Does the computer cheat?

[larsenex]

Hi there. I started a new game on Medium dificulty and gigantic/apolyton map with good mod. I will post where I am so far, with my saved game below. My question is this. I noticed that the puter starts out with THREE settlers and seems to advance thru the tech tree VERY fast!!! I am barely getting pyramids and ramayana and most of the others are working on appian way, and other wonders I have yet to get to. Does the 'puter Cheat? and can I disable that feature if it does? Do I have to restart the game if I do? Please offer your advice. I am trying to build up my ten city limit quickly and going for a production powerhouse.

[larsenex]

Ooops here is my saved game...

Here it is..

[hexagonian]

The higher the level, the more bonuses the AI gets. It may also start out with more settlers (based on the Mod). This is normal for just about every type of TBS civ game, BTW...

Go into APOL_DiffBD.txt to change the bonuses that the AI has for each of the playing levels - either that or play on a lower level.

[Martin Gühmann]

Indeed the AI are given a lot of boni. Unfortunatly it can't use them very well, so that finally you can win the game, maybe this is also something good. So the result is that you can only gain one wonder in the early game and this is actual good to make a choice.

Oh and by the way if you want to change the boni that are given for the AI in the single level of difficuilties, modify rather GM1_APOL_DiffDB.txt that is the file that is in GoodMod used.

-Martin

[larsenex]

I am laggin behind..so do I just do the basics?

I am behind in the game..(actually I am last). The puter has way more advances and this is only a 'medium' game. I am on an island and pretty much isolated, I can see if anyone lands or comes near me...what should I research? Basically ,...what would you do?. I am still a tyranny and all the others are ahead in Government. I have TEN cities but still I am behind. The 'puter seems to sail thru to completion of wonders, is this normal?

Lars....

[Tamerlin]

What is the year you are currently playing Larsenex?

If you are on a small island I think you should research naval advances and use an aggressive strategy. Though I prefer peaceful ways, your situation dictates you to build ships, to explore the map, to build a strong expeditionnary force while you are sailing the seas to spot the other AI civs, to choose a weak target and to attack it. Taking the cities of another civ will allow you to grow quickly at the expense of another civ and to build a bridgehead on a major continent.

As far as I am concerned, Monarchy is always a priority.

This is what I would do but I am far from the most skillfull player around here.

[Maquiladora]

Id go for Monarchy first aswell, then Republic, build lots of Adv. Farms, then Classical Education and dedicate alot of scientists in cities. Theres no way the AI will mount a decent attack onto your island... sadly.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
Theres no way the AI will mount a decent attack onto your island... sadly.

Unfortunatly there are other limitations in unit use of the AI so that it can't use the full power of its units and therefore the AI gets some more advantages than in the default game.

-Martin

[larsenex]

What is the 'default' game? easy? or medium? surely not beginner.

Lars

[Maquiladora]

"Default" or "Unmodded" or "Vanilla", is the game without any mods, not surprisingly.