What makes the AI do this?

[D4everman]

I was wondering about what makes the AI tick. In the thread "Cyborg blues" I replied to the second post about the situation in a current game of mine. Its funny in a way, how the faction leaders don't act like what I envision them as being like from reading the fiction articles.

For instance, why are some of them (if not all) so predisposed to backstabbing? I'm almost positive that Domai is going to threaten me even though through the entire game we've had a great relationship! But he will....which makes little sense since he's at war with the Gaians and the Believers. Perhaps he'll end that war before threatening me, but Domai usually does turn against me.

Morgan WILL turn against me. We share a continent, I'm running a Green economy and he's just like that. There are times when Morgan can be a tough nut to crack, but there are other times when he must know he can't win. He can't subvert my troops (HSA) and I outnumber and out tech him greatly. Still, he'll do it.

Miriam can't backstab me because she's always at war with me. Has anyone EVER had a game where Miriam has been ...well,...friendly for the any appreciable length of time or the whole game?

I mentioned it already in another thread, but this confused the hell out of me...In another game, Cha Dawn and I were in a vendetta early on. Cha managed to land on my continent and stroll up to Alpha Prime (I was Aki at the time) in two rovers. He killed a former and then asked for a truce. HUH? Why? We were even;y matched and honestly he had caught me with my pants down. I had no defenses except one measly scout patrol!

I just wish I understood what motivations the AI has in some of its actions. I know some of them are due to SE choices, etc...but a lot of times the AI attacks when it shouldn't and surreneders when it could conceivably still win. (and the AI usually attacks stupidly with Air Power. Yang went after my formers instead of the destroyers blasting his improvements every turn. He should have at least bombed my improvements.)

Any thoughts?

[Blake]

For instance, why are some of them (if not all) so predisposed to backstabbing?

Actually, i think it is safe to assume all AI's are ultimately going to backstab you, there are two reasons, for a start Transcend AI's are quite agressive and warlike (apparentely this makes the game harder), the second factor is the AI's always gang up on the most powerfull faction, which presumably is the human player (ie, as you grow stronger the AI's become increasingly hostile). It is very possible to play a game without being backstabbed, you basically need to keep your faction in 2nd or 3rd place, and keep your reputation spotless.

I'm not sure what motivates them to make peace when they can win, but it is probably just a lack of situational "awareness", seeing they are AI's after all.

Yang went after my formers ...

AI's love going after weak targets, my theory is the AI looks for the target with the best combat odds (for the AI unit winning) and attacks that unit, ofcourse invariably these are the non-combat units. AI's seem VERY relucatant to engage in any combat with poor odds of victory, this can be exploited by parking mindworms in your bases, the AI sees poor odds for victory, and this single mindworm can keep in check hoardes of units... (I havn't really tried that, but I hear it works).

So ultimately, the AI is stupid, either by virtue of being AI (lack of judgement, awareness, inherint in any AI) or stupidly programmed (choosing units to attack, terraforming/build choices).

[D4everman]

I understand what you're saying, Blake, but the thing with yang was strange. In games at lower levels I've seen him do a pretty good job of backing up his threats. (In this game though his standing is "feeble") I've had games where Yang has literally swarmed me with troops and done a lot of damage.
Mostly this is because he can crank out troops pretty fast and I don't see the transports coming until they've landed.

I can't lie though...there have been some games where I've made nice with a faction and they've behaved well. Dee and Domai though...they will backstab you. (I think any of them will given the right circumstances. I got a message yesterday that Miriam tired to frame me with Dee and failed. )

D4

[Method]

Re: What makes the AI do this?

Originally posted by D4everman
Miriam can't backstab me because she's always at war with me. Has anyone EVER had a game where Miriam has been ...well,...friendly for the any appreciable length of time or the whole game?

yes once. she once landed a recon rover on my island in the very early game when i had no defences and several SP's not to mention i was the UoP and she hates it. anyway it didn't look good because she threatened me and once i gave her what she wanted, she asked me to pact with her against lal or something. i accepted so she would leave me alone, but it turned out she only had 2 bases! anyway later my marines had nothing to do so i cancelled the pact took one of her bases, and she submitted. of course before that she just sat there by herself the whole time, and she was seething so i figured, why not?

oh and one time lal had a huge empire going on and we were at war. i took 3 insignificant bases on some far away continent and he submits. and he didn't even call me up, i had to call him! it was worth it too he helped me kill yang.