Game Difficulty Mod



A mod to customize game difficulty with many options to select at game start.

The mod has to offer (all optional and customizable):

• increase the neutral stack size
• increase neutral growth
• neutral stacks grow over 4000
• increased stats of neutrals over time
• extra low-level growth
• random spells for neutrals
• random abilities for neutrals
• bonuses to computer players (stronger AI)
• battle commander
• battle rewards
• quick select feature
• change settings during the game
• tougher Karmic Battles
• always Random Hero
• progressive difficulty
• double neutral stack size
  

If you are uncertain what each option does please check the readme, all numbers/tweaks are written there

Okay... you probably already know all this because the mod is a little bit older and also part of Advanced Classes Mod .
But now attention! together with Daemon_n I added a little feature which hopefully fixes a long term problem that the AI player has. As to my knowledge the computer player never selects the optimal artifacts for every slot. If the artifact slot is busy with let's say an Centaur Axe and the computer player finds a Titan Gladius it will not equip it. This makes no sense and weakens the computer player even further. To fix this issue I wrote a script which always selects the "optimal" artifact for nearly every slot! With this script, a computer player who finds a Spellbinder Hat or a Cape of Velocity, will now use it and replace the artifact in that slot. For this to work I had to write a priority list for every slot, of course there are situations that would ideally require a different artifact but in 90% of cases it is a good idea to equip a stronger artifact.
I just wrote this mod so there might be some unforeseen errors or problems which I didn't think of but with your help and testing we can have a very good script in the future.

Priority Lists, the AI will equip these artifacts if available from top to bottom. If an artifact is not listed here it means the AI will not try to equip it if the slot is already busy.


I made all slots except Misc and Ring slots, there are too many options but maybe I will add it in the future with your help.

Download Link (Dropbox):
http://bit.ly/2Ixe3fX

The AI artifact equipment mod is also available as standalone but also included in the Neutral Difficulty Mod.

PerryR, sweet mod, thanks. That's really horrible AI flaw to use the first equiped artifacts.

(22.09.2019 00:38)Berserker Wrote:  PerryR, sweet mod, thanks.

Thanks Bersy, you certainly know how to keep this place alive

(22.09.2019 00:38)Berserker Wrote:  That's really horrible AI flaw to use the first equiped artifacts.

Let's hope from this day on the flaw is no more :P

I updated the main post with the complete priority lists (spoiler).

One question: for right hand I put Armageddon Blade highest priority, but does the AI actually knows how to use this artifact (Armagedon Immunity) because if not I would put it lower.

PerryR, sure that Ai knows AB mechanics. Remember this from some Campaign missions.
but i think Sword of judjement is better than Gladius (10 combat skill points (and 10 magical) vs 9 combat skill points)

PerryR, thanks )))
What concerns artifacts value, It may be possible to write estimating (evaluation) function. Attack and Defense are usually more important skills after Knowledge and Spellpower exceed values of 15-20.

(22.09.2019 17:23)Berserker Wrote:  PerryR, thanks )))
What concerns artifacts value, It may be possible to write estimating (evaluation) function. Attack and Defense are usually more important skills after Knowledge and Spellpower exceed values of 15-20.

at a first glance, I only see Dragon Scale Armor (+4att/def) that could rank higher than Titan's Cuirass (+10SP) after level 20. apart from that, it would not change much, maybe even nothing.
If I continue working on that patch I would add some extra rules or exceptions. So currently the check is performed once per day. Well, one could switch the Boots of Speed to Sandals of the Saint and Angel Wings to Cape of Velocity before engaging in combat. Additionally, Necromancy artifacts are not considered for Necromancy heroes but here the question arises if necro amplifying artifacts should actually be preferred over primary stat artifacts? Personally, I would even answer No!?
To be honest, there are not so many other exceptions that come to my mind, maybe rank Pendant of Courage lower if the hero already knows Luck and Leadership?

PerryR, maybe consider estimating sum of hero attack + defense value, not hero level. In Phoenix mod player can train any primary skills himself, thus I usually have 60 attack, 7 defense, 6 spell power, 4 knowledge, for instance. Level in general speaks nothing about primary skills. But even in current simple and fast implementation AI will be much better.

Кто пробовал? Лучше чем "Конкистадор" от валери?

it's a pity it doesn't make AI cleverer. Direct handicap is not a way we'd like to use

Well it does make AI cleverer by equipping better artifacts

If you ask for the general improvement of AI decisionmaking, like map movement, advanced use of spells, combat tactics, chaining then no, there will never be such a mod. Problems can only be tackled separately. So if there is a very specific aspect in your game you want to improve, describe it as good as possible and write down your solution to that problem and then maybe, only maybe someone will sit down and try it.

So, do I have to install AI artifact equipment mod if I'm using Advanced Classes?

No need. It's already included. Every feature from Game Difficulty mod is also in AC mod.

From where can i take AI artifact equipment standalone? I mean only this mod.

Goponfs, in my Dropbox there is a mod collection where a separate AI Artifact Equipment mod can be found. It might be a little bit outdated compared to Dif Mod.
Or you cut this part of the code from Dif mod.

Dropbox: http://bit.ly/2Ixe3fX

Thank you very much !