[freeciv-ai] Re: long-term ai goals

[Gregory Berkolaiko <Gregory.Berkolaiko@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 24 May 2002, Per I Mathisen wrote:

> On Thu, 23 May 2002, Ross W. Wetmore wrote:
> > If the server returns data which is not governed by the strict rules
> > it may introduce programmed/random errors into this data.
> 
> A good AI is dependent on world governed by consistent rules, and adding
> random errors into this world may cause random errors in the code as well.
> 
> Not a good idea.
> 
> > There are
> > viable rationales for this effect which can be introduced into the
> > rulesets and/or controlled by console settings - "Bardic travellers
> > arrive from <blort> giving you information about its countryside",
> 
> The AI could easily just explore undiscovered territory like any other
> player. This is good also for making the other players nervous and
> paranoid (so they stop expanding) and for making them believe that the AI
> is "real" (behaving like a real player and playing on the same terms as
> them).
> 
> > When playing solitary against an AI this is much preferable to a
> > poor AI that lacks both insight and external sources of information.
> > Adjustable levels make an excellent learning curve. This also fixes
> > some of the unfair restrictions on the AI of not being able to move
> > places it has not yet moved too. A human can figure out how to do
> > this easily so such code restrictions don't really hamper them.
> 
> I don't see what you are getting at here. The AI and the human have
> exactly the same restrictions and possibilities.

I think I read it in one of the earlier emails by Ross and I agree with
him: the difference is memory.  If two turns ago you (human) used your
diplomat to investigate Cairo and saw 15 chariots you will remember that
Egyptians have big force in Cairo and will continue fortifying your
recently aquired Alexandria.

To teach a non-cheating AI to "remember" useful facts is a major project.
To teach AI to extrapolate from the known facts (something that humans do 
without even noticing) is probably almost impossible.

Letting AI know some of the restricted information is a much cheaper way 
to emulate conscious behaviour.

G.