[NFP] [1.0.9.9] AI pricing of strategic ressources: Initial storage 0 = double price, 1< = normal price

[Pfeffersack]

Initial 1.0.8.4 report:

The new patch brought changes to how the AI values strategic ressources, but sadly it also introduced another -at least for my taste - questionable behaviour: The AI will pay now pay a lot more for a strategic ressource (roughly +100%), but only if they have exactly 0 of that ressource in storage. If they just have a single unit, they will only pay the normal price for 39 additional units - if they have zero, they pay the double price for 40 units. While I can see and like the intention (AI paying more, if they are short), I think the implementation is flawed - why not make them simply pay the double price until the reached 20 units of a ressource in storage and the normal price for the 20 units?

Here is the example from the attached save...

Catherine currently has no Horses, so she will buy up to 40 units for the new doubled price (almost 12 per unit):

Spoiler :

But if you sell here only one unit first, then she suddenly values the next 39 Horses a lot less (<6 Gold per unit):

Spoiler :

To reproduce:

1. See Catherines offer for 40 units of Horses
2. Sell her 1 Horse
3. Compare now the initial offer with what she is now willing to pay for 39 Horses

 

[Josephias]

I'd say there is some logic behind that, but probably flawed... the key point should be not if they have 0, but how much resources per turn (rpt) they have of an specific strategic.

If rpt=0, there is some logic they pay double when they need the resource, as trade is the only way they will get it.
If rpt>0, trade is only a way to speed-up the acquisition of resources, therefore it should be normal the price they are willing to pay is lower.

As per your example, it seems this is not the case, so probably the implementation is indeed questionable, and probably brings quite a lot of exploitable deals (in the game I'm playing I'm afraid I'll win a cultural victory just because AI are emptying their museums and temples in order to trade works of art and relics for strategics.... )

 

[PiR]

I very much like your point. To make it more consistent:

• in your first screenshot, she should buy 20 horses at double price and 20 horses at normal price.
  
• in your second screenshot, she should buy 19 horses at double price and 20 horses at normal price.

In general, I find trade with AI very flawed, with a lot of tries you can get a lot.
For example at some point she will buy any amount of horses 1 gold. But if you sell them one by one... She will buy each horse 1 gold. So it takes a lot of clicks but if you have a lot of resources and you trade like this with many AI players, you could get quite some money. This could be enhanced as well. I would propose to buy 40 horses for 40 gold instead of having to make 40 transactions of 1 horse for 1 gold.

 

[Dedrytus]

Addon: AI will trade great works for strategic resources or lump sum if you negotiate. For me it is the same bug like AI giving you all empire for peace when negotiate.

 

[PiR]

That is a less common and the AI may change their mind about this and agree later to a deal (involving their great works) they didn't want before. I guess it depends if the work matters to them. Maybe some AI don't care about culture victory and don't see the value of great works then?

 

[Pfeffersack]

This behaviour still occurs in 1.0.9.9:

Hammurabi has no Horses and is willing to pay a lot (~ 7.14 Gold per unit):

Spoiler :

But if you first sell him a single horse unit, the price he is willing to pay for the last 27 units drops greatly - he will only pay 97 Gold for them (~3.59 Gold, which is half of the price above):

Spoiler :

As @PiR pointed out above, it would be much more logical (and less exploitable), if the AI would just pay the doubled price as long as a ressource unit contributes to increasing their storage up to 20 units and pays the reduced price for additional units (up to their purchase limit). Then it wouldn't matter how many deals you do and how much you sell in each. In this example my gain would be roughly 20*7.14 + 8*3.59 = 142.8 + 28.72 = 171 or 172 Gold (depending on rounding), regardless if selling all 28 unit at once or in chunks.

To reproduce with attached save:

1. See what Hammurabi is willing to pay for 28 Horses (but don't do the deal)
2. Sell him 1 Horse
3. See that now he is willing to pay a lot less for the remaining 27 Horses