quote:

ORIGINAL: Antarian

That's hard to believe, I met them mid-game and hit them with two full klingon battlefleets. They laughed as my measily weapons pew-pewed off their near impregnable shields, and shredded all my ships in a few shots with their end game beam weapons.

What was funny was they thought I was ultra-evil and wanted to buddy buddy with me.

Did you not get the memo?

We are Klingons. We hate everyone.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fleshbits

They def aren't there all along. A spot is chosen at the given time. Because I had an explorer with scanners in ever sector.

I really don't think I like them. Not because it is hard, but because it is inconsistant what the relative strength you and the AIs are when they appear from one game to the next. They can totally ruin a game where you were doing quite well playing a trading game rather than a military one, or perhaps a game where you were concentrating on key wonders, or enslavement. Even if you are playing the military game, sometimes they pop out when you are teched up and sometimes they pop out when you are have no chance because of your tech.

They also make me fearful to trade techs with others, as that is suspect to their triggering.

Not only that, but they force you to instantly ally everyone you can and obliterate the game strategy you had previous to their arrival. You can't really play a game with friends and foes being planned, because when they arrive, you pretty much need 3/4ths the galaxy to fight them until you get max armor and a weapon.

Perhaps if that last armor tech wasn't such a huge step from the previous.. They are pretty much invulnerable to your weapons when they come out 9/10 times. The most you casn do is hope to scare them off by lowering their shields, but that won't help vs the planet destroyers. Guarantee one or two of someone colonies are getting zapped.

It just turns the game on its arse from how it would otherwise progress and that I do not like. I love challenge, but not deviation from my goals. I wish the regualar AI posed as much of a threat, but I am still trying different settings to find the sweet spot. If only each test didn't last a week :P But at least its fun.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fleshbits

They def aren't there all along. A spot is chosen at the given time. Because I had an explorer with scanners in ever sector.

I really don't think I like them. Not because it is hard, but because it is inconsistant what the relative strength you and the AIs are when they appear from one game to the next. They can totally ruin a game where you were doing quite well playing a trading game rather than a military one, or perhaps a game where you were concentrating on key wonders, or enslavement. Even if you are playing the military game, sometimes they pop out when you are teched up and sometimes they pop out when you are have no chance because of your tech.

They also make me fearful to trade techs with others, as that is suspect to their triggering.

Not only that, but they force you to instantly ally everyone you can and obliterate the game strategy you had previous to their arrival. You can't really play a game with friends and foes being planned, because when they arrive, you pretty much need 3/4ths the galaxy to fight them until you get max armor and a weapon.

Perhaps if that last armor tech wasn't such a huge step from the previous.. They are pretty much invulnerable to your weapons when they come out 9/10 times. The most you casn do is hope to scare them off by lowering their shields, but that won't help vs the planet destroyers. Guarantee one or two of someone colonies are getting zapped.

It just turns the game on its arse from how it would otherwise progress and that I do not like. I love challenge, but not deviation from my goals. I wish the regualar AI posed as much of a threat, but I am still trying different settings to find the sweet spot. If only each test didn't last a week :P But at least its fun.