AI diplomacy mechanics

Can't beat the AI? Is it too tame? Discuss the best strategies!
Post Reply
snyjder
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2018 2:51 am

AI diplomacy mechanics

Post by snyjder »

I am fairly new to Freeciv, just played couple dozens of games with different difficulty settings. Started playing with Civ2, though, and still regularly entertain myself with Alpha Centauri and Civ 4. I really enjoy the old Civ2 style, just think the tech tree is a bit ugly and the diplomacy menu could be a bit more handy.

A problem I encounter in most of my games is the tendency of the AI to join alliances with pretty much any other AI in the game. Alliances I agree to with the AI will sooner or later be dissolved and end up in war. Trading techs and other things does not seem to have an impact on my relations to the AI. At hard difficulty level, I find it close to impossible to beat the AI, when I have to fight a two or more front war, and thanks to the Kill Stack option, things tend to end up in a stalemate.

What is the reason behind the AI to seemingly prefer joining alliances with other AI? Does trading with the AI have an influence on the human player- AI relationship at all? And most important: how can I best avoid finding myself at war with everybody else?

Thanks for any advice!
User avatar
GriffonSpade
Elite
Posts: 578
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2013 4:41 pm

Re: AI diplomacy mechanics

Post by GriffonSpade »

snyjder wrote:I am fairly new to Freeciv, just played couple dozens of games with different difficulty settings. Started playing with Civ2, though, and still regularly entertain myself with Alpha Centauri and Civ 4. I really enjoy the old Civ2 style, just think the tech tree is a bit ugly and the diplomacy menu could be a bit more handy.

A problem I encounter in most of my games is the tendency of the AI to join alliances with pretty much any other AI in the game. Alliances I agree to with the AI will sooner or later be dissolved and end up in war. Trading techs and other things does not seem to have an impact on my relations to the AI. At hard difficulty level, I find it close to impossible to beat the AI, when I have to fight a two or more front war, and thanks to the Kill Stack option, things tend to end up in a stalemate.

What is the reason behind the AI to seemingly prefer joining alliances with other AI? Does trading with the AI have an influence on the human player- AI relationship at all? And most important: how can I best avoid finding myself at war with everybody else?

Thanks for any advice!
It can be frustrating making treaties with AI. Basically, you have to make it worth their while to be in a treaty and not do anything that pisses them off.
One of the most common ways of angering them is to be at war with someone they have a Peace or Alliance treaty with, or vise-versa. AI tend to be fastidious about this, which is probably why they're breaking treaty with you. (To satisfy their other allies you're at war with)
Building a Spaceship will likewise make them want to kill you to prevent you from winning, though I'm not sure if they still do while in an Alliance with Allied Victory enabled.
To make them like you more, you can also give them gold and techs. Even if you ask for techs in return, it probably still makes them like you more.
If you're not in a full Alliance, remember to try upgrading your treaty type periodically, else another AI might and turn them against you. To that effect, those you encounter early are usually your best chance of building a strong alliance.
Being generally strong and having trade routes with them probably help as well, though, I've maintained alliances without either.

As for the tech tree, it's actually generated automatically by code, depending on what the ruleset's techs are.
Post Reply