AI is suicidal/irrational

from Stardock Forums

In my current game, I was at war with one faction, and had trade and economic treaties with another. It was early in the game and my power rating was about 120 vs. the two AI's whose ratings were around 30.

Out of the blue the AI that I had treaties with declared war on me. I never acted aggressively toward it, so it was obvious the first faction bribed the second faction to declare war.

I thought the AI played to win, which includes survival. You can't win if you are dead.

So, I did a U turn and sent a stack to attack the former treaty AI. What I discovered was that this AI had a single city and a couple of outposts. Destroying the faction was simple enough, and I never had any doubt given the difference in power ratings.

My issue is: declaring war on a faction that is 4x more powerful is suicide. If the AI is playing to win, it should have recognized that the outcome of a war with me would most likey be unfavorable. No amount of gildar (the bribe), should change the AI's perspective on it's chances of winning a war against a vastly superior foe. The AI is acting more like a hive mind (one faction willing to sacrific itself for the benefit of another), than as a seperate mind with it's own goals.

Therefore, I suggest that the code be changed so that each faction operates in it's own self interest.

3,322 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top


The AI doesn't look at the POWER RATINGS like you do. The power ratings are there for YOU to see how YOU are doing. The AI is acting on its OWN decisions of what IT wants to do. You should play a game WITHOUT LOOKING at the power ratings and then it will be a lot more fun. Power ratings are there for those that want to CHEAT....so don't CHEAT. ;)

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

???

I'm pretty sure that the AI looks at the power ratings.

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Sounds like rational behaviour by the AI to me. He takes the chance of war when you are occupied in another war, instead of waiting until you get even stronger. He isnt so interested in just sitting on his back waiting to be annexed it seems....

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

And the AI gets plenty of delicious resources from the bribing faction to try and get the power it needs. It was screwed anyway.

2v1 of 60 v 120 seems better than 30v120 and at the rate you were handing out whopping they wouldn't have attacked anyway, just built defenses and explored.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting NorsemanViking, reply 3
Sounds like rational behaviour by the AI to me. He takes the chance of war when you are occupied in another war, instead of waiting until you get even stronger. He isnt so interested in just sitting on his back waiting to be annexed it seems....
End of NorsemanViking's quote

 

Interesting perspective. I guess the limited diplo options make war his only choice.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting NorsemanViking, reply 3
Sounds like rational behaviour by the AI to me. He takes the chance of war when you are occupied in another war, instead of waiting until you get even stronger. He isnt so interested in just sitting on his back waiting to be annexed it seems....
End of NorsemanViking's quote

 

I think you may be giving the AI rules benefit for too much depth.  Time and again they are simply too blunt to allow reasonable diplomatic choices to be made by computerized opponents.  The rules set needs to be worked on, and that has been documented in detail.  Frogboy has said it's on the agenda.  The only question is how long before something so unglamorous as diplomatic AI gets a lot of attention it clearly needs.