Is theAI mean? Earth quakes in Timbuktu

**LordKhaine** · 02-20-2007, 20:49

Originally Posted by dismal

Wouldn't it be easier to open the console and give yourself a bazillion florins?

But that would be a cheat, while sticking merchants in a fort is only an exploit.

**SMZ** · 02-20-2007, 21:34

just call it a trading post - what happens when they discover gold anywhere? a "Rush" as it's called - not one guy goes and stakes a claim

**Microwavegerbil** · 02-20-2007, 22:05

But that would be a cheat, while sticking merchants in a fort is only an exploit.

You guys are kidding yourselves, abusing exploits = cheating. If you're doing something the game does not intend to give yourself an unfair advantage, it's cheating. This is a single player game so it's only affecting you, but let's call it what it is.

**dumas** · 02-20-2007, 22:28

"And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to cheat..."

-AI God's Bible

**shibbie1990** · 02-20-2007, 22:34

my very best merchants in timbukto (10 finance + extra traits) can only earn a max of 131 florins per turn. how can your guys get 500+? Im playing as france and normal/normal difficulty, is that making a difference? (also all - if not most - of them have been trained in marsaille where there is a merchants guild headquarters. any input?
thanks

**Carl** · 02-20-2007, 22:53

Whats their actual skill level ATM, they should be about 8-10 by now (+1 for guild, +1/2 for LeagalDealer, +1/2 for NaturalMerchant, +3 for monopolist, and +2 for Knowlage of Customs).

You guys are kidding yourselves, abusing exploits = cheating. If you're doing something the game does not intend to give yourself an unfair advantage, it's cheating. This is a single player game so it's only affecting you, but let's call it what it is.

We don't even know it's an exploit till CA tells us it is. And please don't mention the AI not doing it, the AI dosen't have a clue how to use a lot of things. the most glaring examples being the New World and Arguin/Timbuktu. The AI never takes them or sends anything into those areas. That nearly a fifth of your territory total needed and 10-15K a turn from single merchants. In fact I suspect that if you put up a trading fort and then let the AI take it it would actually use this feature itself. it's the fact that it isn't programmed to make and keep forts on trade recources that does it (it baerly uses them at all, only when the defend_fortified condition kicks in actually, allthough I did see Milian put a fort over one of it's Textiles once, but thats was an exceptional case I think.

**shibbie1990** · 02-20-2007, 22:56

well theres about 12 of them and the majority are about level 7 finance but some are level 10 finance but effectively more as they have additional traits and retinue which does allow them to produce more money, but as i said, a max of 131 florins. how did you get 500+ lordkaine?

**dismal** · 02-20-2007, 23:15

Originally Posted by Carl

We don't even know it's an exploit till CA tells us it is.

You must be kidding. Forts full of merchants? It's obviously a bug. The game was intended to allow 1 merchant per resource.

**Microwavegerbil** · 02-21-2007, 01:45

Originally Posted by Carl

We don't even know it's an exploit till CA tells us it is. And please don't mention the AI not doing it, the AI dosen't have a clue how to use a lot of things. the most glaring examples being the New World and Arguin/Timbuktu. The AI never takes them or sends anything into those areas. That nearly a fifth of your territory total needed and 10-15K a turn from single merchants. In fact I suspect that if you put up a trading fort and then let the AI take it it would actually use this feature itself. it's the fact that it isn't programmed to make and keep forts on trade recources that does it (it baerly uses them at all, only when the defend_fortified condition kicks in actually, allthough I did see Milian put a fort over one of it's Textiles once, but thats was an exceptional case I think.

Well, because it takes away the ability to challenge merchants for that resource, thus removing all interaction between your merchants and the AIs. Also, it makes merchants able to stack with eachother on a single resource, and this is the big point and I think it marks this as an obvious bug/exploit.

Does that mean it is wrong in a Multiplayer Campaign or would it mean that it is fine?

Well, the game is only single player, so I assume you're setting up for a hypothetical argument on exploits in multiplayer games, which is a whole new can of worms. However, I love a good debate so I'll bite and give you my answer. My opinion is that an exploit gives you an unfair adavantage over an opponent, so unless you have both agreed that it is okay to use this exploit, then you're cheating him. The game is no longer an even match, because you have a handicap, in this case extra money.

**UltraWar** · 02-20-2007, 23:14

Originally Posted by Microwavegerbil

You guys are kidding yourselves, abusing exploits = cheating. If you're doing something the game does not intend to give yourself an unfair advantage, it's cheating. This is a single player game so it's only affecting you, but let's call it what it is.

Does that mean it is wrong in a Multiplayer Campaign or would it mean that it is fine?