Reduce AI Bonuses -- Yes or no?

[cherryfunk]

One of the install options with XGM is the 'Reduce AI Bonuses' option, which I believe reduces economic benefits for AI factions.

I'm curious how the fans feel about this -- when you install a new version of XGM, do you reduce the AI bonuses? If you do, how does the game play differently?

[Stilgar CG]

I do not reduce AI bonuses. It helps AI and adds to the challenge. One has to fight oftener, but I do not feel that AI becomes unreasonably wealthy or its armies overwhelmingly strong. Btw, there is another good reason to play with full bonuses. Wealthier AI will build its infrastructure faster. So, you can take it from AI and get high-level buildings/units faster .

It's very nice to have reduced bonuses as an option though. There might be good reasons for someone to play with reduced bonuses.

[Unknown Soldier]

reduced bonus slows the game pace down somewhat.

I usually play with it off - I have played with it on - can't say I noticed the game change, except for when demanding money during diplomacy the AI had more of it when bonuses were on and I could up the denad by 1000 and still get an agreement.

[cherryfunk]

I wonder if it might make sense to turn the bonuses off if your faction choice is particularly difficult -- for example if you're playing one of the new provincial Greek campaigns...

[Stilgar CG]

I wonder if it might make sense to turn the bonuses off if your faction choice is particularly difficult -- for example if you're playing one of the new provincial Greek campaigns...

Cherryfunk, that might be a good ocasion to turn bonuses off. At the same time, in a provincial compaign first few turns are crucial for the fate of your faction, so either full bonuses or reduced bonuses will probably have little impact. But, mid/late game will be more (or too) intense with full bonuses. So, it's good to have reduced bonuses as an option .

[Hippias]

I play the mod purely to have fun, which for me is a gentle build up, with a little light rebel bashing, until I have got enough of a mini empire to venture out in the world and take on the other factions.

I can't dedicate enough time to practice becoming a good enough player to 'win' the game, so it's always AI Bonuses Off for me, M/H setting, which suits me fine.

I fear that AI Bonus On would involve me in a death match in the first couple of years - I get enough stress at work not to invite more when I get a gaming chance

[Deiphobos]

I also like slow games and the bonuses are therefore off in my campaigns. I hope no matter how this poll turns out, we will still have the choice to turn them off while installing in the future.

[Unknown Soldier]

yeah hey whats the purpose of this Cherry Funk?

You doin a survey for the RS installer? (as if you'll ever have one).

[Zarax]

I go over that, I switch most bonuses off from the EDB, as shown in my slow mod.
AI still has economic bonuses so they won't suffer much but having building time bonuses (even on reduced) is still too much for me as I don't like playing every single battle...

[Cymera]

Let the dogs fill their coffers. Gold does little against steel in the end.

[CaesarVincens]

I used to use reduced bonuses, but not anymore.

[Kara Kolyo]

Only when i play as Bactria the bonuses are off. Those 3-4 more parthian stack are the difference between life and death.

[Scutarii]

I play with them off, I don't really have a reason, just have always played that way and have gotten used to the pace... And Unknown, the RS 1.5 already has an installer. But not as quick as the XGM one.

[Spartan198]

I've always installed with the reduced AI bonuses on. I suppose maybe I should install the new version with them off and compare, seeing as I haven't played a vanilla campaign since I discovered XGM 5_4_5.

[atraps]

I always play with Reduced AI bonuses off. I like my campaign to be challenging and possibilities of losing.

[cherryfunk]

Most interesting -- a 50/50 split!

Seeing that there is strong support for reducing AI bonuses, I tried a Roman campaign on H/H with bonuses off, and it's still pretty difficult. In fact, the success of Rome remains in question after 50 hard years of battle.

So what exactly are the AI bonuses? Is it a script to give them more money?

[DimeBagHo]

The bonuses work through special buildings which are spawned by script, usually in the starting capital of each AI faction, at the start of the campaign. The bonuses typically give discounts for building construction, and bonuses for tax and trade income. If you select the reduced bonuses option the installer edits export_descr_building.txt to reduce the value of the bonuses.

The script that spawns the special buildings also does a lot of other things depending on which campaign you play. It distributes extra money, units, and buildings to the AI factions, spawns the Galatian horde for the Macedon and Thrace campaigns, starts wars and sets up alliances.

[cherryfunk]

DBH, which files are these scripts located in? I'd love to take a look at them.

[CaesarVincens]

It's the XGM campaign script in the appropriate campaign folder.

[TM Is Back]

I never reduce the AI bonussus so the game is harder.