Tech tree question for the experts

[Mark D]

A tech tree problem has arisen where I can't get the AI to research techs in a sequence which corresponds to the AI modifiers and values.
eg The tribes are all set as aggressive, expansionist and militaristic and the techs have the values and modifiers set to:
Chemical warfare 9 -1 with epoch 3 category 0
AI Chemical warfare 9 -2 with epoch 3 category 0
Armoured cars 6 -1 with epoch 3 category 0
AI Armoured cars 6 -2 with epoch 3 category 0
Fighters 8 -1 with epoch 3 category 0
AI Fighters 8 -2 with epoch 3 category 0 and yet the AI will not consistently pick the tech which appears(?) to be the most desirable (AI Chemical warfare?).
What I am trying to do is slow the research rate at which the AI cheats (it seems to be about twice the research rate of the player)by introducing 'dummy' techs which have more desirable AI values and modifiers.
Does anyone out there know the solution or the reason why the AI will not research the highest numbered tech with negative modifier?
Your advice will be appreciated.

 

[kobayashi]

As far as I know, the epoch and category are irrelevant - its only for choosing the associated icon.

You are right to say "the AI will not consistently pick the tech which appears to be the most desirable", because there is an element of chance involved. Otherwise the AI would play exactly the same way everytime, which is bad.

How do you reduce cheating? The basic way is by playing at a lower difficulty level. For Civ2 difficulty = AI cheating.

A more round about way is to have one of the two prerequisites for each advance given to the human player at the beginning and force the AI to research the free advances. So the human would start with Useless1, Useless2....UselessN while the AI won't.

Another way is to make all the AI fundamentalists and cut the research rate down to a low number

Another way is to not give the AI the advance for making research facility (or University etc) unitl near the end.

Another way is to make the AI's much poorer either by bad starting terrain or lack of advance to make Stock excahnge etc

Another way.......my fingers are tired, I think I'll stop here.

 

[willemvanoranje]

You know, in ST: Kappa, there are techs that are not supposed to be shared (same as you have in ST:BAQ, kob), and I gave them a value of 0, but still the computer exchanges these techs. That's pretty horsehockey.

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And I'm proud to say: 'Ich bin ein Civfanatics Official Reviewer!'

 

[kobayashi]

Tis is not really related to Mark D's topic but....Here's my take on this -

When A contacts B, he will offer the advance he likes least (i.e. the type 0 tech) for the one he wants most. So the least liked techs will get traded if B is desperate for any tech.

Also if the tribes only have type 0 techs left, they have no choice but to trade thoses. (this is the main problem for ST Kappa)

I don't try to stop all trading, just to reduce the occurance.

Obvu=ious thing is to disallow tech from conquest and not have memory alpha wonder.

Also disallow certain tribes from talking to each other will reduce negotiations geometrically.

A third step is to make certain tribes hate each other.

One thing I employed in ZWK is discontinuous tech lineage. The tribes get crucial techs by events late so even if their earlier techs get traded, their latter techs are safeguarded.



[This message has been edited by kobayashi (edited July 26, 2001).]

 

[willemvanoranje]

Well, in Kappa the tech trade is essential. Without it you cannot win. But the thing is, the Roms and Klingons trade their 'Native Tech' with eachother in the first 10 turns, when they find eachother (they're situated close to eachother).

Sorry to disturb the thread, I thought it was as well about this. Sorry again.

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And I'm proud to say: 'Ich bin ein Civfanatics Official Reviewer!'

[This message has been edited by willemvanoranje (edited July 27, 2001).]

 

[kobayashi]

How about giving each of them some 'useless' techs? Or making them hate each other at the start (not by events but adjusting the attitude). Klingons and Romulans have hated each other since the alliance dissolved during post-TOS times.