Late game AI

from Stardock Forums

I've discovered that once I've established myself on 12-15 planets and have my research, fleet and income levels fairly high the game becomes an exercise in repitition.  Scout a planet, clear mines, attack and conquer planet, build up planet; repeat until game is done.  Also the AI opponents don't seem to research more than a third of any tree, so even though their fleets can be big, the go down with only minimal losses for me.

I haven't played an AI opponent at its highest difficulty setting yet, though.  Does this change then, or is the early game just that much harder?

Is this something that other people have noticed.

I love the game.  I'm just wondering what can be done about this.

20,801 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

i havent played on ent yet tho on reg unfair ai attacks more, dosent retreat when cap is gone (some of the time) and is good at sending out multiple fleets tho tht is later in the game

there are prob some other differences tht i didnt go into

it will basicly be the same repitition later in the game tho, u have lots of planets, he has lots of planets, attack, (re)build. repeat. tho the ai will surrender alot more now

there are prob some other differences tho i dont kno

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Right now I am playing a game with 3 unfair AIs and yes they do reserch everything.  I have rebels attacking my planets from time to time. (one of the highest things you can reserch in the tec tech trees).

Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Good to know the AI is better over all at the higher levels.

Now I just have to become good enough to play at unfair level. <_<

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

If you wish a challenge ICO beckons you.  I can promise non of the boringness of single player.  And hell if you ever get 15 planets, well then I will be surprised :)

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

Unfair AI sitll won't research the Expirmental Weapons or the Max level of Capital ship cres (they stop I think at 10).  At least Unfair Aggressor won't.

 

As for ICO, if you want to simulate the experience without wasting an hour looking for a match, start a game vs. easy AI, then Surrender, Repeat about a dozen times. (This simulates Smurfs whoopin your ass) then start a match against an Unfair Aggressor, and about the 3rd or 4th planet, Hard Power down your PC (this simulates a sync error or minidump).

 

Being optimistic, if you can actually find a good match, Either the good fortune to run into evenly skilled players, or find a super good player who is going easy on you for sake of challenge.  It's a good time.

 

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

As for ICO, if you want to simulate the experience without wasting an hour looking for a match, start a game vs. easy AI, then Surrender, Repeat about a dozen times. (This simulates Smurfs whoopin your ass) then start a match against an Unfair Aggressor, and about the 3rd or 4th planet, Hard Power down your PC (this simulates a sync error or minidump).
End of quote

:rofl:

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

Unless the AI catches you off your guard, it's largely powerless late game.  It'll keep running headfirst into your most fortified systems (because it usually gets a single-minded fixation and attacks the same planet over and over, leading to you filling it with as much defense as possible) and getting its capital ships killed, and then regardless of tech it's going to lose just by virtue of not having good caps.

As for tech, the unfair AI does seem to research everything, and given enough time so does hard.  I think it's just a matter of the AI not giving tech a high enough priority and so it takes a long time to accumulate it.  In any case, this usually means there is a substantial window where you've filled out the tech tree but the AI is still working on it.  I almost always win in that window by making several small fleets (which are high enough tech that the AI can't do anything about them) then sweeping its empire from every direction. 

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

another thing, IA wont level up its caps by buying (up to level 4) levels, it would be nice if it did, and it seems to me that after a big loss, wile it will build up on its smaller ships quite extinsevly, it figures that only one or two level one cap ships is enugh before it attacks again.