I know this might lie buried in a thread somewhere. Cracker's site didn't help me much here, so... does anyone understand the basic idea behind the AI worker strategy? Why in the world didn't the programmers at least have the AIs mine/forest all their silly irrigation when their cities hit size 12 in the middle ages or earlier?
"Logic" behind AI worker strategy
- Thread starter Spoonwood
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Deity
AI workers never change an existing improvement. I've read they still did so in Vanilla, but in what way I don't know.
They seem to irrigate everything that can be irrigated, and where there is no water access, they'll mine. Exception is a food rescource; they'll always mine that.
And they're manic about connecting everything with everything. This leads those funny situations where an AI worker might be roading all the way through your territory because the civ he belongs to has some pity little settlement on the other side of the map.
I'm sure other players have much more to say about this, because I've never really studied those AI workers all that closely.
They seem to irrigate everything that can be irrigated, and where there is no water access, they'll mine. Exception is a food rescource; they'll always mine that.
And they're manic about connecting everything with everything. This leads those funny situations where an AI worker might be roading all the way through your territory because the civ he belongs to has some pity little settlement on the other side of the map.
I'm sure other players have much more to say about this, because I've never really studied those AI workers all that closely.
sk8boardbob2
Warlord
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2005
- Messages
- 114
I think they have a habit of mining plains and irrigating grassland, the opposite of what humans do. Maybe they are programmed to improvise whatever is produced the most in that tile unless there is a resource.
capnvonbaron
Democratia gladii
I've noticed (in vanilla) that they mine and irrigate in a grid fashion on grassland, irrigate desert, mine or forest tundra, and mine all food bonus resources. I can't remember if plains are on the grid system or not, though I know they mine food bonuses there too. If I were to make an educated guess, they like to emphasize food production over production.
In vanilla they will change your improvements if, say, their culture expands into yours and your improvement doesn't fit into their grid, or if you've watered a food bonus, etc. Occasionally they will also run off multiple tiles and chain irrigation back to their cities if they don't have a domestic source. I've also noticed the "manic connecting" habit; I've used it to abduct and hold workers hostage while their homeland rots under pollution and goes un-improved. I can think of several times where I had 20+ workers herded and trapped on a single tile.
In vanilla they will change your improvements if, say, their culture expands into yours and your improvement doesn't fit into their grid, or if you've watered a food bonus, etc. Occasionally they will also run off multiple tiles and chain irrigation back to their cities if they don't have a domestic source. I've also noticed the "manic connecting" habit; I've used it to abduct and hold workers hostage while their homeland rots under pollution and goes un-improved. I can think of several times where I had 20+ workers herded and trapped on a single tile.
