Random Personality-does it weaken the AI?

[GenocideBringer]

Generally, the personality of an AI goes along with its traits. For example, Isabella is spiritual, and gets a production bonus for temples. If she got the AI of an AI who didn't focus on religion, this would be wasted

If Monty got the personality of Gandhi, isn't his Aggressive trait wasted?


Thoughts?

 

[Elros]

On the other hand, it means it's harder for a human player to predict their moves.

So it works both ways.

 

[snipafist]

I'm of the opinion that it favors the player more than the AI, as GB pointed out. Not being able to predict the AI can be a bother for the player, but early observation should reveal the AI's plans and tendencies fairly easily.

 

[blitzkrieg1980]

They should mix up the AI traits to match the personalities. The only thing remaining is the LeaderHead. This would really throw a monkey wrench at the player. Imagine seeing Montezuma being tech heavy with free religion and friendly relations with most civs to boot. That'd throw me off at first. Plus if you don't know your neighbors' intentions early on (imagine Mansa Musa / Ghandi) and suddenly they declare a religious war on you in the late BCs (200 - 100 BC).

This could be a big early game deficit to the player as I, personally, gauge how much military to build early on based on my neighbors.

 

[Barry Bonds]

Elros said what I was going to say as I stepped into this thread.

 

[Sisiutil]

Generally, the personality of an AI goes along with its traits. For example, Isabella is spiritual, and gets a production bonus for temples. If she got the AI of an AI who didn't focus on religion, this would be wasted

If Monty got the personality of Gandhi, isn't his Aggressive trait wasted?


Thoughts?

Well, Monty and Gandhi aren't the best examples to use. Both are Spiritual, so things are even in that regard, and you don't have to warmonger to take advantage of Aggressive; a peaceful builder Monty could build up quite a good defensive force, and all those cheap barracks and drydocks would help his power rating and get most of the other AIs to leave him alone.

But I see your point. The Charismatic trait really requires warmongering to leverage it, and Imperialistic even more so. The traits would be wasted on a more peaceful personality. But who's to say another civ, or you, won't force them to leverage the trait they're reluctant to use?

As others have said above, the setting makes the AI less predictable to you. In fact, I've found you're at an even bigger disadvantage unless you play with this setting on a lot (even all of the time), because you keep expecting the AI civs to fall into their usual patterns of behaviour--and then they don't!

And I don't think it's easy to determine who's who early in the game or even later on. Sharing a religion with a belligerent AI leader can often make them into a pussycat. You might be sharing Hinduism with Mansa and thinking he's the same old Malinese, but then he goes off trouncing his neighbours at the slightest provocation and asks you to join in.

I haven't played too much with the setting mainly because I do enjoy each leader's distinct personality. Meeting up with Tokugawa and finding him all to ready to open his borders and trade techs was disappointing and disconcerting--a bit like a Civ version of the Invasion of the Body-Snatchers, or Stepford Wives. Nevertheless, I think it does even the playing field with the AI to an extent. As I go on and get better at this game, I may start using it more often.

 

[SickCycle]

It may reduce there synergy but I find it actually makes the game more challenging when you have no idea how to interact with a certain AI before you meet them, I mean I had a came I met hattie and I had no idea how to act with her, I was getting a negatives in diplomacy for weird things and she refused to trade anthing, she had a close borders -2, I had no idea if she was getting ready to launch an invasion or not.

Without the Random Personality, I would know exactly how to deal with hattie and know almost 100% she would not be planning to launch an invasion under any circumstances but because I had random personalities on I was terrified that I was fighting a war on my other border, I really thought she was going to invade but I never finished the game, forget why, so ill never know

 

[SickCycle]

I dont really use it though because I have grown fond of the certain AI's and there behavior, I wouldn't want to change there personalities, I find it more suiting to have guys with specific identities then just be random.