AI or Not AI

joshcork

Is there a game out there that has an AI not just difficult in that it takes you time to find it's weaknesses and then you beat the s**t into it. Orwhen you get large and powerfull that it still poses a threat and is not just an insect that needs crushing so you get to see the credits.
:ninja:

Pugsley

The only games Ive seen with challenging AI is when they blatently cheat, with unlimited credits or faster build time. Nothing worse than trapping an AI opponent in his base with no money, and yet he still managed topump out huge amounts of units that just keep coming, even though he should have ran out of money ages ago.

Sand

The only games Ive seen with challenging AI is when they blatently cheat,

/me coughs

Galactic Civillisations doesnt cheat, and is the best AI around in a strategy game.

joshcork

Well an example of...trapping an AI opponent in his base with no money, and yet he still managed topump out huge amounts of units

Is Imperium Galactica 1, played that game most thoroughly and don't get me wrong it's a cool game but if you get to the end the main bad guys are left on one planet and they just churn out a full fleet every time you destroy one so it's impossible to attack the planet fare enough you can store a certain number of ships in storage but this just goes on.
It'd also be nice to see some cooperation between some of your enemies once you get to a particular size like in medieval total war the other faction should band together and put you back. Have I heard corrrectly that Galactic Civilisations does something like this?

Sand

It'd also be nice to see some cooperation between some of your enemies once you get to a particular size like in medieval total war the other faction should band together and put you back.

Hmmm, I got to say I hate that particular type of thing - it smacks of lazy game design to me, the idea that your two allies who youve donated thousands of cash to, along with backing them up and defending them, sharing tech with them etc etc - grow to loathe you just because youre powerful. It makes diplomacy pointless in the end as youre better off building armies. Theres better ways to "tax" large empires through corruption, innefficiency, nationalist seperatism etc etc that can actually add to a game than just lurch it to a massive end game world war. I dunno, thats just me.

Have I heard corrrectly that Galactic Civilisations does something like this?

I dont think so - you can win allied victories in single player and cpu opponents want to win just as much as you so if they feel theyve got a better chance of winning with you than against you theyll stick with you even/especially when youre powerful.

CPU opponents are also far less likely to attack you when youre doing a lot of trade with them - if they depend on trade with you for a lot of their income then theyll come to see your interests as theirs, to the point of view of protecting you if youre attacked by another enemy ( they mightnt delcare war directly if they also need trade from your enemy but theyll be persuaded to sell you tech, military equipment and lend cash etc etc ). Trade thus makes other civillisations "like" you more leading to alliances, so allied nations arent going to turn on you. On the other hand you cant afford to put all your effort into trade networks and culture building as you need a strong fleet to avoid getting shaken down every 5 or 6 turns for your lunch money.

I dont know, maybe youre ninja at strategy games but I wouldnt worry about winning the game easily. Theres a lot going on under the hood to master.

joshcork

Hmm Perhaps I shall Aquire this "Galactic Civilisations"

But I hate to say it but it might be a bit of fun to add some more politics and civil unrest factors not just worrying about who's got more ships. I've seen this effect somewhat in GC demo and in MOO3. Like the parliment in GC and your poeples opinion of the other race from MOO3 depict the moral of you people.
But MOO3 is still very poor