New patch AI better?

[Joezumah]

I’ve been pleased that the AI has improved a little bit with each monthly NFP release. Haven’t been able to play the October update yet, but read the patch notes. Any noticeable/significant improvement?

 

[DizzKneeLand33]

My first deity game I haven't had a single war declared on me. Maybe this is by design, but man does it make for a boring game. I can't even up the level at that point.

Also, unescorted settlers still attack you when you least expect it.

 

[ggalindo001]

I'm playing a saved game deep into the game (atomic era) - probably about 30 turns in since patch.

Currently Japan -- at war with Germany who I am neck in neck with in a space race. They are on a different continent, so I have several armada upgraded missile cruisers that had started pounding their capital. The AI is pumping out armada nuclear subs like crazy and has done a reasonably effective job of keeping me from being able to have a free ride of shore bombardment. They are also hunting in packs -- so at best, when I counterattack, I can kill off one, but there are 3 more than can strike against me. AI has also effectively used it's air force (small one) against my nuclear subs.

Immortal difficulty. All other AIs are way behind.

I hope this isn't a one-off and that the naval AI has improved a bit. Tactics may be a little wanting, but running in packs, attacking more reasonable units, and orchestrating with their airforce is all a welcomed positive sign.

 

[Morgawr]

I am contemplating starting a new game after about a one month hiatus and wondering the same thing about the AI. Any small improvement would be welcome. If I do end up playing a new game I’ll post any observations here

 

[xxhe]

All the AIs in my first post-patch game focused on science like crazy.

 

[Mahi]

It seems to me AI science runaways are occuring much more now than before. On large maps with seperate continents I have found it hard to keep up with the AI that had a "free ride" on the other continent unless I spam SD in every city. I've actually come to the conclusion that I must war even more than before to capture all the cities I need to keep up with AI science. It's actually quite frustrating when wanting to have peaceful games - but I welcome the challenge, but man I have had some frustrating games lately due to this.
In general I have noticed I have hit a wall, where I'm feeling I'm lacking too much behind. I can't get my "default" play style to work as good as it used to so something has defintely changed during the last two patches. I usually play emperor on large continents and islands map.

 

[Datgingah]

It seems to me AI science runaways are occuring much more now than before. On large maps with seperate continents I have found it hard to keep up with the AI that had a "free ride" on the other continent unless I spam SD in every city. I've actually come to the conclusion that I must war even more than before to capture all the cities I need to keep up with AI science. It's actually quite frustrating when wanting to have peaceful games - but I welcome the challenge, but man I have had some frustrating games lately due to this.
In general I have noticed I have hit a wall, where I'm feeling I'm lacking too much behind. I can't get my "default" play style to work as good as it used to so something has defintely changed during the last two patches. I usually play emperor on large continents and islands map.

Hopefully this means that they're starting to reach the point where they can reduce the bonuses given to the higher level AI

 

[c4c6]

It's actually quite frustrating when wanting to have peaceful games

Conquering has often been very lucrative in history as well in all CIV games. When you want to play a peaceful game, wouldn't it be fair to compensate that significant handicap by lowering the difficulty level in order to receive a comparable intensity of challenge?

 

[Anthedon]

If my current Immortal game is any indication, no. Several AIs got decimated by the barbs, on turn 130 poor Saladin has been reduced to one city.

 

[RealHuhn]

It seems to me AI science runaways are occuring much more now than before. On large maps with seperate continents I have found it hard to keep up with the AI that had a "free ride" on the other continent unless I spam SD in every city. I've actually come to the conclusion that I must war even more than before to capture all the cities I need to keep up with AI science. It's actually quite frustrating when wanting to have peaceful games - but I welcome the challenge, but man I have had some frustrating games lately due to this.
In general I have noticed I have hit a wall, where I'm feeling I'm lacking too much behind. I can't get my "default" play style to work as good as it used to so something has defintely changed during the last two patches. I usually play emperor on large continents and islands map.

But how is this a bad thing? Either adjust your "default" play style and try new things, get more efficient or lower the difficulty level. With enough AI improvements King will eventually be the new Emperor. That's just how it is. You are still as good at the game as before, so no need to feel bad about it.
I also think the AI is better in the science race now but they are still terrible at building the actual space parts and win. I doubt the AI can win before turn 300 which is far too late. Some actual testing would be interesting though.

 

[Mahi]

But how is this a bad thing? Either adjust your "default" play style and try new things, get more efficient or lower the difficulty level. With enough AI improvements King will eventually be the new Emperor. That's just how it is. You are still as good at the game as before, so no need to feel bad about it.
I also think the AI is better in the science race now but they are still terrible at building the actual space parts and win. I doubt the AI can win before turn 300 which is far too late. Some actual testing would be interesting though.

I never said it was a bad thing.

 

[RealHuhn]

I never said it was a bad thing.

You said you had some frustrating games lately but you are right. That doesn't mean you don't like the change.

 

[Pfeffersack]

The AI becomes gragually better with each of these patches, IMO (e.g. the plunders on the tactical level have been greatly reduced. When making a bad move with one of my units, the AI often failed to make use of it in past days. Now they are very likely to kill my unit). The last patch claims to have fixed the spaceport-spam. The problem is just that still a lot of issues are left - expecially the trading department comes to my mind. So there is just the danger that Civ6 patching will stop, before everything gets touched. So the direction we are moving is right - it is just the speed, which might be too slow.

 

[Mahi]

You said you had some frustrating games lately but you are right. That doesn't mean you don't like the change.

Frustrating - but welcome the challenge. That's what I wrote.

 

[Dotsworthy]

The AI's accumulation of science has definitely improved. I've also noticed that the AI are far more ruthless with buying great scientists right as the player is about to gain one. Caught me out a couple of times.

Won a turn 300 science victory on Immortal and one other AI had just started the exoplanet expedition. Tried to fight neighbouring Menelik to free Armagh but he rushed steel making it super difficult for me to reach him.

That said, one thing I did notice was the AI rarely changed governments. When the Diplo resolution came up the AI's voted in oligarchy, despite being 250 turns in. Some of the civs were still on the first tier of government.

I also question whether the AI's purchasing of cultists and soothsayers is holding them back, particularly since they never seem to use them.

 

[Virdrago]

Over all, the AI is much better. I had to drop down to King from Emperor to refine my playstyle, which now includes more beelining to Writing, which wasn't a problem for me before. I usually play Continents and Islands, and now if you don't start exploring the map by the Renaissance and getting your settlers ready earlier, you will lose out on some good off-continent islands. They are also more into using their envoys to deny you a city-state, especially if they don't like you.
The AI is also getting better at land war, though I wish leaders not named Dido, Harald, or Kupe would actually start building ships in game - and I still have only had one game in four years(!) where an AI built a plane.

I still wish the AI would declare something other than surprise wars, and actually have a war past the Medieval. Also, why does the AI still prioritize L1 governments, even in the Modern Age? So often I see them switching from Theocracy or Merchant Republic back to something like Autocracy.

 

[MrRadar]

AI generates a lot of science. It still does not know what to do with it. It can have and maintain a huge science lead and it will still lose.
AI can make an impressive army. Which they then parade aimlessly within their own borders.
AI still has zero idea how to defend against religious assault. It does go after lonely gurus first, though.
When player is at 15/20 to a DV, three AIs decide to ask for aid emergency at the same special session of the WC and all three moves pass. Who, would you think, would win those emergencies with minimal effort?

I saw no noticeable AI improvement with this particular October patch.

Edit: and here's an illustration:

Spoiler :

Korea, Ottomans have double my science, Korea's >10 techs ahead of me the entire game, huge armies, they still fall to my half-a**ed religious victory with only 3 holy sites. They'll better fill 1 tile lakes with nuclear subs.

 

[lohaller]

Not sure if better is the term I would use but it has gotten more challenging and that's a good thing. They are better at generating science and they build a lot of walls. In my games, this makes the game pretty stale since the AIs cant touch each other. Pushing before arties and planes also seem pointless even though it's doable, just more difficult.

For me, it's still as easy once you begin to snowball. They can't kill me and they can't win before either I win or I have a tech that I can kill them with regardless of where they are in the tech tree. I had some sort of record of basilus being in the atomic era when I was in medieval after a solid start. He was rocking 200 science/turn so I really don't know how they can get so far with so little science at times. He still had no chance of winning thou.

all this from a diety perspective

AI generates a lot of science. It still does not know what to do with it. It can have and maintain a huge science lead and it will still lose.
AI can make an impressive army. Which they then parade aimlessly within their own borders.
AI still has zero idea how to defend against religious assault. It does go after lonely gurus first, though.
When player is at 15/20 to a DV, three AIs decide to ask for aid emergency at the same special session of the WC and all three moves pass. Who, would you think, would win those emergencies with minimal effort?

I saw no noticeable AI improvement with this particular October patch.

Edit: and here's an illustration:

Spoiler :

Korea, Ottomans have double my science, Korea's >10 techs ahead of me the entire game, huge armies, they still fall to my half-a**ed religious victory with only 3 holy sites. They'll better fill 1 tile lakes with nuclear subs.

Do you play with any mods? I have never seen the AI build so many units in the late game, they almost never go beyond 1000 army strength in my games

 

[MrRadar]

Do you play with any mods? I have never seen the AI build so many units in the late game, they almost never go beyond 1000 army strength in my games

No, no mods whatsoever. With such pace of updates I stopped using even UI mods, because if I encounter a new bug, I want to be sure it's a Firaxis made one.
The settings were: Deity, small Fractal map, Quick speed, and no modes.