Star Wars: Empire at War remains a beloved real-time strategy (RTS) game, and the modding community keeps it alive with exciting projects like the "EAW Remake." However, a recent discussion on Reddit's r/StarWarsEmpireAtWar highlights a potential issue: overly aggressive AI, particularly with the Zann Consortium.
In a Reddit post, user DewinterCor expresses frustration with the AI's relentless assault. Playing as the Empire, they encountered a massive Zann Consortium fleet – a staggering 2100 population units strong – attacking Coruscant by month 157. This fleet dwarfed the player's own forces, leading to a sense of helplessness and questioning the game's balance, even on the "easy" difficulty setting.
Aggressive AI can be a positive attribute in strategy games, providing a challenging and engaging experience. However, when the AI's strength scales to a point where it feels insurmountable, it can lead to frustration and discouragement. Here’s why this imbalance is detrimental:
Several factors could contribute to this perceived AI imbalance:
AI Resource Exploitation: The AI might be exploiting resources more efficiently than the player, allowing it to rapidly build up its forces.
Difficulty Scaling: The "easy" difficulty setting may not be properly calibrated, leading to an unexpectedly strong AI.
Mod-Specific Issues: The EAW Remake mod itself might have unintended consequences on the AI's behavior.
Possible Solutions:
While an aggressive AI can enhance the challenge and replayability of a game like Star Wars: Empire at War, it's crucial to strike a balance. If the AI becomes too overpowering, it can lead to player frustration and undermine the overall experience. Hopefully, this analysis will assist you in understanding the Empire at War mechanics.