Mark Young
Formerly Sir Eric
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2003
- Messages
- 1,799
With the advent of so many wonderful, insightful and helpful tutorials, guides help references to the game of Civ IV appearing onto the web, I can't help but notice there is one very critical and often over looked aspect of each AI's character. And that is the area of the AI's own personal feelings.
Think about it for a second, however often has an AI taken a course of action, or reacted to you in a way that just didn't make sense? Why did Boudica flirt with you one turn, and then demand a tech the next one? Why doesn't Hammurabi smile often? Why is Sitting-Bull always standing?
The reason for all of these unexplained events can be explaining with just a little consideration and empathy on the AI's behalf. By putting ourselves in their shoe's for even the briefest of moments, we begin to get a glimpse of what it's really like to be a game AI.
Example 1
Hatschepsut: You play a game with the following settings; Pangea, large map, 10 random civs.
You meet all other civs before meeting Hatschepsut. You finally meet her at a time when you're empire is starting to grow some momentum. You've waged a successfull war against Ghandi in which you enlisted the help of a the Zulu empire. This war went well, you gained valualbe land and resources.
Now you meet Hatschepsut. She seems annoyed at you. She wont trade anything. Her face is downcast and you know you'll have to do a lot to win her over.
But the question is why is she like this?
An AI's Perspective
Let's look at it from her point of view.
Firstly she's on the other side of the continent from the main player, you! She doesn't like that. She's a party girl. She wants in on the action. She craves the attention the other civs are giving you.
Secondly, she's stuck next door to the resident hottie, Catherine. She's very self conscious of her large eyes and jutting cheeks. Quite a contrast to Catherine's smooth lines and pleasant natural beauty. This is probably one of the biggest concerns. For some unknown reason, the female Civ's just dont like each other??
Now lets have a look at Hatschepsut herself.
She's Spiritual and she's Creative. In other words she's a lover, not a fighter. She wants to woo you and make you feel special. But you've just gone and conquered another nation! She feels scared! Vulnerable. What does she do? How does she handle all these situations?
How does she make you see her more favourable than Catherine the resident hottie without incuring your powerful wrath?
The Solution
Once you've empathised with an AI and have come to some understanding of what they are currently feeling and why they are feeling it, then implementing a favourable solution is often easier than it seems.
With Hatschepsut the solution is often very easy. Reciprocate her love and affection. Gift her some techs so she can improve the quality of life for her subjects, trade excess luxuries with her, create open borders, and share her passion for the same civic's and religions.
With other AI's a more authoritarian approach is needed, but more on that later.
I hope this helps people with trying understand an often neglected side of the AI they are experiencing.
And if anyone needs some help with trying to understand the AI's actions, please feel free to post your situation and I'll try and see what I can do to help you understand things from their point of view.
Think about it for a second, however often has an AI taken a course of action, or reacted to you in a way that just didn't make sense? Why did Boudica flirt with you one turn, and then demand a tech the next one? Why doesn't Hammurabi smile often? Why is Sitting-Bull always standing?
The reason for all of these unexplained events can be explaining with just a little consideration and empathy on the AI's behalf. By putting ourselves in their shoe's for even the briefest of moments, we begin to get a glimpse of what it's really like to be a game AI.
Example 1
Hatschepsut: You play a game with the following settings; Pangea, large map, 10 random civs.
You meet all other civs before meeting Hatschepsut. You finally meet her at a time when you're empire is starting to grow some momentum. You've waged a successfull war against Ghandi in which you enlisted the help of a the Zulu empire. This war went well, you gained valualbe land and resources.
Now you meet Hatschepsut. She seems annoyed at you. She wont trade anything. Her face is downcast and you know you'll have to do a lot to win her over.
But the question is why is she like this?
An AI's Perspective
Let's look at it from her point of view.
Firstly she's on the other side of the continent from the main player, you! She doesn't like that. She's a party girl. She wants in on the action. She craves the attention the other civs are giving you.
Secondly, she's stuck next door to the resident hottie, Catherine. She's very self conscious of her large eyes and jutting cheeks. Quite a contrast to Catherine's smooth lines and pleasant natural beauty. This is probably one of the biggest concerns. For some unknown reason, the female Civ's just dont like each other??
Now lets have a look at Hatschepsut herself.
She's Spiritual and she's Creative. In other words she's a lover, not a fighter. She wants to woo you and make you feel special. But you've just gone and conquered another nation! She feels scared! Vulnerable. What does she do? How does she handle all these situations?
How does she make you see her more favourable than Catherine the resident hottie without incuring your powerful wrath?
The Solution
Once you've empathised with an AI and have come to some understanding of what they are currently feeling and why they are feeling it, then implementing a favourable solution is often easier than it seems.
With Hatschepsut the solution is often very easy. Reciprocate her love and affection. Gift her some techs so she can improve the quality of life for her subjects, trade excess luxuries with her, create open borders, and share her passion for the same civic's and religions.
With other AI's a more authoritarian approach is needed, but more on that later.
I hope this helps people with trying understand an often neglected side of the AI they are experiencing.
And if anyone needs some help with trying to understand the AI's actions, please feel free to post your situation and I'll try and see what I can do to help you understand things from their point of view.
