AI Cheating...Again?

[Sarisin]

OK, here's what happened, and I will let you decide if the AI is messing around with the 'rules'....

Since I learned in .34 that there is no longer a limit on the number of werewolves you can have, I have made researching Feral Bond a high priority in my games. I am playing as Auric Ulvin in an Epic speed game. Around turn 500 I research Feral Bond and immediately start building The Baron in my capital. It will take 12 turns to build him. I should mention that I am far ahead in Technology than the remaining 5 AI civs in the game with me.

Well, imagine my shock and surprise when with ONE TURN to go I see the message that The Baron has been built somewhere (not specified where, of course).

I go back to my auto save the turn before. I have 2 turns to get The Baron. I open the World Builder and sure enough...there is a Sheaim city with a pop. of 4 with 6 turns to get The Baron. The Sheaim are 4th or 5th in Technology Advances, by the way.

So, how did this city with a small pop. go from 6 turns to getting The Baron the very next turn - the turn before I would get him?

I can think of only one 'legal' way. Using Gold to speed up production. I didn't check (forgot) to see if the Sheaim had a civic that allowed them to do that. I did know they were last when the Wealthy nations were given in a popup. I'm betting they did not have enough Gold to hurry production the five turns to get the Baron.

Even if they did, why on earth would they do that? With low Gold, why hurry production? UNLESS, they knew somehow I was about to get him the next turn.

Explanations, suggestions, commiseration are welcome. If I don't get something fair and square, that life. It is always frustrating when the AI gets something before you that you really want - especially if you have a few (or ONE) turns until you get it. But, you really have to wonder when you see something like this if the AI doesn't, well, cheat.

What do you think?

PS. I am a strong believer of conspiracy theories, love the X-Files, and think at least half the members of this forum are space aliens, or orcs, or something.

 

[Yaotzin]

Or whipping.

The AI has always cheated though, that's what everything past uh..monarch is it? is, more cheats for the AI.

 

[MiKa523]

What do you think?

PS. I am a strong believer of conspiracy theories, love the X-Files, and think at least half the members of this forum are space aliens, or orcs, or something.

I think, I am an orc


What difficulty where you playing on?
If the Sheaim had any civic that allows to speed up production, they would probably got a big bonus on higher difficulty, which reduced the amount of gold to pay by a lot.

 

[Kael]

There isnt any cheat that gifts units midgame to the AI. The AI must have whipped or gold rushed the baron to get to him before you.

 

[MiKa523]

So, Kael, is there something fishy about the AI finishing this stuff 1-2 rounds before you or is this just a matter of perception?

 

[Kael]

So, Kael, is there something fishy about the AI finishing this stuff 1-2 rounds before you or is this just a matter of perception?

It never looks to see what other players are building if thats what your asking. So there isnt any cheating going on here.

But the Ai loves rushing, especially whipping. It watches the max population of its cities every round, and if it is hitting its happy cap it goes ahead and whips some population for production so it has something to grow into.

 

[Marnok]

I think the AI must have reloaded reality when it saw you complete the unit, and rushed it.

 

[Kael]

I think the AI must have reloaded reality when it saw you complete the unit, and rushed it.

That would be such a funny event. After the AI loses a hero in comba the player gets a popup saying the AI is reloading the game. Then everything is reset exactly as it was before the combat occured.

 

[Brokenbone]

That would be such a funny event. After the AI loses a hero in comba the player gets a popup saying the AI is reloading the game. Then everything is reset exactly as it was before the combat occured.

AI needs a source of Chaos mana for that one, maybe.

 

[Keeper_GFA]

I think you should put that in for real.

 

[FireBlaze]

That would be really intense....
Untill you try to reload and the AI blocks you...
Then you figure out by giving it the ability to reload.... It develops intelligece...

Skynet IS the virus

 

[zup]

Are you accusing my laptop of something?

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Actually returning the game to its old state would probably be too much.

It would probably be just as funny for the game to claim that the AI has already reloaded the game, maybe if its hero ended up winning a battle when the odds were against it.



Metamagic mane seems more appropriate than Chaos mana, imho.

 

[reveler]

That would be such a funny event. After the AI loses a hero in comba the player gets a popup saying the AI is reloading the game. Then everything is reset exactly as it was before the combat occured.

This reminds me of the adventurers in BG: Throne of Bhaal. IIRC ii said "Bondari reloaded." Some fourth wall breakage and I loved it.

 

[slowcar]

This reminds me of the adventurers in BG: Throne of Bhaal. IIRC ii said "Bondari reloaded." Some fourth wall breakage and I loved it.

that was epic. one of the very best fun ideas in gaming history.

 

[Zechnophobe]

I played Throne of Bhaal, but I can't for the life of me remember that one...

 

[Avahz Darkwood]

I could be an easter egg event triggered when an AI hero is killed by a Human player. All it would do is reanimate its hero with a new name called cheater =)

 

[Sarisin]

It never looks to see what other players are building if thats what your asking. So there isnt any cheating going on here.

But the Ai loves rushing, especially whipping. It watches the max population of its cities every round, and if it is hitting its happy cap it goes ahead and whips some population for production so it has something to grow into.

Ahhhh, I don't believe it, Kael, and I'm proposing you are a part of this cheating conspiracy! I'm certain you have inserted some double-secret hidden code or something to allow the AI to know what you're building and when it will be done.

You may recall when I brought this up about researching Techs several versions ago - the AI seemed to always know what techs you were researching and how many turns it took. There were just too many times I was a turn or two away from founding a religion or researching a tech that gave me a special goodie if I got there first that I got beat by the AI.

Then, there was their constant offering to trade me a tech I was researching and had only a few turns to complete - how would they know that?

Anyway, I'm still not satisfied with the whipping or hurrying production with Gold answers. The city's pop. was only 4 and, as I mentioned, I don't think the Sheaim had enough Gold to 'buy' the unit. It's still very fishy that it happened exactly the turn before I would have got The Baron.

So, my cheating charge/conspiracy theory stands and I can assure you sir that Messrs. Scully and Muldaur will be paying you a visit soon.

 

[arcticnightwolf]

If AI cheats, let hit back! Press Ctrl+W, erase his Baron, create your Baron ... where's problem?!?

 

[cyther]

It becomes scary once the Ai uses the worldbuilder to spawn massive armies and all the techs.