Some comments on the AI

[Skyre Noktis]

Anything like that would require the AI to be able to remember stuff, which it can't. If it can't see the spider *this turn*, it doesn't exist.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

then they should keep a scout in every city or something like that. not sure how to best handle it codewise

 

[graywarden]

then they should keep a scout in every city or something like that. not sure how to best handle it codewise

I never go anywhere without scout eyes first if I can help it.

"I dont like Spiders and Snakes"

 

[Sephi]

then they should keep a scout in every city or something like that. not sure how to best handle it codewise

that would be a huge waste of hammers. Once they have hunting they build hawks anyway. How often do you get a giant spider early?

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

actually this is lategame so they definitely have enough hammers for a couple scouts or hawks.

 

[graywarden]

the AI should expand more carefully when using raging barbs, they often get newly found cities destroyed.

I have seen a lot of back and forth takeovers between AI and Barbs, but for the human player this can be a nice little edge, once in awhile and take advantage of the situation.

 

[Sephi]

actually this is lategame so they definitely have enough hammers for a couple scouts or hawks.

maybe they don't have hunting? Or they never got the chance to build a hunting lodge. The AI is coded to put hawks in their cities, all they need is hunting and a hunting lodge in one city (and that city not under siege).

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

yep, I'm pretty sure they don't have hunting.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

starting settler AI behaviour definitely needs to be tweaked so that they don't move and settle right next to an opponent, it's really annoying

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

skyre, you might be interested in this savegame in which the sheaim stack shuffles between two tiles instead of attacking. I was using the modular flavour module so you'll need that to check the savegame

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=9043596&postcount=55

7.54 breaks saves btw, you'll need 7.53

 

[DonQuigleone]

starting settler AI behaviour definitely needs to be tweaked so that they don't move and settle right next to an opponent, it's really annoying

Seconded. Also Erebus Continent is very good at creating starting plots these days, so it may be a good idea to tell the AI to stay within a few tiles of it's starting position.

 

[graywarden]

Seconded. Also Erebus Continent is very good at creating starting plots these days, so it may be a good idea to tell the AI to stay within a few tiles of it's starting position.

I agree that it is annoying, but it doesnt really happen that often. I thought it was interesting that they werent settleing the immediete or closest AI recommendation, and thought maybe this was by design. I sometimes take two turns before I settle, trying to maximize my strategy before committing.

I think I fall nuetral with this one, because I like that the variables create anomolies such as this.

 

[Seven05]

Advanced start works great for keeping them from marching half-way across the map, you can tone down the points to take advantage of the limits without starting with more/bigger cities or more techs. For example, on a large map, normal speed the first city city is 100 points, warriors and scouts are 25 points so starting with 150 points gives you one city, one warrior and one scout. The AI will amaze you though, and start with no units so they can have a size two city, fortunately they get 10 turns of forced peace with advanced starts so they survive making it a somewhat decent strategy

Also, with Wild Mana there is a setting in the world infos xml file that can be used to limit the movement of starting settlers for the AI.

 

[Skyre Noktis]

The AI moving its starting settler around is something that was introduced by Wildmana AI changes (it used to always settle in place). If it's causing AI civs to make their starting situations worse, then it should probably be disabled until the AI gets better at picking city sites.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

actually I think shortening the distance they can travel would work fine. it's awesome that they move if there's a better spot a couple tiles away from the start. it just sucks when they move further and settle right next to somebody else, or just in very crappy locations ( for example I've recently seen the Khazad starting in a decent area and move south approximately 6 tiles to settle a plot that was mostly water, no kelp no seafood and most land was jungle. eeeew. or the Illians doing something similar, except they had tundra instead of jungle ) . since starting positionins are generally reasonable lately, shortening the "leash" they have should work fine.

edit: it does seem like non-Lanun should value a coastal start a lot less, I see too many capitals with lots of water tiles. good if you have seafood and kelp, but I've seen them settle some coastal starts with lot of water with neither of those.

edit2: if they also consider hidden resources, they shouldn't do that. aside from being a cheat, it's counterproductive as you don't want to settle in a place which will become good later, you want it to be good NOW. especially in the early game.

 

[esvath]

starting settler AI behaviour definitely needs to be tweaked so that they don't move and settle right next to an opponent, it's really annoying

Thirded.

I agree that it is annoying, but it doesnt really happen that often.

It does regularly in my games, both using WM and FfH-patch M (this AI behaviour is imported by FfH, right?)

Nothing is more annoying than having Ljos and Svart build their capital near each other (pic attached).

The AI moving its starting settler around is something that was introduced by Wildmana AI changes (it used to always settle in place). If it's causing AI civs to make their starting situations worse, then it should probably be disabled until the AI gets better at picking city sites.

I think AI settlers are smarter now, please don't disable it. Just include the placement of other civ's capital as a variable in calculating whether the AI settle in this spot or not.

 

[graywarden]

Thirded.

Nothing is more annoying than having Ljos and Svart build their capital near each other (pic attached).

As long as Im not the Ljos or the Svart let em have at it.... haha....

 

[DonQuigleone]

In some ways it makes the game easier for the AI to settle near you, as it means that you don't need to fear barbarians coming from that direction. Or if you're aggressively minded you can easily get the jump on em. However it's odd and annoying, and can often cripple the AI in certain situations. Leash them to within a few tiles of a single spot, and choose the best place there, preferably within visible distance of the starting settler, but no more.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

a couple pics to show some bad capitol placement:

first picture, I started as Bannor, my settler was on the tile the cursor is on. I settled where the AI suggested me to ( blue circle ) , pretty disappointing

second picture, elves could have got 2 more wine by settling 1 SE.

 

[Sephi]

a couple pics to show some bad capitol placement:

first picture, I started as Bannor, my settler was on the tile the cursor is on. I settled where the AI suggested me to ( blue circle ) , pretty disappointing

second picture, elves could have got 2 more wine by settling 1 SE.

IIRC the AI does not care about peaks in the decision making of settling cities Once the new formula is finished, the AI should place it's cities much better.