(Aggression Level, AI Attitude) and Trading

[Spoonwood]

Testing in debug mode, I found that at least aggressive (on Sid), I could sell Masonry to Japan for 475 gold at most, on the first turn.

At most aggressive, after gifting Greece 1000 gold and them going to Polite (-8), at most Greece would give 377 gold for Masonry. With Greece at Cautious (0), at most they would give 371 gold for Masonry. With Greece at Annoyed (2), at most they would give 368 gold for Masonry. Annoyed (4), 366 gold. Annoyed (6), 363 gold. Annoyed (8), 360 gold. Annoyed (10), 357 gold. Furious (12), 355 gold. Furious (100), and 100 appears as the maximum number as making a demand for Alphabet no longer increases that number, Masonry sells to Greece at most for 258 gold.

This fits with the gpt for gold exchange rate varying on non-least aggressive levels as described in a note to a Moonsinger writeup.

Since the exchange rate of gold to gpt varies with aggression level and AI attitude at non-least aggressive AI aggression level, I conjecture that what an AI will give in a deal varies similarly in most other cases.

For information on AI attitude I recommend Bamspeedy's notes.

 

[Spoonwood]

FlyingSumo asked if military strength matters with respect to market price. The result of the investigation described below implies that it does not matter.

On a Sid Huge map,

At least aggressive, I found the Maya playing as Carthage. Before founding any cities, the military advisor rates us as average compared to the Mayan forces. The Maya will sell Pottery for 405 gold at least (they won't sell it at 404 gold).

After the first turn, the military advisor rates us weak to the Maya. The least amount that the Maya will sell Pottery again is 405 gold. After making around a dozen elite modern armors, militarily we rate Strong to the Maya. Again, the minimum purchase price for Pottery equals 405 gold.

 

[Spoonwood]

On a Sid Huge map at most aggressive:

The Mongols will sell Pottery for 518 gold, at least, at Polite (-3). On the next turn with the military advisor rating us weak militarily, Pottery again sells at least for 518 gold at Polite (-1). With a strong rating from the military advisor, again, the purchase cost for Pottery equals 518 gold at least.

Relative military strength does not change purchase cost of technology for at least two aggression levels.

At Polite (-5), the Mongols will purchase The Republic for 4949 gold at most. At Cautious (0), also 4949 gold. At annoyed (1), also 4949 gold. At Furious (21), 4692 gold at most.

Without any modern armor around, annoyed (1) still 4949.

 

[Spoonwood]

FlyingSumo asked if culture ratio matters. This investigation, with some analysis, finds that cultural ratio does not change market place.

First game: We play against Celts on only and let them build cities, and add improvements to their cities. We play on a Tiny Sid map with most aggressive set. With them having 9065 culture and we have 1 culture, they didn't have Monotheism yet. At Furious (11), they would give 1398 gold at most for Theology.

Second game: Put modern armor around Celts settler immediately. Learn Map Making and Writing. Found 5 cities and put some buildings and multiple copies of great wonders in cities... like more than one city has The Pyramids. Build embassy with Celts in 3950 BC. Establish embassy with The Celts (I didn't build an embassy in the first game). Their capital has reached size 6?! Then figure out that they joined all their workers to the city. Sign RoP with The Celts.

In 1525 BC we have 9310 culture and The Celts have 242 culture. At Furious (12), they would give 1388 gold at most for Theology. Reloading from the auto-save, at Furious (10), they would give 1408 gold at most for Theology, and Furious (12), again 1388 gold. Furious (14) 1368 gold at most.

Since it appears we have a linear relationship between attitude level and sale price, the author predicts that in the 2nd game, if the Celtic attitude equaled Furious (11), the Celts would have purchased Theology for 1398 gold at most. Therefore, the hypothesis that cultural ratio affects sale price gets rejected.

 

[justanick]

Therefore, the hypothesis that cultural ratio affects sale price gets rejected.

There is the caveat, that culture lead does effect AI attitude.

-1 If you have a culture lead. +1 if the AI has the culture lead.

 

[Spoonwood]

There is the caveat, that culture lead does effect AI attitude.

From the boxed in to capital AI save, 1525 BC, Celts - Polite (-6). 1500 BC, Celts - Polite (-6). 1475 BC Polite (-5) (I had a city riot). I prevented the riot on a reload and Polite (-5). Decline on re-signing RoP, Polite (-3), abandon mech infantries. 1450 BC Polite (-3). 1425 BC Polite (-3). 1400 BC Polite (-3). 1375 BC Polite (-3). 1350 BC Polite (-3). 1325 BC Polite (-3).

Maybe AI attitude changes based on cultural lead/trailing when there happens a change from trailing to leading or conversely. Or maybe it gets recomputed every X turn. But, the data I have indicates that AI attitude doesn't get changed based on cultural lead/trail every single turn in Conquests.

Caveat: I suppose one could claim that spawning in buildings disallows AI attitude changing based on AI cultural lead/trail (or 'lead/behind').

 

[Spoonwood]

Zestyclose-Fox asked about how minimal purchase price and maximal sale price compare (human player assumed as the subject).

Post test Summary: My hypothesis was that maximal sale price and minimal purchase price would equal each other. The following shows that hypothesis false. I would say that it appears that minimal purchase price and maximal sale price substantially differ. Also, as previously expected, once an AI knows someone else with a technology other than you, the maximal sale price of that technology decreases.

Most aggressive Sid huge map with the Vikings. Immediately contact The Maya by placing a settler next to theirs. At Annoyed (2), the least amount that The Maya will take for Masonry equals 960 god. We purchase Masonry. We contact Portugal. At Polite (-9), the most we can sell Masonry to Portugal equals 591 gold. At Annoyed (1), Masonry sells at most for 586 gold. Plant a capital and plant a second city near Egypt. Gift that second city to Egypt. Declare war on Egypt. Spawn unit next to Egyptian and raze it. Well Bamspeedy's notes say "+1 if you raze the city of another AI.", but Portugal remains at Annoyed (1). Maybe the raze penalty only applies if AIs know each other?

Plant another city and gift it Portugal. Sell worker to Portugal for 20 gold. Portugal is still at Annoyed (1)! According to the assumption that Conquests works like PtW for attitude, and Bamspeedy's article, Portugal's attitude should have gone up to Annoyed (2) (Bamspeedy's method is still good, so his article still ends up useful).

Learn Writing. Establish embassy with Portugal and they go to Polite (-1) as the PtW/Conquests equivalence assumption for Bamspeedy's article suggests. Attempt to steal technology for Portugal, and thankfully fail. Portugal goes to Annoyed (3). Found Oslo next to Portuguese units. Gift it to the Maya and build embassy with them. Oops... needed someone who didn't know Masonry, but the idea would have failed even if I had used someone else, since Portugal and The Maya don't know each other.

Trade 1 gpt for 14 gold from Portugal. Portugal still at annoyed (3). Maybe I can't make AI attitude go down, because I gifted Portugal money? Find The Hittites at Annoyed (2), trade 1 gpt for 10 gold. Hittites go to Annoyed (1). I guess Bamspeedy's article didn't have gifting of gold in the tests.

Find Greece. Gift them 1000 gold. Make demands to take them up to Annoyed (2). Masonry sells to Greece for 586 gold at most.

Click next turn. Masonry still sells to Greece for 586 gold at most. So, they aren't researching it, and there doesn't appear to exist anything strange on the first turn that changes maximal purchase price. Portugal and the Maya know each other.

At Polite (-11), the Maya would purchase Writing for 1103 gold at most. Portugal stands at Annoyed (3). Make demands on the Maya so their attitude matches that of Portugal. We can sell Writing to the Maya for 1086 gold at most now. As expected, Portugal will purchase Writing for 1086 gold at most. Sell Writing to Portugal for 1086 gold. At most Portugal will give 523 gold for Masonry now.