Why is the AI incapable of keeping a simple treaty or promise?

[Charlemagne]

They planted a city next to my borders, and I saw the other settler coming to plant itself in the middle of my cities. I spoke to them and told them to not settle near my territory. Sure, they say. Next turn, squat, they plant the city anyway. It is a tiny piece of jungle with nothing valuable near, two or three hexes from my borders in every direction. Why do they want that piece anyway? Why can't the AI keep a simple agreement? I don't think it would be too hard too program it to make the AI keep it's agreements. If they didn't agree to not settle they should have said so. The AI is such a stickler when YOU found a city even if it is 10 hexes away from them. My country is ruined with that thing in the middle. Now I have to go to war and conquer it and demolish it and get huge warmonger penalties and make enemies with every country in the world.

[Tsar Alexis]

Originally posted by Mike:

Originally posted by Magnitogorsk:

What are you talking about? Have you even played the game? This is the Worst AI in terms of diplomacy, warfare, and consistency in the entire series history.

who said anything about any of that? the thread is about the ai keeping promises, which ive seen it do on multiple occasions.

It also breaks promises thrice as much as it keeps it and for no rhyme or reason. You are just defending the game without rationality. The programming of the AI is lazy as it typically is every game but this time it is really bad. Breaking promises without rhyme or reason is just the tip of the iceberg.

[Mike]

why is the ai obliged to keep every promise, that would tie its hands and constrict it even more. what an absurd idea.

[paugus]

Originally posted by Magnitogorsk:

Originally posted by Mike:

who said anything about any of that? the thread is about the ai keeping promises, which ive seen it do on multiple occasions.

It also breaks promises thrice as much as it keeps it and for no rhyme or reason. You are just defending the game without rationality.

No reason? Seriously? They're trying to beat you. Gandhi doesn't keep his promises to not convert my cities because that's how he's trying to win the game. You're just attacking the game without rationality.

[Tsar Alexis]

Originally posted by Mike:

why is the ai obliged to keep every promise, that would tie its hands and constrict it even more. what an absurd idea.

I never said it needs to keep every promise but it needs to keep more. As of now it keep like 1 out of 100. It makes a mockery of the entire mechanic and unless that is the point then the AI programming is bad as usual.

[elderwhiteshark]

Originally posted by TehGoat:

The AI is all weird about boundaries. I'm playing a game right now where a civ on the other side of a DIFFERENT continent is accusing me of being too close to them. I'm using an AI mod and it's still stupid and unpredictable all the time.

I get that too. "Your cities are too close, your troops so strong. You are making me nervous"

It is however, just badly worded. If you check the "Our Relationship" tab, it will have the "scared of threatening civs" buff.

[Tsar Alexis]

Originally posted by paugus:

Originally posted by Magnitogorsk:

It also breaks promises thrice as much as it keeps it and for no rhyme or reason. You are just defending the game without rationality.

No reason? Seriously? They're trying to beat you. Gandhi doesn't keep his promises to not convert my cities because that's how he's trying to win the game. You're just attacking the game without rationality.

What s the point of the mechanic then if they break every promise? If the point is to make a mockery of the situation than Ill buy that but clearly it is just poor programming as usual. There is no way to sustain a lasting alliance or friendship. Don't give me that crap about them trying to beat me either because there are plenty of games out there where you can maintain alliances, friendship, treaties and promises. Unless the system is broke on purpose then it is broke because bad programming.

[paugus]

Originally posted by Magnitogorsk:

Unless the system is broke on purpose then it is broke because bad programming.

Yes, the system is broken on purpose. That's what people have been saying to you for several posts now. The "promises" can be broken, on purpose, when it interferes with an AI's overarching goals. It seems like you constantly try to blow the context by reaching to something to support your point. "Other games do this!" "But the AI is broken overall, and it sucks, I don't care that this feature works correctly"

If you honestly believe the AI breaks promises because of "bad programming" then I'm afraid you're just blindly entrenching yourself in that belief, and you don't care to actually understand anything and are mainly dedicated to complaining for the hell of it.

I could appreciate someone saying "I wish they kept their promises more often" but your tirades about lazy programming suggest that breaking promises wasn't a design choice but an accident.

[Awen]

Originally posted by paugus:

Originally posted by Magnitogorsk:

Unless the system is broke on purpose then it is broke because bad programming.

Yes, the system is broken on purpose. That's what people have been saying to you for several posts now. The "promises" can be broken, on purpose, when it interferes with an AI's overarching goals. It seems like you constantly try to blow the context by reaching to something to support your point. "Other games do this!" "But the AI is broken overall, and it sucks, I don't care that this feature works correctly"

If you honestly believe the AI breaks promises because of "bad programming" then I'm afraid you're just blindly entrenching yourself in that belief, and you don't care to actually understand anything and are mainly dedicated to complaining for the hell of it.

I could appreciate someone saying "I wish they kept their promises more often" but your tirades about lazy programming suggest that breaking promises wasn't a design choice but an accident.

It's GOT to be bad programing though, right? What is the advantage, from the AI perspective, of making a promise, then breaking it on the next turn verses NOT making the promise in the first place?

In the case of the former, they could potentially be giving their opponent a casus belli. If the goal is "convert cities no matter the cost" as a step to "win the game," why would it choose the corse of action that puts it at a disadvantage?

Note: I'm not saying the AI shouldn't be able to break promises...but they should do it if the calculation drastically changes after the promise is made...not just because converting the city was the plan all along.

[Tsar Alexis]

Originally posted by paugus:

Originally posted by Magnitogorsk:

Unless the system is broke on purpose then it is broke because bad programming.

Yes, the system is broken on purpose. That's what people have been saying to you for several posts now. The "promises" can be broken, on purpose, when it interferes with an AI's overarching goals. It seems like you constantly try to blow the context by reaching to something to support your point. "Other games do this!" "But the AI is broken overall, and it sucks, I don't care that this feature works correctly"

If you honestly believe the AI breaks promises because of "bad programming" then I'm afraid you're just blindly entrenching yourself in that belief, and you don't care to actually understand anything and are mainly dedicated to complaining for the hell of it.

I could appreciate someone saying "I wish they kept their promises more often" but your tirades about lazy programming suggest that breaking promises wasn't a design choice but an accident.

We are just going in circles. You are too hopeful in thinking this is on purpose. If it is on purpose than surely it is a inside joke. The horrible AI does not get a pass here.

[Tsar Alexis]

Originally posted by Caribou:

Originally posted by paugus:

*Snip*

Note: I'm not saying the AI shouldn't be able to break promises...but they should do it if the calculation drastically changes after the promise is made...not just because converting the city was the plan all along.

This, exactly.

[SamBC]

Originally posted by Charlemagne:

Another thing I've been wondering what is the effect of "ignore this request". It would seem to be a neutral answer but they seem to get angry anyway, sometimes even declare war after I choose this.

It gives a negative to relationship, but a smaller one than making the promise and then breaking it.