Ai diplomatic skills seems low...

[Caddaric]

Well I've not try but an entire game, and central powers during this one have acquire the economic help of Netherland, and then have played only on Sweden, which have nether declared war on the entente however the successes, as it's a country with a strong neutral politic.

AI have nether try to counter me on Italy, neither Bulgaria!!! Only Turkey have joined the war with central power because of me, as I've approched from Bulgaria, Romania and Greece, without any trade of England to stop the pro central power attitude.

This looks like a diplomatic suicide for central power, and I'm curious to know if other player I've experienced something similar.

[dougbush93]

The diplomatic AI is terrible, as you point out. It seems to assign ambassadors almost at random instead of focusing on the the important countries: Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania (in the early game) and then the USA and some of the "blockade neutrals" later in the game.

One way to help the AI would be to let it place its ambassadors after the human player, rather than before, as is now the case.

-Doug

[Caddaric]

Just to confirm at the beginning of my second game. The entente diplomacy have played on Belgia, and missed the point. They don't react to the war plan choice of Germania, and so England doesn't declare war (Well, it might be possible, but they have not even tried to convince this country). I've entered in diplomatic relationship with Italy, as Austro hungarian, and with no help from Germany as well as no opposition from France or Russia, Italy is now about to declare war to the entente (in nov-dec 1914!)

[calvinus]

I think you should try to mod the AI files, just to see how the diplomatic performance improves...

[TheDeadeye]

The diplomatic AI is terrible, as you point out. It seems to assign ambassadors almost at random instead of focusing on the the important countries: Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania (in the early game) and then the USA and some of the "blockade neutrals" later in the game.

One way to help the AI would be to let it place its ambassadors after the human player, rather than before, as is now the case.

-Doug

Thing is, if the human player knows already in advance what countries the AI will focus on, he will (as is undeniably human) exploit this and focus as well on these countries to make it sheer impossible for the AI to get anything done anyways.

Yes it is random right now, but that isnt a bad thing. What is bad indeed at this stage is that the CP will usually focus on Netherlands and Sweden, even if these countries are already at a high pro CP level. That could use a bit of tweaking that at a certain level the AI will focus on another country at random.

[dougbush93]

Thing is, if the human player knows already in advance what countries the AI will focus on, he will (as is undeniably human) exploit this and focus as well on these countries to make it sheer impossible for the AI to get anything done anyways.

Yes it is random right now, but that isnt a bad thing. What is bad indeed at this stage is that the CP will usually focus on Netherlands and Sweden, even if these countries are already at a high pro CP level. That could use a bit of tweaking that at a certain level the AI will focus on another country at random.

Well, a good human player will concentrate on the countries that matter / help win the war, not random ones, so I think it would play more like a live opponent.

Doug

[TheDeadeye]

Well, a good human player will concentrate on the countries that matter / help win the war, not random ones, so I think it would play more like a live opponent.

Doug

and I totally agree with you on that one Dough, but a human player good or not will always exploit an AI when he knows what it will do next or focus on.

Thing is if you know that the AI is focusing on 2 countries mainly that would potentially benefit it in the war, you will pay special attention to those two countries and monitor the level of intervention and when you feel like it has reached a certain level you counterman it.

Sure there is always a bit of randomness involved in regards to the success of those diplomats but bottom line you will always be aware of the AI's next move in the diplo phase.

Right now, as you well noted, the AI seems to focus on countries that at best would only give it economic bonuses, which are fine and needed but it keeps focusing on those countries even when at max intervention level. That is what is hurting the AI more than actually using random countries and trying to gradually up the levels of said countries SINCE all have certain benefits to give.

I'm sure that Calvinus could add a bit of coherence in the AI's picking of countries to focus on BASED on the fact that if the human player racks in major powers to wage war then it ought to focus on some non-committed major powers left to equalize it.

However this is easier said than done, Doug.

[Caddaric]

The german diplomatic AI obeys to these lines, but it's not doing anything else, so that even at maximum, it continues its activities on Sweden

in Data/AI/Modding/GER:

; The array (in priority order) of favorite diplomatic targets
BeginFavoriteDiplomaticTargets
Target=HOL
Target=SWE
EndFavoriteDiplomaticTargets

Is there anyway to program and modifie it by period (for example turn 1 to turn 20, turn 21 to 40...), and a line to modifie the priority of these lines, in order to vary the AI comportement even if diplomatic relationship is not at maximum.

[dougbush93]

The german diplomatic AI obeys to these lines, but it's not doing anything else, so that even at maximum, it continues its activities on Sweden

in Data/AI/Modding/GER:

; The array (in priority order) of favorite diplomatic targets
BeginFavoriteDiplomaticTargets
Target=HOL
Target=SWE
EndFavoriteDiplomaticTargets

Is there anyway to program and modifie it by period (for example turn 1 to turn 20, turn 21 to 40...), and a line to modifie the priority of these lines, in order to vary the AI comportement even if diplomatic relationship is not at maximum.

That explains a lot. If there is a way to make the target conditional that would be a big help. It could be based on support level and turn. I guess I can try modding that section and seeing what happens.

Doug

[calvinus]

I worked out a set of Dip. AI mods that is worth of a try. I tweaked all the diplomatic priorities of major nations...

Unzip the attached file and copy the content ???.ini files inside the [game dir]\Data\AI\Modding directory.

Your feedbacks are welcome!

[calvinus]

Now a tip... try tweaking the following parameters.

; The strategy solution efficiency bonus applied each time a favorite diplomatic target is put [min 0.0, max 3.0]
EfficiencyBonusForTargetsSequence=1.0

; The strategy solution efficiency malus applied each time a favorite diplomatic target is put after a non or less favorite diplomatic target [min 0.5, max 3.0]
EfficiencyMalusForFavoriteTargets=1.5

For the first one, for example, try setting a value higher than 1.0...