AI giving the human free techs

[kimmygibler]

I've played several OCC games on Deity and on Noble. All are standard map, continents, standard number of civs, no editing or rule changes. Basically your most standard type of game.

For some reason I notice that it is way harder to remain peaceful with the ai on Noble. I'm not exactly sure why, but in my Noble OCC games I always end up getting attacked 2-3 times per game. On Deity I have found that initially you are way behind in tech, but the ai is more freindly to you.

I wonder if they don't attack because you are behind in tech and they have less to gain? Or because you do not pose a threat? On my last couple Deity OCC games I was given about 5-8 techs by different ai opponents. They also gave me very good deal while trading. This allowed to catch up in the tech race and get involved in the space race, although I eventually lost both times. Most civs were freindly to me and none were below cautious for the entire game.

The ai even offered defensive pacts several times. This makes even less sense because why would the ai want a defensive pact with a one city nation?

Why would the ai act this way? Are they trying to make an ally or something? Is this some sort of catch up code so that other ai civs don't get left in the dust?

[Drachasor]

Not attacking because you are behind in tech doesn't make a lot of sense. It is best to attack at that point (easier to take over all your cities). From a purely economic standpoint.

Perhaps, however, the AI is being "human-like" in that some of the leaders don't want to go to war with people. Then if you are behind in tech, you wouldn't feel threatening to them so they'd be more friendly.

-Drachasor

[solo]

I have not tried Deity yet, but on Prince I was getting a free tech now and then from the AI when playing OCC.

I was attacked on Prince twice so far (due to too much trading with the "enemy" probably), but was not attacked by the AI on Noble. However, in the Noble game there was only one other AI on my home continent with whom I maintained good relations.

I know that when the human player is ranked last in Civ II, the AI were very quick to become allies and very generous when asked for gifts. Perhaps a similar kind of "catch up" system has been designed into Civ IV.

[kimmygibler]

Originally posted by Drachasor
Not attacking because you are behind in tech doesn't make a lot of sense. It is best to attack at that point (easier to take over all your cities). From a purely economic standpoint.
-Drachasor

That's true, but there is also less potential reward for going to war with a civ that is way behind.

[QuestGAV]

Maybe it's considering that on a per capita basis your territory is fairly well defended, even with the tech deficit. This makes you less attractive as a potential target for expansion and thus more useful as a friend. Consider the opposite scenario: a massive far-flung empire that is poorly defended because all resources are put into expansion. Each of the cities represents a fairly juicy target for the amount of effort that would need to be expended to take it.

[kimmygibler]

That could be true also. I did have quite a few units in the city.

[DeepO]

A combination of a well defended city, with not much gain in removing you: if you are so far behind, you are no threat to them. they will most certainly win by space race, and will eye each other more than they will eye you.

Basically, the cost of waging war becomes too high for their gains.

DeepO