And WHY did the computer do that?

[WhoseYerLilith]

Ok- when you were engaging in a little culdcept gaming, did the computer ever do things that were funny, wierd, or just plain "HUUH??!" I have three examples of when the computer made moves that either made me laugh with amusement or disbelief.

1- In the three for all at Temple of the Medium, Luthien continuously casted Haunt on Ryvern...I understood the basic reasoning as Ryvern was in first place, but it was still pretty funny to think--"Ok, now the COMPUTER is controlling the computer, instead of the computer"

2- In one of the bonus stages you get that stage that kind of looks like a # with 4 check points, I did a two on one vs. Ryvern and Zagol. After a few rounds of some lucky rolls, (landing on open land, towers, etc)- I managed to pull my Old Willow out, a few moves later I had him on a Level 5 Territory- two spaces away from the western checkpoint with the theory that I would kill them both twice; since each time they attempted to go the W checkpoint, they had to pass the space twice in a very short amount of time. Neither of them ever went that direction. So while I was continuing around the board, getting the bonuses and levelling up my land, they were aimlessly wandering, hoping not to land on my growing tolls--needless to say, it was one of the most fun battles I've ever had watching them get magic depleted over and over again on my level 3's and 4's and still yet never wanting to chance landing on the Willow.

3- I was doing a one on one vs. Leo- It was a pretty intense fight for a while, then I began to get the upper hand- I turned very aggressive (see how he likes it) and managed to wipe out all of his creatures (except one)- he had an Amazon on a level 2 or 3 blue territory. With a die roll and about 1500G, he landed on my toll of about 691- on the way, he passed the amazon and leveled it up to 5- then he didn't have enough to pay my toll and had to give up the land anyway. Silly Leo.

How about you guys?

[TheTampaCepter]

Heh, Ive had the computer take control of me and actually do great moves

[rwilso7]

Oh I had a great one with Selena and Luthien -- they both warped into the middle area and went around and around for at least 8 dice rolls, while I stayed up top collecting tolls, leveling up land, etc. It was hysterical -- they were both trapped, trying to avoid each other's property in that little square, with Selena saying "This is horrible!" every other turn. I still laugh about it!

[WhoseYerLilith]

Haha thats great- Selena makes some funny faces. I actually have another one. Ive come to worship the Wonder Wall and I had placed it on a LV 5 Territory. It was me and Leo vs. Gamygin and Mullyn- the board was so close and Gamygin rolled what I thought would land him on my toll-damn, short by 1. My next draw? Holy Word 1- YES! I cast it on Gamygin and look forward to seeing his magic depletion. Mullyn goes next and takes over one of Leo's territories. Leo goes and casts Black Out ...ON ME!?!!!!!??!

[Stezton]

I've wondered why Luthien keeps casting Holy Word 1 on herself.....especially when she lands on an enemy square and gets her butt kicked.

[bloodfyr]

In versus matches, Selena always casts Fairy Light on herself about three squares away from the castle, and Ryvern does the same with Dream Terrain.

[BlueBomber]

Hahahah, yeah, I've noticed the computer doing some pretty stupid things too. But one thing I noticed, which isn't as amusing, is that the computer seems to love to target players when they're down. Or at least, they love to target me when I'm down. When I was battling in Rabbid, Ryvern and Pickett would target me with spells like slow, even if I was way behind in 3rd place!

TEXT

[s6]

Just so you avoid getting a persecution complex - the game interface is set up to be annoying like that. Can be in 3rd place for quite some time, and yet dual opponents will still both target your cepter as if it were winning. Horrible abuse, isn't it?

In to win!

[s6]

The most-repeated stupid attacks I've noticed yet are on the Promsdale board by Ryvern. He constantly tries to take Balberit's creatures with something stupid like a Magic Shield - or the Amoeba with the Fire Giant, or the Wonder Wall with any elemental creature - and he tries it more than once, even! So funny! But all they do to each other, really, is give the other more spending magic so they can both do your cepter in. This game is manaical!

Stezton said:

I've wondered why Luthien keeps casting Holy Word 1 on herself.....especially when she lands on an enemy square and gets her butt kicked.

[Cleric]

whoseyerlilith said:

It was me and Leo vs. Gamygin and Mullyn- the board was so close and Gamygin rolled what I thought would land him on my toll-damn, short by 1. My next draw? Holy Word 1- YES! I cast it on Gamygin and look forward to seeing his magic depletion. Mullyn goes next and takes over one of Leo's territories. Leo goes and casts Black Out ...ON ME!?!!!!!??!

WhoseYerLilith, I had something similar happen to me during that match. I was playing with Leo against Gamygin and Mullyn as well, and one of our two opponents (can't remember which) cast a holy word card on me to get me to land on one of Mullyn's high tolls. Leo draws a Black Out on his next turn, and I think 'Great! He can cast Black Out on Mullyn, so she won't get any money from me when I land on her territory!' Instead, he casts Black Out on ME. I guess his theory was to remove any status affect given to me by the enemy with one of our own... but still!

Do you recall if you had a status affect on your character at the time he cast it on you?

He was still a good partner, though, we beat them on the first try.

-- Cleric

[AceLeader]

I've found logical reasons for most of these things, but usually it's because their are just computers, only following a set of commands and not having logic behind it. Here is the break down of my theories:

Computers have it engraved to avoid quicksand at all cost (with Kelpie and the like, because they will just pay the toll if they would have landed on it directly)

They usually replace status effects rather than benefit form them (the Black Out example, as well as Selena casting Peace on a level 1 space with Vitality over a level 3 space in front of her)

As for the needlessly aggressiveness of Ryvern and Zagol and other characters, they will ALWAYS invade if possible. Even if theres no way to win, and they lose a creature in the process, they will attack. Granted, if theres a chance that they will win, they will always take that route (and usually you can predict what item they will use because of it).

My theory on Haunt is that it makes the haunted player an 'average' computer. So, if you use it on Zagol, and aggressive character, he is overwritten with a less aggressive computer and may not always invade. Usually haunted players will save their creatures at all cost (wasting your only defense item on a Cray Idol, thank you very much). They tend to take any open land they land on if it matches color (Kelpie on a new water space, ack). Usually mildly aggresive (think Leo attack style, maybe a little less aggressive). They also value cards differently (Manna seeming to always be a favorite for shatter with computers, I would rather get rid of defense items usually). So, thats my theory on haunt.

Senselessly leveling up lands, I'm pretty sure the computer doesn't look at what space they land on before they make their end-of-turn decisions, unless they are invading. If they choose not to invade, then comes leveling up. If they can't level up, then they do nothing, and pay a toll or whatever. But since they look for Leveling Up possibilities before even realising they pay a toll, they make dumb decisions sometimes. (I want to point out that often, when I pass a territory I don't care much about and will be getting drained for a lot of magic, I have been known to level up my territory as much as possible and release it, earning money off the chain bonus. It lowers your chain, but you can actually end up with more G in the hand then you did before you payed out a toll.)

I'll never understand why the computer always seems to cast those 'effect ends once you pass the castle' effects right before they pass. My guess is that they don't have a timing mechanism on when to cast the spells, and then it's just random, and sometimes funny. Also happens with Manna, and they cast it right before ending their lap.

Lastly, the targeting, I have been curious to this, and I should study it further, but I think each computer has it engraved on if they should be mean to the best opponent or the worst opponent. Some like to close the gap between them and their strongest opponent, while others like to pick on the weaklings. Either way, I think it's based completely on which character they are.

This is just my insight on the game, I don't know if any of these are true or not, but maybe next time the computer does something stupid, you will know why, and thats always a good thing.

[WhoseYerLilith]

LOL- Ace you're too logical for your own good. Of course it has to do with preset programs and computer based logic, but it's more fun to view them as maniacal psychopaths.

Cleric- there was no status ailment on me, I wish there was since at that point it would make sense.

[gemini5]

Here's one for you: I was playing (my Basalt deck) partners with Pickett, and i had some BaAl's on the board and my hand was loaded with Cerberus' and dynamites. My wonderful partner Pickett decided to turn my Basalt Idols into walls!! I'm assuming the logic was giving them more hp, but Lord, it was all I could do to keep from joining the game "Matrix style" and murdering this rodent! Now if i play with him on my team (using that deck), I have to have Suppression and Turn to the Wall myself, just to make sure. Crappy to do to a partner, but it's only the cpu!!

[lando griffith]

gemini5.. i think the rodent does not like you.