this ai cheats HARD

[DrwHem]

i am playing on easy mode, which by the way is not easy. I am 8 turns into a game and the popup telling me that an ai has already settled 4 planets has just completed. 8 TURNS IN!? wtf is this ♥♥♥♥.
i used to just think the AI was programmed really well but now it just clearly changes the level of cheats they get. That has always annoyed me about endless space games. i try to enjoy them but they just butt ♥♥♥♥ you with these BS magically smart, super breeding AI factions.

[DayStalker Games]

Turn 8, 4 planets at easy, must be the Umbral Choir. At easy AI doesn't get any cheat in vanilla. The player meanwhile gets bonuses.

[DrwHem]

so is the only diff between easy and normal the player bonuses?

[Bozobub]

Originally posted by DrwHem:

so is the only diff between easy and normal the player bonuses?

Well, player bonuses on Easy, and progressive AI bonuses to both their entire economy and combat on higher difficulties.

Notably, this is true of EVERY 4X game, ever; at some given difficulty, their AI "cheats". The Civ series, for example, starts doing so above the "Prince" difficulty and Stellaris *cheats even on the easiest difficulty* (yes, really, easy to prove with the console). Simply put, "AI is hard," and furthermore, PEOPLE are actually extremely good at optimizing strategies, in general, compared to most games' AI.

Games that have very strict starting scenarios and possible moves, such as chess or checkers, are feasible for demonstration of effective, very strong, affordable AI at the commercial/civilian level. The "Droidfish" chess program for Android is a great example, it plays a grandmaster-level game on an Android phone. But again, chess has VERY strict starting position and move rules; that's not the case with just about any 4X game ^^'.

Tl;dr? ES2's AI isn't incredible, but in fact is reasonably competent, and fares well in comparison with a good number of games, including Stellaris (which "cheats" on every difficulty, because it cannot manage planets very well). The AI "cheats" are there, simply to compensate for the inevitable weakness of current retail game AI, no more, no less.

[Groo the one]

These are the conditions, what the AI and/or the player(s) has/have, depending on chosen difficulty level: https://www.games2gether.com/amplitude-studios/endless-space-2/forums/68-game-help/threads/27428?page=1#post-245050

[rui.silva.incp]

Nop, the AI is not that great.

In fact, the game is quite easy on Hard difficulty level.

You have a lot to learn about the game. Do you want help?

Do not worry if the AI is expanding a lot. The game has severe penalty for over colonization. Its much better to have a couple good systems with tons of production, able to quickly spam Ships if need be.

[Bozobub]

Originally posted by rui.silva.incp:

Nop, the AI is not that great.

In fact, the game is quite easy on Hard difficulty level.

You have a lot to learn about the game. Do you want help?

Do not worry if the AI is expanding a lot. The game has severe penalty for over colonization. Its much better to have a couple good systems with tons of production, able to quickly spam Ships if need be.

How difficult it is to play against it isn't really a great rating of "good AI", of itself. For example, Stellaris IS significantly more difficult on the hardest levels than ES2, imo, but this comes at the expense of quite rampant cheating by the AI and/or setting up many already-advanced factions to compete against your fledgling empire.

Notably, you can greatly increase the effectiveness of AI factions, by making custom factions for them based on the vanilla factions, but with much better innate synergies and the AI's playstyle in mind. It's quite effective for boosting the AI's competence. Using a custom Umbral Choir AI, for example, works pretty well as a makeshift "Endgame Crisis".

Re: the Overcolonization limit: There are are many ways to completely negate this as a concern, except when playing as the Hissho. If you'd like some advice on addressing the Overcolonization limit/happiness in general, just let us know =).

[DrwHem]

i only have the basic factions. only tried united empire but my first 2 games lost due to dramatically superior ship quality of the riftborn. i cant seem to compete with them.

[Bozobub]

Originally posted by DrwHem:

i only have the basic factions. only tried united empire but my first 2 games lost due to dramatically superior ship quality of the riftborn. i cant seem to compete with them.

The Vaulters generally do OK vs. the Riftborn; their ships aren't as good but Portals + colonies that insta-start are both pretty OP. They also have among the best scout hulls in the game; you can easily win the game with JUST scouts in a Zerg rush =). Notably, their ground troops are among the, if not THE strongest, as well.

[rui.silva.incp]

Originally posted by DrwHem:

i only have the basic factions. only tried united empire but my first 2 games lost due to dramatically superior ship quality of the riftborn. i cant seem to compete with them.

Use beams! Watch your battle card tactic and if it fits what the enemy brings with. If the enemy deploys missiles you want to go close range. If the enemy deploys guns you want to stay long range. If the enemy deploys lasers you want to avoid medium range.

Research better hulls. Its on the influence / politics side of the tech tree.
If you have enough resources you can research improvements to your beams and that will help too. This is on the military side of the tech tree.

If you are even having a fight with the AI at easy difficulty....you are doing something terribly wrong with your economy. You should be able to absolutely crush any AI at easy. Even on Hard its possible to overrun any AI if you research techs in the correct orders.

[rui.silva.incp]

Originally posted by Bozobub:

Originally posted by rui.silva.incp:

Nop, the AI is not that great.

In fact, the game is quite easy on Hard difficulty level.

You have a lot to learn about the game. Do you want help?

Do not worry if the AI is expanding a lot. The game has severe penalty for over colonization. Its much better to have a couple good systems with tons of production, able to quickly spam Ships if need be.

How difficult it is to play against it isn't really a great rating of "good AI", of itself. For example, Stellaris IS significantly more difficult on the hardest levels than ES2, imo, but this comes at the expense of quite rampant cheating by the AI and/or setting up many already-advanced factions to compete against your fledgling empire.

Notably, you can greatly increase the effectiveness of AI factions, by making custom factions for them based on the vanilla factions, but with much better innate synergies and the AI's playstyle in mind. It's quite effective for boosting the AI's competence. Using a custom Umbral Choir AI, for example, works pretty well as a makeshift "Endgame Crisis".

Re: the Overcolonization limit: There are are many ways to completely negate this as a concern, except when playing as the Hissho. If you'd like some advice on addressing the Overcolonization limit/happiness in general, just let us know =).

I am an experienced player if you did not notice :)
Obviously I am aware abut the ways to negate overcolonization.

However, for people who are struggling with Easy difficulty, its s very common mistake they may be doing. Overcolonization early on can cripple your growth a lot. Or do you disagree?

I dare say the guy who is asking for our help is not yet at the point where he should start to think into growing a huge empire. If he is loosing against the AI on easy I do not see how he may be at that stage.

[DrwHem]

do i ever get a better tactic card for close range? it seems that the only way to get in fast is the turtle card but it also gives the other side a boot.
what are the first 5 techs i should always go for? i prefer guns and missiles as the ai 90% of the time goes laser heavy

[Keith Preston]

Why would you go in close when you prefer missiles, they do only 25% of their damage on close range!

[rui.silva.incp]

Originally posted by DrwHem:

do i ever get a better tactic card for close range? it seems that the only way to get in fast is the turtle card but it also gives the other side a boot.
what are the first 5 techs i should always go for? i prefer guns and missiles as the ai 90% of the time goes laser heavy

Beams are best overall. Because they allow you to be more flexible tactics wise. Also, they will make your more effective when you start playing with bigger fleets that will use all 3 attack rows.

Anyway, if you want to use missiles, you want to stay as long range as possible!!!!!! Going anywhere outside long range will make you be punished heavy.

As fort he first techs you want:
. Production
. Food
. Some specific planet colonization may be in need depending on what planets are around

You absolutely need production and food so that your population will grow and you are able to have higher production systems.

If your population is not growing, your are falling behind.

[Freny]

DreHew, like in other 4X games, there are 2 steps to playing these games:

1) Buildings.
2) Population Management.

1) Public Private Partnerships gives +10 science if planet is fertile, +10 science if planet is Temperate, and +10 Science per planet colonized on system (so a planet that is fertile and temperate will add +30 science). Xeno-industrial Infrastructure is the same thing, but it gives +10 industry instead. Thus, that's what you want to be looking for when colonizing, temperate and/or fertile planets, and if they also have strategic and/or luxury resources, then even better. The other important building early on is System Development, by researching two tier 2 techs in the economic quadrant (1 should be galactic commodities exchange, so that you can buy and sell things in the marketplace) you get access to Level 2 System Development. If you go to the Economic Screen, under Trade & Resources you can pick how to specialize your Level 2 systems. If you pick Jadonix it gives you +60 industry, if you pick the mushrooms it is +60 science, and so on.

2) Food & Happiness. Similarly, there are 2 techs under Empire Development quadrant that helps to grow more food so that your population grow faster (10% goes to manpower that you need for ships and invasions). For happiness there are several techs as well, some require planet types, others to have luxuries in planets. The important thing is that if you manage to keep your population happy, you get 15% or 30% bonuses to science and dust production, as well as bonuses to food and influence generation. There are also laws that help with the happiness issue.

First learn to manage 1) , 2) is more for late game.

As for Conquest or Supremacy Victory, the game doesn't really allow it. Even if you try, you will run into Wonder or Science Victory first (I play with Economy Victory off).