Okay, I was spazzing out a little earlier (https://forums.galciv2.com/?ForumID=346&AID=116644). Let's try to be a bit more constructive this time around.
It ticks me off when I invest a ton of time in building an empire, only to find that the AI is a virtual cakewalk to conquer when I finally decide to set-out and release my elite fleets. 4 games in a rows I have abandoned because of this and, yes, on the higher and highest difficulty settings. I have literally conquered a 23-planet, 130-ship Drengin empire...losing only 3 (1-2-3) of my own ships (not FLEETS...but SHIPS). Obviously, this shouldn't happen.
This may come off as seeming a bit preachy, with a know-it-all tone, but please keep in mind that I do respect what you've done here. I don't know squat about computer programming but I do know a good game when I play one. I just want to see the game to challenge folks (me specifically) more and realize its true potential as an addictive masterpiece. But, respectfully, the AI has considerable room for improvement guys and you need to address it.
Attn: Developers - SOME SUGGESTIONS
1. The AI's primary function at the higher game levels has to be to DEFEAT of the human player at all costs without cheating. It should not focus on battling other AI civs, nor ignore that element completely. But the first 'realization' the AI needs to make is that the human player is the greatest threat. A 200% economy for the AI shouldn't be the primary means of balancing things out in the computer's favor. It doesn't work anyways. Trust me. The AI economies can be run with efficiency that a human player could never achieve over 1000 turns. It knows every civ stat, every resource location and every planet's profile. That should be enough in terms of 'tools' to challenge a human player.
2. For AI at war with the human player, the PRIORITIES need to be dramatically altered as follows..from highest-to-lowest:
A. Attack undefended or weak resource starbases. This can cause civ-wide chaos for the human player...especially those economy resources. It will also force the human player to stretch his or her available defense force a little thinner...to more uncomfortable levels. How many of you have set-up resource mining in the heart of your enemy's area of influence? This is stupid and should not occur so easily. Doing so should cause the AI affected to dramatically increase its aggressiveness towards you, depending on the specific resource involved.
B. Attack the human player's economy starbases, especially during the the early-mid game. Another big-impact type of play. Worthy of some AI kamikazee? I think so.
C. Undefended human planets need to be RUSHED. The AI attack should always involve a troop transport following up within 5 turns of the orbital attack. Otherwise, the starship attack/battle for supremacy of the planet's orbit has no STRATEGIC purpose and the AI's resources should not be wasted accordingly.
D. After 'undefended' planets, planets hosting the human player's Galactic Achievements/Capitals/Trade Goods should be ranked next, provided the defense is exploitable. Use a simple ratio to determine. Take my EYES OF THE UNIVERSE or MANUFACTURING CAPITAL or GRAVITY ACCELERATORS and I will curse the monitor! But I'll also be savoring the thought of some revenge!!!
E. If the human player is relatively well-defended but has concentrated trade with one civ...and THAT civ is weak...THOSE planets should be conquered instead. Chasing a human player's mini-freighters around is stupid because a new one will simply respawn where the route originates. It's idiotic to watch the AI do that and an insult to your hard work and a really cool gaming concept.
F. Beyond those STRATEGIC targets, the AI should seek out TACTICAL victories during war where it can. That means locating, engaging and destroying weaker human fleets. AI fleet logistics should focus on this kind of tactical exploitation.
3. Otherwise AI fleets should flee superior-sized and powered human fleets. AI fleets should retreat and link up with other ships or fleets to man-up! If the AI can't possibly construct a fleet that can challenge a human fleet (due to an inferior logistics point cap for example), then AI fleets should become as big as possible and congregate together. The human fleet might be able to defeat the first AI fleet, but would the human even attack if the AI had 2 other fleets waiting and in range to counter on the very next turn? Maybe. Maybe not.
4. If the human player has Tech Victory enabled, research-advantaged civs should pursue it with a dedicated focus (if any are involved in the game that is). That puts the human player on a virual deadline and raises the in-game tension. The human player knows he's on-the-clock to go wipe those guys out before the final TECH VICTORY tech has been discovered. Again, defeat the human player at all costs (without cheating).
5. Likewise, if INFLUENCE VICTORY has been enabled, I expect to see at least one of the non-war-mongering civs doing their best to build and upgrade I-Starbases. AND aligning themselves with other militarily strong AI Civs via an Alliance.
Man...I can go on an on...
6. AI needs to rush-build GRAVITY ACCELERATORS, TIR-QUAN TRAINING, EYES OF THE UNIVERSE, GALACTIC PRIVATEER, XINATHIUM HULL PLATING...and deny the human player from gaining those if it can. Watching an AI civ build DIPLOMATIC TRANSLATORS or worse, a GALACTIC GUIDE BOOK just makes me roll my eyes in disgust.
7. AI needs to diversify their fleets with ALL 3 weapon classes, instead of going deeper down just one line of research. It's too easy for the human player to counter. AI defense research strategy should react to the weapon class of the human player.
8. AI needs to take more initiative to land those ATTACK bonus. Can't stress that enough really.
I know it sounds like there's little I like about the game as-is but please don't misunderstand. I'm motivated to type all of this out because I actually care about the game and I want to see it kick all @ss. Massive potential. The core model is a winner.
Fix it before a competitor does.
Peace out.
