Solutions for AI ICS? Anyone?

Martinus Magnificus · February 27, 2002, 13:09

I'd like to find a solution for the AI ICS, since this one of those things that really annoys me in Civ3.

A possible solution I've heard is to change the settler unit into a wheeled unit in the editor, but that gives civs in a starting position with many jungles and/or mountains a huge disadvantage (thus unbalancing the game).

Another solution might be to give poor terrain types (like tundra and desert) a zero food value in the editor. But the problem with that is that the AI settles those terrains anyway, only to loose the city the next turn, thus spilling many shields and food.

So... does anyone have a better idea?

Bill9999 · February 27, 2002, 13:52

well one way several people came up with was to create "no-color" units that are buildable by each civ. Basically like a barbarian you can control. Attacking with them does not start a war.

Use them to play whack a settler as they trudge across your land.

It does cause some hatred by the other civ, but no war comes of it

at least not directly...

Plus as a bonus you get free workers when you capture the settler. Comes in handy!

Willem · February 27, 2002, 13:54

Well you could also increase the shield and/or population costs of a Settler unit.

One thing I've done that's working quite well is increasing the citizen's food requirements, and increasing my irrigation bonuses. Doing that, a Grassland city with no bonus resources can only grow to size 2 without irrigation, and so can't build a Settler. Plus it forces the AI to produce more Workers early on instead of Settlers. You'll have to make some compensations with your mining/gold bonuses though.

lockstep · February 27, 2002, 14:02

IMO, the best solution available with the current editor is to increase the settler's pop cost to 3 and its shield cost to 50. This is adopted in korn's blitz mod.

I'm hoping that a future version of the editor allows to tweak the food box size of the different city levels.

lockstep · February 27, 2002, 14:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Willem
One thing I've done that's working quite well is increasing the citizen's food requirements, and increasing my irrigation bonuses. Doing that, a Grassland city with no bonus resources can only grow to size 2 without irrigation, and so can't build a Settler.

An interesting idea. Do you have any testing results about the rate of starting locations with bonus ressources and/or flood plains?

Willem · February 27, 2002, 15:32

Quote:

Originally posted by lockstep

An interesting idea. Do you have any testing results about the rate of starting locations with bonus ressources and/or flood plains?

Huh?

lockstep · February 27, 2002, 15:38

What I was trying to say is: When you found your first city, how many times does it happen that either a wheat/cattle ressource or flood planes are nearby, so that you can still grow your city to size 3 without irrigating any tile?

Willem · February 27, 2002, 15:52

Quote:

Originally posted by lockstep
What I was trying to say is: When you found your first city, how many times does it happen that either a wheat/cattle ressource or flood planes are nearby, so that you can still grow your city to size 3 without irrigating any tile?

That's not an issue since you always have a Worker to start with. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that you have to get rid of the tile restrictions in Despotism to make it work. I've compensenated by reducing the Despotism worker rate to 1, and changing some other areas to make Monarchy a bit better than Despotism. So it just means that you'll have to use your Worker more efficiently in order to grow. I try to get at least 2 tiles irrigated in each new town, though probably 1 would be enough.

lockstep · February 27, 2002, 18:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Willem
you'll have to use your Worker more efficiently in order to grow. I try to get at least 2 tiles irrigated in each new town, though probably 1 would be enough.

How about the ability to irrigate without access to freshwater? Does one still need to research Electricity, or did you tweak/drop this feature?

The Andy-Man · February 27, 2002, 19:09

did anyone read my post about a possible soluttion to ICS human and AI?

dome by only being able to found on plains, grassland and hills?

Willem · February 27, 2002, 21:11

Quote:

Originally posted by lockstep

How about the ability to irrigate without access to freshwater? Does one still need to research Electricity, or did you tweak/drop this feature?

No, I left that as is. So I'll end up some with some dud cities for awhile. I like it that way, makes it seem more realistic. Not every city in the world is a supercity. I've even tied the ability of building the Aqueduct to the availablity of water, so my landlocked cities won't be able to grow until the Industrial era, when they can build a Pipeline. So far it's working out great. I'm playing a game now where I'm well into the Middle Ages, and there's still tons of room to expand.

Optimizer · February 27, 2002, 22:34

Quote:

I've even tied the ability of building the Aqueduct to the availablity of water

But if you have got water, you don't need an aqueduct, do you?

Willem · February 27, 2002, 23:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Optimizer

But if you have got water, you don't need an aqueduct, do you?

The only time you don't need an Aqueduct is when your city is built right beside a river or fresh water lake. Any other location needs an improvement in order to get the cities to grow.