Curious about Dominions? how the AI thinks? which AI is best/worst?

[Gandalf Parker]

The tests as they are done now were setup by Illwinter. They test everything. Not only balance but whether there is too much or too little random in map generating, god selection, scale selection, ai type, purchasing, research, etc etc. The problem being that with so much variation it takes a LOT of tests to average out any one thing such as the balance of nation strength. To test one thing, the other randoms should be limited as much as possible.

I have started looking at the maps generated on my site each day. If a set of statistics were to be done in a more controlled form then many controls could be added. The same map each time, close all the provinces so they cannot be starting provinces except specific ones so you know the distances already, give matching gods and scales (such as giving every race a monolith which is kindof hard for an AI to screw up).

Im thinking about using a medium sized map. But maps can affect the game SO much. A map with a central ocean surrounded by thin land strips, or one with a central land surrounded by thin ocean? One with multiple smaller oceans so each water nation can expand on its own but is in danger of dominion-death? Many smaller oceans and ponds which play toward the advantages of the sailing nations for having places they can strike by crossing one water province? How much of each terrain and how much should it be bunched.