You can also find it by searching "Better AI Mod" in the mod menu within the game itself.
The mod is a work in progress, and any feedback or comments about things that don't seem to work are appreciated.
Note: This mod is required for all players to function in Multiplayer. Do not run with other AI mods. This mod is not intended for use while playing the Campaign. If you want to play the Campaign, disable the mod first.
May all glory be to God.
Currently in Development/Plans:
- Actively updating the mod to accommodate changes from the developers to the AI.
- Forward building.
- Better Explorer control/treasure hunting.
- Walling -- provided the settlers do not glitch like when I first attempted to implement this.
Version 4.1: 21 January 2022.
- Fixed a bug with my mod where the AI's villagers got stuck trying to gather depleted huntables or trees. (Sometimes too many villagers may try to work a specific resource and get stuck, and I am still working on a solution).
- Fishing is restored. AI will now maintain up to 10 fishing boats if it has less.
- Fixed a bug with my mod where the Dutch AI would sometimes fail to use its bank wagon even if the maximum number of banks had not been built.
- Fixed a bug with my mod where the Haudenosaunee and Lakota AI were not researching upgrades at their estates.
- Fixed a bug where African AI would sometimes fail to immediately task their livestock to the market when the game begins.
- AI now properly respond to a Trade Monopoly and will try to attack a trading post (also an upcoming fix in the PUP).
- African AI build more granaries, maintain their respective cattle, and sell cattle more frequently.
- African AI now research certain beneficial upgrades from their Alliances.
- Ethiopian AI now task Abuns to Mountain Monasteries or defend with them.
- Other minor fixes.
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Version 4.0: 7 December 2021.
I have frequently made small changes that I so often forget to keep track of specifically, so I am sure I have changed very minor things that may not be so noticeable to the player. However, more specifically what I do remember for this update:
- I have re-coded how the AI sends its cards. The card choices revolve more around the AI trying to build up and survive, rather than typical human build orders.
- AI should more reliably garrison/ungarrison villagers.
- AI should more reliably have sufficient Mills/Plantations/etc. from which to gather.
- AI should research certain economic upgrades more reliably (much more work to be done in this area and upgrading in general).
- The British, Swedish, Inca, and Japanese AI should try to boom a bit more by building multiple houses at once on higher difficulties, as well as prioritizing this more extensively early on.
- The AI have more a generalist approach, rather than trying to "pick" a specific strategy, which often caused situations like too much wood being poured into outposts early.
- I have also added most changes made by the developers to the AI, in one way or another.
Version 3.0: 21 August 2021.
- I finally finished enough updating to release another iteration of my mod. I spent a lot of time working on villager control that should overall improve the way the AI gathers. I have also updated the mod to work with the African civilizations, although many features are still lacking (such as unique upgrades, strategized age-up choices, etc.). This is also still true for the USA. These I plan to continue to address with more updates.
- Until I can optimize fishing, I have disabled the AI building fishing boats. They either built too many or not enough to be significant, as they weren't really doing it all that properly. I'd rather them focus on their land economy until I can fix it. That said, the AI will perform its best on non-naval maps.
- A known issue that I am investigating is a strange case where villagers occasionally idle after finishing off a resource.
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Version 2.1.1: 8 July 2021.
- This small update comes from received feedback. It fixes an issue with some booming AI (British, Swedish, Japan, Inca) occasionally not building a military building early because they were prioritizing building their houses (too much). AI also now try to keep a small portion of their military as a defense force for their base.
Version 2.1: 4 July 2021.
- I have not made several changes since the last version. The AI behavior is still quite similar to the previous update. I have primarily updated this mod to function with gameplay and AI changes by the developers. Overall, this is a quality-of-life mini-update. Ideally, I am going to spend more time trying to improve the AI during the rest of summer.
Version 2.0: 1 February 2021.
- Overall I have made several changes in this update, many of them tiny tweaks to the original code, as well as improvements and additions from the last version of this mod. Now this mod has also been updated to accommodate changes made to the AI in the most recent patch, Update 13088, released on January 19, 2021. (Note after the Update 14825 on 2 February: The mod is still fine to use for this patch. The change the developers listed presumably dealt with AI Functions outside of the main file; they made a few changes within the file that did not pertain to their listed change or my own changes. Therefore there is no need for me to update the mod again until I make more of my own changes or the developers release more comprehensive AI changes in the next patch.)
- There is now a strategy system by which decisions are made to steer the course of the AI's gameplay (particularly in the earlier ages). This change aims for more distinct, defined strategies rather than the original values that were used to give AI personalities some flavor. The AI has a chance to pursue Rush, Boom, Turtle, or Fast Fortress strategies. If the game is a treaty game in which the treaty time is thirty or more minutes, the AI will pursue a Treaty strategy (mainly reflected in Deck construction).
- Decks and Shipment choices have been polished for the AI, but more work should come in future updates. Shipment choices are a bit more flavored now based on the AI's strategy.
- The AI handles training military better according to its strategy. Military buildings are more conveniently placed within its base. The AI will attack more consistently.
- Unfortunately, the AI still does not handle walls very well, so for the time being, I have disabled their construction. This will most certainly be a disadvantage for them in Treaty games. I hope to find a good solution to it in the future.
- Future areas I intend to try to improve include Wall Construction, Forward Bases, Resource/Resource Gathering Management, and further Card and Shipment diversity, amongst other things.
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Version 1.1: 2 November 2020.
- Priority for aging up increases after an elapsed amount of time.
- Town Centers allowed to be a little closer to each other, and not quite as far out from the starting position.
- Factories will produce wood exclusively.
- AI should train units and follow through on attacking a bit more consistently now, including generally training more units earlier, especially on Hardest and Extreme difficulties. However, this still needs work.
Version 1.0: 26 October 2020. My general philosophy is to have Hard difficulty be the baseline, and Hardest and Extreme just be the handicapped versions of that. Thus, they should all behave the same in this mod, but Hardest and Extreme will just be doing things quicker.
- Deck Construction and Age-up choices have been streamlined, given a deck based on the game type -- that is, Standard or Treaty. In the future I want to diversify it more based on strategy. Revolutions disabled.
- AI will build more military buildings in its base.
- AI refrains from building mercenaries, outlaws, and mortars.
- AI will max out its Town Centers.
- Aztec and Inca AI will maintain 10 Priests/Priestesses.
- AI weighs attacking more frequently on Hard and above.
- AI will no longer build forts on your front doorstep.
Known Bugs
- Villagers occasionally idle strangely when building walls. Thus, wall building is currently not implemented. (To be tested further.)
- In certain situations, the AI task too many villagers to a hunt or tree, and as a result the villagers may get stuck. This is an issue with my mod that I am working to fix.
- Berber Nomads behaving randomly when the AI acquires them.