Cheese or not cheese ?

[Zed-F]

Well, I guess I should be more specific about what I think a smart AI is. A smart AI isn't one that pulls out really brilliant strategy and tactics and wipes you out without breaking a sweat. A smart AI is just one that doesn't do anything egregiously stupid. It might not make the best possible decisions all the time but at least it makes similar mistakes to the kinds a human player might.

The MOO1 AI is good for the most part but it does do some stupid things. Firstly, it loves to attack with forces that can't hurt the target they're going after. Once, fine, you need to get data on what the defender has, but not over and over again; that just leaves your planets vulnerable to counter-attack. Secondly, it loves to keep obsolete designs around and BUILD MORE of them even when it should know they are obsolete. The diplomatic AI is also stupid from time to time -- like as in, "let's declare war on our neighbor when he's obviously got way more production, population, and tech than we do" kind of stupid.

I want the MOO3 AI to be better, not so that it kicks my butt, but so that it doesn't do these kinds of glaringly boneheaded things. Not only does it make it easier to win than it ought to be, it also takes away from the immersion factor due to implausibility.

As for AI handicaps/advantages, I don't care if they start with more resources/cash/ships or whatever than me, so long as they don't break the game's rules and do things I CAN'T do, I'm ok with it.

[vmxa1]

Seems reasonable to me, but I would point out that the "lets attack that strong neighbor", can't be avoided.
You see this in Civ3 as well. Once you get to the point where all the planets are taken, you must go after someone. If that someone is too strong, it does not matter, you lose if you do nothing anyway.
I have had a single city race declare war on me on 2046 in Civ3, while I am peacefully running up my pop for the score on a huge map and I am the only other player.
I suspect the failure to make newer designs is due to the logic looking at the numbers in a given design and deciding they can not afford to scrap that many.
This could happen to humans, if they were to build too many of one type. This why I limit myself to under 10 for most of the game and why I use Large instead a med or small.