For Firaxis: How I Would Change The Difficulty Settings

[Inverse Icarus]

In short, I can't play deity in Civ3.

It's not that I can't DEAL with it, it's just that the AI cheats are so blatently obvious that the game no longer becomes fun. I would love to play a game with the diety levels of everything (corruption, unhappiness, etc), but with a monarch level (only cheating a little, not too noticeable) AI.

I suggest two choices for difficulty, game and AI.

Perhaps for civ4.

[Thrawn05]

That a good idea, but I don't think they would reply since you could edit it.

[vmxa1]

I do not find EMP or Deity fun. I play them for each patch and then go back to Monarch. Less of the annoying happiness crap. The happiness factor has always been aggrevating in Civ and Smac, I do not care for it, that is just me.

[Knightblade pDM]

I stay at Regent but only curiousity would make me move up on the difficulty ladder. The blatant AI cheating just keeps me from doing so

[Sovereign]

I tried to give the AI Reageant difficulty level, while selecting Deity level for the player in the Editor.


But, seriously, I always wanted to play a Chieftain level game with a Monarch - Deity skilled AI that actually gets into the Industrial or Modern ages by 1500 AD.

Most games I play on Chieftain because I don't like all my cities rioting early in the middle of a major expansion or army build up!

Also, I play that level for the "no bankruptcy" thing. Many times I build temples and cathedrals in EVERY city to keep the riots away in Reageant and higher, THEN all these temples and cathedrals create an negative cash flow.

THEN I gotta sell or scrap these temples and cathedrals to get out of bankruptcy. THEN riots start up again.


The circle repeats itself over and over ad-infinitum.



Sucks, doesn't it?

[jkelly]

Re: For Firaxis: How I Would Change The Difficulty Settings

I suggest two choices for difficulty, game and AI. Perhaps for civ4.

I'd like to see something like this as well. For quite a while now Emperor has been an almost-guaranteed win while Deity has been an almost-guaranteed loss. This makes the game less replayable. More flexible difficulties, like Uber's options, would add to my enjoyment of the game.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Sovereign

Also, I play that level for the "no bankruptcy" thing. Many times I build temples and cathedrals in EVERY city to keep the riots away in Reageant and higher, THEN all these temples and cathedrals create an negative cash flow.

THEN I gotta sell or scrap these temples and cathedrals to get out of bankruptcy. THEN riots start up again.

Two choices (not the only ones), build more mines and less irregation or select commerce trait. Of course the sliders can be use, but I am guessing you like them were you have them.

[Bamspeedy]

But, seriously, I always wanted to play a Chieftain level game with a Monarch - Deity skilled AI that actually gets into the Industrial or Modern ages by 1500 AD.

Just go in the editor and under the 'difficulty levels' tab and for Chieftain set all the AI rules to the same for what deity is (cost factor, # of starting units, and # of free units, AI to AI trade ratio, etc.). Or, give them the cheaper cost factor, but eliminate the free units they get at the start.

There is also another thing that affects the difficulty of the AI. Under 'general' settings tab, there is a 'default AI intelligence' box. It is set to Regent, so that means that no matter what level you play at, the AI plays by Regent rules for determinining how many of it's citizens are born content, combat bonuses vs barbarians, and results from goody huts (but not cost factor, or AI to AI trading). Set this to chieftain if you want a more difficult AI, and Deity if you want an easier AI.

[Theseus]

Originally posted by Bamspeedy
There is also another thing that affects the difficulty of the AI. Under 'general' settings tab, there is a 'default AI intelligence' box. It is set to Regent, so that means that no matter what level you play at, the AI plays by Regent rules for determinining how many of it's citizens are born content, combat bonuses vs barbarians, and results from goody huts (but not cost factor, or AI to AI trading). Set this to chieftain if you want a more difficult AI, and Deity if you want an easier AI.

This is so damn counter-intuitive... I still do a double-take and have to think it through when I see it.

OK, best setting for a challenging, possibly killer AI civ is Chieftain, due to the factors stated.

I propose the AU Mod, with this"AI Difficulty" setting, played at Emperor, as the best balance.

[bigvic]

yeah, just play with the editor - easy

[planetfall]

Originally posted by Sovereign
I tried to give the AI Reageant difficulty level, while selecting Deity level for the player in the Editor.

Most games I play on Chieftain because I don't like all my cities rioting early in the middle of a major expansion or army build up!

Also, I play that level for the "no bankruptcy" thing. Many times I build temples and cathedrals in EVERY city to keep the riots away in Reageant and higher, THEN all these temples and cathedrals create an negative cash flow.

THEN I gotta sell or scrap these temples and cathedrals to get out of bankruptcy. THEN riots start up again.


The circle repeats itself over and over ad-infinitum.



Sucks, doesn't it?

Sovereign,

I am playing at Regent and I never have cash flow problems. How about sharing your standard build order and the usual time when when you change governments. My guess is your problem is not only with build order but also the timing of government changes. It could also be a problem with corruption. I love cathedrals, but usually do not build in all cities until about Sistine Chapel time.

When I first switched to Regent I had a horrible time in late Ancient Era with cash flow. The solution is to change build order and adjust timing of government changes. Definitely more fun than going back to Chieftain.


Oh, better yet, would be to post a game where you had cash flow problems, before you sell off temples and cathedrals. You should only have to sell conquered temples and cathedrals before you abandon a city. Never sell your own.

Looking forward to seeing a sample game.

-- PF

[alva]

Originally posted by Theseus


This is so damn counter-intuitive... I still do a double-take and have to think it through when I see it.

OK, best setting for a challenging, possibly killer AI civ is Chieftain, due to the factors stated.

I propose the AU Mod, with this"AI Difficulty" setting, played at Emperor, as the best balance.

hmm, not really, allthough at first this might seem logical, but:

If you set it on chieftain you are likely to get a very passive AI (builder), because it doesn't need anything.

If you set it on deity, It will need to look/fight for stuff I.E. luxuries,etc...

It seems strange, but it is true
I didn't discover this myself, it was mentioned by Soren in one of the killer AI threads IIRC

[Sovereign]

Planetfall,

I tend to bee-line towards Republic in Ancient Age, to get big science and trade boosts.

Here's what I tend to do in my games.


I do the Zerg rush, settlers and warriors all over a moderate sized area to plop down cities like the Zerg in StarCraft. I usually get like 15 - 20 cities by 1000 BC or so.

After I do the Zerg rush, around that time, I get Republic. I switch over to Republic, hoping to get more money via increased trade.

I build temples and cathedrals in every city to make everybody on "dope" or happy.

Then after that, I build libraries and marketplaces, and banks when I get Banking, in an attempt to increase science AND money income.


Then my problems begin.

My cash fails at this point. Sometimes I get like -50 to -100 debt!


I remember when I played some Chieftain games, I got upwards of -500 to even -1000 DEBT by Industrial or Modern Era!!!

I usually do more Zerg rushes to get like 20 or 30 extra cities for a total of 50. Then if there's any land or empty islands nearby, I do Zerg on them as well.



I'm used to Civ2, SMAC, and Civ: Call to Power tactics. I'm usually able to manage my treasury, but in Civ3 it's a hella lot harder for me.

I usually set my tax rate to 30% to 40%, while keeping Science at 30 - 60%, and dump the rest into luxuries, depending on government type, city sizes, and empire size.


That's pretty much what I tend to do. So I decide to go for Chieftain level, so I don't have to worry about losing my improvements or military due to debt and money shortages.

I'm able to pull out of debt and the - cash flow by Industrial Age in Chieftain, and probably Modern Age in Warlord and Reageant.

I gain maybe +1 or +2 gold a turn in Warlord and Reageant all the way to Modern Age, while trying to keep my science rate decent. So that's pratically a zero cash flow.

[planetfall]

Sovereign,

What is "Zerg rush"?

-- PF

[alva]

ahh, c'mmon , chieftain is to easy....
It's ok , if you're new to the game, but after spending alot of time here, you should go to regent at least

Maybe we need training days/games

@soeveraign: could you post a random/average save game of one of your games? around late middleage-early industrial. I want to see how you play the game in general and see if I/others can help.

note: I'm not making fun of any chieftain player here ok. Just Thought I'd make that clear