Settings to help the AI have a better shot at winning

[futurehermit]

Besides turning up the skill level, which is the most obvious answer, what game settings do you think help the AI have a better shot at winning, probably by space/cultural (since the AI can't seem to win any other victory condition)?

[Kietharr]

Always Peace, space race/time victory only on high dificulties. AI sucks at war, that's its single biggest failing, in a flat out game of production they've got a better chance at stumbling their way to victory.

[MkLh]

Low sea level and a map type that has large landmasses. AI has space to expand and may fully use its bonuses. The less space there is, the more AI bonuses are nerfed.

[WTBCzero]

Originally Posted by MkLh

Low sea level and map type that has large landmasses. AI has space to expand and may fully use its bonuses. The less spave there is, the more AI bonuses are nerfed.

In addition, the AI does best when they meet all the other civs early. Tech trading is pretty vital to AI success, an isolated AI always ends up hopelessly backward.

Also, any map with a cold or arid climate seems to hurt the AI due to their poor tile improvement and poor location of cities.

[VoiceOfUnreason]

Always peace + Time Victory + OCC would probably do it.

[Gwynnja]

OCC, only culture would work, indubitably.

[fugazi]

The title is to make the AI have a better shot at winning, not making it win by default :P

[Gwynnja]

Originally Posted by fugazi

The title is to make the AI have a better shot at winning, not making it win by default :P

If I'd put a smiley face would you have realized that it was a joke?

[Belisar]

Faster speed favors the AIs on higher levels. By the time you have enough units of a given tech-level and shipped them over to the other continent, they are already outdated.
On the other side, AIs on marathon have also more dice-rolls to declare at you ultra-early.

[futurehermit]

Originally Posted by MkLh

Low sea level and a map type that has large landmasses. AI has space to expand and may fully use its bonuses. The less space there is, the more AI bonuses are nerfed.

This is kind of what I was thinking as well. I would prefer not to go the only-peace route because I don't want to take away victory conditions.

[bestje]

Always peace can favour you as well, you know that you only need 1 unit per city, they will still spam horders of useless troops.

my suggestion would be a pangea with low sea levels / great plains type map, with fairly peaceful AI. Creative AIs always seem to perform quite well.

alternatively pick all the warmongers and then turn on agg. AI there is a good chance you will get a monster AI forming

[Picard42]

Originally Posted by bestje

Always peace can favour you as well, you know that you only need 1 unit per city, they will still spam horders of useless troops.

That's exactly right. The AI doesn't realize that there's nothing to do with all of those military units. I can usually win at two levels higher with Always Peace on than I can without it.

You just need to beeline the appropriate technologies for a space victory before someone else hits cultural, and without being able to take cities, early REXing is critical.

[Bleys]

You and I suffer from the same disease Herm, I call it "Emperoritis". Thats where Emperor and Immortal are beatable, but its such a grind that its not fun, but Monarch is too easy to be anything but a total romp.

Try what I do. Make a B&S, snakey continents, islands, mixed in, and just get the GLH, and REX with it. Its a lot of building fun, and is pretty easy to beat at Emp and even Immortal with a solid TRE based strat. Play it just like that Bismark Monarch Cookbook, and it can be a LOT of fun. Even with aggressive AIs like Shaka and Monty, its not hard unless they are RIGHT next to you. The AIs actually do pretty well, score-wise and tech-wise. The AI performs quite well on watery maps . . . right until its time to go to war. I am rarely higher than middle-pack come Lib, and usually need to get to Assembly Line to win. I dont go for Space or Culture, the challenge is in the Conquest/Dom VC's. The AI sucks at intercontinental war, but that doesnt mean its a cinch for the human either. Lots of landmasses with strong cities on them make the AI quite potent. This map IS a full level easier, but its still a lot of fun.