Distant Worlds: The AI; let's be frank.

[Wade1000]

Distant Worlds: The AI; let's be frank.

Company, distributer, and testers...let's be frank.

1. How would you summarize the AI?
2. How does the AI compare to other similiar games?
3. What are some noteworthy praises and criticisms of the AI capabilities, tactics, and strategies of which you know of or have witnessed?
4. How well is the AI at colony management?
5. How well is the AI at using all technological advances?
6. And...being frank...what improvements to the AI are planned for the very near future?
7. Does the AI use cheats or bonuses?

I know that you will or must only mostly praise the AI, which I'll be happy to hear, but surely you can be frank and answer both sides of these questions.

Let us compare these answers here now to our gameplay experiences in several months.

Oh, and...Surely, my name is not Frank.
Don't call me Shirly.

-----

How well an AI is at the release of a game often will make or break the game in its success.
I believe that the AI in a game should be the prioriy. If there are outstanding issues with a games AI then the company should fix them immediately. AI should be much better than just adequate.
-To improve game AI, any design that is adpated by players and is very beneficial should be used by opponent AI's also.

[cdbeck]

Let us compare these answers here now to our gameplay experiences in several months.

Oh yeah, when you put it that way I'm REALLY willing to spill the beans. I mean, no pressure at all there! [;)]

I had a slight conversation about this on the Wargamer.com, that I won't repeat here.

I'm no AI expert, but it seems to work pretty well for me, at least, I have fun!

[Deto]

1. How would you summarize the AI?
- I would summarize it with two letters: A and I
2. How does the AI compare to other similiar games?
- Like other games, the AI's function is to provide more (less) challenge and realism to player
3. What are some noteworthy praises and criticisms of the AI capabilities, tactics, and strategies of which you know of or have witnessed?
- Sometimes AI can surprise you (sometimes positively, sometimes negatively). I've seen AI use fleets and build colonies.
4. How well is the AI at colony management?
- They manage
5. How well is the AI at using all technological advances?
- They're good when they use all tecnological advances
6. And...being frank...what improvements to the AI are planned for the very near future?
- With all ethical constraints removed...

[cdbeck]

LOL! All ethical restraints removed...

Distant Worlds: Now with a SHODAN in every box!

SoM

[Sarissofoi]

ORIGINAL: Son_of_Montfort

LOL! All ethical restraints removed...

Distant Worlds: Now with a SHODAN in every box!

SoM

Uh Ah.
Ok This is good time to glass New Zeland.
Before its to late.
For a greter good!

[Greyhunterlp]

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi

ORIGINAL: Son_of_Montfort

LOL! All ethical restraints removed...

Distant Worlds: Now with a SHODAN in every box!

SoM

Uh Ah.
Ok This is good time to glass New Zeland.
Before its to late.
For a greter good!

Well, to be fair, we've known the place is overrun with orcs and all sorts of other things for a few years now, so its better to be safe than sorry.

[Gertjan]

How good the AI is depends on the resources the game producer has. It seems to me this is a small scale company and so if attention has to be devoted to several aspects of the game it could lead to a less developed AI. However, I'm hopeful that in relative terms considerable effort has been devoted to the AI aspect of the game and that other aspects such as graphics have been given less attention. Who knows if the game sells well, the developer could keep improving the game's AI on players feedback.

[VarekRaith]

ORIGINAL: Gertjan

How good the AI is depends on the resources the game producer has. It seems to me this is a small scale company and so if attention has to be devoted to several aspects of the game it could lead to a less developed AI. However, I'm hopeful that in relative terms considerable effort has been devoted to the AI aspect of the game and that other aspects such as graphics have been given less attention. Who knows if the game sells well, the developer could keep improving the game's AI on players feedback.

You know, I think the inverse of this is true. I've played so many games with large budgets and dev teams that had just...pathetic AI.
:shrugs:
[;)]

[LarryP]

When you declare war on a race, you better had taken defensive measures for your planets beforehand. They come at you thorough and hard. They also unite against you at times so keeping a good name really matters if you want to be liked by some. When I have declared war on a race with no good reason to, other races get mad and join in the fray. The AI keeps a good watch on your manners. [X(] [;)]

The AI is no sissy. It's smart. The races have distinct personalities too which really adds to the likability of this game.

[Gertjan]

This sounds very good!

[ASHBERY76]

ORIGINAL: Gertjan

How good the AI is depends on the resources the game producer has. It seems to me this is a small scale company and so if attention has to be devoted to several aspects of the game it could lead to a less developed AI. However, I'm hopeful that in relative terms considerable effort has been devoted to the AI aspect of the game and that other aspects such as graphics have been given less attention. Who knows if the game sells well, the developer could keep improving the game's AI on players feedback.

I think Armada 2526 A.I was pretty good considering it was only done by one guy,so I am not sure about that theory.

[LarryP]

Here is a good example of the AI personality:

[Tycow]

[X(]

That is awesome. It's little touches like that that make games brilliant!

Cheers Larry [8D]

[Sarissofoi]

Wow.Nice one.
I think this game will give much more roleplay than I think.
Great. Cool. Awesome. I hope this is:).

[ASHBERY76]

ORIGINAL: LarryP

Here is a good example of the AI personality:

Blackbeard and his pals joining the RoyalNavy would not have gone down well with the public.Where is the Kill scum option.

[Wade1000]

ORIGINAL: Gertjan

How good the AI is depends on the resources the game producer has. It seems to me this is a small scale company and so if attention has to be devoted to several aspects of the game it could lead to a less developed AI. However, I'm hopeful that in relative terms considerable effort has been devoted to the AI aspect of the game and that other aspects such as graphics have been given less attention. Who knows if the game sells well, the developer could keep improving the game's AI on players feedback.

How well an AI is at the release of a game often will make or break the game in its success.

I believe that the AI in a game should be the prioriy. If there are outstanding issues with a games AI then the company should be fixed immediately, even to the extent of delaying a release. AI should be much better than just adequate.

[Wade1000]

ORIGINAL: LarryP

When you declare war on a race, you better had taken defensive measures for your planets beforehand. They come at you thorough and hard. They also unite against you at times so keeping a good name really matters if you want to be liked by some. When I have declared war on a race with no good reason to, other races get mad and join in the fray. The AI keeps a good watch on your manners. [X(] [;)]

The AI is no sissy. It's smart. The races have distinct personalities too which really adds to the likability of this game.

Well, that sounds good. Thanks.

So then, if you want a certain role, it would be advisable to maintain high reputation/manners. If you decide to expand by declaring war then choose an opponent with low reputation/manners so that he will have difficulty aquiring allies and trades..

[hadberz]

As LarryP said if your not ready for war the AI will kick the crap out of you [:)]

[Duckfang]

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

Blackbeard and his pals joining the RoyalNavy would not have gone down well with the public.

Sure it did, we called them Privateers.

Sir Francis Drake was a notorious pirate before he was a war hero, if I recall correctly. He still is regarded as a no-good pirate in some countries. [:'(]

[martok]

ORIGINAL: LarryP

When you declare war on a race, you better had taken defensive measures for your planets beforehand. They come at you thorough and hard. They also unite against you at times so keeping a good name really matters if you want to be liked by some. When I have declared war on a race with no good reason to, other races get mad and join in the fray. The AI keeps a good watch on your manners. [X(] [;)]

The AI is no sissy. It's smart. The races have distinct personalities too which really adds to the likability of this game.

ORIGINAL: hadberz

As LarryP said if your not ready for war the AI will kick the crap out of you [:)]

Music to my ears! I love strategy games where I can get "pwned" by the computer if I'm not careful. [8D]

Also, I admit I got a good chuckle out of the "pirate faction joins your empire" message. As Tycow said, it's little touches like this that really give a game character, and can make the difference between a merely good game and a great game. I'm looking forward to Distant Worlds more than ever now!