Arseclown,

I agree with you to some extent, but that is not pragmatic for the developers. It takes really good players considerable time to develop really good AI in a strategy game. Look at how long it took to build chess algorithms and machines that could beat a world champion! In some ways chess is quite simple and well defined by comparison, and there were thousands of people working on chess programs for decades.

I used to be an avid chess player and have won an expert level US national class tournament and beaten masters. I was outclassed by true masters though and was usually fighting unsuccessfully for a draw against them. I could beat/draw most commercial chess machines on tournament settings until a few years ago. Part of it was knowing my opponent. I played a computer differently than a human--same basic idea as in TW. Tactically, a computer could kill me so I avoided tactical openings. But I could see far deeper strategically. The computer was good enough tactically that I could trick it into a poor strategic position by sacrificing pawns or pieces--converting its strength into a liability.

To build a truly strong AI takes time and experience with the final product. Unfortunately, this is not a luxury the programmers are ever allowed (to my knowledge.) To really do it right means the game rules must be frozen and the unit abilities must be set in concrete well before release. (Imagine the chaos for a chess algorithm if suddenly pawns were allowed to move in reverse--humans would adapt quickly, programs would not.)

One thing I've seen when I have played games against some developers (not CA), they tend to be average players. Now if they could take a "dream team" of strong players with *differing* styles to work with the programmers, they could build a very strong AI. Even if the players volunteer their skills and input for free, the project will cost a fair bit of money and delay a "time sensitive" product.

A new problem arises when you have a very strong AI: it can be tough to "dumb it down" so that the masses will play it. Most folks I knew with chess programs and chess computers complained that they could never beat the machine on any level--but the were not "serious" players, just casual looking for a 5 or 10 minute game. So it can actually backfire. Your customers might be offended by having to play with "sissy mode" options and then still struggling to win.