Can we tone the AI cheating down on Tough and above?

from PolMach Forums
The AI on Tough uses better tactics than the AI on challenging. I'd like to play against that better tactical AI without playing against the massive monetary advantage that the AI gets on the Tough difficulty.

Could the designers please consider that for future patches? I don't mind the cheating in the campaign game (since I don't play it), but I'd like the game to have some replayability in terms of enjoyment. I can beat the challenging AI without any difficulty using a "fair" custom candidate, but I have no interest in taking on the level of cheating that Tough enjoys.

Please think about making this change or at least giving us the option of turning the cheating off in future patches.
9,160 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from PolMach Forums Top
If you upgrade your HQ's and stuff you will defeat or math that monetary advantage. I beat the tough AI and in the end I ended up using twice the political capital and I spent 25.01 million (the AI spent 25.06 million).
Reply #2 from PolMach Forums Top
I didn't say they couldn't be beaten. I've beaten Clinton and one other tough opponent.

I just think the cheating makes playing the quick play and non-campaign game pointless. I've also found it makes winning the popular vote too difficult (not that its worth much to win the popular vote).

I'd just like to see the cheating toned down, while keeping the tactical elements of the tough AI intact.

If the challenging AI was as good tactically as the tough AI, I wouldn't care how much tough cheated, but challenging makes too many foolish decisions.
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from PolMach Forums Top
I agree. The cheating is ridiculous on "crippling" difficulty in campaign mode. At week 10, the AI player just gets the rest of the states you don't already have.
Reply #4 from PolMach Forums Top

I hate to tell you this but it doesn't "cheat" except that at the very highest level it gets more money.

And I find the game quite easy to beat even on the hardest level to the point whree in 1.1 I want to tone up the AI at the hardest levels. You may want to alter your strategy.

Reply #5 from PolMach Forums Top
I find that if you build a few massive HQs and HQs in every state you hope to win up to week 20-25, you can get like 1 million per turn, and then fight and win an uphill battle (around week 20 I think I had like 50 EVs) against the opponent by winning endorsements and taking out TV ads late in the game. I just defeated Reagan like that (442-96 I think), but I was using my custom Howard Dean, who has a few extra points (mostly in money, fundraising and stamina), and a custom Ed Broadbent running mate with high personal qualities (charisma, integrity, credibility, etc.). The money boost from a running mate also comes in handy for building a big HQ in a high EV state that you are far behind in (NC for me) to get more money per turn and help win the state over.
Reply #6 from PolMach Forums Top
I hate to tell you this but it doesn't "cheat" except that at the very highest level it gets more money.
And I find the game quite easy to beat even on the hardest level to the point whree in 1.1 I want to tone up the AI at the hardest levels. You may want to alter your strategy.


OK. So maybe my strategy needs work. But, let me ask you this.

Why does the main map all of a sudden change to the AI's colors in one swoop?

This never happened to me at the lower difficulty levels. We both won states gradually. Is it just that Reagan is that good that he gets states without stumping there?