Well, I'm through with the game

[quantum_mechani]

AstralWanderer said:
Hmph...I only do SP since my gaming habits are sporadic enough to rule out MP, so is there any possibility to mod a better AI?

Edratman said:I am a SP player because I am sure that I would not be able to fulfill my obligations to a MP game.

Just pointing out, long term games are not the only kinds of MP games. Sounds like one sitting games would fit your schedules better.

And no, it is not currently possible (or likely in the future), to have a moddable AI.

[NTJedi]

quantum_mechani said:
And no, it is not currently possible (or likely in the future), to have a moddable AI.

Unfortunately this is true for Dominions_3.

Some moddable AI is available for recent games such as Neverwinter Nights(RPG) and for older games such as Warcraft_2(RTS)... both were successful and provided great new gameplay. I believe Age_of_Empires_2 also had some moddable AI options.

Some other good news is I emailed Stardock with a list of suggestions for their upcoming fantasy TBS game and they responded saying all my suggestions were already working or are planned to be implemented which includes modifying the AI via scripts.

[HoneyBadger]

I would think the simplest solution to most of the really severe AI problems would be the option to "blankscreen" the map (you'd click on a button that causes the whole map to appear blank except for your home province, and it couldn't be undone until the next turn) before the game starts, so that you could set up the computer's Pretenders, and if you wish, take their first turn for them, without also learning exactly where on the map they are. Ofcourse, the Devs would have to get involved to implement something like this.

Another way around the AI limitations would be if there could be AI-only heroes, which would consist of SC-built national units/summons, and maybe the AI's normal heroes could come pre-built as well, with suitable magic items.

Maybe a system could even be implemented whereby, progressively as the AI recruits it's most powerful units, those units get better equipment for free. Example: The first 5 Niefel Jarls the AI recruits have 0 extra equipment, but the 6th through 8th starts with weightless scalemail and an ice sword, and the 9th-11th gets copper plate, fear helmet, and sword of quickness. 12 and up get a frost brand, copper plate, ring of regeneration, amulet
of missle protection, and fear helmet.

This could be simulated a bit by modders if each nation had an AI version that included units already equipped as thugs and SCs.

Similar things could be done to the magic system, getting rid of spells the AI wouldn't be able to easily implement, and making improved spells that only the AI can use.

Also, if certain units could be "turned off" to the AI, so the AI couldn't recruit them, like various poor choice independents and national recruits, that would help as well.

I have no idea how difficult these would be to code, ofcourse, if the Devs got involved, but I've tried to come up with things that wouldn't be too excruciating to implement.

I love SP by the way. I don't play Dominions to win the game, I play it to pique my imagination. Most of the game for me is the role-playing that goes on inside my head, modding, and enjoying the mods other people create.

[jscott]

Another solution would be for the developers to just take a few moments and stop the AI from randomly picking its scales.

That's what they are doing people, they are randomly picking their scales!

That is ridiculous to pass off as AI for a single player game.

I understand that many of you play MP and believe the game is MP only. Why bother posting in a thread like this if that's what you believe? Some of us will never play the multiplayer. That's just a fact. I never will.

What I would like, though, is for the SP to not insult my intelligent by implementing sloppy design that masquerades like its an actual single player opponent. Random decision making is not AI. Its not a single player opponent. Its just a sign of abject laziness. If you are going to do that, then simply don't have a SP component at all and all confusion over this issue will be over.

Random scales!? That's just absurd.

And that's why Dominions 3 ultimately earns a thumbs down from me and why I won't be playing it going forward.

[moderation]

Hmm, as as pretender design goes, I think you could set up your AI opponent as a Human initially, and then design decent scales and a pretender for them, then switch them to AI. However, I don't think the game lets you choose what type of AI you could (which would be a nice feature).

For the hardcore fans, if you could tell the AI to choose from a list of pretender gods that you have designed, this could make things more challenging. Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that they would follow the optimal research paths. If you had an option to set research priorities for them, this could help.

Finally, the option to pop switch an AI player back to a human for a few turns to correct it's mistakes could be interesting. Essentially, you'd be playing against yourself, with the AI filling in some of the time, but it could be a bit more challenging. Does anyone know why there isn't an option to switch an AI back to a human? I know I would find this useful for testing purposes at least, and maybe other people would as well. Well, that's my two gold pieces anyway.

[DonCorazon]

jscott said:

I understand that many of you play MP and believe the game is MP only. Why bother posting in a thread like this if that's what you believe? Some of us will never play the multiplayer. That's just a fact. I never will.

Well I was trying to share my own positive experience with MP since at one time I only bought and played games for SP, thinking that such a perspective might be useful to you. I see that, given your response, I was wasting of my time.

I would also ask, if as you say, you are through with the game, why bother posting here as well?

[Kristoffer O]

The random scales is intentional. The AI is supposed to play a pretending god with an effect on his lands. It is not supposed to be a god trying to maximize the outcome of his subjects lands. So should you if you play SP

I'm not sure, but thought that SP players were less concerned with beating their opponent and more into role-playing. If you are a role-player both you and your enemies should take scales according to your own whim. If the AI is playing with death scales it is your task to rid the world of him. It might also be easier to do than defeat the other pretender, a fertility god that has all his population with him in an orderly and growing nation.

I know that there are players that try to find strategically worthy opponents in SP games, but I believed, perhaps wrongly, that the SP community was more concerned with exploration and roleplaying and less with finding strong and weak strategies and ways to defeat an opponent efficiently.

[Zeldor]

Kristoffer O:

Maybe it is because you made strategy game, not RPG? At least higher difficulty levels should be somewhat challeging for strategy enthusiasts.

[LDiCesare]

I'm probably a poor player, but playing on a 125 provinces wrapparound map against 10 mighty ai's is still a challenge for me. Although it may depend on which nation I pick.

[Edi]

The forum population here is heavily skewed toward the multiplayer aspect and a lot of people seem to try to maximize the effectiveness of their nations. I like to roleplay, for example.

The problem with the AI is not that it takes some bad scales, but that it is not uncommon to see a Death 3, Turmoil 3, Misfortune 3 combo and at that point you can generally walk all over the AI with both hands tied behind your back. On the other hand, if you like playing a hard research game and you run into an impossible AI that picked good scales, there's a real chance of being overrun unless you can hold it off at a chokepoint.

Especially with the Better Independents mod, because then the AI will not be able to recruit crap chaff. If it has indies, it'll be crossbowmen, heavy infantry and heavy cavalry with some militia, but mostly national units, heavy infantry and the decent light infantry and crossbows in the MA and LA.