The AI Strikes Back!! - Page 2

dogscoff · #11 January 27th, 2002, 03:13 PM

quote:

If the AI started creating warp points .... be afraid, be very afraid

If the Vikings opened a warp point into my space right now it would almost certainly be game over for me. I have to cripple their economy as quickly as I can to stop that happening. Unfortunately I'm playing "Geneva" (as usual) so I refuse to glass their worlds from orbit - I have to take them all with troops, planet by planet.

I'm too nice for this game=-)

[ 27 January 2002: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

dogscoff · #12 January 27th, 2002, 03:25 PM

quote:

Dogscoff: sorry man, but I think that use Warp Closers/Openers against the AI, is near to cheat.

You're right, I felt that way at first, but the vikings were so aggressive that cutting the Last warp point between me and them was my only way of staying alive. Even then, I delayed it's use until the Last possible moment (to the cost of 2 of my 3 homeworlds) and I would never use the communications reset "feature" upon re-contacting them to reinvent myself as a peaceful ally when really they should hate my guts (although they started it, BTW)

I also feel that I deliberately limit myself enough as it is, by refusing to kill population from orbit. I'm also refraining from excessive intel use, which is another AI exploit that can be unfair to the point of cheating.

The vikings are way ahead in tech and fleets, and have a "cheat" of their own (the production bonuses) so even now, with my cheating, I'm struggling to keep my ships alive whenever I enter a viking system. I don't really care if it's fair or not, since I'm only playing against the AI. What matters to me is that I'm enjoying the challenge of the game.

Resident Alien 2 · #13 January 27th, 2002, 04:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Master Belisarius:
As Rollo said, always is good to know this kind of histories.

Resident Alien 2: are you using High Bonus for the AI? This could be the reason for the big ships for the Aquilaeian.

Dogscoff: sorry man, but I think that use Warp Closers/Openers against the AI, is near to cheat. Because the AI have not clue that need to use a Warp Opener, to continue the attack against you.

Rollo: I agree with you, the Gold AI is really better.

Computer Player Difficulty = High, Computer Player Bonus = High.

Rollo · #14 January 27th, 2002, 04:22 PM

quote:
Okay, but if I have my way they won't get the chance=-) I plan to cripple their production and hopefully they won't have the resources to maintain a SM fleet.

Well, I wasn't suggesting that you'll let them win, of course

.

quote:
They have been isolated (on and off) for a while now so I imagine they are probably trying to build one. They ought to have the resources as well (for now at least) - their empire is about the same size as mine and I have 3 SM ships. I can only survive by converting loads of organics to minerals every turn, but the AI bonus is on, so they should be able to do it.

If they have been truly isolated (i.e. no warp points and no planets left to colonize) they should put a warp opener in the queue, if they have the tech.

quote:
I also suspect that they have been building planets. If you like I can find out for sure, because there is a system that used to be full of rocks in their territory - I'll peek in next chance I get and see what it looks like now.

I am pretty sure that they will build planets. That is the main reason I had them research SM afterall (apart from the monoliths for refining and farming worlds). The planet builder is pretty high in the queue.

Actually I am rather curious what they are doing. Can you send me the savegame (.gam file) per email?

quote:
BTW Rollo, I'm going to update my site this afternoon. I was thinking of putting up Vikings 0.99 - the latest 1.49 AI files with the Gold Version images - for those ppl who haven't ordered SE4 Gold (the fools).
What do you think?
The only problem is that I still have a few more images to do, so this won't be the definitive non-Gold vikings release - but there's no more numbers between 0.99 and 1.00 - D'oh!

IIRC, the latest published Version was 0.97. So you still have 0.98 and 0.99.
I made the CD Version 1.00 Gold, btw.

quote:
Or maybe, just to be sure, I should call it
"Space Vikings Classic V1.00", and have
"Space Vikings Gold V1.00" as a seperate entity.
After all, all releases so far have been branded
"Space Vikings (Pre CD release) V0.XX"

That would work, too, I guess.

quote:
Or maybe I should just sit back and appreciate the fact that I have nothing more important to worry about than this...

I agree

.

quote:
RA 2: The Rage AI has been building planets - I had a ship in the system so I got the message. If the AI started creating warp points .... be afraid, be very afraid

Oh, the AI DOES open warp points. Unfortunately not aggressively enough IMHO. And I agree the Rage does the planet creation really nice (and early).

quote:
MB: Rollo, I agree with you, the Gold AI is really better.

Yep, especially with using troops

.

Rollo

Rollo · #15 January 27th, 2002, 04:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dogscoff:
... The vikings are way ahead in tech and fleets, and have a "cheat" of their own (the production bonuses) so even now, with my cheating, I'm struggling to keep my ships alive whenever I enter a viking system. I don't really care if it's fair or not, since I'm only playing against the AI. What matters to me is that I'm enjoying the challenge of the game.

I agree. With the AI production bonus, humans can use (almost) any trick in the book (except for cheesy trades, of course).

Rollo

Master Belisarius · #16 January 27th, 2002, 06:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dogscoff:
I don't really care if it's fair or not, since I'm only playing against the AI. What matters to me is that I'm enjoying the challenge of the game.

Sure, I must agree with you here!
I think that's only a taste question.
In my case, I prefer to declare myself died and restart a new game, instead use warp closers... and maybe play the next game with medium bonus!

vonManstein · #17 January 28th, 2002, 03:00 PM

Same to me guys!

This "new" AI is really great! thanks to all modders and Malfador!

BTW, i have a game now against Drakol, Romulans, Orks and some neutral ones. (Medium Ai, no bonus, large system)

I try to ruin their economie with a very big fleet - but, this is really hard work!

I saw enemie fleets of 42 ships!!! And they did atack me!!!!! I was so surprised - that i can�t stop playing.

My only fear is - that they will be able to use the "open Warppoint" feature. So i protected all my system with this "system shiel-thing", that prevents them to jump in.

Oh.... it�s so good with this AI. It�s really great - i�m so exited. BTW, i built one sphereword and a ringworld, they are both armed to the teeth. (I�m still hoping, that the AI will kick my ***!:-) )

Does anybody now, how the AI is in the Gold Demo?

Greetings from Germany
vonManstein

DirectorTsaarx · #18 January 28th, 2002, 07:34 PM

I'm playing a non-modded game, with stock AI (hard difficulty, high bonus); started "non-connected" (which means the AI researches SM pretty early), and it's been fun. I set "see all players scores" on, so I can track the AI I haven't met, and the Terrans have an insanely high score (I'm around 1M, and 3 or 4 AI have about the same, while the Terrans have a score over 3 or 4M - possibly more!). I am NOT looking forward to meeting the Terrans this time...

BTW - I had to "help" one of the AI's around turn 75; their score hadn't changed in 10-20 turns, so I did some checking & their maintenance was riding near 99% of production, mainly because they had 10 Rock colonizers, and no Rock planets in their set of systems. So I had three choices: have them build a warp-opener to find more systems (which would wreak havoc on their economy); scrap the rock colonizers (and probably have them build more); or retrofit the rock colonizers to gas giant or ice colonizers, so they could colonize a few more worlds. I used the third option, and they improved for a while; but I think they've leveled out again, which probably means they haven't bothered to create and use warp opener ships. Oh well...

Jmenschenfresser · #19 January 28th, 2002, 09:32 PM

I had the same experience with the Aquiliaens, those militaristic bastards. Game is still saved on my HD somewhere, and I do plan to finish it. High bonus, high difficulty, oversized galaxy, and 20 full races. I've incorporated the Star Trek races into the TDM, so I have a crap load to pick from.

The Aquiliaens swooped in from the east and easily beat me back out of two systems. Made a stand and stopped several 15+ fleets. I own three systems and who borders these systems you may ask? The Aquiliaens, a super agressive Klingon AI, and the Rage. All three much larger than I am, with no where to hide. For some unknown reason the Rage are friendly...for now.

This is absolutely the hardest damn game yet for me. I reclaimed half of one of the systems I lost to the Aquilieans before my fleet is so battered it can't fly straight. Then I learn that the Aquilieans have cloaked ships, and I don't have any sensors. The few ships I left defending the WP leading back into the three systems I do control get hit by a large cloaked fleet. I scramble everything to meet them. All ships return from the half conquered system. I lose everything, but their fleet is no longer in fighting condition, so it leaves. Then within a few turns, a different fleet bLasts the few new colonies I'd established. ****, they hadn't even built one facility.

The only way I am going to beat back one of these empires is to either catch them with their pants down or pray a larger fish comes along and diverts their attention.