Since my pc is too much of a potato for DE multiplayer I spend some time testing the random map AI’s of DE compared to HD.
The ratings of difficulty are rough estimates of corresponding HD elo on arabia and should be taken with a grain of salt. Especially on the lowest difficulties as I haven’t played much against players under 1500 elo. (I’m a 2k pleb on HD myself). One might even argue that accurate rating doesn’t really exist under 1600 on HD if at all. However in lack of a better objective measuring tool -and considering that this review is mainly aimed at casual players rather than those who can beat the hardest DE AI- I think it serves the purpose. Most testing of the easier difficulties has been done with AI vs AI fighting in 4v4’s.
Neither the HD nor the DE AI’s cheat though the “200” taunt will make the HD AI get extra ressources, which will give it a big boost, mainly early game. (only works on hardest and extreme). The DE AI does not seem to have a similar option.
The HD AI have not been changed at all for DE. Instead of adjusting the difficulty levels to include ‘extreme’ they just made ‘hardest’ and ‘extreme’ the same. The AI still puts up a good fight against newer players, however even the hardest difficulties are very easy to abuse with towers or archer rush.
HD AI...............Maximum..........HD ELO
Easiest..............7 vills.................1000? Passive. Won’t collect relics or go imp.
Standard...........20 vills...............1300
Moderate..........50 vills...............1425
Hard..................90 vills...............1550
Hardest.............130 vills.............1600
Extreme.............130 vills.............1600
The DE AI doesn’t feel like an updated HD AI. It has its own “personality” so to say. It does some things that seem more human like – luring deer, drushing, move units in groups, rebuild its base behind its allies, build defensive towers, avoid tc fire – however many of these features tend to bug out and the DE AI will still suicide a lot more units to the TC than the voobly barbarian AI. (The currently best AI) The DE AI also have a funky habit of over expanding, sometimes making buildings and mining resources inside the enemy base.
Unlike what one might expect, the DE AI isn’t stronger than the HD AI on all difficulty levels. Only on easiest, hardest and extreme.
DE AI...............Maximum..........HD elo
Easiest.............7 vills.................1100? Passive. Goes for relics/imp unlike the HD AI
Standard..........20 vills...............1275
Moderate.........40 vills...............1400
Hard.................80 vills...............1525
Hardest............130 vills.............1650 Harder to rush than the HD AI
Extreme............130 vills.............1725 Gets better lategame
In terms of overall difficulty I also made a list from easiest to hardest. This might be usefull for someone feeling like the “jumps” are too big between the difficulties.
.................................HD ELO
HD Easiest..............1000
DE Easiest...............1100
DE Standard............1275
HD Standard............1300
DE Moderate............1400
HD Moderate............1425
DE Hard.....................1525
HD Hard.....................1550
HD Hardest/Extreme.1600
DE Hardest..................1650
DE Extreme..................1725
As has been advertised, the DE AI also have a lot of new options in terms of allied taunt commands. Though there are bumps on the road it seems a step up. T90 also released a video on it today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcGcp8K9wug
Finally it should be mentioned that the best AI’s still exist on voobly. The DE extreme AI is somewhere between HD on hardest and barbarian AI on hard (best noncheating difficulty). But difficulty apart barbarian AI also feels much more like a human than the DE AI. There is just something beautiful about watching a machine sneak around with a crossbow army and start stutter step microing against knights. So while many of the casual steam users may never try the voobly AI’s, they are still superior in both strength and enjoyment, though the enjoyment part might improve with the new DE taunts.
Hopefully it will be possible to add custom AI’s to DE in the future as well after more pressing improvements (multiplayer) have been handled.
The ratings of difficulty are rough estimates of corresponding HD elo on arabia and should be taken with a grain of salt. Especially on the lowest difficulties as I haven’t played much against players under 1500 elo. (I’m a 2k pleb on HD myself). One might even argue that accurate rating doesn’t really exist under 1600 on HD if at all. However in lack of a better objective measuring tool -and considering that this review is mainly aimed at casual players rather than those who can beat the hardest DE AI- I think it serves the purpose. Most testing of the easier difficulties has been done with AI vs AI fighting in 4v4’s.
Neither the HD nor the DE AI’s cheat though the “200” taunt will make the HD AI get extra ressources, which will give it a big boost, mainly early game. (only works on hardest and extreme). The DE AI does not seem to have a similar option.
The HD AI have not been changed at all for DE. Instead of adjusting the difficulty levels to include ‘extreme’ they just made ‘hardest’ and ‘extreme’ the same. The AI still puts up a good fight against newer players, however even the hardest difficulties are very easy to abuse with towers or archer rush.
HD AI...............Maximum..........HD ELO
Easiest..............7 vills.................1000? Passive. Won’t collect relics or go imp.
Standard...........20 vills...............1300
Moderate..........50 vills...............1425
Hard..................90 vills...............1550
Hardest.............130 vills.............1600
Extreme.............130 vills.............1600
The DE AI doesn’t feel like an updated HD AI. It has its own “personality” so to say. It does some things that seem more human like – luring deer, drushing, move units in groups, rebuild its base behind its allies, build defensive towers, avoid tc fire – however many of these features tend to bug out and the DE AI will still suicide a lot more units to the TC than the voobly barbarian AI. (The currently best AI) The DE AI also have a funky habit of over expanding, sometimes making buildings and mining resources inside the enemy base.
Unlike what one might expect, the DE AI isn’t stronger than the HD AI on all difficulty levels. Only on easiest, hardest and extreme.
DE AI...............Maximum..........HD elo
Easiest.............7 vills.................1100? Passive. Goes for relics/imp unlike the HD AI
Standard..........20 vills...............1275
Moderate.........40 vills...............1400
Hard.................80 vills...............1525
Hardest............130 vills.............1650 Harder to rush than the HD AI
Extreme............130 vills.............1725 Gets better lategame
In terms of overall difficulty I also made a list from easiest to hardest. This might be usefull for someone feeling like the “jumps” are too big between the difficulties.
.................................HD ELO
HD Easiest..............1000
DE Easiest...............1100
DE Standard............1275
HD Standard............1300
DE Moderate............1400
HD Moderate............1425
DE Hard.....................1525
HD Hard.....................1550
HD Hardest/Extreme.1600
DE Hardest..................1650
DE Extreme..................1725
As has been advertised, the DE AI also have a lot of new options in terms of allied taunt commands. Though there are bumps on the road it seems a step up. T90 also released a video on it today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcGcp8K9wug
Finally it should be mentioned that the best AI’s still exist on voobly. The DE extreme AI is somewhere between HD on hardest and barbarian AI on hard (best noncheating difficulty). But difficulty apart barbarian AI also feels much more like a human than the DE AI. There is just something beautiful about watching a machine sneak around with a crossbow army and start stutter step microing against knights. So while many of the casual steam users may never try the voobly AI’s, they are still superior in both strength and enjoyment, though the enjoyment part might improve with the new DE taunts.
Hopefully it will be possible to add custom AI’s to DE in the future as well after more pressing improvements (multiplayer) have been handled.
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