Iustus
King
How do I install Better AI?
Check the installation thread.
I installed BetterAI, what do I do to get the best use out of it?
Read this list of suggestions in the installation thread.
I just installed BetterAI, or I have just upgraded to a new version of BetterAI, do I need to start a new game?
No. You can switch versions or remove BetterAI at any time while playing a game. While an AI will likely be in a better position if you started with BetterAI from the beginning, it can start from whatever situation it has in the save and make the best of it.
What is the BetterAI New Handicaps Download?
This is an optional additional modification. What it does is reduce some of the bonuses that AI players get compared to human players. This will make all game settings easier. Without these new handicaps, some players were finding Noble or Prince level still too easy with BetterAI, but Monarch too hard (because of all the extra bonuses the AI gets). With the new handicap file, the distance between Prince and Monarch is less (among other things), so Monarch and Emperor games should be more playable. You can find more information about what handicaps were changed in the BetterAI Handicaps Release Notes.
When I start the game, the blue circle is not on top of my settler. Why?
This has to do with how the blue circles are calculated vs how the starting civ positions are calculated. Without BetterAI, the blue circles are always drawn with out of date information. That means that they will always show the starting postition with a blue circle. On the other hand, BetterAI now shows the correct up to date information for the blue circles, this means that while your starting spot meets the best spot under starting criteria, it may not be the best spot based on the current information you know.
The starting spot criteria includes things like bonus resources you cannot see yet (copper, iron, horses, etc), distance to other civs, and of course unexplored territory.
The blue circles only take into account information you know, so unexploered territory is not counted, bonus resources you cannot see are not counted, and so on.
In the past, you had to wait until turn one before the blue circles 'forgot' about the unseen information. And it would always be one turn out of date. Now they are re-calculated every time your units move. (Or more correctly, every time you select a settler unit).
Does Better AI work with this other mod?
If the mod does not have its own "CvGameCoreDLL.dll" file, then they will work together seamlessly. Look inside their mod folder and check for CvGameCoreDLL.dll. If it does not exist, then you can add the BetterAI one and it will work fine (or just put the BetterAI one in CustomAssets and it will still work with the mod).
However, many mods do include their own custom DLL file, which means they will not work together. You need to ask the developer of that mod to make a version that includes the BetterAI changes. (See below if you are the mod developer).
I am a mod developer, how do I include the Better AI changes in my mod?
On sourceforge, there is a documentation file on merging Better AI sources which gives step by step instructions on combining your custom DLL with the Better AI changes. Of course, if you do not have a custom DLL, you can just include the Better AI build in your release.
How do I download the Better AI sources?
On sourceforge, there is a documentation file on downloading Better AI sources. These are step by step instructions on getting the latest Better AI sources.
Who is the Better AI team?
At the current time, there are two main developers of Better AI. Blake and Iustus.
Check the installation thread.
I installed BetterAI, what do I do to get the best use out of it?
Read this list of suggestions in the installation thread.
I just installed BetterAI, or I have just upgraded to a new version of BetterAI, do I need to start a new game?
No. You can switch versions or remove BetterAI at any time while playing a game. While an AI will likely be in a better position if you started with BetterAI from the beginning, it can start from whatever situation it has in the save and make the best of it.
What is the BetterAI New Handicaps Download?
This is an optional additional modification. What it does is reduce some of the bonuses that AI players get compared to human players. This will make all game settings easier. Without these new handicaps, some players were finding Noble or Prince level still too easy with BetterAI, but Monarch too hard (because of all the extra bonuses the AI gets). With the new handicap file, the distance between Prince and Monarch is less (among other things), so Monarch and Emperor games should be more playable. You can find more information about what handicaps were changed in the BetterAI Handicaps Release Notes.
When I start the game, the blue circle is not on top of my settler. Why?
This has to do with how the blue circles are calculated vs how the starting civ positions are calculated. Without BetterAI, the blue circles are always drawn with out of date information. That means that they will always show the starting postition with a blue circle. On the other hand, BetterAI now shows the correct up to date information for the blue circles, this means that while your starting spot meets the best spot under starting criteria, it may not be the best spot based on the current information you know.
The starting spot criteria includes things like bonus resources you cannot see yet (copper, iron, horses, etc), distance to other civs, and of course unexplored territory.
The blue circles only take into account information you know, so unexploered territory is not counted, bonus resources you cannot see are not counted, and so on.
In the past, you had to wait until turn one before the blue circles 'forgot' about the unseen information. And it would always be one turn out of date. Now they are re-calculated every time your units move. (Or more correctly, every time you select a settler unit).
Does Better AI work with this other mod?
If the mod does not have its own "CvGameCoreDLL.dll" file, then they will work together seamlessly. Look inside their mod folder and check for CvGameCoreDLL.dll. If it does not exist, then you can add the BetterAI one and it will work fine (or just put the BetterAI one in CustomAssets and it will still work with the mod).
However, many mods do include their own custom DLL file, which means they will not work together. You need to ask the developer of that mod to make a version that includes the BetterAI changes. (See below if you are the mod developer).
I am a mod developer, how do I include the Better AI changes in my mod?
On sourceforge, there is a documentation file on merging Better AI sources which gives step by step instructions on combining your custom DLL with the Better AI changes. Of course, if you do not have a custom DLL, you can just include the Better AI build in your release.
How do I download the Better AI sources?
On sourceforge, there is a documentation file on downloading Better AI sources. These are step by step instructions on getting the latest Better AI sources.
Who is the Better AI team?
At the current time, there are two main developers of Better AI. Blake and Iustus.
