AI concerns

[Master Belisarius]

Well... although I’m one of the guys that did two AI srcipts that the people consider challenging (the Aquilaeian and Pyrochette races included into the TDM), I agree with the people that said that if you want a real challenge, play against other humans…
Anyway, every time that I want a challenging game against the AI, I like settings like this:

2000 Racial Traits points
Small Galaxy (the max number of systems should be the standard: 100 systems)
4 TDM Races (usually I play against the Aquilaeian and Pyrochette + 2 random TDM… you know, I want to test my babies! hehehehe).
NEVER play with Neutral Empires (is very easy conquer these poor bugs and use their population to boost your doomed colonies).
Humans vs AIs. (I know that this setting make the political options useless… but is the best way to get a game were the AI can kick your ***!).
High AI Bonus.
All the other standard SE4 settings.
NEVER use warp openers and closers against the AI (although that with these settings, I’m sure that you will have not time to develop such technology!).

I consider myself like a good player, but with these settings, usually the AI glass my planets before I could develop my empire… of course that sometimes I had success, but the challenge was great!

In games with medium and large galaxies, usually you have more time to colonize some planets and make some defenses without interference, then, in my opinion the probabilities to have a challenging game are lesser.

[Baron Munchausen]

quote:

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Originally posted by neofit:

How will it affect the outcome if I play on a Small Quadrant instead? I am having problems remembering the next day what my cunning plan was on a Small quadrant, I wonder how a Large one will play. Do we play in a Large one to give more 4% planets to the AI to build its mining facilities on?

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You'll find youself in conflict with someone immediately. That's a good way to get some 'instant gratification' I guess. You'll get some excitement, at least. Use a high tech start, too. With all the toys available right away you'll find even less ways to exploit the AI. It's much harder to exploit your superior planning skills when there is so little to plan with.

[neofit]

Thanks for the advice.

quote:

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Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
Small Galaxy (the max number of systems should be the standard: 100 systems)

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Can you change the max. number of system? 100 systems is more like a Large quadrant, I usually get around 30 systems in a Small one.

[Vulture-B]

Hello,

in the settings.txt, line 15 you have the "maximum number of systems" set it to max 255.

small, medium and large maps are "in percent" of the max. setting. so youre now medium will be small and large will become medium.

hth
Vulture

[Master Belisarius]

quote:

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Originally posted by neofit:
Thanks for the advice.


Can you change the max. number of system? 100 systems is more like a Large quadrant, I usually get around 30 systems in a Small one.

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Yep. You can change the max number of systems (looking inside the file /data/settings.txt, you can find the line:
Maximum Number Of Systems := 100
The max is 255.

This setting is for the max number of systems, and then it's the max that can reach games with a large galaxy. Games with a medium or small galaxy, will use a precentage of this max number of systems.
Then, if you usually are playing game with 30 systems, probably already are you playing games with an small galaxy and the standard max number of systems.

[Sinapus]

Has anyone noticed that when you have a large number of races with the same atmosphere, then the number of planets with that atmosphere type appears higher? (Haven't really tested it out yet, it just seems that way.)

When that happens, I find at least one of the AI races (usually TDM) with that atmosphere type will suddenly have its score skyrocket. Usually getting higher than mine and ending up with a HUGE fleet of ships. Tactical combat becomes a survival necessity.

[ColdSteel]

Don't forget that if you change the Settings.txt file to increase the number of systems to 255 you'll need a new SystemNames.txt file with more system names so you don't run out.

-CS

[ 23 April 2002: Message edited by: ColdSteel ]