The AI could be a bit more challenging

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 2:05 pm

Hey guys, long time no see!

I'm finally able to run fleet ops on my mac by installing bootcamp! After playing a weekend fleet ops, I must say: "damn i missed this game!".

Now, i got a question, i'm not a guy that starts mining etc, so i put my resources on unlimited, enemy -> merciless, and everything on fast building, enemy able to build fast etc..

But they still aren't a challenge really.. They don't really build a lot of ships or the borg for instance, they never build cubes! Only spheres, assimilators etc.

Why is this? Is there a patch to make your enemy extremely tough, almost invincible?

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 2:13 pm

You cant set the resources to unlimited, the AI doesnt know how to handle it and you basically break it. Keep it on default resources and set up a merciless ai, THAT will give you a challenge.

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 2:19 pm

Mmh, damn haha. Perhaps on double to give me a headstart. But what is the reason that the borg for example never make cubes?

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 2:27 pm

Mmh, damn haha. Perhaps on double to give me a headstart. But what is the reason that the borg for example never make cubes?

i think that is because unlimited resources breaks the ai. if you do it on normal resources, then just input the cheat "showmethemoney" repeatedly to simulate unlimited res for you, then it will be more challenging.

i'm not sure if double res breaks the ai as well. its been a while.

also welcome back. you should consider playing online.

[Sovereign001]

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 2:40 pm

Last edited by Sovereign001 on November 2nd, 2011, 3:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

You asked me that question the first time i logged in too about online. The problem is, i'm the person that makes you curse online.

For example:

Myles: Sov! Take your fleet and go attack equinox1701 e!

sov: ....
myles: euh sov, you there?
sov:....
Myles: sov, i could use your help!! He is sending a massive armada to me!!! Sov, i'm getting overrun here!!!

sov:....
myles: never mind, i'm dead...

sov: aah srry myles! Mom called me to have dinner! Ow srry mate!


yeah that's me haha, that's the problem with me and online games

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 2:43 pm

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 3:03 pm

You asked me that question the first too about online. The problem is, i'm the person that makes you curse online.

For example:

Myles: Sov! Take your fleet and go attack equinox1701 e!

sov: ....
myles: euh sov, you there?
sov:....
Myles: sov, i could use your help!! He is sending a massive armada to me!!! Sov, i'm getting overrun here!!!

sov:....
myles: never mind, i'm dead...

sov: aah srry myles! Mom called me to have dinner! Ow srry mate!


yeah that's me haha, that's the problem with me and online games

  I can relate to that.

On a topical note, if you set the resources to unlimited, you can't complain the game is too easy.   Play it on normal, and then it will be very....merciless.

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 3:34 pm

I believe the only setting that genuinly screws up the AI is unlimited resources - all the others should be ok as far as I remember . Welcome back 

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 3:49 pm

Thanks guys, tonight i'll have a look!

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 5:03 pm

If you set the "AI Build Time Modifier" and "AI Build Cost Modifier" to hard, the AI will be damn challenging, even with Unlimited Resources on. The AI's first wave attack fleets to your base will include Sovereigns, D'Deridexes, Breen Battleships...

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 6:46 pm

The problem with AI (I've said this before, I know) is how stupid they are. All you really need to keep even a Merciless AI at bay half the time is just have 30 ships and a mining expansion near your main base. They'll generally just send a constant stream of vessels to said expansion and rarely come near your base, while those 30 ships at the expnsion are getting easy level ups. Meanwhile, you can build up a large fleet and eventually attack and destroy their base. Of course, this works better the more enemies there are on the map, since each AI spreads their forces out to go after others. Unfortunately, it doesn't work nearly as well with only 1 or 2 AIs.

If you set the "AI Build Time Modifier" and "AI Build Cost Modifier" to hard, the AI will be damn challenging, even with Unlimited Resources on. The AI's first wave attack fleets to your base will include Sovereigns, D'Deridexes, Breen Battleships...

Tried that once, here's how it goes for me:

1 Minute in
La-di-da-da, just setting  up my mining facilities... Next a Staryard...
5 Minutes in
Oh goodie, I finished up my second Intrepid... time to start my next chassis level... maybe put up a pulse turret or two, so their first waves will be fought off...
6 Minutes in
OH GOD!!! They're everywhere! How could they even HAVE those ships yet!?
7 Minutes in
There are none. You die less than a minute after their attack.

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 7:48 pm

Your point being? It's certainly challenging. :-P

As it's a slider, you can just tweak it until it is just challenging enough, surely?

[Equinox1701e]

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 10:05 pm

Last edited by Equinox1701e on November 3rd, 2011, 2:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

Another thing to consider during an Ai match. Ive found the AI does not play all maps equally, some maps they are much more deadly then others. For a good setup theres a map called Narali expidition or some such name, its an 8 player map and if you put in 2 ai players on stock setting (or double resources) be ready for a fight. Yeah they may only start with trickling in, but after awhile even a full fleet of sov's wont save you.

You asked me that question the first time i logged in too about online. The problem is, i'm the person that makes you curse online.

For example:

Myles: Sov! Take your fleet and go attack equinox1701 e!

sov: ....
myles: euh sov, you there?
sov:....
Myles: sov, i could use your help!! He is sending a massive armada to me!!! Sov, i'm getting overrun here!!!

sov:....
myles: never mind, i'm dead...

HA HA, I kicked Myles butt

[Anonymous]

posted on November 2nd, 2011, 10:35 pm

Last edited by Anonymous on November 2nd, 2011, 10:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hey guys, long time no see!

I'm finally able to run fleet ops on my mac by installing bootcamp! After playing a weekend fleet ops, I must say: "damn i missed this game!".

Now, i got a question, i'm not a guy that starts mining etc, so i put my resources on unlimited, enemy -> merciless, and everything on fast building, enemy able to build fast etc..

But they still aren't a challenge really.. They don't really build a lot of ships or the borg for instance, they never build cubes! Only spheres, assimilators etc.

Why is this? Is there a patch to make your enemy extremely tough, almost invincible?

Try this, don't play on unlimited, half of this game is resource collection and managemaent.

if you get that down, try this. go into your options menu, go to game settings, set the game difficulty to hard. (this will fix the cube issue, but you'll wish it haden't)

if you can beat ONE ai mercilis one that setting with resources normal or even double. your a god.

And if that fails, play on an open map with no passages, so you can't turtle.

and if that fails, don't play feds, play rommies.

good luck.

@ Equinox: the map your thinking of is Na'leri expedition, and it is a very hard map, most cuz the ai will omni-base EVERYTHING on half the map.

posted on November 3rd, 2011, 2:12 am

I can beat the Merci AI, does that make me a god?

Beating the AI is a matter of understanding.  It uses the same strat each time.  You can easily knock them out of it and they will never recover.