AU mod: How to help the AI with research choices

[alexman]

No, the trade cost is not always less than 1. It's about 1 at 99% flavor, and about 1.4 at 100% flavor. See my tests above.

[donZappo]

Good job Alexman! Looking over all of the results I'm surprised by how well it works out with only a very small change in the flavor relationship. I guess my previous estimations about how flavors worked were in fact wrong. *sigh*

I like the values that you've assigned to the techs throughout all of the trees and how they actually play out upon testing. It's a real great bonus that desired techs are more expensive for the civ to purchase as well! Thanks for running all of these tests since I have first hand knowledge how long these tests take and know how much work was put into it.

I don't know where to really take the tests from here, though. You seemed to have hit it right on the head and nothing appears to need tweaking. I'll download that flavor mod of yours and see if anything jumps out at me, but I'd really like to see this proposal go to a vote like a lot of the other AU proposals.

-donZappo

[alexman]

Thanks donZappo!

The next AU game will have three versions: Stock, AU mod, and AU mod + flavors. We will vote on the changes in this thread after we have had some in-game experience, just to make sure I have not missed something.

In the meantime, it looks like flavors have no effect on build preferences, so there's not much else we can do with flavors, unless I'm wrong.

[donZappo]

Originally posted by alexman
In the meantime, it looks like flavors have no effect on build preferences, so there's not much else we can do with flavors, unless I'm wrong.

Really? I know that buildings can have flavor preferences so I always assumed that you could affect build orders as well. Does this not work out in practice? My guess is that by using the flavors as they stand right now, 99% flavor relationship isn't enough to nudge building preferences one way or another. Is that right, or do they just not work at all?

-donZappo

[alexman]

I set up a scenario where the AI could build only two improvements, and it built each of them 50% of the time with no flavors.

Then I gave a 100% flavor to one of the buildings, and nothing changed. I reduced the flavor to 50%, and then even 0%, and the AI still built both improvements equally often.

I hope someone else can find a case where flavors do affect builds, but I couldn't.

[donZappo]

Now that's quite strange. Maybe Breakaway originally intended that feature to be in there but at the last second took it out and left that part of the interface in there? Quite the mystery...

[sabrewolf]

i've noticed a small problem with flavours in AU501 (i havn't posted my DAR yet). because the AI have different research priorities, it's now even easier to get a tech lead if you trade well.

it's probably no advantage on pangea maps, but if you're exploring a lot more that the AI (normal on archipelagio maps), chance is, that you're going to dominate techs for at least the ancient age.

i'm interested to see, what the really good players (i consider myself average) think of this possible exploitation. do these rulechanges help the human more than the AI?

i like most, seeing AI writing coming early. before, you could nearly always win a 50-turn writing gambit, now only if you maxxing out your research.

but anyway, alexman, the work you did with the flavours is great and AIs don't compete for the same tech each tech well done!

[alexman]

OK, I think we can start voting for this proposal, as implemented in AU 501.

So, AU mod panel, you have a week to decide!

My vote (surprise): Yes.

[Fosse]

Originally posted by sabrewolf
i've noticed a small problem with flavours in AU501 (i havn't posted my DAR yet). because the AI have different research priorities, it's now even easier to get a tech lead if you trade well.

I've been playing with the research changes for a while now, and have found this to be more of a frustration than anything. It's true that I have more contacts than anyone - and always will be so long as curraghs are in the game and galleys in ocean are possible - but it's also true that anything I research is likely going to be known by at least one cluster of AIs.

I consider myself average, have little taste for MM except in the very early game, and recently promoted myself to Demigod.

I like the changes a great deal because it adds... well... flavor. I hope the panel votes for them.

[lockstep]

YES.

[ZargonX]

[Stuie]

Yes.

[Dominae]

Quite frankly, I've not looked at alexman's research closely enough to vote in good conscience. Please forgive me if I do not vote this time...


Dominae

[alexman]

All this work, and the panel doesn't even care!

[Dominae]

I care enough not to vote...

(Sorry alexman, maybe when I've got more time on my hands. It's not like I'm voting against it until then!)