Sorian AI Setup

[AwarE]

Sorian AI Setup

I see a need to educate all hosts on how to set the AI correctly.

I have watched many live replays played on my TeamPlay maps and have been disappointed by the lack of knowledge on how to setup a good AI team match.

1./ The worst thing I have seen is where the host does not ally the AIs. This means the AIs will attack each other and not send any attack units at the Humans.
2./ Next is when the host puts too many AI on the map. Two allied AI is all that are needed on most maps. Any more will generally weaken the AI as it will not have an expansion position available. There are a small number of maps that will run ok with more than two AI, if the map can handle more AI it is usually be mentioned in the map description.
3./ By far the best allround AI is Aeon Sorian Turtle. I see hosts adding Adaptive AI and Rush AI that are both weak by comparison. A Sorian Air AI would be next best if the is no landlink, or plain Sorian AI if there is a landlink. The Turtle will do Land, Naval and Air well with or without a landlink.
4./ Pre-built units. If you have these ON the AI will get a very poor start. Plz set to OFF.
5./ AIx Omni. With this set ON the AI will attack earlier and play better even on a map with incomplete markers.
6./ Some hosts set the AI and Human start positions in reverse. When the mapmaker lays out a set of FA AI markers they tend to only work well in one direction. So if you attempt to play it backwards the AI will build expansion bases and then rally its units to the back instead of the front side. Also the AI defense will be in the wrong positions.
7./ Civilians only get in the way. Set them OFF.
8./ 1000 units are needed for the AI to run at its best. It will self-destruct all its T1 units if it nears a unit limit.
9./ Use Annihilation as the victory condition, not Assassination.
10./ The number of AI land expansions and the number of naval expansions is map dependent. A good allround figure is 6 for each.

The Lobby Options has a new feature 'AI Markers' = Yes.
Unfortunately this has not been implemented well because it includes maps that have only a quarter of the markers needed for a strong AI. It would have been better if it just looked for Amphibious AI movement markers as these are the only markers that the AI follows, and they are missing on most maps, except TeamPlayAI maps.
roj

[ZaphodX]

I rarely use the AI, but thanks for posting this.

[eXcalibur]

thank you for the useful tips.
as an experienced player vs. ai i know already most of the points you talked about. i still try to convince my friends that we need to play against a turtle ai, though.

most of things you are saying are mentioned with every map you publish in your forum thread. when people do not follow your suggestions i think they simply did not read this forum at all...
this is bad for their gameplay experience. so it is their fault.

[rockoe10]

Thanks for the tips! Very helpful.