How to stop being a target for the AI?

[Char専用]

So, in a 8 player game the computer will always target the player with the highest or the lowest score. this is annoying when you are a human who doesn't play like a computer. It ends in you being raided to hell. Is there any way to make the computer not behave this way? Any fix to the AI?

[Mercenaru]

It's not based on score - it's on the position on the map, I think.

When you play gigantic maps for example, 3 players will be aligned and 1 will be "outside". That player will get targeted.

If you are there, you will get to be the front line. If not, it's one of the AI and you will most likely lose the game ; because 4 enemy AI will target that ally AI, and your teammates AI won't help him.

At least, that's how my games go.
Even if I send heavy support to that targeted ally, it ends up a 2 vs 4 fight. And the enemy AI will spam him like there is no tomorrow.

And when you are the target ? All 4 enemy AIs will target you, and your teammates will rush one of them, instead of helping you out. If you can hang on just enough, your allies will defeat one of them.

[Char専用]

Originally posted by Mercenaru:

It's not based on score - it's on the position on the map, I think.

When you play gigantic maps for example, 3 players will be aligned and 1 will be "outside". That player will get targeted.

If you are there, you will get to be the front line. If not, it's one of the AI and you will most likely lose the game ; because 4 enemy AI will target that ally AI, and your teammates AI won't help him.

At least, that's how my games go.
Even if I send heavy support to that targeted ally, it ends up a 2 vs 4 fight. And the enemy AI will spam him like there is no tomorrow.

And when you are the target ? All 4 enemy AIs will target you, and your teammates will rush one of them, instead of helping you out. If you can hang on just enough, your allies will defeat one of them.

Awesome observations. Any way to fix this though? I feel it's an issue with the AI and makes the game much less fun.

[Mercenaru]

I don't believe there is.

AI has a mind of it's own, there are no commands like in AoE 2 to "direct" him towards something.

The only "possible fix" that comes into my mind is, you can try to play extra small maps (say, medium 4 players size in a 8 player game) and that way, you and your allies will be...much MUCH closer and able to help each other out.

Sometimes, not very often, but sometimes - the ally will come and help you out with troops, even on bigger maps. I don't know the criteria of it, but it happened to me. They sent all sort of troops and even priests, to help me while under siege. And even when they went forward to attack, as soon as I got attacked again, they came back to help.

One time, while I played a team game but teams were random and not locked, on the brink of defeat I went to diplomacy and chose to ally with them all (I was still their "enemy") ; but funny thing, after a 15 min fight with a teal egyptian player who spammed only chariot archers and monks non-stop - suddenly his other 3 allies allied with me and sent aid to help me in my base. Since they were allies between themselves, those troops did nothing against the egyptian, but there were there on my farms, "assisting me". And since I only had to deal with this player, I finally put myself together and destroyed him, since now it was a 1 vs 1 fight.


I swear this AI is both stupid and genius at the same time ; they really impress me at times. Stupid as they remain behind if one sequence of code fails to execute (say he is supposed to gather 500 hunted food but for some reason he can't find the food and can't advance to the next sequence of his programming), or doesn't build a dock on Continental map which has PLENTY of water, or doesn't assist you when you are about to be defeated ; but at times, he does these things like comes to help you in times of need, or he sends tribute to his allies in need (you can see that on scoreboard statistics at the end) and that example of diplomacy above - quite impressive.

[Lilim]

Originally posted by Mercenaru:

It's not based on score - it's on the position on the map, I think.them.

Usually they attack the enemy with the highest score or the closest enemy. Note that in a "free for all" the AI players usually ally against the human player.


You could try to play 2v2v2v2 instead of 4v4.

Enable "Lock teams". Select "random starting locations".

Now the AIs have to fight on different fronts and won't attack only one specific player.

[Char専用]

Originally posted by Lilim the Cupid:

Originally posted by Mercenaru:

It's not based on score - it's on the position on the map, I think.them.

Usually they attack the enemy with the highest score or the closest enemy. Note that in a "free for all" the AI players usually ally against the human player.


You could try to play 2v2v2v2 instead of 4v4.

Enable "Lock teams". Select "random starting locations".

Now the AIs have to fight on different fronts and won't attack only one specific player.

that is a solution I could use but I still would life to find a way to fix the issue all together. Maybe with a mod or something. If not then I hope they patch in a better AI.

Fancy profile by the way.

[Lauleyhn]

Build your own maps in the editor.
Make your starting position an island of your choosing.
Put npcs on one continent.
Watch npc wandering around, attacking everyone at random.
Have a giggle.
Rinse and repeat.