AI Difficulty Polls: Emperor (4.5.1)

[Stalker0]

In the last update to VP we made three changes to the AI difficulty bonuses.

1) The AI bonuses were reduced in ancient era
2) The AI bonuses were increased in Renaissance era.
3) We adjusted the system so that changes to an era's difficulty did not change the bonus for other eras. In other words, when I say we touched ancient and renaissance only, that is literally true. The bonuses the AI receives in other eras is exactly the same as before.

A reminder: Our goal was to make the difficulty easier at the beginning of the game a bit, and a bit more difficult in the middle (which due to snowball would make the endgame more challenging). In other words, we want to smooth out the curve and ensure the AI was challenging throughout the game.

So time to see what people think. How are you finding the new difficulty bonuses?

 

[andersw]

Im trying to figure out why and whats going on but in a lot of games I spread out, get like 20 cities and then roll over half of the map and are ahead everywhere no threats.
In some games there is one AI doing well and running away a bit while most other AIs just suck.
I suspect an AI getting a little ahead and is quick to Renaissance sort of turbo boosts itself from there.
If the AI doing well picked authority things can go fast since agression vs its angry neighbours mean more yields, a trad/progress AI can be taken out more easy.
I've not taken enough notes but I think there is something with AIs going progress that does not work very well, progress AI doesnt seem to expand enough, does it struggle with barbs? (Im running standard barb setting)
One thing that is clear, Im not used to AIs that are doing ok in industrial modern but thats more of a me suck thing.
Even if I make the same choices (religion, policys etc) its very clear some civs scale way way better than others in Renaissance and later, this is probably evident for the AI too.
I suspect that this is why denmark sucks, it can pack a punch with uu but there is no science anywhere, similar with sweden except for that 1/20 game where they get to UU before totally crippled, poland is also an AI who tend to not do that well.
Try a game with aztecs, china, inca, austria and babylon, strap in for a good challenge and compare that with one having germany, india, spain, denmark (not as your direct neighbour) and poland.
Edit: so the answer to above depends there is a lot of variation on AI performance, I suspect a bit too easy early on and then maybe a bit much bonuses from Renaissance and later but Im not sure.

 

[Zuizgond]

I think we could slightly decrease periodic bonuses early game and increase them afterwards.

 

[greenfieldpark]

I dont feel like I have enough games under my belt to vote. But so far my experience has me feeling like the game is quite difficult the whole way through. Ive consistently played on immortal and dabbled with diety but am now considering going down in difficulty.

Im currently unable to get early any wonders with the exception of stone henge or pyramids.

This is because the ai is consistently many techs ahead.

Culture wise im usually only slightly behind.

The ai is doing a great job with expansions.

And a great job with warfare.

So im thinking difficulty wise they may be where they should be when playing on immortal. Its supposed to be hard.

So without voting i feel like early and mid game is a good challenge and dont have enough experience with late game.

Game feels like its in very good shape.

 

[hokath]

I haven't successfully played the late game (ideologies+) on this version, so I can't comment there.
My general observation is that AI feels a lot stronger around the industrial era that it did before. I felt on Emperor its maybe getting a bit too much in this period (presumably the Renaissance boost coming through).

 

[bryanw1995]

I've played 5 full games on emperor/epic/large/communitas maps, random civs in 4.5. I think that the AI is now well-balanced in all game phases, the CS fix is nice, the diplomacy changes are easier to manage, not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.