Different approach to difficulty level

[historix69]

Usually on higher difficulty levels the AI gets a %-boost to production, research, free units, free tech, etc.

A different approach would be to use same rules for all players (like Prince level) but give the AI an advance by letting it play on the map for 10, 20 or maybe even 100 turns before the human player starts with his settler. (Maybe the human starting area should be blocked to prevent the AI from settling there.)

 

[Ryika]

I would really hate that, and instead prefer starting on somewhat equal footing before the AI gets bonuses that help them keep up with the human mind. The "You start behind and have to catch up!"-gameplay just isn't fun, it tends to put players in a position that is limiting a lot of options.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Well, you could let the AI nations have two turns for every one of the human player for some number of years/turns. That way the catch up nature is less obvious and becomes more of a keep up.

 

[Iapetus303]

Well, you could let the AI nations have two turns for every one of the human player for some number of years/turns. That way the catch up nature is less obvious and becomes more of a keep up.

That means the AI would get double production, double research, double income*, double movement, and could attack twice per turn.

That seems to me to be ridiculously OP.

*unless they are running a deficit.

 

[Birdjaguar]

That means the AI would get double production, double research, double income*, double movement, and could attack twice per turn.

That seems to me to be ridiculously OP.

*unless they are running a deficit.

With such a system, some adjustment might be required. Keep in mind that the goal is to provide the AI with some limited advantages that are different then how things have been done.

If such a turn advantage happens only early in the game, most of the double turn advantage would be against other AI nations with the same double turns. Only AIs next to the player would have a particular edge over the human player. that could easily be curbed.

 

[Ryika]

I don't quite see how that would be much different from the free technologies and Units they currently get. The effect would be the same, at the beginning the AI would have bonuses that make it hard for the player to really do anything. Then later on the player surpasses them.

The only thing that is really different would be that the system works dynamically, Civs with better Starting Positions get ahead further. Not sure if that's a good thing, it could easily cause AIs to become dominant throughout the rest of the game.

 

[Birdjaguar]

I think that a more dynamic and variable the approach is better than just giving all the AI civs identical advantages. Civs in better locales will do better. that seems right to me.

 

[Ryika]

Yeah, but doesn't that already happen because of the Location? I feel like such a system could easily get out of control.

But then again it's mostly a balance issue. I agree that, if one likes "starting bonuses" over "increasing bonuses during the game" (which I don't ) such a system would be a lot more interesting.

 

[Birdjaguar]

I agree; it comes down to what is the best way to give the AI an advantage at each higher level.

 

[historix69]

I would really hate that, and instead prefer starting on somewhat equal footing before the AI gets bonuses that help them keep up with the human mind. The "You start behind and have to catch up!"-gameplay just isn't fun, it tends to put players in a position that is limiting a lot of options.

That sounds like a good idea.
You may either give the AI a general, increasing bonus (A) or a bonus when AI has fallen behind (B).

(A) All players would start at equal terms and AI would gain a bonus for research, production and growth with every new era, e.g.
- ancient era : 0%
- classic era : 10%
- medieval era : 20%
- renaissance : 30%
- industrial era : 40%
- modern era and above : 50%

(B) All players would start at equal terms and starting with classic era, AI would get a dynamic bonus if they have fallen behind the human player too far, depending on the relative strength, e.g. if human science production is 100 points per turn and AI has 150, they do not get a bonus but when they are at 50 they would get maybe a 50% bonus to get to 75 so they do not fall back too far.
Math for the %-bonus may be :
if (human player output > AI output)
%-Bonus = (human player output - AI output) / (2 * AI output)

For Science Progress you could also add a rule that once a player has reached a new era, all techs from the second last era and below are provided for free, e.g. reach renaissance and all players get all techs from ancient and classic era. (This might be controversal if a player just slingshots from one era to the next without researching sideway techs.)