Teach players about AI behavior

Neptune's Pride
1

Hey all,

I know there are a few AI threads and I’ve read all of them, but maybe some game mechanics have changed over the last few months so I’m asking my questions here:

  1. AI expansion
    I know you’re working on a new system for “two AI groups”, @JayKyburz, but would this consider the following case:
    In a late game, AI X “is friends” with its only neighbor AI Y (trading all techs) and finds itself in a corner of the map where expansion is impossible except for going against AI Y. Right now, I have the feeling they will stay allies although AI X has no possibility for development and a human player would sooner or later decide to change something about it.

  2. Does the AI immediately “think and act like the AI” from the very moment a player goes AFK/QUIT? In the long run it would be interesting if the AI was able to adapt to the player’s style in a consistent way. For example, by comparing how many carriers he sent to other players’ stars during the last x cycles in relation to his # of available carriers/# ships/# stars.

  3. Trading with AI
    Is sending tech considered the same amount of money sent to the AI?
    How much $ does a player need to send to a (neutral or friendly?) AI to probably (80%?) receive tech in return? Just the transfer cost or more? Is this amount of transfered $ also considered for the calculation of “regard” for this AI at the same?
    In case it’s not considered yet: What about increasing the 80% probability by 1-2% per +1 regard? This would reward a human player’s interaction with a single AI.

Again, sorry for asking so many questions, I’m just curious about the game mechanics, so feel free to answer at will!

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"Does the AI immediately “think and act like the AI” from the very moment a player goes AFK/QUIT?"
Yes.

"How much $ does a player need to send to a (neutral or friendly?)"
From my tests, you need to send them whatever the stated amount is to improve disposition (i.e. “you can send £105 to improve relations…”) - if you send $100 expect nothing - even if you send a further $5 straight after. Also, don’t expect any techs unless you’re on 0 disposition or above. In this respect remember that the game leader gets penalized immediately in that all AIs will go to -1 disposition (regardless of what the previous disposition was). You will also see that AIs that are doing well require more $$ for increase disposition.

The 80% thing you’ve read about… I’m not sure it’s still relevant. Games I’ve been in recently, if you send the specified amount and disposition is 0 or above, they’ll send you a tech in return every time.

Also consider that it’s sometimes cheaper to send a tech than $$ to get a tech back… however it does mean other players will have access to it, and the AI might not have the money to send you a tech back.

1 Like
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No - sometimes it is immediate other times there is significant delay.

It can take up to 4 cycles (or turns, not sure!) after a player QUITs before the AI takes over completely. This might only apply to turn based games though. I can provide proof but I’m unsure why it happens.

Tech trades work immediately though.