AI difficulty - what's it do?

posted on May 6th, 2013, 12:52 am

On the higher difficulty settings, does the AI get to cheat? By that I mean, do they get to build for cheaper? I ask because on the AI:hard setting, I get attacked by waves a ships that appear to be greater than I could possibly make with 2 of each resource being mined, never mind resource limits.

I've been setting up skirmishes with one of each opponent and only with the Federation does it seem I have a chance, even if they throw their ships away on my starbase.

Thanks.

ps. Great sound and graphics.

posted on May 6th, 2013, 1:01 am

Yes, in fact, the AI gets to cheat on every level - on the higher ones they just get more extreme boni and will progress further down the techtree, up to like 6% of the buildcost on merciless, IIRC.

The AI is pretty much only beatable turtling around and building up for the big sweep, which tends to make AI games, even in cooperative multiplayer, all very similar to each other and no real challenge since there is little skill and strategy involved.

My recommendation for you is to set up Tunngle (even if it stinks) and play with the other guys in multiplayer matches - this is where the real strenghts of the game come into play, considering it is designed to provide balanced games against opponents with brains without resource cheat boni. Oh, and don't get discouraged by Ugly, if you meet him.

posted on May 6th, 2013, 2:58 am

@xoham: Have a look in the RTS-CFG file. Just a little ways down in the file you'll find the following:

//
// DIFFICULTY SETTINGS
//

// Damage coefficients for incoming damage for user in single player
float EASY_DAMAGE = 1.0;
float HARD_DAMAGE = 1.0;

// Mining rate cooefficients for user in single player
float EASY_MINING_MODIFIER = 1.0;
float HARD_MINING_MODIFIER = 1.0;

// AI special weapon fire rate
float EASY_SPECIAL_WEAPON_FIRE_MODIFIER = 1.0;
float DEFAULT_SPECIAL_WEAPON_FIRE_MODIFIER = 1.0;
float HARD_SPECIAL_WEAPON_FIRE_MODIFIER = 1.0;

// Build cost multiplier handicap for hard AI
float HARD_AI_COST_HANDICAP = 1.0;
float HARD_AI_SPEED_HANDICAP = 1.0;

float MEDIUM_AI_COST_HANDICAP = 1.0;
float MEDIUM_AI_SPEED_HANDICAP = 1.0;

float EASY_AI_COST_HANDICAP = 1.0;
float EASY_AI_SPEED_HANDICAP = 1.0;

// Percent chance that AI fleets will cloak for long moves in Instant Action
// and Multiplayer AI (provided they can!)
float HARD_AI_CLOAK_PERCENT = 100;
float MEDIUM_AI_CLOAK_PERCENT = 100;
float EASY_AI_CLOAK_PERCENT = 100;

In stock A2 and Fleet Ops you'll find the values are different which allows the AI to cheet; build faster, do more damage, need less resources etc. As you can see I've changed my values to 1 which puts the AI on an even playing field in that it builds the same as you, does the same amount of damage and pays the same amount of resources you do. Try it out and see how it plays. If it's too easy and you really want the AI to cheat then you can start giving it bonuses by altering those values.

You can also rewrite the build lists to make the AI build the best ships possible as soon as possible which may give you more challenge as well? I haven't delved into FO too deeply yet so I can't honestly say how they have the build lists set up?

posted on May 6th, 2013, 9:04 am

just to add to the facts on ai having cheaper ships, the ai also gets free supply.

every second the ai will gain automatically lots of supply. they get this from the start, and all game for free. the ai can't handle buying supply buys, or building ketracel stations/incubators. so they are given enough supply so that they'll never need to worry about using it.

that's why the ai is stronger as dominion, dominion ships are balanced because they cost little dil/tri but lots of supply. the ai gets super cheap dominion ships. klinks are also bad, but not as severe as dominion. klingons are supposed to get supply partly by getting rankups, that balances the game for human klink players.