What to teach the AI

[CEO Aaron]

Forget realism. We're talking telepathy and space travel, mere conservation of matter and energy can take a flying leap. I just want to get rid of global warming because the potential for exploit is high, and I've come up with other ways for the vengeful planet to punish pollution.

The bottom line is that you need to make eco-damage a real limit to growth and production without unduly punishing the less advanced player factions with unstoppable floods.

It's the ability of skilled players to functionally ignore mechanics like eco-damage and efficiency that have rendered even the most stellar difficulty settings in this game trivial.

[Darrell01]

Hey Hydro, here's where the land comes from. Hmmm... Somehow SMAC scientists have found out how to accelerate this phenomenon.

[Hydro]

I went to the site and, frankly, it doesn't make any sense. I read lots of text yelling and insults. In general I tend to put little stock in dialog that includes the words ‘jerk’, ‘suck’, ‘goof’, ‘DUH!’, and then diatribes about ‘creation events’ and conspiracy theories. The tone and content reminded me of the arguments my 6 year old nephew and 9 year old nieces might have – decidedly non linear, slightly hysterical, and not very logical.

As to the author’s idea that the Earth is growing (I never did see a clear description of his idea or how he arrived at it), I’d respond that of course it is. The Earth receives tons of material that enters our atmosphere every day. Most vaporizes in the upper atmosphere, but some larger chunks make it to land surface.

After the first three pages of brilliant dialog I lost patience. It was entertaining for a while, though.

Hydro

EDIT: this was the first time I'd visited YouTube. From what little I saw I will not be hurrying back.

[Darrell01]

Wow Hydro, you read the comments? I'm really impressed. Usually most people don't. A lot of YouTube comments are childish and as you put it "decidedly non linear, slightly hysterical, and not very logical." What you are seeing is some anonymous person who gets really upset at the idea and asks a flippant question or makes some angry accusation to which the author, who's put up with this same behavior from hundreds of people, if not more, responding in kind, which I don't agree with, but I understand how he can get upset. That's the problem with YouTube. Too much anonimity and no consequences for rude behavior. It has a lot of great videos tho, like the talking cats, although this might be more your style.