AI in Legends vs Shadows?

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Distant Worlds 1 Series >> The War Room >> AI in Legends vs Shadows?

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AI in Legends vs Shadows? - 5/3/2014 2:40:15 AM

EsoEs

Posts: 11
Joined: 5/3/2014
Status: offline

So Im having a blast playing Distant Worlds:Legends, its totally my kind of game! However, Im starting to get a little dissatisfied with AI performance. In my latest game, I have set the AI to the highest level, and aggression to 2nd highest (cant remember the name), and Im still way ahead by year 40 or so. Im consistently getting top scores by early mid-game, and I dont feel very challenged. AI expansion seems pretty lackluster, (large sections of the galaxy still un-claimed by year 75), but maybe that has to do with my colonization range of 1.25 or so?

Anyway my question is, was any specific work done to the AI in Shadows that is not present in Legends? Im thinking about buying the expansion, but unless it provides more of a challenge I'll probably pass..

Post #: 1

RE: AI in Legends vs Shadows? - 5/3/2014 6:13:43 AM

Icemania

Posts: 1847
Joined: 6/5/2013
From: Australia
Status: offline

In Shadows there were increased difficulty settings and the Shadows age with stronger Pirates certainly made a difference from Legends.

Once you have Shadows, if you still start to find Extreme easy, try the Game of the Month, or try to beat the scores posted in the Friendly Challenge. Alternatively you could increase the technology level and advancement of other empires and so on so that you start at a disadvantage. I've found this enough to keep playing noting how weak the Space 4X competition is (although I have hopes for a couple of upcoming titles).

But most importantly wait for Universe due out in the next month as from recent posts around the forum will have some degree of improvement from Shadows.

< Message edited by Icemania -- 5/3/2014 7:17:26 AM >

(in reply to EsoEs)

Post #: 2

RE: AI in Legends vs Shadows? - 5/3/2014 12:55:01 PM

Osito

Posts: 875
Joined: 5/9/2013
Status: offline

What size galaxy are you playing? I only play 15x15 at 1400 systems, and I can't say I find a problem with AI expansion. In fact, I find that I can't expand as fast as the AI, otherwise my economy falls to pieces as my private fleet can't cope with the pace of increase in empire size. And also I just can't be bothered to manage too many colonies, which admittedly is a bit of a contradiction in a 1400 system game.

So what generally happens is that I start off fairly well (I can always stay ahead of the AI during the pre-warp part of the game: that's a bit too easy; perhaps the AI should have better designs for the pre-warp stuff), then the AI overtakes me in the middle (often double my colony number), and I'll claw my way back in the end game.

I think setting a colony range is more likely to hinder the AI than yourself, because a human will always have a better vision of how to deal with the limitations imposed by the range.

Finally, as Icemania said, you can give the AI significant advantages in terms of starting planet and starting tech. It's hard to believe that there isn't a setting that would beat everyone, but I could well be wrong about that, as I tend to play the game as a RPG rather than a strategy game - the RPG side of the game interests me more. I've even stopped bothering with victory conditions.

Osito

(in reply to Icemania)

Post #: 3

RE: AI in Legends vs Shadows? - 5/3/2014 3:31:29 PM

ASHBERY76

Posts: 2136
Joined: 10/10/2001
From: England
Status: offline

The galaxy settings and map style can really effect this part.An irregular map with lots of stars will get you big empires most of the time.The game is very situational.

_____________________________

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RE: AI in Legends vs Shadows? - 5/4/2014 6:56:46 PM

EsoEs

Posts: 11
Joined: 5/3/2014
Status: offline

So I started a new game, medium map with highest AI level and chaotic aggression. I gave them a slightly better tech lead start and removed colonization range limits.

At the very start of the game, I was under pressure from another civ who started about 1 sector from my cap, but luckily I found 2 abandoned ships which greatly boosted my military strength defending my home system. Once the initial attack was repelled, they did absolutely nohting the rest of the game, and are currently my protectorate (I have their cap, they have 2 colonies)

Beyond this intial challenge, the game has been retardedly easy. Another civ to my west (about 2 sectors starting from my cap), should by all rights have been at war with me. They don;t like my government, theyre highly aggressive and unfriendly, and were competing for resources in several systems. However, they have yet to declare war on me, and Ive left a token defense on that border while Ive systematically conquered the north and consolodated a huge swath of territory.

THe AI just frankly seems woefully under coded, they make laughable attempts to bum rush my space ports, when they should be harassing my mining operations in outlying systems. They let OP wonders like the Traders Bazaar go until I build it year 60 or so, and beyond capturing Home Worlds, they present little to no resistance with their poorly designed fleets.

This game is really fun, but I would expect the highest difficulty settings to be much more difficult than Im currently encountering. Im on the fence about springing for Universe+Shadows...

(in reply to ASHBERY76)

Post #: 5

RE: AI in Legends vs Shadows? - 5/4/2014 9:37:38 PM

Icemania

Posts: 1847
Joined: 6/5/2013
From: Australia
Status: offline

This is sounding very similar to my first posts on the forum as well: Shadows Difficulty Settings

My #1, #2 and #3 remains improving the AI.

quote:

ORIGINAL: EsoEs
This game is really fun...

This is the Punchlne ... the game is fun anyway.

I find Shadows to be much more fun than Legends because there is a lot more going on with the Shadows Age Pirates, PreWarp Starts and somewhat increased difficulty also helps. I played a Legends game again recently and it seems pretty slow and lame in comparison.

Within Settings you can also start with a Harsh Homeworld while others are Excellent and give others not just a slight technology boost but a significant boost whilst also letting them start with Mature or Old Empires. I wouldn't call this "fun" though.

Also apply some house rules and avoid Exploits like using those recovered super powerful ships (retire them) and avoiding technology selling in particular.

Beyond that, I still have a lot of fun pushing just how fast it is possible to expand and how quickly the game can be won. Try getting involved in the Game of the Month or Friendly Challenge I mentioned before and spice it up by beating my scores ...

< Message edited by Icemania -- 5/4/2014 10:44:28 PM >

(in reply to EsoEs)

Post #: 6