001, 01:24 AM

I don't consider mothballing a cheat unless the victory conditions are based on reaching a certain score, then I would consider it lame way to win.
I usually have mothballed fleets all over my empire for defensive purposes, although unmothballing them can be painful

I find it necessary to keep lots of defensive fleets when playing against people as you never know where they will pop up!

#2 June 12th, 2001, 02:09 PM

Not to change the topic, but I just finished reading the thread "Does anyone know the formula SEIV uses to calculate score". I wanted to know how much I should allot for my starbases to avoid MEE. It turns out that score is based on one point per 100k tons built. So my base yards are only five points not six, and a starbase will be 25 points. Now here is a trick. It does not matter if the starbase is an empty shell with nothing but a Master Computer in it. So if I have all my yards build starbases, my score will jump to over 288x25+24xx points about 10 million in one turn. All but a couple races surrender. A few turns later I churn out another batch and everybody surrenders. Game over. No Challenge.
With a new patch coming out it will probably be a long time before the next one. Now would be a good time for EVERYBODY to lobby for a change of SOME kind in the score calculation to prevent dominoe surrender based on a score obtained by building shells. The formula could be just about anything besides what it is now and still improve.

I do not know if this board has a way of conducting a poll to get an opinion on the matter, but that would be the best way to lobby if such is possible. The question is simple. Do you want a change in the score calculation ? Yes or no.

#3 June 12th, 2001, 02:22 PM

It has been 40 hours and nobody claims to have found the bug, so I reported it to Malafador. I guess nobody was trying, because with all the hints it should have been easy to find. Possibly it is something peculiar about my game, the race I was trading with, or the tech exchanged. In any case it should take about five minutes to fix, so I expect it will be in the next patch. In other words, if you have been looking for it, don't bother. What I did would be a game exploit even if you knew what it was.....

Nitram Draw · #4 June 12th, 2001, 02:34 PM

There have been lots of suggestions to change what causes the AI to surrender. The one I like best is a combination of military might and economic might not strictly your score. I don't think it is high on the list to change though.
You can get around the domino surrender syndrome by changing each AI to prevent them from ever surrendering but this can make for some loooong games on large maps.

#5 June 12th, 2001, 09:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Nitram Draw:
You can get around the domino surrender syndrome by changing each AI to prevent them from ever surrendering but this can make for some loooong games on large maps.

No, I want them to surrender (when I ask) if I really have them all on the ropes. But using a trick like hollow shell starbases should not work. Perhaps the surrender to a MEE should be based on the combined might of all versus the MEE. Say they will surrender only if their combined might is one third the MEE score, rather than when their individual score falls below the threshold.

Nitram Draw · #6 June 12th, 2001, 09:25 PM

If it just took into account military might, not empty hulls etc, it would be better but I don't think it is likely to be changed.
Ideally the AI would be able to also take into account the strategic situation also when deciding when to surrender.
Just don't ask them to surrender until you've kick their butt around.

Krakenup · #7 June 12th, 2001, 10:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Nitram Draw:
Just don't ask them to surrender until you've kick their butt around.

Exactly. In a solo game, if you don't think the AI should surrender, don't ask them. Show a little restraint. In a multiplayer game, surrendering should not be allowed. It provides too much of an advantage in all areas.