Mod to Remove AI Advantages and Maintain Difficulty

[WC4J]

Are there any mods that remove the AI advantages on the higher difficulties but still ensure that the game is difficult as a result of better AI design?

It is sickening to me that I have to keep dominating on Prince and King just so the game is balanced.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

No, AI design is hardcoded and I don't think it is possible (although it is possible with DLL< which would take a while, especially since BNW is still fresh).

Even with new AI, it woul be difficult to get perfect so it doesn't end up messing up one way or another.

 

[adwcta]

It is sickening to me that I have to keep dominating on Prince and King just so the game is balanced.

Game is also balanced imo through Immortal. This stuff's been play-tested a good amount before they published it. Many testers play at Immortal/Deity level almost exclusively.

You don't have to be sick. Feel better. Play on Emperor.

 

[gberetfr]

Are there any mods that remove the AI advantages on the higher difficulties but still ensure that the game is difficult as a result of better AI design?

It is sickening to me that I have to keep dominating on Prince and King just so the game is balanced.

I don't think you realize how extremely difficult it is to program an efficient AI that can beat good human players !

There are so many parameters and choices to make, that having an AI able to make the best choices is a huge huge work. You have to know that the AI is a dumb thing, it don't "think", everything had to be taken into account by the programmers beforehand : If you see X and Y then do Z... So to have a good AI you'd have to think about all the possibilities it can have all along the game including all the parameters influencing those possibilities (map, short vs long term ...).

It can be done but it requires a huge amount of work.

The game developpers didn't do it because it requires too much ressources (vs the number of players for whom it will be interesting, meaning playing at king difficulty minimum).

So don't imagine that a modder, or even a team of modders, would be able to do that ! (at least with good and balanced results in less than a few years work)

 

[Hawawaa]

Communicas mods CEP is what your looking for and then some. It's in beta right now & BNW required. Check in modding section.

 

[Uberfrog]

I believe it is the case with pretty much any strategy game that hard difficulty = computer cheats. Humans are just smarter than AIs, and will be for a long time.

 

[quantum42]

The Steam workshop has a mod that removes the starting bonuses that the AI gets at the beginning of the game. There is another that has advanced options where game options can be tweaked. I don't remember the exact names of these.

 

[Cromagnus]

I'm pretty certain it's not possible for an AI to consistently beat a human player at Civ on an even playing field.

It requires a super-computer to consistently beat the world's best chess players because of the possibility space and the number of moves required to think ahead.

Chess has a much, MUCH smaller possibility space than Civ5 BNW. The AI has many more variables to consider.

Now, that being said, I think there are improvements that could be made to military strategy and long-term planning. But it's certainly a very complex problem at best. And every time they tweak a value or patch/change something, it could make the AI "dumb" again.

It is, however, my biggest complaint. I want to play on King against skilled opponents, but multiplayer is such a hassle... so I play on Immortal.

Diety is so *not* like playing against a human that it's just not worth it to me anymore. I learned to beat it, but I felt cheap. I knew I was getting away with things no intelligent player would ever allow. So you just become really good at "gaming" Diety.

Like, assuming you won't get Wonders is stupid. It should be that you look at your start position, gauge your production, and use a best guess as to whether anyone else could produce it faster. Then, you gamble as to whether someone *will* produce it. On Diety, the Great Library might as well not exist. And without a hugely advantaged start position, many of the rest of the Ancient/Classical Wonders might as well not exist either.

But you play one multi-player match against a skilled opponent and you quickly realize your strategies are totally inappropriate for King vs King.

For one thing, happiness is totally different in multiplayer. Scouting is totally different in multiplayer. Etc. Etc. I'm not saying I prefer multiplayer. I'm saying I wish the computer would act more like a smart human, yet keep their AI's tendencies based on Civ/Leader. Ah well.

 

[evilcat]

All difficulties use same AI. So yes if you beat deity you are still fighting chieftan AI.

There is xml file, handicap something when you can alter AI bonuses, like starting units, technologies, production bonus or happiness discout.

 

[joncnunn]

Community Expansion mod goal is to teach the AI to be better and reduce handicap, which is currently the closest there is.

It's probably an unreachable goal, but worth pursuing.