SP Challenge

Meglobob · #1 August 14th, 2007, 06:02 PM

Use the NI maps, they are in the map forums. I have at least 4. Edi made a mod as well to use with any map.

Ban yorself from using mercenaries.

Use Ballbarians randomiser v2.03.

Design the AI's gods.

Play the 1st 5 turns or so for the AI, then turn it AI.

You can use all those together.

WraithLord · #2 August 14th, 2007, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Meglobob said:
Use the NI maps, they are in the map forums. I have at least 4. Edi made a mod as well to use with any map.

Ahmm, what are the NI maps?- More important, how do I locate them in the map forums?

Quote:

Meglobob said:
Ban yorself from using mercenaries.

Maybe I can do that in conjunction with your last suggestion and give the mercs. to the AI.

Quote:

Meglobob said:
Use Ballbarians randomiser v2.03.

What does it do to increase SP challenge?

Quote:

Meglobob said:
Design the AI's gods.
Play the 1st 5 turns or so for the AI, then turn it AI.

Sounds like an excellent idea if albeit somewhat time consuming. I think I'll adopt that for Faerun or some such. Thanks!

Meglobob · #3 August 14th, 2007, 06:48 PM

Link to NI's maps:-

http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/thr...=&fpart=1&vc=1

Look for Sombres post on page 2, he bundled 4 maps into a attachment. Also Edi's mod is at the bottom of his posts.

There are more maps in this thread as well.

I am glad I looked, just found Velusions maps for download as well, cool.

Read through the thread for ballbarions semirandomiser, it allows you to design a AI god from the start and still have the AI on impossible difficulty. Which is very cool.

Also the unique provinces add alot of interest, very much like Edi's Faerun map but on any map you want.

Shovah32 · #4 August 14th, 2007, 06:50 PM

NI maps are no indy maps. They stop the AI spending silly amounts of gold on independant troops by removing them from the game(they can still be recruited from special sites) and gets the AI to purchase more of their generally superior national troops.
Designing the AI gods and playing a little for them can help - particularly to stop them from making incredibly silly choices such as death3 and a nation full of old mages or very positive scales with LA Ermor but, IIRC, setting a nation to AI makes them default to normal level AI so they may not be as much of a challenge as, for example, an impossible AI.
Making a game on a no indys map, giving the AI a nation with powerful national troops(the heims/abysia ect) and either setting them to impossible or giving them order3, growth3, prod3 and then setting them AI gives them something they can work pretty well with(basic units and lots of gold/resources).

Ironhawk · #5 August 14th, 2007, 07:06 PM

Wraith - I am currently working on a mod that gives the AI some pre-packed thugs/SCs. I'm still developing it but if you'd like to try it out I'd love your feedback. Definitely gives the AI some punch!

WraithLord · #6 August 15th, 2007, 09:56 AM

Wow, thanks for all the advice guys!
The day I have to fight for my nations survival against some tough AI opponents I'll be very content.

Quote:

Ironhawk said:
Wraith - I am currently working on a mod that gives the AI some pre-packed thugs/SCs. I'm still developing it but if you'd like to try it out I'd love your feedback. Definitely gives the AI some punch!

I'll be happy to try your mod and give feedback.

Gandalf Parker · #7 August 15th, 2007, 11:50 AM

Creating gods at impossible levels can be done with map commands (even more than that if you turn off the cheat protection). And setting some of the AIs to ally with each other can really goose a game also.

Starting AIs with pre-packed thugs can be done with map commands also. Especially if you set them for high-experince and give them specific equipment.

I really should recreate the Dom2 randomly generated maps that added such things. The Dom2minions.com site generates new maps each day with such boosts. I need to get the Dom3minions.com site doing it I guess.

Gandalf Parker

Hadrian_II · #8 August 14th, 2007, 07:06 PM

I think to make the AI a challenge you should abstain from scripting your mages (then your mages use the same routines as the AI mages do), as i think the major weakness of the AI is that she is completely unable to use magic.

Also the AI has no real tactic in using her armies, she just throws lots of material on the same chokepoints, so to provide a challenge you should also consider not to use PD.

NI maps might be also interesting.