What are the effects on the player and the AI from increasing the difficulty level?

[The Tollan]

What are the effects on the player and the AI from increasing the difficulty level?

I played as the Chinese on Prince for my first game (not quite finished but almost). I want to try out the Greeks on Monarch but does the player get any penalties that alter gameplay balance of (such as price to purchase things)? Also, does anyone know what types of bonus the AIs get? I don't mind most of them but a direct research bonus could be kind of lame. I don't want to see too many AIs progressing too fast technologically. I would prefer if they are more effective than on Prince but have close to the "standard" technology variation.

Going to play on a large map in the second game (first played on huge).

 

[aimlessgun]

The only way for the AI to "more effective" is to have those cheats. Yes, the AI gets bonuses to basically everything as you move up. I'm actually not sure about penalties to the player...don't think there are any?

 

[guczy]

The only way for the AI to "more effective" is to have those cheats. Yes, the AI gets bonuses to basically everything as you move up. I'm actually not sure about penalties to the player...don't think there are any?

Less starting hapiness for sure (for human player i mean)

 

[The Tollan]

Most of the AI bonuses are not really a problem to me. The one thing I don't like very much though is if all AI civs universally become too technologically developed and rush through some eras. More production and other things is fine though (although this somewhat helps them technologically).

Yes, happiness is influenced by the difficulty level as guczy noted. It seems that some difficulty levels have the same happiness modifiers though.

Doesn't seem like the player gets any real negative modifiers that I can see other than less happiness.

 

[Daniel D]

I played as the Chinese on Prince for my first game (not quite finished but almost). I want to try out the Greeks on Monarch but does the player get any penalties that alter gameplay balance of (such as price to purchase things)? Also, does anyone know what types of bonus the AIs get?

The player gets bonuses below prince, but doesn't get penalized above it. The AI gets bonus production/happiness/growth/etc at difficulties above prince and supposedly makes decisions that are more in its self interest as the difficulty goes up. Expect to see the AI have more units and money to throw around as the difficulty goes up.

 

[vmxa]

I am fine with bonus, no bonus I just want to know what they are for each level. You could check in the editor in III and see what things were for all levels and map size.

 

[Daniel D]

Less starting hapiness for sure (for human player i mean)

Only when moving from warlord or lower to prince. Everything from prince to deity has the same set of defaults for the player.

Exact amounts are in \Assets\Gameplay\XML\GameInfo\CIV5HandicapInfos.xml