Setting race ability points for AI races

from GalCiv2 Forums
Hi Forum!

When playing a Dark Avatar non-campaign game, the player can distribute 10 points for abilities like economy, braveness, creativity, research etc. for the race he chose. Later in the dialogue for choosing the AI opponents, it seems like the 10 ability points that each race has, are not used by the AI races by default. This would mean, that when I just select my race, distribute the ability points for my race, select my opponents, and start the game, my race will have a big advantage over the AI races, because AI races are not using their 10 ability points to increase their abilities like I did for my race.

Am I seeing this right? If so, this would mean that all victories I achived on the "Tough" difficulty level were meaningless, because my race was having a big advantage in abilities over the AI races. :(

Or is the AI maybe distributing the ability points by itself upon the start of the game? Otherwise, as far as I can see it, my only chance to have a fair game is, to click on "edit race" for all possible opponent races and distribute the ability points manually for each possible opponent race.

If I am right about it, this would suck so much that I am tempted to file a bug report about it. :(

Thanks for your replies in advance!

Regards,
Stefan
6,097 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think I read a topic on this issue a few days ago.

I'm pretty certain they use all their abilities. Have you checked how much they had before the game and how much they had during the game?
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I believe the points you distribute do give you an edge over the AI's and that the AI's do not get the points. This does mean that the AI's are at a disadvantage compared to the real player. Most of us, get around this by playing at high levels of difficulty. Once you start getting into crippling level games, I'd say it's even. Maso and above and the AI research and production levels make for serious competition.

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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The AI uses all of it's points, from everything I have seen.

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Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Can't we simply 'edit' the AI and allocate the points ourselves?


think we can... same as for when we're doing it to the race we're gonna play with in a game...



innit barely
 ;p 
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Can't we simply 'edit' the AI and allocate the points ourselves?think we can... same as for when we're doing it to the race we're gonna play with in a game...innit barely  
End of quote

Yes, of course this is possible. However, I see two big disadvantages with that:

1) It's counter-intuitive and most players won't even notice it. After all, it took me many, many games to notice it and now I am quite disappointed that I had an unfair advantage over the AI and can't be proud of my glorious victories anymore.

2) I like fair games (which is why I always play with the AI set to "intelligent", but not higher, because then the AI would get unfair advantages to production rates etc.). And it is not fair, if I can adapt the 10 ability points to my style of playing for my race, but the AI can't. Even if I distribute the 10 ability points for each race: The usefulness of the chosen abilities heavily depends on the style of playing and I don't know what style of playing the AI prefers (and it's nothing I should be made to concern myself with). Hence, I still have an unfair advantage over the AI.

Regards,
Stefan
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi!
AI races are not using their 10 ability points to increase their abilities like I did for my race.
End of quote

How did you prove that? Did you plant a spy or more at the very start of the game on their planet(s) to get the first level of espionage, and then checked their stats?

I'm asking that because your issue is not new, and developers already stated AIs always use all free points.

BR, Iztok

Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi!AI races are not using their 10 ability points to increase their abilities like I did for my race.How did you prove that? Did you plant a spy or more at the very start of the game on their planet(s) to get the first level of espionage, and then checked their stats? I'm asking that because your issue is not new, and developers already stated AIs always use all free points. BR, Iztok
End of quote


I actually never tried to prove it, I just wondered that all the other races still have 10 points to distribute when clicking on "edit race" in the opponent race selection screen. This is why I originally asked "It seems to me that... am I seeing this right?".

If you are sure that the AI indeed distributes all the remaining points, I am a happy person. :) You don't have by chance a link to where the developers stated that the AI behaves like that?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Stefan
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi!
You don't have by chance a link to where the developers stated that the AI behaves like that?
End of quote

Sorry, I don't. That discusson is older than 1 year and is burried here somewhere in forums. I heavily doubt the current Search function will help you exhume it.

BR, Iztok