I'd be really interested in looking at ways to reduce the ability to easily control massive portions of the map. I would love it if players and AI were more commonly forced to raze cities that they capture, reducing the ability of one AI to absorb several early on (it's not that I tend to lose to such blobs, I just feel that the game would be more interesting if more opponents were retained for longer). Any tips on how to modify mechanics like expansion disapproval? (I think applying a base +50% to everyone would be great).



I guess it may come down to how the AI is programmed whether this actually works at preventing it though. For example, are they programmed to try to have 8 bases at a given game point, or do they reactively manage approval, taking new bases only once their empire is happy.



I've done some very basic modding in other games, but haven't touched an endless game before.



edit: I guess I can add a non-modding question to this, being do larger maps generally help maintain a greater number of opponents? or are the blobs just bigger?

The AI computers if it needs to expand or not using the ' mature' city threshold. You can change the definition of a mature city, thus pushing the AI to expand sooner, but it'll be weaker while doing so.

Very interesting, do you know how such changes are made? (and to which files?)



Thanks!

It's in the registry.xml in the AI folder.

Thanks for your help, I'll investigate when I have some spare time and patience