Paranoia

RedFred · April 18, 2001, 11:39

If you think everyone is out to get you, you are paranoid. But if everyone really is out to get you then you are just being realistic.

In my very first game I became paranoid that the AI was cheating and was seeing my units hidden in the fungus even though they were not supposed to do so. Later I learned that the AI's omniscience of unit placement was a recognized fact of the game.

Part way through a particularly great game I got a asteroid hit on my HQ wiping out both the HGP and the VW and causing virtually every base to go into drone riots. Later I found out that yes, if you are number one on the might chart all sorts of nasty random events hit you.

There are some other cases where I think the AI is 'cheating' but I am not sure, it may just be paranoia on my part. So do the following cheats happen or am I just imagining it? Could I be guilty of remembering the times a negative event happens and forgetting the times when it doesn't?

1. AI invasions target underdefended bases even when they do not have infiltrator status. Same with native life attacks.

2. AI targets Elite or Demon Boil units even though in many cases it should not know where they are. Often I lose them in the very same battle that they get their final upgrade for the bonus movement point.

3. If I start building an SP it seems that the AI will suddenly try to build the same SP. I now switch SPs part way through to 'confuse' the AI.

4. Battles with odds significantly in the human's favour almost always win. But somehow it seems the more crucial the battle the less likely that this holds true.

5. Even when the AI factions do not have infiltrator status it seems that one of their harrassing units will suddenly move away if I have almost built a unit that can kill it.

6. (And I know this one sounds particularly paranoid!) The chances of SMACX crashing seem directly proportional to how well I am doing. I have never seen it crash in games where I am doing poorly.

7. As you all know, pod-popping an IoD causes your transport (or other unit) to lose a movement point. If you pop a pod with 1 or 0 movement points left it seems you are far more likely to get an IoD. OTOH if you have 2 or more left and can escape if you were to get an IoD, you have less chance of getting one.

knowhow2 · April 18, 2001, 11:47

quote:

Originally posted by RedFred on 04-18-2001 11:39 AM
3. If I start building an SP it seems that the AI will suddenly try to build the same SP. I now switch SPs part way through to 'confuse' the AI.

Well, you also know which SP THEY'RE building so is fair that they also know what you are building right?

Fitz · April 18, 2001, 14:06

6. (And I know this one sounds particularly paranoid!) The chances of SMACX crashing seem directly proportional to how well I am doing. I have never seen it crash in games where I am doing poorly.

This sounds resonable to me. If you are doing well, you probably have a lot more units for the comp to track, heavier graphics from the loads of crawlers and formers covering your base areas when you scroll around, and a lot more interceptors to trigger the interceptor crash bug. Doing well = using more of your computers resources.

johndmuller · April 18, 2001, 14:28

2. AI targets Elite or Demon Boil units even though in many cases it should not know where they are. Often I lose them in the very same battle that they get their final upgrade for the bonus movement point.

Well, in order to get promoted, it usually takes a fairly close fight, leaving the newly promoted unit with heavy damage. Sadly, if there is a follow-on attack, the unit probably will be finished off. C'est la guerre.

Locus · April 18, 2001, 14:41

You are definitely right with battle odds. I don't know if the AI is cheating or if the formula to calculate odds is wrong but I VERY OFTEN lose battles strongly in my favor. I even save and reload many times to see if the odds match reality...reality is WAY off. This is fine because the game should be challenging but I get really annoyed when the AI cheating is that obvious. If I am favored to win 5 to 1, I expect to win 5 out of every 6 attempts roughly. It's more like, if the odds are not at least 100 to 1 I always lose.

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Brother Locus of the Peacekeepers

cbn · April 18, 2001, 16:35

I have lost some battles with odds seriously in my favor but I have not noticed anything systemic in it. People should remember that battle odds against native life are often wrong as they take account of reactor value. Reactor level is irrelevant against native life and you should look through the odds to ensure that it is not counted in your favor. This might account for some of the losses when odds were close.

Purple · April 18, 2001, 19:27

quote:

Originally posted by RedFred on 04-18-2001 11:39 AM
3. If I start building an SP it seems that the AI will suddenly try to build the same SP. I now switch SPs part way through to 'confuse' the AI.

There's nothing to stop the AI from switching, too.

If this AI "cheat" can be depended on, you could use it to direct the AI to build SPs that you don't really want yourself.

Garth Vader · April 19, 2001, 00:51

1. AI invasions target underdefended bases even when they do not have infiltrator status. Same with native life attacks.

I haven't noticed this. The computer is so inept at any sort of attack it never gets anywhere on me. I have noticed that native life always seems to attack the same base though. Not necessarly the most polluting or weakest defended though.

2. AI targets Elite or Demon Boil units even though in many cases it should not know where they are. Often I lose them in the very same battle that they get their final upgrade for the bonus movement point.

Never noticed that.

3. If I start building an SP it seems that the AI will suddenly try to build the same SP. I now switch SPs part way through to 'confuse' the AI.

Yeah, maybe but since the only way an AI will actually finish a project on me is if it's real early, or if I don't have the tech it's not a big deal, it just wastes their resources!

4. Battles with odds significantly in the human's favour almost always win. But somehow it seems the more crucial the battle the less likely that this holds true.

I have lost some key battles, but I have also won some.

5. Even when the AI factions do not have infiltrator status it seems that one of their harrassing units will suddenly move away if I have almost built a unit that can kill it.

Oh yeah and this is real annoying. Makes naval combat tough.

6. (And I know this one sounds particularly paranoid!) The chances of SMACX crashing seem directly proportional to how well I am doing. I have never seen it crash in games where I am doing poorly.

I only have SMAC and it doesn't crash that often. In MP it will crash if I play MP3's between the turns so I don't do that anymore.

7. As you all know, pod-popping an IoD causes your transport (or other unit) to lose a movement point. If you pop a pod with 1 or 0 movement points left it seems you are far more likely to get an IoD. OTOH if you have 2 or more left and can escape if you were to get an IoD, you have less chance of getting one.

Never noticed this, but it sounds reasonable. I will test this out.

The Commodore · April 19, 2001, 11:30

Remember the most important law in the universe peeps: Murphy's Law.

Cybergod · April 19, 2001, 13:50

Well the more powerful you are the more likely you will suffer a nasty random event. The lower you are though you are more likely to receive a preciuos gift!

DilithiumDad · April 19, 2001, 17:42

Random events are the great equalizer. That's why random event should always be on for multiplayer --it makes it worthwhile for the last place palayer to keep on hoping for a big break!

bondetamp · April 19, 2001, 21:31

quote:

Originally posted by RedFred on 04-18-2001 11:39 AM
7. As you all know, pod-popping an IoD causes your transport (or other unit) to lose a movement point. If you pop a pod with 1 or 0 movement points left it seems you are far more likely to get an IoD. OTOH if you have 2 or more left and can escape if you were to get an IoD, you have less chance of getting one.

I never, ever, ever pop a pod on the last, or next to last movement point. It is better to wait a turn.

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-bondetamp
--
When you have shot and killed a man you have in some measure clarified your attitude toward him. You have given a definite answer to a definite problem. For better or worse you have acted decisively. In a way, the next move is up to him.
-- R. A. Lafferty

Clear Skies · April 21, 2001, 13:00

Edgbaston's Law: (my fave quote) "Murphy was an optimist"

"Just because you are not paranoid does not mean they are not out to get you"