AI concept of the '80ies ... why?

PrinzMegaherz · #1 December 4th, 2006, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Arralen said:

Quote:

PrinzMegaherz said:
So, what if more than one player is participating in the game? The AI needs all turn files in order to calculate battles. Your idea would work for a" One player VS AI game", but not for multiplayer, which Dominions mainly is about

Pardon? Where's the difference between a human and an AI player, if both do their turn at the same time?
Actually, the kind of AI I described is easier to do in Dominions than Civ or Space Empires (but IIRC both have a 'simultanious' mode now, too) - exactly because the AI does not need any player file to do it's turn.

Think you're confusing the game server (who executes the orders and computes the results) or maybe the tactical (battle) AI with the "artifical players", which I'm talking about.

I seem to have misunderstood your original post, sorry. But imho the AI thinking does not take so much time. That comes mostly from calculating the battles and generating the next turn. At least that how it looks on my Macbook.

Johan K · #2 December 4th, 2006, 03:24 PM

True. The AI seldom requires more than a second or two to think, so it really has all the cpu power it needs.

Endoperez · #3 December 4th, 2006, 03:47 PM

So, what kind of strategies are there that the AI should take into account? Let's choose two examples: LA Mictlan and MA Mictlan. Pretty similar nations.

LA Mictlan

1) Bless
- choosing a bless and a form
- choosing how to pay for the bless (dormancy/imprisonment/scales, [what scales?] )
- making sacred units to be on the top of the recruitment queue
- accompanying each group of sacred units with at least 2 priest-levels (2 Holy 1 priests, or one H2 priest, or more/better priests)
- what others units to build?
- does bless change the spells the AI should research/summon?

2) fast research/ battle caster?

3) SC pretender?

4) blood hunter/summoner pretender?

5) rainbow pretender?

MA Mictlan

Bless - same questions as for above, probably similar answers

Taqwus · #4 December 4th, 2006, 05:07 PM

Formations get ugly.

The AI does not deal all that well with damage-aura effects on two levels:

(1) initial unit placement and selection, and
(2) dealing with them on the battlefield

ex. (1), I've seen a Sauromatian army with hydras placed in the center front, with other living non-immune troops. When they fought my Ghost Riders, there was massive own-goaling through poison because it took them a while to kill the wraith lord.

ex. (2), I'm inclined to think that a non-mindless, non-immortal unit should be reluctant (morale check?) to run or stay in a damage cloud to which it is not immune. If it's not in the cloud, it may make more sense to either go around, or hold.

Varangian · #5 December 4th, 2006, 07:05 PM

There are two games that have elements of what's being discussed. The kohan series has AI personalities that are unique and users can build their own; a nice feature. Age of Wonders has the option off a simultaneous move for the AI, which can give the AI more time to make up its mind. In the early turns of that game, the computer is usually done wwell before you. In the late stages when there are a lot off units, I ccan normally beat the AI in time to complete turns.

As a newbie to Dominions, I'm not having a problem with how tough the AI is, it's eating me alive and I think the various AI kingdoms are meeting somewhere offfscreen and constantly plotting my downfall.

Varangian

NTJedi · #6 December 4th, 2006, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Varangian said:
As a newbie to Dominions, I'm not having a problem with how tough the AI is, it's eating me alive and I think the various AI kingdoms are meeting somewhere offfscreen and constantly plotting my downfall.

Varangian

Well once you improve your skills you can edit the .map files and setup all the computer opponents as allies. That's what I currently do for my games.