AI modding

[NicSO]

AI is stupid, we all know this. Im playing on medium and Im never going to play on easy or hard because I like that all stats are on the same level not +4 or + 7. I just wanna good AI...Is there a way to make computer controlled units smarter?

[Turbo]

To answer your question, yes, there are ways to improve the AI but they require either modding the game yourself or using a MOD. My complaint with most of the mods out there is that they eliminate units or otherwise change
some aspect of the game that deviates the MOD too far away from the original.

I wanted a better challenge without radically changing the game so, I made myself a "patch" to the vanilla version to tweak the AI to play better. Here is what I did:

- Fixed the stamina bug: The AI does play differently with the stamina fixed.
- Fixed the Bodyguard bug: The game doesn't upgrade the bodyguard unit properly. This fix gives the bodyguard more survivability against more advanced types.
- Tweaked the bodyguard unit: To make it charge less
- Increased morale: To make the AI less likely to rout
- Fixed some spear units that were ineffective against cavalry
- Use the 75% speed reduction for battles to slow them down
- Use the naval build settings recommended by Spartan
- Use the behavior optimization settings recommended by Spartan
- Increased the build opportunities for specialty units such as Naked Fanatics, beserkers, etc. These units are a challenge to fight against.
- Eliminate the bribe for diplomats (hate this aspect of the game). I find the AI wastes a lot of cash that could be better spent saved for units.

As I tend to play the Roman factions, I overhauled the non-roman factions in terms of infrastructure and alliances to allow them to tech up a bit faster. All and all it is more challenging for me and more enjoyable.

This is pretty easy to do and the forums provide interesting ideas to experiment with.

[NicSO]

Thnx;)

[Duke John]

Turbo, how did you turn off bribing?

[.Spartan]

You did something very, very near my private setup.

Those changes used with our Cherry Vanilla Pack (CVP -to be published today) for the VnV aspects make it something of a new game.

Congrats on your effort!

-Spartan

To answer your question, yes, there are ways to improve the AI but they require either modding the game yourself or using a MOD. My complaint with most of the mods out there is that they eliminate units or otherwise change
some aspect of the game that deviates the MOD too far away from the original.

I wanted a better challenge without radically changing the game so, I made myself a "patch" to the vanilla version to tweak the AI to play better. Here is what I did:

- Fixed the stamina bug: The AI does play differently with the stamina fixed.
- Fixed the Bodyguard bug: The game doesn't upgrade the bodyguard unit properly. This fix gives the bodyguard more survivability against more advanced types.
- Tweaked the bodyguard unit: To make it charge less
- Increased morale: To make the AI less likely to rout
- Fixed some spear units that were ineffective against cavalry
- Use the 75% speed reduction for battles to slow them down
- Use the naval build settings recommended by Spartan
- Use the behavior optimization settings recommended by Spartan
- Increased the build opportunities for specialty units such as Naked Fanatics, beserkers, etc. These units are a challenge to fight against.
- Eliminate the bribe for diplomats (hate this aspect of the game). I find the AI wastes a lot of cash that could be better spent saved for units.

As I tend to play the Roman factions, I overhauled the non-roman factions in terms of infrastructure and alliances to allow them to tech up a bit faster. All and all it is more challenging for me and more enjoyable.

This is pretty easy to do and the forums provide interesting ideas to experiment with.

[wilddog]

Are either of these mods available and if so where? I spent a few hours yesterday doing the change on the stamina bit and some naval changes then a few changes to cabvalry and arhers (size reductions) but looks like you've got most of the amendments I'd like.

In particular how did you trun off bribing? - I make diplomats only to bribe their diplomats - to stop them bribing my units/cities!

[Encaitar]

I'd guess he probably edited the descr_character.txt file, and removed the "bribe" actions.

[BobTheTerrible]

I think there was something over on the twcenter abut how Hardy and Very Hardy were mixed up. The AI apparently recognizes units as the inverse of what they are. By giving the opposite traits (ie make a Hardy unit Very Hardy) the AI will see them correctly. I heard the AI will try to break the center of your line much more, and use its cav to take out your archers, etc. I can't find the exact post but it might have been something under the Total Realism mod forums.

And BTW if you would upload your "patched" version, I would definately download it, minus the speed reduction. I can't stand the reduction until the animations are change.

[ghostcamel]

Yea T if you put those fixes up somewhere id like to check them out. maybe you could break it down so that i could pick and choose the mods to include in my setup.

I have a movement speed mod that im really happy with, so i wouldnt want to deviate too much from that, etc.

thnx

[wilddog]

I'd guess he probably edited the descr_character.txt file, and removed the "bribe" actions.

Encaitar - I looked through thta file and only identified 2 references. So I removed and still had a couple of birbes against me at H/H within the first 10 years.

I'm still not sure how you can stop this. About to start a new game but back to the old tactic of having to bribe their diplomats before they bribe you

[Szun]

yes stamina and heat values are reversed.
I saw it the first time here in Org. but it came from .com

[Turbo]

You can't eliminate diplomat bribing - it is hard coded.The only way to eliminate the bribing is to eliminate the diplomat as a unit, which I did. I preset the alliances and at-war in the desc_strat file. Obviously this impacts gameplay.

Another approach is to limit the diplomats to certain key provinces using the resource-hidden resouce path. This will involve editing the export_building text file and the regions text file (in the 'base' directory). Sounds good in theory anyway, but I haven't got this to work properly with agents. I'll be interested if anyone has been able to do this in practice.

The final approach is to make the diplomats more difficult to build by embedding them deeper into the technology tree. Make the diplomat units buildable through the trade buildings not the palaces. I noticed a decrease in AI diplomats when I did this.

By the way, if you want to stick to the vanilla (out-of-box) way with diplomats, here is a tip that may help you: Keep 1 diplomat and 1 spy in every city. I tried this and it doesn't completely eliminate the bribing but certainly cuts down on the frequency.

[Turbo]

I think there was something over on the twcenter abut how Hardy and Very Hardy were mixed up. The AI apparently recognizes units as the inverse of what they are. By giving the opposite traits (ie make a Hardy unit Very Hardy) the AI will see them correctly. I heard the AI will try to break the center of your line much more, and use its cav to take out your archers, etc. I can't find the exact post but it might have been something under the Total Realism mod forums.

And BTW if you would upload your "patched" version, I would definately download it, minus the speed reduction. I can't stand the reduction until the animations are change.

I thank you for your interest, however I am not much of a mod publisher. This is just my private setup and it is designed around making the game more difficult from my particular style of play.

Spartan should look at uploading his private setup. Now that is something worthwhile!