AI is Tough!

[Ned]

For the first time ever, since I began playing CIV games in 1992, the AI took my capitol! Miriam brought in a boat load of marines, and rovers (eight in all) and combined with a long range Copter assist! My God! I have taken it for granted that the AI could never launch a coordinated attack. But it certainly can.

I cannot say enough for how tough this game has become after the rejiggering of the faction profiles and the Alpha.txt. What a vast improvement!

Ned

[Wiglaf]

What modifications did you make to the alpha file? I've tried that several times but got nothing but failure..

[death_head]

Is there anyway to make the A.I. launch allied co-ordinated attacks? e.g., Miriam takes the beach while Santiago comes in the other way...

[Avenoct]

Ned, you have to admit, you are begging the question about what mods you did make? I'm guessing [-1, 0, 0, 1, 0] for all factions, free former, mines and solar moved back to...IA?

Deathhead, the only way I know to do this consistently is to make a scenario. Play SMACdown 2150 over on the Creation threads. Tokamak shows us just how far one can go in giving the impression (and ouch, a lasting one) of AI superpowers and forethought. Occasionally, but only by coincidence, I've seen the AI launch what looks like a coordinated attack, but I suspect they just agree to attack the same city and their troops arrive about the same time...but it's rare.

-Smack

[death_head]

Is there an easier way to see this? Because I have SMACdown and it's too hard for me and I don't want to play it on easier difficulties because then it's too easy...

[Ned]

The Mods:

Factions.txt

Make them pacifist, set their interests to Explore, Build, Discover, and give them a former to start.

- Change first line to end -1, 0, 1, 1, 1
- Add Unit, 1 to the second line

Alphax.txt

Change default terraforming to "force" the AI to build forest at at least its first 10 bases.

Gene Splicing for farms
Industrial Automation for mines
Adaptive Economics for Solar Collectors

Move Genejack Factories to Optical Computers

The AI then builds Genejacks prior to building Tree Farms. This almost always forces an AI "pop." The construction thereafter of Tree Farms, Centauri Preserves and Hybrid Forests then adds to "clean minerals." I find that most of the AI factions then run at 45-50 minerals per base with little or no ED.

Add +1 Police to Fundamentalism and Power

Move Sealurks to Centauri Meditation - the same tech you get Isles of the Deep.

Finally, I operate on maps of 120 x 80. B-drones begin after 10 bases. However, the AI even Zak and Morgan, build around 20-35 bases.

This is it. Note the Sea Foming techs remain unchanged. As a result, SVEN will normally have a buid size advantage.

That's all folks.

As to the "coordinated attack," this is the first time I have seen the AI build up sufficient forces to prevail and then attack. More often than not, they will simply dribble in the troops as they are created. The cute part was coordinating air and sea.

Ned

[Avenoct]

Ned, the Genejack addition is brilliant. I think you should give your 'patch' a name and post it over on the creation threads. Since you/we started talking about these kinds of mods I've only played this way and the games are excellent. These new changes sound even better!

Deathhead, try Ned's changes to the factions text files and alpha text. It only takes a few minutes to do and does change the game considerably. If transcend is still tough on you (as it is on me), it'll be even harder, but better yet, you'll see nice AI terraforming, and as in Ned's example, when the AI does attack, it's better equipped. This is b/c it focuses on infrastructure first and has the minerals for good production later, it has better tech b/c the infrastructure and terraforming, and doesn't waste itself in endless units as often.

-Smack

[Ned]

Note, I forgot adding POLICE to both Fundy and Power. This permits the AI to stay in FM will building and deploying a military.

Ned