The AI Pretender design is insane!

[PyroStock]

Loren said:
When it's got gobs of points to spend it should put more into scales!

Agreed.

I have an AI as EA Argatha, which is a cold blooded nation, that took Cold2 instead of Heat0to3. I might expect such silliness from Easy AI, but not Very Difficult or Impossible.

[iceboy]

I wish we could design the AI Pretends that we will face!

[Zeldor]

But you can. Just set him as human and switch to AI on turn 1.

[llamabeast]

You can also put designed pretenders in at the start using map editing. I don't know much about this, but other people know lots.

[iceboy]

How do you switch all the players to AI once the game has started?

[Zeldor]

Options -> Become computer controlled

Though I don't know what level it sets at and if you can change it.

[Saulot]

It sets it to default AI. That is, neither aggressive nor defensive, and with no bonuses.

[Zonso]

Yes I tried setting up the AI myself one game and then switching it to computer. While the self-destructive scales were absent so were any bonuses it seems, and the AI was really inadequate. I aborted the game and effort.

I am really intrigued by adjusting the map itself by placing the Pretenders and Scales manually. I read the modding guide but I guess I really am too old! It seems woefully incomplete to me and I don't even know where to begin. Hasn't anybody modded the map files as suggested here by NTJedi and Twan among others? Where can I download them? Or can anyone post a complete example as a guide to copy and adjust?

Confused.

[NTJedi]

PyroStock said:

Agreed.

I have an AI as EA Argatha, which is a cold blooded nation, that took Cold2 instead of Heat0to3. I might expect such silliness from Easy AI, but not Very Difficult or Impossible.

Very true... the best help an AI can recieve are strong positive scales which can be done by editing the .map file. Inside the Dominions doc folder is a PDF which explains how to edit the .map file.

[Twan]

Personnally when I buff AIs I use a mod to give them researchbonus on an immobile pretender or recuperation+immortality on a combat chassis + I set the god with max dominion and crazy scales.

And I only give them high earth magic (eventually other paths but with low levels only), so the AIs will only cast global without drawbacks for them (riches from beneath, mechanical militia, earth blood deep well...). Giving high water, air or death may be ultra detrimental to an AI (ex : Man casting eternal storm and wasting the archers, or a sea nation trapping its troops with "Sea of Ice" + all high death AIs tend to cast "Burden of Time" and "Utterdark").

Ie :

Mod

#newmonster 2800
#copystats 158
#name "AI Oracle"
#researchbonus 30
#end

#newmonster 2801
#copystats 156
#name "AI Cyclops"
#immortal
#regeneration 10
#heal
#end

Map
#god x "AI Oracle" (or "AI Cyclops")
#dominionstr 10
#mag_earth 10
#scale_chaos -3
#scale_lazy -3
#scale_unmagic -3
#end