Default AI (RCA)

[The_Gnat]

Hello, recently i have tested the Default AI and noticed a few problems.

1- the AI doesn't make the best use of castles, for example multiple times i created maps that had castles very close to each other. Despite giving the AI 800 gold the AI would only recruit in the castle he started in.

2- the AI often throws his leader into trouble, for example i made a map where the AI and I started close enough to engage on turn 1, often the AI decides to leave his units and castle and attack a enemy unit, not realizing the problems this will create in future turns (i killed him the next turn)

3- the AI often (in Age Of Heroes) recruits lvl 1 units when it has a small castle and 800 gold. This means that even though he could easily buy 6 lvl 2 units instead he buys multiple level 1 units giving himself a disadvantage because he would never have time to spend all his money (so there is no reason to save it).

This thread may not be in the correct place, if not it would be appreciated if it was move! Also i unfortunately have no time to code a AI.

Thank you!

[Lord-Knightmare]

the AI often throws his leader into trouble, for example i made a map where the AI and I started close enough to engage on turn 1, often the AI decides to leave his units and castle and attack a enemy unit, not realizing the problems this will create in future turns (i killed him the next turn)

Oh, You remember that scenario where you do your utmost best to protect the allied leader by sacrificing your elites and the allied leader just decides to "[censored] it, I am gonna die!"

Instead of complaining, try out the Experimental AI . It's really good in overcoming most of these problems. There is also another one called "Strong AI" that focuses on overwhelming force when given adequate gold. Also, you can improve AI behaviour by adding Micro_AI (yes, they work in Multiplayer too). Try out the UMC Minotaur Battlefield (Sorry, promoting my own add-ons since nobody downloads it anymore )

[The_Gnat]

the AI often throws his leader into trouble, for example i made a map where the AI and I started close enough to engage on turn 1, often the AI decides to leave his units and castle and attack a enemy unit, not realizing the problems this will create in future turns (i killed him the next turn)

Oh, You remember that scenario where you do your utmost best to protect the allied leader by sacrificing your elites and the allied leader just decides to "[censored] it, I am gonna die!"

Instead of complaining, try out the Experimental AI . It's really good in overcoming most of these problems. There is also another one called "Strong AI" that focuses on overwhelming force when given adequate gold. Also, you can improve AI behaviour by adding Micro_AI (yes, they work in Multiplayer too). Try out the UMC Minotaur Battlefield (Sorry, promoting my own add-ons since nobody downloads it anymore )

Thanks! I've given "Strong AI" a test (but it was not that impressive) so i think i will try out "Experimental AI".

(As for promoting your add-on, i don't mind i do the same all the time DOWNLOAD THE AWESOME 5 LORDS REIGN ERA)

[mattsc]

I've given "Strong AI" a test (but it was not that impressive) so i think i will try out "Experimental AI".

The Strong AI is really just the default AI with some modifications to recruiting, while the Experimental AI adds some additional behavior. More information on the available AIs is available on this page and the links therein.

[The_Gnat]

Thanks for that link mattsc, I see the strong ai has been changed in 1.13

I haven't looked into micro ai much but I think it would be great if a ai could be programmed to:

- not attack at bad time of day
- stay on good defense terrain
- guard leader
- target enemy leader

I dont have time now but maybe at some point!

[Lord-Knightmare]

- not attack at bad time of day
- stay on good defense terrain
- guard leader
- target enemy leader

You forgot to mention the AI using units with Leadership correctly. Currently, the AI just treats them like regular units.

[mattsc]

Thanks for that link mattsc, I see the strong ai has been changed in 1.13

Just to clarify, the AI itself was not changed at all. But it was renamed (to avoid confusion) and is now only available in debug mode (since it is really only a very minor variation of the default AI, with somewhat different recruiting parameters that can easily be set with a few lines of WML code). I assume that's what you meant, just didn't want somebody else to get the wrong impression.

but I think it would be great if a ai could be programmed to:
- not attack at bad time of day
- stay on good defense terrain
- guard leader
- target enemy leader

You forgot to mention the AI using units with Leadership correctly. Currently, the AI just treats them like regular units.

Of course, those are exactly the kind of things that are anything but trivial to do in a way that works in a general setting. It's relatively easy to do something along those lines that works 80%, or even 98%, of the time, but in my experience the moves the rest of the time are so bad that the overall behavior (or at least perceived behavior) is worse than that of the default AI. Once you start working on it, you learn to appreciate how good the default AI actually is.

Spoiler:

For a long time now I've been working on an AI (called 'Fred', see signature) which tries to do some of those kinds of things just on one single map and I still haven't gotten it to a point that I am happy with. And as a "warning" in case you want to try it, the version currently on the add-ons server is really messed up. I started working on it again recently after almost a year mostly away from it and will update when I have something I am happier with, but I have no projection when that is going to happen. Not soon, that's for sure.

But don't take my word for it. As I have mentioned in other places before, I am no expert on this at all, I just like to play around with things, so ...

I dont have time now but maybe at some point!

... if you can figure something out, great.

[The_Gnat]

Thank you mattsc, please tell me when your AI "Fred" is completed! I would be interested in trying it!

Thank you