CTP2 - For beginners only?

[MarkG]

btw, please supply more information

quote: Originally posted by AI_Scripter on 11-28-2000 05:46 PM Impossible? No, impossibly easy! In this game I was the Americans and there were 3 other civs (that's all I wanted). Also, there were no barbarians, since I didn't want the barbarians roughing up the AI and in general, making progress take longer.

was it on the world map?
cause if it was, you were actually playing on medium level. if it was medium, with 3 civs and no barbarians on a gigantic map, you shouldnt expect much

[AI_Scripter]

quote: Originally posted by ak on 11-28-2000 08:09 PM Interesting review, AI. Since you've played this and SMAC, but not Civ2, what games do you consider to have good AI?

Good AI? Hmmm... ... ... still thinking ... Well, I'm stumped. Actually, when I first played SMAC, I thought it had a really good AI. But I hadn't played a TBS game since Empire Deluxe for the Amiga computer back around 1986. My point here is simply that this AI may be decent (or even good) for a beginner to this genre, but I've yet to play against an AI that would qualify as good once you've gotten at least sort of good at the game.

Last year, I bought Age of Kings (AOK) and enjoyed it for a little while, but quickly found the AI to be incompetent. So, I spent the next 7 months writing an AI script for AOK which turned out real well and made the game more fun to play. Although I had no control over the tactical AI, at least it allowed me to alter the strategic AI. It was a definite improvement, but it still sucked overall because of the tactical AI's incompetence. But at least it seemed a little more human like. Isn't that what we all want a little more of? To feel that the AI is acting somewhat human like (intelligent and unpredictable)? Also, while we all want to be able to win, isn't it more fun when you're also afraid you might lose? Where's the joy in winning when you know you can't lose?

So I'm hoping that CTP2 will allow me to customize this AI sufficiently and allow me and others to make it more fun to play, but since I don't yet have any documentation (I hope Activision provides this soon) for it and don't have CTP1, I have no idea yet what will be possible. I guess I'll have to pop on over to the creation forum and ask the experts there what they think might be possible.

[AI_Scripter]

quote: Originally posted by MarkG on 11-29-2000 01:46 AM btw, please supply more information was it on the world map? cause if it was, you were actually playing on medium level. if it was medium, with 3 civs and no barbarians on a gigantic map, you shouldnt expect much

I played a random map on impossible. So I should expect much. But then again... AI programming is really, really hard and I don't blame them for not wanting to put more time into that aspect when so many people will buy the game anyhow.

[This message has been edited by AI_Scripter (edited November 29, 2000).]

[MarkG]

and the map size?

[Dissident Aggressor]

Why is it playing on a world map is on medium. this has to be the stupidest thing ever put into a game. It took me longer than it should have to figure out how to play on the world map. You know it wouldn't be copyig from civ2 if they just had a button that said start on premade map. And then let you select difficulty.

But I ask about the world map. It did ask me for a difficulty? is that not the actual difficulty? This interface is not very good. I'm trying though, well maybe not- I'm here posting. The learning curve shouldn't be so steep. And where do you find out how many credits you have to use for public works? My head is starting to hurt from this game.

[MarkG]

check the Call To Power 2\ctp2_data\default\aidata folder for the ai related text files
most of them have some comments in them....

[MarkG]

quote: Originally posted by Dissident Aggressor on 11-29-2000 02:06 AM But I ask about the world map. It did ask me for a difficulty? is that not the actual difficulty?

i believe there is a bug. it has happened with a test scenario i made myself
you get asked for the level but it's the real one...

quote: And where do you find out how many credits you have to use for public works?

top right on the screen....