Can someone explain AI to AI Trade Rate?

[Unconquered]

First, which encourages more aggressive trading between AIs, a low number or a higher number? (I want to discourage AI to AI trading, do I set this to 100 or 999) Secondly, does this number in any way effect trading with the human player and what I would pay? Finally, can someone explain what "AI Default Difficulty Level" does and how does that enhance/degrade the bonuses the AI receives on the "Difficulty Levels" Tab in the editor? (I usually play Emporer level, but AI Default Difficulty says Regent???, which level am I playing?)

[metalhead]

Well, I can try to answer these questions. If I am wrong, I'm sure I'll be corrected

First, I believe the AI to AI trade rate determines the price which AI civs charge each other for tech. If this # is 150, I think this means the AI will charge the human 1.5 times for a tech than it would an AI civ. Since at higher levels, techs are cheaper for the AI, this is a double whammy - the AI gets techs cheaper, but will charge you more for them than at a lower level. The higher the trade rate, the more prevalent techs will be shared among the AI, so set it below 100 to discourage this behavior.

The AI default difficulty level probably affects many things - but the only one I am sure of is happy faces. As you may or may not know, each city has a certain # of its citizens born content, depending on level - 4 for Chieftan, 3 for Warlord, 2 for Regent and Monarch, and 1 for Emperor and Deity. Set to Regent, the AI cities will always have 2 citizens born content, no matter what level you choose. If you set it to Chieftan, the # is 4.

It may also affect the production bonuses - if you play at Chieftan, you produce things twice as fast as the AI when set at regent. Set them to Chieftan, you will probably be equal at Chieftan. But play at Deity, and the AI may get a whopping 3.2 mulitiplier on its production (1.6 Deity multiplier times the 2 times Chieftan multiplier relative to Regent.) Or, the production bonuses may be unaffected - I have yet to play around with this. The happyness thing I know about for sure.

[WarpStorm]

AI to AI trade rate only applies to AI players, not to the human players. Soren said that the AI to AI trade rate is deficit spending only. Say the rate is 1.5 and a tech would cost 150 gold for a human to buy. If the AI player had 150 gold then that's what he's have to pay. If he only had 100 though the trade will still go through (100x1.5=150).

AI difficulty is what difficulty the computer players play on. By default they always play on regent. This affects many things like how many people a city can have before crowding causes unhappiness.

You are playing Emporer.

[Catt]

Originally posted by WarpStorm
AI to AI trade rate only applies to AI players, not to the human players. Soren said that the AI to AI trade rate is deficit spending only. Say the rate is 1.5 and a tech would cost 150 gold for a human to buy. If the AI player had 150 gold then that's what he's have to pay. If he only had 100 though the trade will still go through (100x1.5=150).

I just wanted to emphasize WarpStorm's point because I think it is widely misunderstood.

The AI will try and charge other AI's full price -- only if the buying AI cannot afford full price will the Trade Rate come into play -- it will then determine how much of a discount the selling AI is willing to take from a buying AI.

Of course in practice I believe it comes into play frequently, because the AI tends to spend its assets (maps, gold, techs, etc.) as soon as it gets the chance.

Catt

[Unconquered]

One more question, I don't understand fully. In the editor in the "Difficulty Levels' Tab, there are a lot of bonuses that apply to Emperor level, but my Default AI is set to Regent. Which of the bonuses are used in my game at the Emperor "Difficulty Level" Settings and which are used at the Regent "Difficult Level" Settings. I've noticed that the Unit Bonuses are on the Emperor Level because I've noticed the free AI units roaming around at the beginning of the game. What about "Number of Citizens born content" is it 1, or is it 2 (Regent setting)? My question specifically is when does the AI Default Difficult (Regent) setting override what is on the "Difficulty Level" Tab?

[V.O.C.'02]

When The AI has enough money to buy a certain tech, will they instantly buy it, reagrdlessof what tech it is, of its usefullness?

When i sell a tech i allways sell it to evryone, because I'm afraid someone else is running away with my money.

[WarpStorm]

Usually, I find I do the same thing though. I can sometimes recoup the cost by selling it to other civs later.

[Catt]

Originally posted by Unconquered
One more question, I don't understand fully. In the editor in the "Difficulty Levels' Tab, there are a lot of bonuses that apply to Emperor level, but my Default AI is set to Regent. Which of the bonuses are used in my game at the Emperor "Difficulty Level" Settings and which are used at the Regent "Difficult Level" Settings. I've noticed that the Unit Bonuses are on the Emperor Level because I've noticed the free AI units roaming around at the beginning of the game. What about "Number of Citizens born content" is it 1, or is it 2 (Regent setting)? My question specifically is when does the AI Default Difficult (Regent) setting override what is on the "Difficulty Level" Tab?

The "Default AI Difficulty Level" tab has confused many. You select the overall game difficulty at the start of the game (i.e., Emperor). The AI plays with certain challenges and bonuses that a human would get at Regent (i.e., it always plays "Regent" difficulty) -- from memory, such advantages include: 2 citizens born content, the combat bonus against Barbarians applicable to Regent level (200%?), better goody hut probabilities, Regent level corrupution / OCN levels, etc.

If you set the AI Difficulty to Deity, all AI civs would have only 1 citizen born content, no bonus against barbarians, etc. Set it to "Chieftan" and the AI is really cooking, with 4 citizens born content, virtual invincibility against barbarians, etc.

The core difficulty level modifiers that the human "sees" (AI unit bonuses and production bonuses) are unaffected by the "Default AI Difficulty Level" tab.

Catt