NeuralTech

Join Date 09/2007

MAX CPU to AIs - How many if any of you do it?

Morning fellow Commanders,

I'm in the middle of a fantastic war (been away from the game for months), and couldn't be happier.

I've been playing DA on my new machine (Intel Q6600 & EFX 8800 GT) and am absolutely LOVING it! It runs like a dream..... now that I have WAY more machine than I used to: I've noticed that I can hit the turn button, and STILL zoom in/out and generally look around the map at will w/zero pauses/lag/etc (mid Comps' turn).... it's wonderful. I can't wait to see how TA looks on this thing.

I wanted to ask all of you: how many of y'all w/fast enough machines/etc, actually give the AIs max CPU???

The comp at stock CPU usage is plenty smart for me. The highest I set my opponents to is 'Gifted' and that's usually only 2 races out of every 5-7.... rest are one and two levels above normal. That right there is plenty enough strategy for me.... they play so well and imo, this game has the best AI.

Anyhoot... how many of you guys actually max out the CPU given to the AIs and what are your thoughts/experiences on/with it?

Thank you,

Chr*s

1.5 fyi

Locked Post

Advanced Search

Watch this post

Do not email me updates for this post Email me updates for this post

Successfully updated karma reason!

I never even considered NOT using it.

Successfully updated karma reason!

my home computer can't handle the extra stress, but when I play at my parents' house, I use max CPU, the game doesn't become much harder, but the AI does seem to move... more human... But that might've been my imagination.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I never even considered NOT using it.

Ditto. This is one of those games where I actually enjoy getting my ass kicked.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Philocthetes

Join Date 10/2003

+153

I turned it on the instant it was there, and that was on my old box that had crap graphics but a decent CPU. I was used to slow turn processing, etc., and really appreciated the better effort at ship design that the More CPU seemed to enable.

I got a new dual-core box last August, and now I almost wish there was an Even More CPU option. Maybe it could help with the planetary management problems, or even get the AIs to do some real war prep before throwing down the gauntlet.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I will try it out eventually, but atm: I require no extra difficulty.

They basically only move what... an extra 2-4 moves ahead compared to 'non 100% cpu AIs' right?

thks for the replies so far,

Chr*s

Successfully updated karma reason!

Just tried it out last night, haven't really made a descision on it yet, but the AI is surly eating up all the super projects, so it looks to be pretty kewl so far

Successfully updated karma reason!

I think they actually use different algorithms, not just 'compute 2 more turns'.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Philocthetes

Join Date 10/2003

+153

I think they actually use different algorithms, not just 'compute 2 more turns'.

I have the same impression, but I'm not a methodical numbers-watcher. Even if it isn't truly different algorithms, more CPU could help with things like deciding what to build on a planet tile.

More CPU roughly equates to more time, and hasty decisions tend to be weaker than patient ones.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Are we talking an extra 20-30 seconds per turn for the comp when AI is maxed... roughly?

You guys are making me wanna try it out.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Are we talking an extra 20-30 seconds per turn for the comp when AI is maxed... roughly?

I'm not noticing any difference at all. Depends on your computer I guess. Dual cores definitely are at an advantage (AI makes use of that as well).

Successfully updated karma reason!

Mistralok1

Join Date 05/2006

+22

Are we talking an extra 20-30 seconds per turn for the comp when AI is maxed... roughly?

Not necessarily. Remember, the AI processes it's turn while you are taking yours. This has been the case since the game was in OS/2. IIRC, it was the first game to do this. So, there shouldn't be any noticeable slowdown, unless, perhaps, you are simply clicking the end turn button repeatedly without doing anything else in between. Even then, I haven't noticed much of any difference in the time it takes the AI to process it's turn.

By all means, give it a shot. I turned it on when it came out, and haven't turned it off. The very worst thing that could happen is for you to decide that you don't care for the function, and turn it back off.

Successfully updated karma reason!

How much does the "Force AI to use max CPU" option affect performance?

I have an Athlon 3200+ XP - will i be able to enable it?
(I could just try, i just have a game running without it and that leads to my next question:)

How much does the option affect gameplay? Is it much harder with this option enabled?

I do not exactly understand the difference between this option and the intelligence option in the enemy selection screen. The intelligence option does affect AI, while difficulty affects the starting bonuses of enemies, right? What determines AI performance if not CPU usage? Why can i enable "force max cpu" while setting my enemies up with the intelligence of a slice of bread? Or the other way round - do very high intelligence settings automatically mean drastic cpu usage?

Maybe you can just explain a bit how AI and the settingsin this games work.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Are we talking an extra 20-30 seconds per turn for the comp when AI is maxed... roughly?Not necessarily. Remember, the AI processes it's turn while you are taking yours. This has been the case since the game was in OS/2. IIRC, it was the first game to do this. So, there shouldn't be any noticeable slowdown, unless, perhaps, you are simply clicking the end turn button repeatedly without doing anything else in between. Even then, I haven't noticed much of any difference in the time it takes the AI to process it's turn. By all means, give it a shot. I turned it on when it came out, and haven't turned it off. The very worst thing that could happen is for you to decide that you don't care for the function, and turn it back off.

I appreciate the in depth explanation : )

I'm gonna turn it on for my next game, should be fine.

I have an Intel Q6600 so I have more than enough juice for this software.

Thks to all who have entertained the thread,

Chr*s

Successfully updated karma reason!

i do, but my laptop overheats as a result.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Mistralok1

Join Date 05/2006

+22

I have an Athlon 3200+ XP - will i be able to enable it?

I have that same processor. The Barton is one of the better single cores out there, so you should be fine.

How much does the option affect gameplay? Is it much harder with this option enabled?

I honestly can't say. This option came out with a number of other changes, and the game has changed even further since. Not meaning to be 'flip, but try it and see for yourself.

difficulty affects the starting bonuses of enemies, right?

The AI is only given bonuses in the settings above 'tough'.

What determines AI performance if not CPU usage?

I don't think it's so much a matter of cpu resource allocation as it is the algorithms that the AI is allowed to use. (Except, of course, the 'max cpu setting that we are talking about.)

Why can i enable "force max cpu" while setting my enemies up with the intelligence of a slice of bread?

It's the flexibility of the game. We are given any number of settings that we can tweak to get the game experience that we are looking for, and that's just part of it.

do very high intelligence settings automatically mean drastic cpu usage?

I wouldn't say drastic, but I'm sure that the higher settings use a bit more of the cpu.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Brad or other Stardock reps, if you are reading this and have a moment, would you be willing to explain to us what this setting does exactly? I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere. Thanks in advance.

Successfully updated karma reason!

It never occurred to me not to use it. I turned it on when it was introduced and haven't turned it off since.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I'm wondering how (if at all) TA will differ with the Max AI setting enabled.

Also... if it's been tweaked from patch to patch.

I'm still on 1.5, guys... since I still haven't learned which version of DA is the preferred, and least full of bugs.

On my old AMD 3200 machine, the 'only' real bug I ever noticed in 1.5 was when the comp would stack BUTTloads of it's ships on top of each other... which would eventually (as soon as multiple races starting building LOTS of ships) make "Frame loss spots" over the areas where the comps' multiple ships were stacked on top of each other. The fram losses were maybe 10-20 fps, but it didn't bother me tbh.

Now, in my last game on this Q6600, the comp was still doing this late game (the stacking biz), but I don't get the same framerate drops... it does take maybe 5-10 fps here and there, but I can obviously tell it's the 1.5 build, and not my hardware.

Sorry to divert the thread (kinda/sorta), but I'm wondering, guys... which version of DA should I settle on when I end up acquiring TA???

Thank you so much,

Chr*s

Successfully updated karma reason!

Mistralok1

Join Date 05/2006

+22

which version of DA should I settle on when I end up acquiring TA???

Brother NeuralTech, once you get TA, DA will become a fond memory. Since I downloaded TA, I have only ever loaded up DA once: when the map editor was first released, and wouldn't work in TA. I loaded up my first map in DA and it worked like a charm. So believe me, this question is moot.

Now, if you play meta tournaments, then DA will still be important until enough of the core players upgrade. If this is the case, then why not upgrade to the current build? I mean, there may be one version or other that you may prefer, but I'm pretty sure that most everyone has the latest, so why not? I have my favorite version. It just hit the 'sweet spot' relative to my strategies. The next update cut me off at the knees. I was PISSED, but life goes on, you know, and I am a better player for it. The various updates (and the resulting changes in gameplay) have made me a much stronger player. If the *now* me played the *then* me, I would kick my @ss.

Successfully updated karma reason!

This option can be turned off?

~ Wyndstar

Successfully updated karma reason!

which version of DA should I settle on when I end up acquiring TA???Brother NeuralTech, once you get TA, DA will become a fond memory. Since I downloaded TA, I have only ever loaded up DA once: when the map editor was first released, and wouldn't work in TA. I loaded up my first map in DA and it worked like a charm. So believe me, this question is moot. Now, if you play meta tournaments, then DA will still be important until enough of the core players upgrade. If this is the case, then why not upgrade to the current build? I mean, there may be one version or other that you may prefer, but I'm pretty sure that most everyone has the latest, so why not? I have my favorite version. It just hit the 'sweet spot' relative to my strategies. The next update cut me off at the knees. I was PISSED, but life goes on, you know, and I am a better player for it. The various updates (and the resulting changes in gameplay) have made me a much stronger player. If the *now* me played the *then* me, I would kick my @ss.

The way I see it... DA & TA will be two different games. One with round about "evenness among the races" and one where there is true uniqueness between the races.

Two different games imo. I'm sure I'll play both for life (Until GalCiv 3 that is

).

I don't play online, never have, never will. I've seen people mention "issues" more times that not for versions above 1.5 which is why I'm still wary of patching the game. I don't even know what the differences are... I know that a multitude of memory leaks were fixed in subsequent versions of 1.5, but from what I've seen: it looks like some people experience issues with versions above 1.5 and I don't see the same issues for 1.5 users.

dunno what to do

Definitely lookin forward to TA though!

Successfully updated karma reason!

Always

Successfully updated karma reason!

I turned it on the moment it was available as well. Never saw much reason to turn it off again.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I keep it on, lag or not.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Philocthetes

Join Date 10/2003

+153

Lag, schmag. I said my piece already, but I have to throw in a snarky follow-up. The only reason *not* to enable that option is that you are pushing the bottom of the seriously broad hardware support the game offers.

Successfully updated karma reason!