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From: alan@den.mmc.com (Alan Popiel)
Subject: Re: Message to All AI programmers
Message-ID: <1995Mar15.192502.26205@den.mmc.com>
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Organization: Martin Marietta Astronautics, Denver
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 19:25:02 GMT
Lines: 33

In article <3k5243$g7d@bmtlh10.bnr.ca> wieland@bnr.ca (Thomas Wieland) writes:
>, I HATE games where the computer cheats in obvious ways.
>
>Civilization comes to mind; I think it's a great game in principle (I love
>Empire-building games), but what really spoils all the fun is that the computer
>A"I" doesn't have to follow the same rules I do, but breaks the rules all the
>time.  It almost completely spoils the game for me.  If the computer player
>isn't smart enough, give it a production advantage, but have it stick to the
>same rules everyone else has to follow.

I have not noticed that the computer plays by different rules in the Windows 
version of Civilization.  It does seem to have pretty good "dice" in battles. 
I suppose giving the computer a combat advantage is an easy way to make up 
for weak AI, but it is a real pain to lose ten straight battles, even tho' 
your units are supposed to be one technical notch above the opponent units. 
The Civ FAQ file I have does make references to things (good and bad) that 
seem to not be in the newer version.

As for another Sid Meier game:  Railroad Tycoon.  Good game, but I *hate* 
the fact that the computer players can use track configurations that are 
illegal for the human.

>For that simple reason, I prefer Empire Deluxe; the AI may be stupid in some
>ways, but at least it doesn't cheat - all the handicaps and advantages are
>above-board (production and combat).

I still have the old Empire.  Good game.  And very fair, as you say.

-- 
| R. Alan Popiel            | Internet: alan@den.mmc.com                    |
| Martin Marietta, SLS      |                                               |
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