forum.freeciv.org

I'm curious, is there a difference between strain on the processor/memory/whole machine in these two cases: 1. Players are humans, meaning, it's a multiplayer game, and 2. Players are AIs, meaning, it's a single-player game?

AI players uses a lot of resources compared to human players. The late game on a big map with many AI players can be extremely slow.

So you're actually saying that a multiplayer game is easier on the memory and the processor than the solo game with the same number of nations?

(Which does sound logical, but I always thought I was missing something)

The problem for the AI is, as far as I know, the processor. Its CPU usage grows fast with map size, number of cities, number of units etc. A game with many nations on a huge map with many cities and units will be unplayable against AI opponents on a weak computer.

Computers usually wait for human input, this game is no different. With player actions spread out in time and using "bio" processing, the load is spread in time and low. Running an AI requires resources, so that's one additional load. Furthermore, when AI plays, it blazes through its turn fast. So all of the resource consumption happens faster.

To complicate matters further, the difference between AI play and human play is so high that you really have to plan for the load peaks during AI play. That means a lot of resources is waiting just for that peak load - sitting unused when the human ponders...