Map trading to AI, do they use it?

[Michelangelo]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone actually knows if the AI will do anything usefull (for them) with the knowledge gained through maptrading. Will they act differently before of after an updated map.
Usually I'll get a demand for a map, and wonder if rejecting it is worth the diplo penalties.

 

[dubrown]

I wouldn't say that I know if and how the AI uses that knowledge. I would guess they otherwise don't know your inner positions of cities and such but then, the AI doesn't plan their invasions as good as a human anyway. And for that matter, if you do have open borders with another AI they will have traded their maps with the other AIs anyway. Or really, open borders doesn't matter much with the spies in BTS.

So atleast I take a mapdemand as a cheap way out, better a map than a tech. The only time I don't trade maps is when I know that I've explored alot more of the whole world than any AI, if they haven't seen each other yet, why give them the map on how to find the other AIs.

 

[WTBCzero]

Do the AIs make a effort to contact a unknown AI if they see it's position on a map you traded to them? I was under the impression they the AI explores more or less randomly, sending ships off in a certain direction until they reach the end of the map (This seems to be the case from looking at maps the AI have traded to me).

 

[Yxklyx]

Do the AIs make a effort to contact a unknown AI if they see it's position on a map you traded to them? I was under the impression they the AI explores more or less randomly, sending ships off in a certain direction until they reach the end of the map (This seems to be the case from looking at maps the AI have traded to me).

I've gotten very good maps of the New World from the AI - so they will follow a coast when they find one.

 

[Quotey]

I've had AIs settling on my continent if there is space in a map i traded to them.

 

[Bradlius]

I play a lot on the Terra map (where there is a guaranteed unsettled barbarian continent) and the AI players really really want to trade for my World Map if I'm first to discover the new continent.
Usually if I'm far enough ahead, and if I have the circumnavigation bonus, I might trade, knowing that I have a big head-start on settling the new continent. Otherwise, I keep the knowledge to myself and take the diplomatic hit by refusing to trade my Map.