Quote Originally Posted by DeathFinger View Post
Semi-OT I know but try to defeat an AI in Demential mode in Starcraft II. Pretty challenging, and the AI doesn't cheat. They just were programmed like progamers are playing. I'm sure AI can be improved in this way, even if I'm all except someone able to understand how it could be made.
I don't think it makes sense to compare an RTS AI to a tactical battlefield AI, though. In a pure RTS game, obtaining victory is all about micromanagement and outproducing your enemy. On a Total War battlefield, you can't just expect to produce a blob of units and throw them at the enemy en masse, because the morale system, the importance of proper formation, the effects of flanking, etc. mean that you can encircle and rout a tight blob of advanced units with a smaller number of less advanced units. You really can't do that in a pure RTS unless you are using units that specifically counter the enemy's in the game's rock-paper-scissors system.