Utter noob seeking opponent

Minuteman · (This post was last modified: 11-01-2006, 08:36 AM by Minuteman.)

Before I joined this ladder I got pickup games online from a chat room and got two pieces of decent advice:

Until you can play the AI at +3 and consistently win - expect real people to hand it to you pretty regularly.

Also, if you want to get a feel for how different units, guns, tanks etc. impact the battlefield make a test scenario and run as a hot seat. If you are interested, it helped me choose a little better ME mix, I'd like to think.

Kuenstler is a terrific opponent - and wicked good - Guard your flanks!

Unsolicited advice available without request.

Chipmunk · 11-01-2006, 08:44 AM,

Quote:Until you can play the AI at +3 and consistently win - expect real people to hand it to you pretty regularly.

Not really sure I agree with that. Any experience against the AI, aside from becoming familiar with the the game mechanics, is pretty irrelevant when it comes to playing a human opponent. I think its best to start early with PBEM, then you won't have to unlearn a lot of the tricks that work against the AI but will land you in hot water if you try them against a human player.

11-01-2006, 08:52 AM,

Peek Wrote:
Quote:Until you can play the AI at +3 and consistently win - expect real people to hand it to you pretty regularly.

Not really sure I agree with that. Any experience against the AI, aside from becoming familiar with the the game mechanics, is pretty irrelevant when it comes to playing a human opponent. I think its best to start early with PBEM, then you won't have to unlearn a lot of the tricks that work against the AI but will land you in hot water if you try them against a human player.

Peek is absolutely correct. You can only learn so much about the game mechanics from the computer. It is the actual juxtapostion of those game mechanics, units characterstics, and terrain knowledge into a tactical construct that takes into account a perspective from the human opponent that is needed. That only comes from playing and gaining experience against human opponents. I would go as far to say that distancing yourself from the AI is more important than trying to beat it at higher levels.

The next stage is learning about your opponents through battle, and using his behavioural tendencies against him, and or anticipating them.

That's where the real skill comes into play.

Cheers!

Leto

Minuteman · (This post was last modified: 11-01-2006, 09:55 AM by Minuteman.)

Never mind then, I guess I'm just a moron. Can't help but feel like I'm being attacked by people who have written numerous posts about how awful the AI is...

I don't know though...after just starting the game, I think there is something to be gained from playing the AI. People commonly bash the AI, but you are learning a simulation from scratch. You can learn terrain, unit capabilities and movement characteristics better than just reading the manual or exhausting your squads or moving them in the open against a human.

:soap:
Whatever...I'm not getting into a debate with anyone. I won't defend this anymore - last word to whomever disagrees w/ me next. I just said it helped ME - which isn't really debatable w/ anyone else, anyway. Please, lets hear it : "AI sucks! AI sucks! AI sucks...."

Best of luck to the newer noob. Out.

11-01-2006, 10:12 AM,

A lot of scenarios are designed out there for play against the AI so everyone to their own. I personally dont have a crutch with playing against the computer but I like playing against people purely from the communication aspect of it.

Bootie

11-01-2006, 10:38 AM,

Saber6 Wrote:Never mind then, I guess I'm just a moron. Can't help but feel like I'm being attacked by people who have written numerous posts about how awful the AI is...

I don't know though...after just starting the game, I think there is something to be gained from playing the AI. People commonly bash the AI, but you are learning a simulation from scratch. You can learn terrain, unit capabilities and movement characteristics better than just reading the manual or exhausting your squads or moving them in the open against a human.

:soap:
Whatever...I'm not getting into a debate with anyone. I won't defend this anymore - last word to whomever disagrees w/ me next. I just said it helped ME - which isn't really debatable w/ anyone else, anyway. Please, lets hear it : "AI sucks! AI sucks! AI sucks...."

Best of luck to the newer noob. Out.

I have very recently returned to playing the AI after some interesting posts by Poor Old Spike at Fragment.

I have to say I've enjoyed it.

As Bootie says, the interaction with humans fuels PBEM, but in missions where you attack and if you rack the AI all the way up, and if it is a well designed scenario, then the Ai can be a tough opponent.

In summary, defend it if you enjoy it. It is a game and can be enjoyed from countless angles. I for one can never understand why guys always play QBME, but if it is what they enjoy, so be it.

Never be afraid to debate or stand up for what you believe in or enjoy playing. After all every guy here has his own opinions and preferences whether he has played 5 games or 500 every one is equal.

11-01-2006, 12:17 PM,

~~The Coil~~ · 11-02-2006, 05:11 AM,

Most helpful thing to me ihas been the other thing Saber6 suggested - play yourself in a hotseat game. Gives you a feel for what goes on on both sides - spotting, damage, and the like. One of the problems playing the AI or another player is you don't ever really see the damage you inflict. My experience is that most people underestimate the damage their opponent is taking, because they don't see it as it happens. Seen a lot of people frustrated that the other guy spots better/shoots more accurately/penetrates armor better. Playing both sides of a hotseat game has been the best tool to give me a feel for the game...not a whole lot of fun maybe (unless you have a lousy short term memory), but helpful.