CPU candidate Endorsement Bug?

from PolMach Forums

I've played about 15-20 games so far and I've noticed the CPU candidate (my opponent) gains endorsements extremely quickly.  My extremely quickly, I mean winning 2-3 endorsements within the first 3-5 turns sometimes 2 endorsements at a time pop up after ending a turn.  I just started a game and my opponent won literally every "red" or conservative endorsement before turn 10 and then on turn 11 got the Environmental group endorsement.  The candidate had 1 outreach center built and their Experience rating was a 4 under their candidate characteristics.

 

I was playing tough/painful levels when I experienced this.  Its happened with my custom candidate and a custom opponent as well as a game I played as Obama with Romney as my opponent.  Since Romney has a high experience rating (which lowers endorsement cost I didn't think as much of it.  However after noticing this with a candidate who had a low experience rating I'm wondering if this is a bug or there is some other element of game-play I don't understand that is helping the CPU gain endorsements so fast.

 

anyone else noticing this?

6,159 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from PolMach Forums Top

I was just about writing my own thread about this. I've played only two games, custom candidate vs the computer. Both times I've lost in a landslide, and both times the computer got endorsements seemingly handed to them every other round. I had no chance keeping up, even if I built as many outreach centers I could. This was on normal difficulty.

If this happens every time, it's unplayable, as it is now.




Reply #2 from PolMach Forums Top

Yeah, this doesn't happen to me. You need to upgrade your outreach centers, you'll get more points that way.

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Reply #3 from PolMach Forums Top

But how can the opponent get all those endorsements without buying lots of outreach centers?

Reply #4 from PolMach Forums Top

Alright so I've played a few more games since I originally posted.

liberalsentinel is correct that building an outreach center and upgrading it to a "level 3" center will earn you points much quicker and win endorsements relatively quickly.  My initial strategy was to build multiple outreach centers in different states which obviously takes more time and generates fewer points.  I am completely new to playing TPM so I am still learning.

That said I still notice that my opponent seems to win endorsements faster than or at the same pace as me even when their experience rating is low and they appear to have no or only 1-2 "level 1" outreach centers. Furthermore I've noticed that the most expensive endorsement like the Chamber of Commerce endorsement is typically won by my opponent in the first 2-3 turns.  I don't see how that is possible without a very high experience rating and just a single un-upgraded outreach center.  Is it possible that the computer gives the CPU opponent a handicap or "cheats" (and I use that term lightly/loosely) when the difficulty level of a game is raised?  (i.e. playing "painful" level vs. "challenging" either lowers endorsement cost for the CPU or gives the some clout points to begin with?

 

Anyway I've amended my strategy.  To me is seems like outreach centers are essentially useless after all the endorsements have been won.  Is this correct?  I see they also provide a "regional awareness" boost but how significant/widespread is this boost? I don't seem to notice any significant regional awareness effect despite keeping a level 3 outreach center active (without destroying it to build something else) for several games. 

(E.X. When I play as a Democrat Maine/NH/Vermont and Connecticut typically get neglected (and my candidate has low awareness there) as I focus on getting a HQ int the battlegrounds right away.  Of course my opponent usually pops up there and places a newspaper or builds a consulting office and suddenly Massachusetts and all of New England have turned Red on the map!  To combat this I have tried building a level 3 outreach center in one of those states (typically Massachusetts as its the least at risk and is centrally located between these problem states).  It seems to work in the state it is build it but I don't see an increase in regional awareness.  If anybody can give me advice on if this is worthwhile or how or if it works I'd appreciate it.

 

I typed way more than I meant to.  Sorry for the long post!