Beta 4 Bug: AI colonizes crap planets with as low as PQ 2

from GalCiv2 Forums
The AI logic for choosing planets to colonize needs work. I was playing a game (at Normal level) where all the AI races used their precious game start colony ship to colonize very low Planet Quality worlds. One of them in particular settled on a world with PQ 3 (using their game start colony ship) when there was a PQ 16 planet just 6 tiles away!

I suggest that the dev team add some "common sense" to the AI colony settlement logic like:
- Never colonize a planet with PQ 2 or less, at any point in the game
- If the AI does not have any "terraform tile" techs yet, do not colonize anything with PQ 5 or less. As the AI gets more techs that unlock tiles for terraforming, increase that number accordingly
- AI should treat their game start colony ship like GOLD! AI needs to scout for a decent PQ planet before using their starting ship, because it takes a while to build more at the start of the game. At least scout to nearby stars with your survey ship before wasting the colony ship on a PQ 4 (or less) planet in your starting system.

If anyone has comments on the PQ numbers I mentioned, please speak up. I haven't played enough to know what would be appropriate PQ numbers for the AI to use for these decisions, but I think these logic changes need to be made in some form.
8,839 views 21 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
I agree with the fact that the AI should scout a little first (but I thought they were suppose to know were all the good stuff was to begin with). So there should be an formula that computes a planet's colonizability based on distance the colony ship needs to travel and the Planet Quality.

But since I colonize PQ 2 planets I can hardly say that the AI shouldn't. PQ 2 planet's can give me an extra research center, and increase my range. It very simply that they only colonized when I don't have the range to reach any other good planets.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
Hmmm...not really a problem anymore since the PQ 1-4 planets have been removed from the latest build.
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Good, I mean honestly class 6 or less should be considered death worlds unless you have terraforming techs.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Hmmm...not really a problem anymore since the PQ 1-4 planets have been removed from the latest build.


No they haven't. My current game has all kinds of planets with low PQ (from 0 - 3). Are you playing a game with Habitable Worlds set to "Abundant"? I have it set to Rare in my game, and they are rare. I am playing on the latest build.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
I don't see any reason to remove low PQ planets, but the AI's selection process probably needs some work.
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
0.76 removes classes 1 through 4. If they're still being created it's a bug.  Class 1 planets might be reintroduced though to serve as outposts.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
Reintroducing class 1's would be good imo. I like to see both good and poor worlds, it makes the good ones look good.
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
I think the question should be what is fun? It's not fun to manage a bunch of low quality planets.
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
But you don't really manage you just build one item and improve influence in the system.Needed.
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
0.76 removes classes 1 through 4. If they're still being created it's a bug.


I'm on .76[b].003 and I see a class 2 and a class 3 in the Korx home system. And Mars is a class 4. Does that count as a bug?
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
Those will be because the race start systems are pre-defined.
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Ah-ha! That explains that
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top
Is it possible that other alien races can colonize those low number planets and that they are actually good for them?\

GW
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
Is it possible that other alien races can colonize those low number planets and that they are actually good for them?\


Nope. Everybody sees the same PQ on all planets.
Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top
After getting some additional information from Frogboy about how structures, economy and population all work, maybe colonizing small planets isn't as bad as I thought. At least, it isn't INSANE like it was in GalCiv1. However, I still think that the AI has to be WAY more selective before they deploy their Game Start Colony Ship.
Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top
Arguably, so long as all planets have a base max pop of 10k regardless of PQ, you can use poor planets to boost your income easily... just colonize and drop a couple of morale imporvements, then ignore it for the rest of the game
Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top
Anyone notice that even with terra techs to improve tiles.. you really dont get that many (even with all technologies discovered). I have to cheat to get all the tiles available to me. If you cant get the full amount of tiles, then whats the point of having the tiles available at all? If you only intend on having 20 tiles possible then why have more?
Reply #18 from Stardock Forums Top
Low PQ worlds are very good. They are free money, and if they have room to put anything on the planet, that's even better! Remember, small worlds stay happier with less effort. So that's a voting block for you when voting is running. Money, votes, influence, range. All good things.
Reply #19 from Stardock Forums Top
Anyone notice that even with terra techs to improve tiles.. you really dont get that many (even with all technologies discovered). I have to cheat to get all the tiles available to me. If you cant get the full amount of tiles, then whats the point of having the tiles available at all? If you only intend on having 20 tiles possible then why have more?


The game isn't finished yet, and I expect that there will be more techs added. We may see more "tile unlocking" techs in future versions. Also, after the game is balanced for play, maybe more than one tile could be unlocked when a tech is discovered. I still wouldn't expect to see any planets with ALL the tile unlocked. Is it reasonable to expect every square inch of ocean, desert, mountain, etc. to be used?
Reply #20 from Stardock Forums Top
At the highest tech levels? Yes, it is quite reasonable. But would it be fun?
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Given some of the advanced technology that this game has in it, yeah eventually every sq. inch of a planet could be used. Oceans with underwater cities and farms, deserts with vast hydroponics, mountains with massive factories harvesting resources (Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri had city domes & farms on ocean tiles). Such technology to completely utilize a world would not be unreasonable. In literature what comes to mind is Earth (Trantor) in Isaac Asimov's series Foundation. Every inch had been effectively turned into a giant office building (Ecumenopolis) to handle all the bureauocracy for the galaxy, all food and resources were imported. (nice fate for the mother world.. as a world of office buildings)

There was also some discussion awhile ago about implementing a Dyson Sphere in the game, now that would really be utilizing your space. Of course we will never see this implemented.. but the idea is solid.

Anyway, I hope that your right about more techs to be added. I've had alot of fun playing will all the tiles available to me (cheating of course). Even with this advantage the AI is still very challenging, so its not too unbalanced. Of course if the AI has this also.......