What the AI is thinking and feeling

[Mark Young]

There are a lot of threads that are started that seem to ask the same question, "why does the ai hate me" or "the ai is picking on me" or something similar along those lines.
So I thought that I would offer a side of the ai that probably no one has really sat down and gave a good thought about.

What is the ai thinking? What is it feeling?
Today I hope to shread some light on an otherwise Taboo subject, I call it...

What the AI is thinking and feeling

I will use Catherine the great of the Russians as my case example as I feel that she suffers the most from what I like to call "neglected AI syndrome"

I feel that Catherine suffers from bad self esteem.
Lets face it she's not the prettiest thing to look at and I think she knows it.
So she has to compensate by being aggressive, (you know, the same way less attractive girls immediatlley talk about a good looking girl just cause she is better looking then them).

These feelings of inferioraty and deprevation may have a deeper underlying root cause.
Perhaps her capital is in a bad location and her "childhood" early game was one of deprevation and neglect?"why cant I have a cow or wine, just one would do" she may have asked herself.
Perhaps she was all alone for a long time and felt neglected by the other civs? "Why wont the other civs play with me" she probably tearfully cried at the end of each turn.
Perhaps her first warrior was killed by a barbarian and she feels rejected and neglected from such an early age? Exposed and unprotected, all alone with no one to protect her.

Any of these things happening to a young and fragile civ is enough to cause feelings of bitterness and resentment that will fester and grow untill one day they just seem to erupt in a frenzy of unexplained attacks and aggression.

Too often I think that we fail to realise the impact of our selfish ambitons for domination or conquest have on the AI.

A common complaint that is heard is that all of the ai's gang up on someone.
Perhaps if you tried to make her feel a little more wanted, like sending her some gpt or give her a tech out of the kindness of your heart then I think that she will warm up to you.
Or, maybe she is jealous because you have more lux or resources then she does?

A common occurence is the ai trying to blackmail something from a player. Why?

Why does Catherine or Shaka try to blackmail us? Why do they wish to provoke an attack?
The reason for this is simple, It's an attention seeking ploy on their part. When was the last time you talked to them? When was the last time you offered to give them something out of the kindness of your heart?
Being a selfish player brings with it bad consequences. Not only for you but for everyone. Your selfishness affects ALL the civs.
Try and be kinder, politer and be a giver. This will help alleviate any hostillity and resentment, and perhaps she may even offer you something as well.

The AI needs love as well

Yes it needs love. It needs to feel wanted and accepted in the community. Talk to them often, make them feel welcomed and special. Offer them gifts, spend time with them, they are after all just like you, trying to find their way in the big world and they need all the support they can get. Just like you.

I hope this has been helpful to you in helping you understand things from the ai's point of view.

 

[Tacit_Exit]

Hey, shouldn't this go in strategy articles?

 

[Zarn]

Just nuke 'em and they won't feel at all.

Edit: I guess nukes, wouldn't kill 'em, so you will have to send in land units to finish the job. You would think that nuking the capital could kill the leader...

edit 2: FYI, if they don't feel, they aren't lonely.

 

[Hooray]

Originally posted by Zarn
I guess nukes, wouldn't kill 'em, so you will have to send in land units to finish the job. You would think that nuking the capital could kill the leader...

I know from experience that nuking the capital can kill the enemy leader, if you're playing Regicide.

This is funny! I guess I never thought about my enemies' personal feelings.

I'd like to see one of these for Xerxes and why he's so aggressive. Is he compensating for something?

 

[Mark Young]

Originally posted by Hooray


I'd like to see one of these for Xerxes and why he's so aggressive. Is he compensating for something?

I'm afraid so. Excessive aggression in men can be linked to a number of different "shortfalls".
Perhaps he is jealous of your popularity with the other civs? Is he threatend by your friendship with the female ai's?
Maybe he was let down by Joan or Lizzy?
Or maybe he feels that he hasn't got the "strategic or bonus resources" to trade with the other ai's and keep them satisfied?

Xerxes traits are militaristic and commercial. These 2 traits to me are symbloic of friendship,mateship, belonging to a group.
Perhaps he just wants a friend to talk to?
I think that if you traded with him he will warm up to you and not be so aggressive.

My advice to you is to empathize with him. Put yourself in his place as the unwanted, unloved civ with limited "strategic resources".
How would you want others to treat you?
He's longing for companionship, a friend, a buddy to kick back and unwind from a hard day with.

Treat him well and Xerxes has the potential to be a very loyal friend whom you can call on in a time of need.

 

[toothpaste100]

But after keeping him happy for a while he will stab you in the back with his "limited strategic resources".

 

[Mark Young]

A very wise man( Montgomery C. Burns) once said...
"I keep my friends close but my enemies closer".

But after keeping him happy for a while he will stab you in the back with his "limited strategic resources".

I'm sensing some resentment there towards Xerxes. Is there something that you would like to share with the group?

Remember toothpaste100, It's Ok to cry, dont bottle up your feelings, let them out.
Are you afraid of Xerxes? Has he hurt you in the past? Or perhaps he embarrassed you in front of the other AI's?
What ever it was feel free to share with the group why you resent him so that we can help you be all that you can be.

 

[toothpaste100]

He took my favourite workers, I loved them... I was busy expanding and that bastard came in with his immortals and took them all ;(.

 

[Mark Young]

Originally posted by toothpaste100
He took my favourite workers, I loved them... I was busy expanding and that bastard came in with his immortals and took them all ;(.

The loss of a loved one is never easy to accept, especially when you've seen them grow up, get their first job at irrigation or mining and take their first tentative steps into the the bigger world outside .
My condolences to your civ on the loss of those close to you.

When we are attacked it certainly seem like the attacker is "immortal" doesn't it?
As stated before I feel that Xerxes aggression is a cry for attention.
He just wants a friend. He doesn't realize that his aggression isolates himself from the other civs, so he becomes aggressive which increases his isolation and fuels his frustration. It's a vicous circle and one I think he wishes he could stop.
Be a friend. Help him end his torment. Perhaps he will offer you some tech because of your friendship?

 

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by Sir Eric
A very wise man( Montgomery C. Burns) once said...
"I keep my friends close but my enemies closer".

You think Matt Groening came up with that line? I sincerely hope you're joking.

 

[Mark Young]

Originally posted by SolarFlare

You think Matt Groening came up with that line? I sincerely hope you're joking.

No I said " A very wise man once said" not that he made it up.
I think the quote originated from Julius Caesar.

And thank you for your sincere thoughts about my jokularity.
This thread was started in an attempt to help people try and understand what the AI is thinking and feeling.
If you feel the AI has mistreated you, ROP raped you or abused you in any way, feel free to talk to the group about it, You may find that it helps.

 

[Ant509y]

How about India? A while back, they sent an army by boat to take an island of mine! Thye nearly succeeded, too, however... it was just such a surprise! Ghandi even RAzed a large city of mine! IT was horrid!

 

[Mark Young]

Originally posted by Ant509y
How about India? A while back, they sent an army by boat to take an island of mine! Thye nearly succeeded, too, however... it was just such a surprise! Ghandi even RAzed a large city of mine! IT was horrid!

Ah yes gate crashing someone else's party.
I think this is a case of "if I cant have it neither can you"

India's traits are religous and commercial, an oxymoron if there ever was one.

On the one hand Ghandi wants to be true to his religion, He yearns to be free from the slavery of materialism. He took a vow of poverty that he sincerely believes in and which he desires very much to follow strictly.
But there is another side of him, a type of bizzaro Ghandi. The commercial Ghandi that wants to produce extra commerce.
These 2 traits are in constant turmoil with each other. They fight and wrestle with each other. It causes an immense struggle within him that consumes him day by day by day and he doesn't know how to handle this conflict from withhin.

It is this conflict that caused him to attack your island!
It is this conflict that DROVE him to destroy one of your cities that you nurtured and grew from a young settler!
It is one of the most desperate cries for help that a man can utter.
He doesn't hate you, he envies you. He envies your freedom. And he yearns to be like you.

He attacked you because he wants what you have whilst simultaneously hating who you are and desiring to be who you are.
He knows he cant achieve this so he attacks you. He wishes to destroy you and all the other civs until there is only him left. Him and his conflict of great anxiety.

He is like Golom, He hates and loves himself at the same time.
He has a struggle that only he can resolve.
My advice to you is befriend him and try to help him end this conflict, but beware, as he will turn on you as soon as look at you.

 

[Ant509y]

^^ Ah, okay, I see now. My first reaction was to kill him, but then later I decided to just retake my land and stop the war.. which I did.

 

[Ant509y]

Oh, btw... what about the English? After my pun island nation conquered the Scandinavians, thus doubling my nation's size, and giving me a presence on the mainland, why did the English go and take it all from me?

 

[Mark Young]

You are a wise man Ant509y.

Whom is my next patient?

 

[Ant509y]

lol, I just made another one! lol. ^^;

 

[Mark Young]

Originally posted by Ant509y
Oh, btw... what about the English? After my pun island nation conquered the Scandinavians, thus doubling my nation's size, and giving me a presence on the mainland, why did the English go and take it all from me?

Perhaps the question here is not why did the English take it away from you but why did you let them have it?

The English are expansionist's. they need room to move. They saw you as easy prey.They took what Ghandi could not because they are free from the internal conflict that Ghandi suffered.

WHy did you let them take it? You doubled you nations size, which is no easy thing to do, and then you let the English take it from you.
This is an all too common event. Being overawed by such an attractive older woman like Elizabeth is nothing to be ashamed of.
Perhaps you wish that you had chosen to play as the English instead of the civ that you chose?
I have done the same thing myself often enough.

Be strong and resist that attractive redhead, she will be the death of you if your not careful. She will slowly seduce your with her GPT than attack you when you least expect it.

 

[Ant509y]

Erm... well, actualy, it wasn't the Indians that I conquered like that, it was the Scandinavians. ^^; but the rest of what you said makes sense. Please tell me about the Viking reasons, though, please? lol

 

[Rob (R8XFT)]

I do give free techs and gifts, but do the AI civs remember me for that? No!!

Possibly they experience the turns in real time, ie, if I feel I give them something every 5 turns, they feel they get a gift once a century......ah....now I'm beginning to understand. If I want a better working relationship with Catherine et al, I need to speak to them more than once every hundred years....