Difference between 'Hard' and 'Experimental' AI.

[The Square Cow]

What is the difference between the "Hard" and the "Experimental" AI? They seem to play at a similar skill level. The experimental AI seems to be more development focused (as in researching more techs and building more cities) but this might just be an illusion. Is it really more development focuesed? (I am using version 2.4.3)

[cazfi]

There's no difference between the two in released code (really: why we make experimental AI visible option there at all?). Experimental AI is skill level meant to be used during AI development.

[rainbowrobin]

What are the differences between the other AI modes? Is that documented somewhere outside of the source code?

[GriffonSpade]

What are the differences between the other AI modes? Is that documented somewhere outside of the source code?

Readme.AI says this (Probably out of date): There are currently five difficulty levels: 'novice', 'easy', 'normal', 'hard' and 'experimental'.
The 'hard' level is no-holds-barred.
The 'normal' has a number of handicaps.
In 'easy', the AIalso does random stupid things through the ai_fuzzy function.
The 'experimental' level is only for coding - you can gate new code with the H_EXPERIMENTAL handicap and test 'experimental' level AIs against 'hard' level AIs.
In 'novice' the AI researches slower than normal players.

I know that novice and easy difficulties won't use air units. It also doesn't mention Cheating, which as it says, cheats, by ignoring maximum tax rates and getting bonuses and such.

[Ozor Mox]

I know that novice and easy difficulties won't use air units. It also doesn't mention Cheating, which as it says, cheats, by ignoring maximum tax rates and getting bonuses and such.

I could be wrong, but I thought the AI can always cheat with setting any tax rates and being able to see everything on all difficulty levels, but those are its only cheats unless you use the Cheating difficulty level. Then they have the stuff defined in ai_effects.ruleset in addition, such as faster research, more chance of units becoming veteran, more happiness and less pollution.

[Ozor Mox]

Actually I take that back. It may be a recent change but ai_effects.ruleset contains the cheat for tax rates so I guess that isn't a "built-in" cheat for the AI (or at least not anymore).

[cazfi]

Actually I take that back. It may be a recent change but ai_effects.ruleset contains the cheat for tax rates so I guess that isn't a "built-in" cheat for the AI (or at least not anymore).

Sorry to disappoint you, but that cheat exist as hardcoded rule for some difficulty levels. It (the hardcoded rule) was removed from cheating level AI only because it was possible to define it in the ruleset instead - net effect of this change is that now custom ruleset can leave the cheat out if wanted.

[rainbowrobin]

Ooh. effects.ruleset seems to make it easy to give diplomacy to barbarian players.

Never noticed that nuclear power gave an extra move to sea units.

Huh, Solar Power is cleaner than Hydro Power, but I'm always building Hoover's Dam for the free Hydro...