Ctrl-N fools me again

I have played a number of DA games. Settings: tough, intelligent
I am playing on a huge map with two AI. My next to last game went on forever playing against the Drengin and Terrans. In this game I was surprised how well they held on. It might have gone on forever if they bother to put their planet ships into fleets.

At any rate I started my next game. I admit that I hit Ctrl-N a fair number of times to reset the initial map. If you are boxed in at the beginning, you are going to have a hard time. I like the all of the players spread out--usually near the edge. At any rate I hit Ctrl-N a number of times until I got the map I wanted and then I saved it and started playing the game later.

Two hours into the game, it seemed that the AI was not expanding. I finally sent a survey ship to their area, met them, and then realized that I was fooled again. Despite the initial settings, their intelligence was listed as "foolish" (the lowest level) and this game was worthless.

Now usually Ctrl-N leaves the settings the same. But this is the third time this has happened to me. You can't check within the game whether the intelligence level is the same as you set it until you meet the opponents. If something causes it to have the AI start as foolish rather than intelligent, you have wasted a lot of time.

There is a way to check this at the beginning and that is to check the bottom of the debug.err in the DA subdirectory when you get the map that you like. Near the bottom it should list the opponents and give a number under something like "intellence" not intelligence. In my case for tough and intelligent, the number should be 80. Everytime you hit Ctrl-N, it adds to debug.err file and so look for the last "intellence" listing.

Unfortunately I don't have the debug.err for the bad game.

I have seen this happen in both DL and DA but only occasionally. I am sure I did not have the AI opponents set at foolish. When you restart a new game, it keeps the settings that you had set before (and it was not foolish).

I feel foolish. But I feel like I better check the debug.err for every game I start.

Has anyone else seen this or am I the only foolish one? (I guess I know what answer I will get!)
6,889 views 19 replies
Reply #1 Top
I guess this is an old bug. Several posts on it.

Here is one:
https://forums.galciv2.com/?forumid=274&aid=118497
Reply #2 Top
I usually notice it because I can see the starting positions of my opponents when I always play blind exploration.
Reply #3 Top
You can't check within the game whether the intelligence level is the same as you set it until you meet the opponents.

If you start the game with starting relations "Friendly" or "Close" you will be able to check that AI at game start.
Reply #4 Top
i thought this bug was fixed in one of the more recent patches
Reply #5 Top
Yeah, I'd think the original poster isn't updated, at least if he's playing DA. I'm not sure of this bug's status in DL.


Reply #6 Top
I am playing the latest version of DA. I think it is 1.61.

BTW whatever happened to 1.7?

Reply #7 Top
I am playing the latest version of DA. I think it is 1.61.


Well, then let's see if anyone else who's playing the latest DA finds the same problem. I personally haven't, but I also haven't hit ctrl-N all that often. I do use it now and again, though.


BTW whatever happened to 1.7?


Nothing yet. It doesn't officially exist. Have a touch of patience!

Reply #8 Top
I have had this issue twice.

First in a game where I found myself wondering happily why I was cleaning up so well early on -- the AIs were all set to "fool."

It happened again when the Terrans became all-powerful in the second year. Intelligence that time? Ultimate.

But only for them.

Hmm.
Reply #9 Top
Nothing yet - its in development, there is an article on the home page about it.

What a great compliment to the Dev Teams that question is .... with most software games, Players usually end up clammouring for an update, "anytime this century will do" is the usual frustrated feeling.

Meanwhile over at GalCiv II such is our expectation now with the great support and updates they do, eager disappointment reigns if its more than (circa) a month or so between point upgrades

As Billy Graham used to say "You caaannnn Feeeeeeel the Loove"

Regards
Zy
Reply #10 Top
The article you mentioned is more than a month old. But I admit we grow too impatient. I just hope the programmers aren't spending all their time on that RTS
game.

Let's crank up Galciv 3 or the pseudo-MOM.
Reply #11 Top
i can't say i've noticed this problem. are you using the 'randomize intelligence' feature? (the option that's supposed to vary their int setting by 1 step in either direction).
Reply #12 Top
'randomize intelligence'


I always use it and haven't had the problem.

Reply #13 Top
It happened to me too. Had intelligence set for tough, hit ctrl-N and played. For a while I was pattuing myself onthe back for being such and awesome player, I was dminating in the colony rush and everything. I noticed something was wrong when, no matter when i went to trade techs NO ONE had anything to trade me. Then i noticed i was the only one who had more than 2 planets. I checked and every one was set to fool.

Reply #14 Top
No, I am not using "randomize intelligence."

Ctrl-N doesn't always do it--so it appears to be random. But something is causing it.
But when it goes wacky, I've found that it sets the intelligence to foolish.

Reply #15 Top
Ctrl-N doesn't always do it--so it appears to be random. But something is causing it.
But when it goes wacky, I've found that it sets the intelligence to foolish.


i'll have to keep an eye out for it if i use ctrl+N (whether i use it depends on what kind of game i want).
Reply #16 Top
I always play neutral. If you play "friendly," can you see the AI's intelligence level right away? Maybe after Xeno Translator?

Right now I am checking debug.err to look at the set "intellence." But I am not sure if this is a sure way.
Reply #17 Top
It's actually a secret anti-scumming measure inserted by Stardock to prevent metaverse players from just ctrl-Ning until they get a homeworld with six precursor mines.
Reply #18 Top
As Billy Graham used to say "You caaannnn Feeeeeeel the Loove"



As far as I know, he's still saying it
Reply #19 Top
Ok i must say that i enjoyed the little pun in the thread subject. Just wanted you to know your hard work did not go unnoticed.