AI performance

[mp4]

I use to play in "King" difficulty mode. The computer never has a chance, and after a while of gaming I have 6 enemies which all has mutual alliances with each other. Of course they are exchanging technologies all the time. (Luckily, they are stupid enough to research the same technologies...)

How does the AI behave on higher difficulty levels? If I'm not superior, will they treat me better and stop cooperating against me? Or is it always "computer against human"?

How "realistic" does it get? Will they destroy each other and things like that?

Another thing I wonder is if the computer cheat in combats. I read that it's harder to attack military units at deity mode. If so, does this apply to emperor mode as well?

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

I was just playing SG's 'Large Map, 2.42' challenge game on Deity (I usually play on Emperor) and the AI seems to be the same old AI. I heard somewhere that the AI's difficulty is always 'King' (for unhappiness and such), so if you play lower than King the human has an advantage, higher than King, the AI has an advantage.

Despite not being the biggest or mightiest Civ, the AI allied against me anyway... must be my attitude or something. However the Egyptians did knock off the Persians fairly late in the game - say about 1000 AD. So they do attack one another.

And, I definitely think the combat is stacked against you on Deity... i.e. I sent 2 transports carrying 10 howitzers, 2 armor, 2 spies and 2 alpines, and landed next to Thebes in an attempt to split the bigger Egyptian AI. Thebes was defended by 4 alpines, and 2 marines, IIRC. I lost 7 of the 10 howitzer attacks. 7 of 10!!! I know some of those howies were vets. And Thebes wasn't on a river either, just plain old plains.

Luckily it looks like I'm going to win anyway...

STYOM

[Wiglaf]

How does the AI behave on higher difficulty levels? If I'm not superior, will they treat me better and stop cooperating against me? Or is it always "computer against human"?

How "realistic" does it get? Will they destroy each other and things like that?

Another thing I wonder is if the computer cheat in combats. I read that it's harder to attack military units at deity mode. If so, does this apply to emperor mode as well?

the AI isn't brighter, it just cheats a lot more and seems to be more aggressive. do a search or two, you'll probably find more specifics.

It doesn't get to the point where everyone stacks up on you and tries to bring you down...the main problem you'll have is with happiness.

Every level after prince (?) the computer cheats a little, and this includes combat to some extent.

[Ming]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
Every level after prince (?) the computer cheats a little, and this includes combat to some extent.

I don't think the AI every "cheats" at combat. While they are more agressive, actual combat stays the same.

Now barbs are a different story. At raging hordes, they get an attack bonus

[Marquis de Sodaq]

Actually, the barbarian attack bonus is dependent on the game's difficulty level. The higher the level, the tougher they are. Their defense values remain unchanged, tho.

The AI has a near immunity to barbarians - say one caravan surviving the attack of 3 barbarian knights - while your vet musketeer on a hill will die in the same circumstance.

[Julius Brenzaida]

Deity's difficulty comes 1st and foremost from the happiness problems and other difficulties for the human player.
As the AI is concerned at each level it produces and researches more easily. A settler will cost 40 shields at warlord and maybe 28 at deity. You could check that with the cheat mode easily. Same goes for research.
Otherwise, I think that all the known AI "cheats" (no anarchy, trireme don't sink, ... long list ...) remain the same whatever the level of play.