Yet another AI Cheat?

[TimTheEnchanter]

I don't recall seeing this in any of the AI Cheat lists. If it's been already posted, I apologize.

Anyway, I have a city (Spam Spam Spam) where the vikings were kind enough to have a settler working the land (overlaps with one of their cities). Just to be a pain in the arse, I started working the square so they couldn't have it when the settler was done.

Here is a picture of that bit of unimproved land. Note the description for that cell is just "(Plains)"

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Now here's the same place, as viewed through the city screen. It's the same year (AD 240). Same city location, but the square being worked is producing two food and two arrows.

It sure looks like, even though there are no terrain improvements yet, the mere presence of an AI Settler automatically gives the improvements anyway!!

The settler had been working there for a couple turns before I reassigned the worker, but I'm pretty sure he hadn't been there long enough to finish Irrigating (which is what it originally said on his shield), let alone finish both irrigation and the road unless he had been seriously pre-worked.

Again, if this is old news, I apologize. I just had never seen anything like this before.

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Has ANYONE seen anything like this before?

 

[Lucky]

No, this is indeed very peculiar!
It would be best if you could post the savegame in question here so we could also have a look at it!

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally posted by Lucky
No, this is indeed very peculiar!
It would be best if you could post the savegame in question here so we could also have a look at it!

The save file (MGE)

 

[Lucky]

Aha!
Now it´s clear!

It´s simple, your world map has NOT been updated for some time. Move your chariot north out of SpamSpamSpam and you´ll get the map update.
Only unit movement or map trading updates the map. The Viking settler couldn´t move due to ZoC and you didn´t move in that region so you didn´t get any update.
Now that the chariot has moved north you should see irrigation and roads on that tile!

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Ok, so I'm not the brightest thing on two legs.

That would certainly explain it. I put a unit there and then built the city because I thought they might try to put a city down on that peninsula. Once the city was built I just fortified and didn't move any of the units. I didn't think the city had been there that long, but I probably wasn't paying attention or the settler was pre-worked (or the AI just cheats with the turns a settler has to work ).

It's interesting. I thought improvements within your own city limits would show up even without moving troops by them so long as they weren't in the black. Don't you see pillaging right away? I also thought you saw things in all squares next to your units even if you didn't move (i.e., I would have expected the unit garrisoned in Spam Spam Spam to see it) but I guess not. Always learning something new. Thanks for figuring it out!!!

 

[Lucky]

ANY movement of ANY unit updates the map.
So even AI movement, in that case the settler, would show you the new improvement.
That´s why you see pillaging instantly, enemy units move. A move is also any other unit command, except fortify and sentry.
But the settler couldn´t move so no update!

 

[Smash]

I don't know if this is relevant or not,but the ai does get free land improvements.You can confirm this by starting a game and playing abit after revealing the entire map.You'll see "free" irrigated squares and roads show up.We went after this at Apolyton years back when players kept finding irrigated squares with huts still on them unopened.

The ai also gets free city improvements.Varies with difficulty level.

 

[monkeyman116]

Here is one of those evil free irrigation squares:

 

[MajorGeneral2]

That is something I've seen many times. Irrigated squares several spaces from water. But, hey, if I take the city, works out well for me, too!

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

Originally posted by MajorGeneral2
That is something I've seen many times. Irrigated squares several spaces from water. But, hey, if I take the city, works out well for me, too!

Having irrigation away from water is something we can do also. You can automate your settler and sometimes it will irrigate a sqare that is no where near water.

I've seen games where the AI has respawned and they have a city with improvements and the surrounding terrain is irrigated (even the hills) right when they build their city. It trys to make up for the idea that they are joining the game later than everyone else. Just like if you find a hut late in the game and get an advanced tribe from it, it can come with a couple city improvements and be larger than size 1.

 

[monkeyman116]

Once I saw a brand new AI civ being created, and instantly being given acity. This city was size 15. It was in Antarctica. He he. HUNGER!!!