Dominions 2. AI. Suggestions, that how to fix it. - Page 11

Gandalf Parker · #**101** November 2nd, 2003, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PvK:
Actually, I wonder how many of the people who are having an easy time with the AI, are already expert human players.

Personally, I am getting nailed by the AI!

PvK

Most of them are playing with indeps at 2 or 3 which makes it really easy to rush the AI. If the AI is set to impossible level it actually becomes even easier than that since they have "lied" to the AI and told it to choose its actions planning for a long conflict instead of a short one.

If you are playing with the AI set at a level about equal to the game settings then you are getting a more realistic result. You can write-off the rest of them (and some which may even be multiples of one player) since an AI which takes into account every setting posibility is unlikely to ever get created in this game.

[ November 01, 2003, 22:43: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

HJ · #**102** November 2nd, 2003, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PvK:
Actually, I wonder how many of the people who are having an easy time with the AI, are already expert human players.

Personally, I am getting nailed by the AI!

PvK

It might also have to do with the style of play. I also mostly roleplay, and take my time to savor the moments (until it abruptly ends at turn 40, of course). I mostly make contact with the AI around turn 20, and even then it's usually just the skirmishing for the rest of the demo instead of the charge towards the capitol. People who rush the AI the way they play in MP are always going to beat it senseless - but that's what that style of play is geared toward anyway: beating the opponent senseless. I've seen this happen with other games as well, such as Total War, where people complaining about the AI immediately go for the kill, and then wonder why did the kill happen.

I'm not saying there is no room for improvement, and I would be more than happy to see the improvements, but there are other things to take into consideration as well in these discussions.

[ November 01, 2003, 23:23: Message edited by: HJ ]

Alneyan · #**103** November 2nd, 2003, 02:07 AM

I will have a few questions about the AI, as you can see, I have not played much yet.

1) Do we know what are the differences between the different levels? Is it only improved intelligence, or is there a resource/gold/research/magic gem (and so on) bonus the player does not have? Dominions AI may not rely as much on bonuses than the vast majority of AI.

2) For the beta testers mainly: is the AI more efficient in the middle and late game than in the early game? Perhaps the AI does not handle well early conflicts, or has trouble with early expansion (compared to an experienced player who tries to expand as fast as possible), or some other problem. Most AIs tend to have a lot of problems in the early game, and some can even be wiped out without much hassle in the beginning of the game. (And then we would have to wait for the full game to see what is the situation after, say, 100 turns)

3) Is there any chance players could alter/make their own AI files? That would depend obviously on how the AI behaviours are handled. There are games in which the original AI has been improved by players. (Space Empires IV for example)

MStavros · #**104** November 2nd, 2003, 02:21 AM

I try to help:

1. The AI won't be smarter @ higher diff. levels, but it will have more design point to spend. I think thats all. Correct me if there is anything more.

2. I am not a beta-tester, but you can find lot of suggestions, that how to upgrade the AI.

3. That would be a good idea, however I don't think that any of us can script a really good AI.
I guess Dominions AI is lot more complicated than the Space Empires IV. AI. [I am not sure..]
However..who knows.

MStavros · #**105** November 2nd, 2003, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by -Storm-:

quote:
Originally posted by Aristoteles:

1. The AI is massing weak troops
2. The AI wont protect his pretender/commanders/priests/mages
3. The AI wont build forts
4. The AI's battlefield tactics could be better
5. The AI is making very odd things. IE. wandering around with his pretender alone etc.
6. The AI won't stay in a province, it is always moving his armies.
7. The AI won't make complex strategic maneuvers. IE. Making a focused attack against a province.
8. The AI won't equip his supercombatants..at least I've never seen that in the demo.

Period. Fix these, and we will be happy.

Just a little addition for 1. -> The AI should recruit heavy/elite units, and make complex/varied armies.

Yes, yes, yes.
This is a more accurate list, than mine.

DominionsFan · #**106** November 2nd, 2003, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MStavros:

quote:
Originally posted by -Storm-:

quote:
Originally posted by Aristoteles:

1. The AI is massing weak troops
2. The AI wont protect his pretender/commanders/priests/mages
3. The AI wont build forts
4. The AI's battlefield tactics could be better
5. The AI is making very odd things. IE. wandering around with his pretender alone etc.
6. The AI won't stay in a province, it is always moving his armies.
7. The AI won't make complex strategic maneuvers. IE. Making a focused attack against a province.
8. The AI won't equip his supercombatants..at least I've never seen that in the demo.

Period. Fix these, and we will be happy.

Just a little addition for 1. -> The AI should recruit heavy/elite units, and make complex/varied armies.
Yes, yes, yes.
This is a more accurate list, than mine.

Hey, I agree with these! JK please do something about the mentioned errors!

[ November 02, 2003, 11:44: Message edited by: DominionsFAN ]

Nerfix · #**107** November 2nd, 2003, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aristoteles:
We have lot of problems with the strategic AI.

My list about the strat. AI problems:

1. The AI is massing weak troops
2. The AI wont protect his pretender/commanders/priests/mages
3. The AI wont build forts
4. The AI's battlefield tactics could be better
5. The AI is making very odd things. IE. wandering around with his pretender alone etc.
6. The AI won't stay in a province, it is always moving his armies.
7. The AI won't make complex strategic maneuvers. IE. Making a focused attack against a province.
8. The AI won't equip his supercombatants..at least I've never seen that in the demo.

(((((Feel free to add more, please continue with number 9.)))))))

1.Is true, but some nations like Mictlan just don't have heavy troops.
2.As paradoxal this is, i have seen indies protecting their commanders, but AI doesn't seem to protect it's commanders...
3.The forts are pretty expensive though... I haven't built a single fort in the demo... But AI doesn't seem to build them.
4.Yup.
5.Hey, i wander alone with my pretender too... Are you sure the pretender wasn't searching for magic sites? Or can the AI do that?
6.I noticed that too.
7.From multiple directions? Can you give any other examples?
8.The doesn't seem to be equiping commanders at all.

Nerfix · #**108** November 2nd, 2003, 03:36 PM

Ok, 4 things i saw today:
The AI can show some glimmer of tactical inteligence:
Caelum apparently used "Attack Rearmost" command to attack my commanders...

The AI can use assasins!

The AI equips it's commanders: The aforementioned assasin had Enchanted Sword with him.

The AI either holds it's armies in a province or then moves several armies in and out of the same province:
Caelum had an army of about 80 units in one of his temple provinces for 4-5 turns.

EDIT:I was using 6 Normal AI's, Aran and default settings(indy str 3).

[ November 02, 2003, 13:52: Message edited by: Nerfix ]

Mortifer · #**109** November 2nd, 2003, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nerfix:

quote:
Originally posted by Aristoteles:
We have lot of problems with the strategic AI.

My list about the strat. AI problems:

1. The AI is massing weak troops
2. The AI wont protect his pretender/commanders/priests/mages
3. The AI wont build forts
4. The AI's battlefield tactics could be better
5. The AI is making very odd things. IE. wandering around with his pretender alone etc.
6. The AI won't stay in a province, it is always moving his armies.
7. The AI won't make complex strategic maneuvers. IE. Making a focused attack against a province.
8. The AI won't equip his supercombatants..at least I've never seen that in the demo.

(((((Feel free to add more, please continue with number 9.)))))))

1.Is true, but some nations like Mictlan just don't have heavy troops.
2.As paradoxal this is, i have seen indies protecting their commanders, but AI doesn't seem to protect it's commanders...
3.The forts are pretty expensive though... I haven't built a single fort in the demo... But AI doesn't seem to build them.
4.Yup.
5.Hey, i wander alone with my pretender too... Are you sure the pretender wasn't searching for magic sites? Or can the AI do that?
6.I noticed that too.
7.From multiple directions? Can you give any other examples?
8.The doesn't seem to be equiping commanders at all.

I agree with Aristoteles. These are the {major?) weaknesses of the AI. As I've said in the prev. topic, if these things will be fixed/updated, we won't have problems with the AI.

Nerfix · #**110** November 2nd, 2003, 05:02 PM

I'm not sure about this, but anyway:

9)The AI builds too much temples

The AI could be in perpetual broke, explaining the cheap units and lack of forts, because a temple costs 200 gold and there could be better uses for the money.

Not that AI shouldn't build temples, it just seems to build too much of them.

[ November 02, 2003, 15:02: Message edited by: Nerfix ]