ORIGINAL: ravinhood
I think the "point" you are missing overall Preston John, is "technology" and programming are moving "forward" not backwards when it comes to gaming entertainment. Developers WANT to make a solid AI, I'm sure they would love to create an AI that would stomp your butt, and it WILL come eventually as they keep "trying" to improve them.
Once the graphics "eyecandy" age has passed or slowed down to a crawl, more and more time will be spent towards a gaming AI like in the 80's when graphics were 8bit, easy and quick to make and not a lot of fluff for graphics, so games tended to be better quality of play and AI performance than they are today.
Main thing though, technology will always move forward and not backwards to hex and cardboard units to move around a computer screen on a regular basis. Todays wargamers want AI activity, even if it's 3rd party while they play a friend head to head, they want something challenging to play around with when their friend isn't around or to practice some setups or maneuvers. I use the AI a lot for that.
As much as you would like the computer gaming industry to move backwards and just produce computer versions of boardgames, it's hardly going to happen in any major role of the wargaming market.
Some group "may" do it or be doing it, but, they will not get the market that is out there for computer wargaming as it is today with an AI and multiplayer features as well. I prefer both, head to head vs human and an AI to mess around with when I just have a little time to play.
Personally I'd love to see a Squad Leader or Advanced Squad Leader boardgame to computer conversion "with or without an AI", it's my favorite of all the boardgame wargames I have save for "Swords & Sorcery" and I could deal without an AI for those two conversions and those two only. Just to be able to play a PBEM game without having to have a board setup on a table and having to calculate all the movement and los and all that every turn. But, if it comes with a half way decent AI, that's just as great to me. I'm sure the main charge for computer games isn't the AI $39.95 and the rest of the game $10, more like the rest of the game $44.95 and the AI included $5.
You're not going to see a major price drop even in a board wargame conversion from the standard $39.95 to $49.95 prices you see with games with an AI. Developers and Producers will just capatilize even more on including less and charging the same or in MATRIX's case charging MORE! Yah Ya hear me MATRIX you're prices are too high even with an AI!
Sorry but you are not paying attention. I essentially want board games to be made in an electronic format and not have time wasted on an ineffective AI during that process. Those who want to make traditional computer games can keep on doing whatever it is that they do.
And as for AI getting better, I think it will be years before anything that can give a human player a 50:50 win loss situation will arise (re the comments by John Tiller).