Ability of the AI

[Changmai Beagle]

This may well have been covered already I haven't seen much in the previews that assesses the ability of the AI.

Strangely enough, I rather liked the layout and many of the ideas of CTP I and CTP II. Unfortunately, a lame (even non-attacking) AI can reduce the enjoyment of the game for those of us who play by (please don't say with ) ourselves

The background of the AI developer sounds very good. Have there been any critical reviews on this yet?

[yin26]

No word on this at all, really. We've only heard that 'nobody at Firaxis has beaten Deity level yet.' But that's not saying anything detailed enough to know if the comp just cheats like crazy at that level.

I raised this issue a while back when the first hypes starting popping up. They mentioned great MP ( ), great graphics, great sound, etc., but NOT ONE WORD about AI improvements. A number of people then started to argue with me that AI hype is worthless anyway. So I said, well, by that standard, ANY hype is worthless...and off we went.

[Akron]

It's impossible for the reviewers to thoroughly assess the game's ai, as they only have a limited time to learn and play the game, so they can't really master it and give a good review. I'm sure the ai will be as easy as it has always been. Good ai in a strategy game as complex as civ is hard to find. Hopefully, the ai will tend to be aggressive, as in civ 2, as opposed to passive as it was in CTP 2 where it never really did anything.

[jerkwaterbox]

Originally posted by yin26
I raised this issue a while back when the first hypes starting popping up. They mentioned great MP ( ), great graphics, great sound, etc., but NOT ONE WORD about AI improvements. A number of people then started to argue with me that AI hype is worthless anyway. So I said, well, by that standard, ANY hype is worthless...and off we went.

It is a lot easier to hype graphics and sound though because that is what a lot of people look at when they are buying a game. Casual gamers don't look at a game and say before buying "Hmm... I wonder if this game has good AI." Most casual gamers probably don't even know what AI stands for.
Infogrames cannot just market to one demographic, so they have to make there ads and hype friendly to all.

[cassembler]

Hey like I said- if the AI's ANY BETTER AT ALL than Civ2's- and I can't see why it wouldn't be- then hey, it's better.

With all of the new options though, I'm sure beating the AI won't be as easy as fortifying the "chariot absorbing musketeer." If it forces me to be more creative [than Civ2], then that's a good thing.

[Steve Clark]

I think this provides some clues about the AI...

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27276

[drake]

AI will always stand for Artificial Idiot.

Its just a matter of how big the idiot is

[Rasbelin]

Let me just notify that the new article translation
might include some hints. More on that can be found
under this link:
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?...post549984

[Rasbelin]

Originally posted by yin26

But that's not saying anything detailed enough to know if the comp just cheats like crazy at that level.

We know that the AI gets bonuses at deity (refering to the Civ III preview in The Games), but what kind of bonuses is a mystery.

[Crouchback]

Originally posted by Rasbelin

We know that the AI gets bonuses at deity (refering to the Civ III preview in The Games), but what kind of bonuses is a mystery.

Firaxis have said that the AI cheats in favour of the player upto Prince level, doesn't cheat at all at Prince and only after that cheats for itself. Which hopefully bodes well for the AI's ability to hold its own. But then I'm just gald they employed a special boffin (Soren Johnson) to specifically handle the AI.

BTW the only link I could find at short notice is on another civ site.

David

[Lee Johnson]

AI will always stand for Artificial Idiot.

No, no--Idiocy is always Real!

[drake]

Firaxis have said that the AI cheats in favour of the player upto Prince level, doesn't cheat at all at Prince and only after that cheats for itself. Which hopefully bodes well for the AI's ability to hold its own. But then I'm just gald they employed a special boffin (Soren Johnson) to specifically handle the AI.

Sounds like civ2.

What are you talking about lee

[smellymummy]

there is a week or so left until the game is realeased, and I have to agree that out of all information given, AI has really been lacking - information wise.

Maybe because imagining how the AI would work can be mind boggling, especially when you'll want to apply it to code, or maybe because it stinks, much like other TBS games in general.

What I expect.... I become the superpower and the entire world hates me/forms aliances vs. me. Never able to get any civ to trade, therefore forcing me to restart the game until I get "the good starting location" with resources and all. Silly AI tactics for military... Well the list could go on, but I'm sure we've all played civ2 to death to know these things.

I am hoping for a smart and good AI, one that can play Intelligently, yet Artificially in it's own way

Although, short of having more information about it, I sincerely don't think civ3 will deliver the kind of AI I want, and others want too.

[The diplomat]

We will soon found out about the AI, now won't we?

[Steve Clark]

Originally posted by The diplomat
We will soon found out about the AI, now won't we?

But even after such time, some folks will say that the AI sucks and some will say that the AI is clever. Some will say that the AI is too hard while others will say that the AI is too easy.

We all can agree that the AI in Civ2 is funny, to say the least but that didn't prevent us from playing it for thousands of hours, right?