Definitive AI effective but dull?

Age of Empires II: DE II - Discussion
1

I’ve been trying to figure out why playing skirmish in AOE2:DE is less enjoyable for me than other AOE games and I think it is down to how the AI plays.

1. AI fast castles into knights all the time if it can
It seems that aslong as the civ can get knights the AI go to is to for that. I filled a game with ‘Infantry’ civs like Vikings, Celts, Japanese, Mali and they all went for the same opener of getting knights asap. They did go for infantry eventually but it feels like the AI has been given one generic effective build order and just tries to execute it regardless of civ. Perhaps this is good if you want a competant sparring partner before going online but it doesnt make for a fun skirmish.

2. AI avoids using unique units
The AI seems to greatly favour the generic units over unique ones. In the same game as above I did not see any Beserks, Jaguar Warriors, Woad Raiders or Gbeto The Japanese did get Samurai but it seems only because I started building my UU

Maybe this is the more efficient route but to me it feels very dull. They all had castles so I thought they might sprinkle in some of their UU into their armies but they never did.

3. AI controls its units in an unnatural way
When the AI does move its units around it doesnt march in formation but swarms in a strange stream it does not act like a human would nor does it act in an immersive way you would expect an army to march. This bizzare staggered snake like movement also makes onagers and similar weapons much weaker.

Although the new AI is undeniably better than the classic CD AI something has been lost along the way. One way I think it could be improved is by introducing ‘personalities’ to the AI like ‘aggressor’ or ‘builder’ ones that build walls and towers or ones that favour building their UU.

What are your thoughts? I’d be especially interested in hearing from people who play exclusively against AI like myself

2 Likes
2

You should watch my Extreme AI Matchups series on YouTube. Hard to find at first, but if you search the title and “AoE2” and scroll through the videos list, you should find a video by me. The AI does some pretty funny stuff, but it actually does choose to make unique units quite a lot. I have a feeling if you watch that series, you’ll get to see what the AI is actually capable of.

3

Which difficulty are you playing on? I think I’ve rarely seen the AI fast castle into knights. In my experience it tends to favour archers and skirmishers, but will sometimes open with scouts, and will switch to whatever counters your army once it’s seen you.

4

I tend to flip between ‘Hard’ and ‘Moderate’. Regardless if the AI’s Civ has knights they will always rush for them and build loads.

5

why not just put a link in to the video in your comment

6

I can try, but the forum tends to censor links.

7

Fair enough. On hardest and extreme it definitely does other things, and especially likes to open with archers. It should do different things on different maps, although I’m not sure how much difference that makes.

8

Well, here’s the playlist. Let’s see if the forum allows it.

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Edit: No bueno. Just as I thought, the forum censors any and all links to anything outside of the forums.

10

I agree with the fact the AI moves its units in a stream is quite strange.