Do the AI cheating on Regent?

[Hadrian]

I have one question. In the handbook we can read that the AI is until Regent not cheating.

When you load this savegame and move the troops from Ur or Uruk out you can see that the AI move his ships to this city. How can this going on? It is no way for the AI to see the units in this cities. Is it a bug or do the AI cheating?

[simwiz2]

the AI cheats because on EVERY level, it can see the whole map

of course they trade maps, but rarely evenly (they always want the map AND about 100 gold )

in civ3 the AI cheats just like civ2, only this time firaxis tried really hard to cover it up

[Jaybe]

Not only do they see the whole map, they know where all your units are, all the time.* Old news.

I once had a metropolis (Warlord level game) defended by a single cavalry unit. I thought it was safe in the rear area, but a single enemy cavalry came through a hole, beelined it for the city, beat my cavalry and razed the city. Boy, did I learn a lesson!!

*I have read this here, someone quoting a Firaxian. I do not recall having read the Firaxian post firsthand. Probably 3-4 weeks ago.

[Hadrian]

Sorry if this isn’t new.

I play Civ3 since 03.11. and I saw many thinks, but this is the only thing I cant explain without the supposition that the AI is cheating.

Is there a official comment from Firaxis about this?

[Nyl]

What about embassies

Couldn't some of these things be explained by embassies? Couldn't the AI be paying to find out what's garrisoning your cities? Maybe they're not, I don't know.

I DO know that the AI yells at you if you keep submarines inside his borders. Mind you, I'm playing on Chieftan, so this particular AI has just discovered Galleons.

Also, I've seen some fishy behavior with an early rush, too. I go in and raze his capitol ASAP, with a couple warriors. My city has barely had time to get to population 3, and this guy has apparently already popped out a settler because 10 turns later he comes around with some warriors of his own out of a different city. Mind you again, this is on Chieftan, AND his original city wasn't exactly a gold-mine of food production.

-Nyl

[Hadrian]

It is war and it is impossible to spy out cities in wartime. And whatever witch city is without unit, the AI land near by this. This works with different cities.

[Terser]

Despite Firaxis' claim, the AI cheats on every level. Some of the more obvious ones:

--"Second chance" units/settlers/cities. Destroy an AI nation early enough and that civ will receive units, settlers, and perhaps even cities to start anew. The hilarious thing is, from what I've observed the units it receives are actually better than the one it starts with--I've destroyed a civs capitol (guarded by warriors) to the east only to have it reappear to the west within a few turns sporting archers! Shouldn't have to kill the same civ twice, or the human players should also receive a second chance.

--AI tiremes, galleys, caravels can go anywhere, anytime, with or without the great lighthouse.

--This is pure specualtion on my part, but the AI seems to know where resources are located, though it apprently doesn't allow itself to act on this knowledge without justification. There's been at least four occasions when I've went exploring and uncovered strategic resources in late game (where they make or break you). In these instances, during the AI's movement phase on that turn I was approached by at least one (in several cases two) AI civs suddenly wanting to exchange world maps. Coincidence?

--As mentioned above, AI can see your subs. Not sure if it can see them the second they enter their cultural borders, but I have approached enemy caravels with a nuke sub and have received a warning from the AI.

--Am I the only one who finds it peculiar that air superiority is broken for the human but not the AI players? I assumed that CivIII was bound by rules that applied to human and AI players alike. If that were the case, it seems rather odd that air superiority could be broken only for one.

I'm sure I've missed some...

[simwiz2]

"Am I the only one who finds it peculiar that air superiority is broken for the human but not the AI players? I assumed that CivIII was bound by rules that applied to human and AI players alike. If that were the case, it seems rather odd that air superiority could be broken only for one."

This seems suspicious for me too. I think that maybe the AI gets automatic AS in its cities, w/o haveing to build fighters, as a cheat. or in the very least it gets some bonus to keep the big bad humans from bombing the AI into the stone age that would explain why AS is broken for humans only

[Trifna]

All I have to say is that if they DO cheat, then it would mean that Firaxis voluntarily lied to us.

[Dan Magaha FIRAXIS]

Pretty much all the things listed here are bugs, not cheats, and IIRC many of these are fixed in the patch.

One notable exception is "civ restarting" which I think is intentional and thus not going to be affected by the patch.

Like I said several weeks ago, the patch will settle once and for all just what advantages the AI has at different difficulty levels.


Dan

[ColdWizard]

Originally posted by simwiz2
the AI cheats because on EVERY level, it can see the whole map

of course they trade maps, but rarely evenly (they always want the map AND about 100 gold )

in my games i can consistently get gold (lump sum or per turn, sometimes both) and maps from the AI for just my maps, playing on chieftain and warlord.

[Dravin]

Originally posted by ColdWizard


in my games i can consistently get gold (lump sum or per turn, sometimes both) and maps from the AI for just my maps, playing on chieftain and warlord.

Maybe there is an intimidation factor going on. *shrug*

Of course the AI may just be ****** in the head when it comes to what constitutes a fair trade. Come on, what human player wouldn’t trade luxuries to a friendly empire on a 1:1 basis?

[docken]

Quote:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Like I said several weeks ago, the patch will settle once and for all just what advantages the AI has at different difficulty levels.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Excellent.

[ColdWizard]

Originally posted by Dravin
Maybe there is an intimidation factor going on. *shrug*

actually, i think its a result of my tendency to explore as much as possible, giving me the most complete maps available.

Of course the AI may just be ****** in the head when it comes to what constitutes a fair trade. Come on, what human player wouldn’t trade luxuries to a friendly empire on a 1:1 basis?

i might not trade 1:1 depending on the luxuries involved and the availability of those luxuries

[Sevorak]

Restarting civs isn't a cheat. If there's empty space in the world, a civ will restart, human or AI. Try getting killed, you'll restart too.

-Sev