At this point, I've logged several hundred years of game play in versions 1.05c, 1.04b, and 1.03. I've played exclusively as independent realms: Gwynedd, Galicia, and Nicaea (aka Byzantine Empire post Fourth Crusade).
How many times has the AI attacked me in all this play? 3. I was attacked twice by Muslim nations early in my Galicia game and once by England in a game as Gwynedd. And that's it. Are other players experiencing this?
It seems to me that the AI is hesitant to attack once your realm reaches a certain manpower level. Unless it sees that it has significant manpower superiority, it'll take a pass. There appears to be no strategic thinking on the part of the AI. It doesn't say "hey, the Byzantines are tied up fighting the Latin Empire, maybe it's a good time for some Turkish expansion." It doesn't think "Galicia has exhausted all its levies and angered its vassals: time for some sweet revenge."
The lack of any threat of reprisal from the AI makes for a rather boring game. Once you master character opinions, it's nothing but endless expansion on all fronts against heathens, those with the misfortune of being in your de jure border, and anyone you can find a claimant to invite. I would find CK2 far more compelling if I wasn't dragged into this perpetual grind.
Some specific suggestions for improvement:
How many times has the AI attacked me in all this play? 3. I was attacked twice by Muslim nations early in my Galicia game and once by England in a game as Gwynedd. And that's it. Are other players experiencing this?
It seems to me that the AI is hesitant to attack once your realm reaches a certain manpower level. Unless it sees that it has significant manpower superiority, it'll take a pass. There appears to be no strategic thinking on the part of the AI. It doesn't say "hey, the Byzantines are tied up fighting the Latin Empire, maybe it's a good time for some Turkish expansion." It doesn't think "Galicia has exhausted all its levies and angered its vassals: time for some sweet revenge."
The lack of any threat of reprisal from the AI makes for a rather boring game. Once you master character opinions, it's nothing but endless expansion on all fronts against heathens, those with the misfortune of being in your de jure border, and anyone you can find a claimant to invite. I would find CK2 far more compelling if I wasn't dragged into this perpetual grind.
Some specific suggestions for improvement:
- AI should consider whether or not a realm is at war with another nation when considering declaring war. When another nation is at war, it should pounce.
- AI should consider manpower levels and vassal opinions when declaring war. When they are low, it should pounce.
- AI should consider likelihood of third parties joining their war when declaring. Third parties should be inclined to join a war when it opens opportunity to attack a foe it would be unable to tackle on its own.
- There needs to be some kind of warmongerer penalty. Opinions of adjacent foreign powers should go down as you gobble up neighbors. There needs to be something akin to EU3's Dishonorable Scum CB.