Have you ever been beat by the AI?

Ragnarok · #1 July 21st, 2002, 03:07 PM

Actually, I got to thinking, although I've never been beat by the AI. I was getting beat once in a game. I was using the Devnullmod with Space Monsters. I was about 2 systems away from the home of the Monsters and they started coming at me with their - for lack of better word - "things"

. I probably would've lost that game, but I accidently saved over it with another game I was playing. Which stunk because I was enjoying that game alot. It was a great challenge. Maybe after I finish the game I just started with the TDM races I will start another Devnullmod game and see how that one goes.

Master Belisarius · #2 July 21st, 2002, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ragnarok:
Actually, I got to thinking, although I've never been beat by the AI. I was getting beat once in a game. I was using the Devnullmod with Space Monsters. I was about 2 systems away from the home of the Monsters and they started coming at me with their - for lack of better word - "things" . I probably would've lost that game, but I accidently saved over it with another game I was playing. Which stunk because I was enjoying that game alot. It was a great challenge. Maybe after I finish the game I just started with the TDM races I will start another Devnullmod game and see how that one goes.

Suggestion: If you really like the challenge, don't play with Large galaxies against the AI. And don't forget to select AIs vs Humans.

Alpha Kodiak · #3 July 21st, 2002, 04:10 PM

The toughest situations I've encountered (and yes I've lost a few of them) are when I've encountered an aggressive AI early. At that point in the game the AI doesn't get as confused about what it is doing, so it seems to be able to focus on you more, while you have less depth to use as defense. Once an aggressive AI with any kind of a bonus is in your home system with a fleet early in the game, you are hurting.

Ragnarok · #4 July 22nd, 2002, 03:00 AM

Well, I'm now 3 years into my new game with the TDM AI and myself. Right now I'm in fifth place overall. I went the first 2 years without finding any empires but I recently found 3. One nutral, the Phong, and the Abbidon. I'm in a Trade and Researh alliance with the Abbidon and the nutral race. But the Phong are starting to give me hell. They got the Acid weapons and crap so they are ahead of me by aways. They are in first place if that tells you anything. I'm holding my own right now. They arn't pushing TOO hard. If they tried they could break into my system easy. But they won't come near to taking out my whole empire. Which is 9 systems 49 Planets. 28 ships and 1412 units. So I should be able to hold them off pretty easy. I'm working on mining warp points all over the place. I had my main planets build 100 mines each, and then build mine layers, so that helps. It took them 9 turns to build the mines. But this is pretty tough so far. I'm looking forward to finishing this game.

Ragnarok · #5 July 22nd, 2002, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
Suggestion: If you really like the challenge, don't play with Large galaxies against the AI. And don't forget to select AIs vs Humans.

Hmm, I'll have to take that into consideration. I'll have to do that next game.

Gryphin · #6 July 23rd, 2002, 01:46 AM

In my case the queston should be,
"How many times have you been beatten?".

My worse defeat was wen Lorne Greene of the TDM Colonials glassed my planets. I never belived he would even attack.
Lesson Learned: "The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife".

Stone Mill · #7 July 22nd, 2002, 04:02 PM

Master Belisarius hit the nail on the head.

Play with his suggestions, the critical factor being small galaxy , and if you get poor positioning, and bad luck, oh yes, you will lose, no matter who you are.

As you send your first scout/colony through the first warp point, you bump into some 5000 point souped-up warlike race (even the Krill will do this consistently), they will immediately proceed to scorch your single planet homeworld... and there is little you can do.

With the High AI bunus they will be pumping out LCs before you get to Mines or Ship Construction 2.

It's all about the settings... I often used to handicap myself as much as possible, and surprisingly enough, I've pulled out victories. But I would venture to say that people who have not lost have not set a real handicap for themselves.

I will admit, however, that my losses to the AI are in the opening stages and are due to poor starting position. In the long run, I agree, the AI can't compete.

While we are on the AI thing, I find that the Romulan race continues to be a VERY tough competitor in Team mode... it beats the heck out of its neighbors and expands quickly. By the time I meet them they give a surprisingly tough fight. Kudos to their creator.