[0.8] Random Exploits, Issues (That I did not see mentioned elsewhere with a search)

from Elemental Forums

Spell issues:

 

1.  Tremor:  Tremor seems to divide its effect by the number of opponents in some fashion, so that a large enemy is immobilized for a shorter time than a small one.  That's good.  The in-game text give no mention of this and the length of immobilization time is not apparent when the spell is cast (it always says 3 turns).  That's bad.

 

2.  Tornado:  After being hit with a tornado, the AI tends to avoid restacking the hit units ever again, allowing them to be whittled away for several turns.

 

3.  Tornado/all other damage dealing spells:  The AI likes stacking its entire army on one square to begin an invasion.  I hit 56 units with one tornado.

 

4.  Air Walk/Call of the Titans:  The AI appears to have no ability to either use these spells, or plan for their use against the AI.  It depends heavily on a defensive perimeter.  The AI doesn't appear to consider the possibility of using spells against it at all, for that matter, but I expect that accounting for these is exceptionally difficult.  I would remove them from the game rather than invest the effort required for the AI to handle these.  Alternatively make them give a 1-turn bonus to movement instead.

 

Building Issues:

 

1.  Forge of the Overlord:  In every game I see one or more AIs build the three towers early and then take forever to build the forge.  By starting a conversation with them every turn, I began to realize what was happening:  The AI does a really poor job budgeting its metal and crystal, so that it never manages to get fifty of each.

 

2.  Towers:  AI gets angry at you for building them even if the win condition is disabled.

 

3.  Adventurer's Guild:  The fame mechanic makes taking an opponent's city with one of these very powerful, since it's the only quick way to get +2 fame/turn.

 

4.  Scrying Pool:  Every spell added to the game makes this more powerful.  Also, the GUI cannot show cities with 6 essence on the name bar (and yes, this does happen in non-modded games!) because there is only room for five slots/indentations/whatever in the name bar.

 

Tactical Combat Issues:

 

1.  As important as initiative is, the game should clearly explain how it works, including under what circumstances a unit gets to move twice before its opponent and so forth.  

 

2.  Some of the new buildings on the tactical cause odd tactical situations.  I so wanted to post a screenshot but apparently I have to upload it somewhere first.

9,365 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

4.  Air Walk/Call of the Titans:  The AI appears to have no ability to either use these spells, or plan for their use against the AI.  It depends heavily on a defensive perimeter.  The AI doesn't appear to consider the possibility of using spells against it at all, for that matter, but I expect that accounting for these is exceptionally difficult.  I would remove them from the game rather than invest the effort required for the AI to handle these.  Alternatively make them give a 1-turn bonus to movement instead.
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No! Please don't take away my kingdom-spanning insta-move! Which, with Arcane Monolith and good scouting, becomes a backdoor attack option...


1.  As important as initiative is, the game should clearly explain how it works, including under what circumstances a unit gets to move twice before its opponent and so forth.
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This. So much this.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

1.  Tremor:  Tremor seems to divide its effect by the number of opponents in some fashion, so that a large enemy is immobilized for a shorter time than a small one.  That's good.  The in-game text give no mention of this and the length of immobilization time is not apparent when the spell is cast (it always says 3 turns).  That's bad.
End of quote

Division between units is possible. I've also had the thought that the immobility may be checked against spell resistance each turn. I suggest this because most armies don't seem to stay immobilized for a full three turns, and when I've checked on fully immobilized armies in the next turn, only some units remain immobilized.

Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

I feel AI doesn't know how to use its spells.   What would make this game great is an extremely clever AI..., not one that just spews tons of mindless units at you on high difficulties.

Here's some of the shortcomings:

- never seen AI cast a fire ball at me, or any sort of AE spell  -- unless it was a monster (e.g. banshee, lich)

- never seen AI use life ward pre battle, or any sort of heal / life ward during tactical combat to save a unit

- never seen AI summon anything in battle, i've only  seen it summon a shadow warg and sand golems outside of battle.

- never seen AI lock down my army with tremor or freeze as I rampaged through its towns, well it tried to get armies to me.

- never seen AI reshape the terrain to impede my movement (hills!), or break down a mountain / build a land bridge protecting my cities.

- never seen it cast diamond skin to protect its units

- never seen it cast any strategic anti army spells (flame pillar, tidal wave, wall of fire).

- never seen the AI move a melee unit to hit a weaker unit, if another unit was adjacent to it.

- never seen AI stop attacking a unit made immune to its damage type for a period of turns (e.g. diamond skin).

 

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Although I agree that the AI has some short comings, just remember if the AI plays too good the game might be less fun. The goal of the AI is to play well, but make some mistakes.

So, the one that should get fixed is this mistake the AI makes...its too egregious...

-never seen AI stop attacking a unit made immune to its damage type for a period of turns (e.g. diamond skin).

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

It depends on the difficultly level. On higher difficulty levels the AI should certainly be trying to make very few mistakes.

All the points sxyz123 lists are very good and fixing them would make the AI much more challenging and fun to play against in high difficulty levels.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Ideally, I also want the AI on higher difficulties to use spells to annoy and surprise me, to beat me around in tactical battles. Realistically, I know that it is Sysiphean task to teach the AI to grasp the full complexity and possibility of spells. But I agree that there is still a lot of room left and that it should be possible to teach the AI better without a big effort.