It’s just to share a good link about the automatic difficulty, how the level increase and boosts for the A.I.
http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=1178477
Earlier this week when I was asked how part of the game scoring worked in MP games. While I was tracking down this code I also came across the code which determines how much of a +/- you get towards your “Automatic” difficulty in the Skrimish game mode (which sadly can only be played with/against AI).
Guess what? It’s entirely seeded by your total resources. You could throw and lose the entire North Korean Army at the AI, netting a horrible combat efficiency and probably total score in comparison, but just so long as your total resources were greater than the other AI (or AI team), you’re gravy.
I started out with my Automatic rating at 139 yesterday morning before putting this to the test. After two games I was at 149 (went up 5 levels each). Before I figured out the calculation behind this I was only going up by one every game (but I also didn’t rush the AI)
I figured out how to essentially mine or grind the maximum Auto adjustment in the least amount of hands-on time. I fight a Cutter with a Brute on Bloodgulch, rush him with Banshees, then when I’ve taken all the expansion bases, destroyed all of his army, and left him down to one base with no buildings (usually ~20mins), I’m able to park my Brute right behind his base in such a way that the Brute will hammer the building he tries to build, but won’t attack the base when he takes out said building. I then can walk away from my Xbox and wait until my resource counter gets up to the maximum display value of 99999 (albeit, you still gain resources) before taking out his base.
In one game it appeared I even made him go broke before I got to 99999 heh. The sad thing is that the game doesn’t count the buildings ‘being built’ that you destroy towards your “Buildings Destroyed”. But you still gain the underlying points for it (10pts).
The max automatic difficulty level is 200 (which is actually just the raw multiplier, so 2.0).
Some AI Difficulty Setting highlights:
Economy Multiplier - On legendary (1.0), AI gets 133% normal supplies. On hyper-legendary (2.0), AI gets 233% normal supplies
Death Match build rain Multiplier - On legendary (1.0), AI gets 50% boost. On hyper-legendary (2.0), AI gets 140% boost
Damage Given - On legendary (1.0), AI gets 33% boost. On hyper-legendary (2.0), AI gets 133% boost
Damage Taken - On legendary (1.0), AI takes 75% normal damage. On hyper-legendary (2.0), AI takes 40% normal damage
Getting to level 200 is just a matter of patience as none of the setting multipliers change from 1.0 to 2.0.
Welp, I’ve figured out and done everything that is humanly possible with this game. Where’s my bad motor fingering sequel? I’m far beyond “Ready for the Sequel”.
I’m…Hyper-Ready.
According to the link, the level increase based on your ressources Vs. the A.I. (or the other team) , you need to have a better “total” winning don’t matter (I never got more than 5) .
I don’t know for the win/loss thing but the ressource one is true I guess, when I finish the game with 99 999 ressources and the A.I. depleted, I jump 5 levels straight (sometimes 4) .
Now the game give better stats for the A.I (copy/paste) :
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Economy Multiplier - On legendary (1.0), AI gets 133% normal supplies. On hyper-legendary (2.0), AI gets 233% normal supplies
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Death Match build rain Multiplier - On legendary (1.0), AI gets 50% boost. On hyper-legendary (2.0), AI gets 140% boost
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Damage Given - On legendary (1.0), AI gets 33% boost. On hyper-legendary (2.0), AI gets 133% boost
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Damage Taken - On legendary (1.0), AI takes 75% normal damage. On hyper-legendary (2.0), AI takes 40% normal damage
About increasing the level, don’t quit the match like that, if you’re losing avoid the in-game option.
When you play a match to increase the level you want to have total map control so don’t let the A.I. expand too much, based on my experience against an UNSC leader, they randomly build a barracks, a vehicle depot or an airpad and usually build another on his next base, if there is an airpaid or a vehicle depot, expect maximum trouble (vultures or scorpions) , infantry is a lot easier to deal with (if it’s a Cutter, don’t let him upgrade to ODSTs) .
What I do with a Covenant leader is a scarab rush (not mine) , I focus on supplies, no turrets, no units (unless it’s to capture useful locations like reactors) , only a temple and a shield generator last (to buy the scarab some time in case I’m attacked) .
Once the scarab is there (and likely attacking units that are running away) go for the base and place the scarab in a such way he attack new units but never shoot the base, usually the A.I. have a second base so if you can move the scarab to destroy any barracks/vehicle depot/airpad and go back to the main base, move your leader to the second to block the A.I.
Now you have control, take all bases and build warehouses then blessed warehouses, make sure your 3 stars scarab get support to last forever and attacks the buildings with anything but the scarab, you better use your leader or a weak unit (still fast enough to destroy things before they are finished) .
Warning : when you move to destroy buildings, keep an eye on the scarab, sometimes he attack the base when you have an unit nearby but don’t place the scarab too far, you don’t want to find a lot of enemy units at the gates.
Against a Covenant leader I can’t tell but I just finished a match (me Cutter, the A.I. Arbiter) and to my surprise the A.I. tried to rush me with suicide grunts with only warehouses, a temple and a shield generator + fuel rod turrets at the base, that was easier and shorter than an UNSC leader but I guess part of this was luck…
Don’t expect perfect english I’m not.