Increasing AI difficulty

[Grandpa Kim]

Xrati said:
Remember that these people do this for a living. The people here who create mods and graphics do this for fun. If I were programming AI I would try to incorporate a random event to check for conditions that would activate a suicide attack. Like Fryon said. Programming AI is not that easy. You can’t have AI files in size that rival your game files.

I didn't mean to imply I blame our modders. They have done a marvelous job with the tools available. Kudo's to their hard work and imagination.

In fact, I don't even blame Aaron. He designed the AI the way he wanted it. Take it or leave it. Remember the software industry as a large industry is barely 20 years old and they have not yet concentrated effort on AI opponents, at least not in an industry-wide, dedicated effort.

On the other hand, why shouldn't the AI rival in size the main program? After all it is simulating a human being! In fact, it is half the game!

[Xrati]

I didn’t want to make it sound as though you were blaming anyone. I’m sorry if it sounded that way. Nobody here will knock anyone for trying.

AI is just not high up on the list of things publishers want in their games. If they do, they’ll just have to devote more time to programming along with the graphics and sounds. It’s the GLITZ and GLITTER that they seem interested in selling the public. The game creators are at their mercy when it comes to due dates and what is expected of them. ONLY the time proven games seem to be given the latitude to get continuity in the next released product.

[Warshed]

The fact of the matter is that I don't expect a superb AI that does tricky stuff that humans normally do, I just want an AI that pushes his advantage when he knows he has one. I don't think it would be too hard to incorporate into an AI some sort of manner of checking the ranking for other empires.
For instance, suppose we gave a real generic value to each component in the game and some sort of value to the each ship size in the game. A given ship would have a value dependent on the components it has and the size it is. All the given values of an empires ships would be added together to form the ship strength of a given empires. When it is the computers turn, it consults this value of all the empires boardering it and divides that value by its own ship strength value. If the resulting number is sufficiently below one then the computer has a certain % of deciding to either declare war or start negative diplomatic negotiations. If the resulting value is sufficiently high then the computer will be more inclined to ask for non-aggression pacts or accept trade treaties, etc.
I think that the AI of SE 4 is good, don't get me wrong. I mean when the computer sends mine sweepers through a heavily mined area, I think it is great.
I just want the computer to be more mindful of when it has an overwhelming advantage and to act realistically accordingly.
I will try the TDM-modpack. Hopefully it will provide a challenge. Thanks, everyone for your replies.

[Urendi Maleldil]

I wonder if there's a way to trick the AI into thinking it has more powerful ships than it actually has.

I suppose you could make the AI research Ship Construction before anything else, that way they'll have larger ships right away. That might count for something.

[Fyron]

The AI already evaluates scores in some of its decision making. Ship hull size counts for a large chunk of the score, so researching ship construction early would help some.

[Iron Giant]

TDM Mod pack.

I get my rear end handed to me regularly on the highest difficulty settings. Huge fleets of enemy ships tear through my space.

I even remember the first time a TDM Mod pack race actually invaded one of my planets and conquered it instead of just glassing it.

TDM Mod pack is the only way to play single player, imho.

[Hunpecked]

I'm currently playing the ninth in a series of games against five of the tougher AIs in the TDM Modpack. In my experience the AIs do attack the human player's planets and occasionally even try to capture them.

To improve the AIs' chances without giving large bonuses, I've used the following settings: team play, low bonus, maximum difficulty, no mine tech, and expensive tech. My current game suggests that the AIs need a little more help, so I'll probably assign all players the same native atmosphere next time (the AIs don't match breathers and atmospheres very well).

[Warshed]

I will try that breathable atmosphere thing. It is a good idea. Does anyone know which empires are the hardest in the TDM Modpack? I will be making my own game soon.

[Fyron]

Search for "+AI +Deathmatch" to find a few threads with results from some extensive tests of various AIs vs. AIs.