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"gunny" <gunny_NO@SPAM_yucom.be> wrote in message
news:1109546149.d301eb50fd79132aebced3986032fbc8@teranews...
> Here is my experience with the GBA Hasbro/Atari Monopoly 4-languages
> Europe version that came out last december 2004.
>
> I started a Standard gamein English. One human, one computer player at
> best level (Tycoon). All game options left to default setting. OK, I
> lied, I turned off the music.
>
> AI is not good:
> 1. The computer lands on a street that nobody owns and that he needs to
> get a full set. He has plenty of money. What does he do? He does not buy
> so it is sold in auction (to me because I pay whatever to avoid the AI
> having a full set.)
>
> 2. AI buys himself out of jail even when the situation is not good. One
> of my tactics is to stay in jail as long as possible when the situation
> out there is not good, computer does not seem to share this idea.
>
> AI cheats:
> 3. When I have not much money, the AI does not buy new streets but puts
> them in auction to buy this at less than the original price (always one
> bet above my complete wallet), since I have no way to go to the Manager
> to get more money (e.g. by mortgaging properties) during the betting.
>
> 4. Offers lousy properties such as a train station or water works in
> return for a missing street to get a full set. See also remark 9.
>
> Other bad things in the game:
> 2. AI goes to the Manager before every dice roll and does not seem to do
> anything there. This makes the game much slower.
>
> 6. When you don't have enough money to pay, you don't see how much (more)
> you need. So you just sell houses or mortgage properties until the Pay
> option is accepted.
>
> 7. It should be possible to turn off the animations to increase the
> speed.
>
> 8. Your third (and last) turn in jail there should be no option to pay
> the fine since you are released even if you don't throw double.
>
> 9. When you receive an offer you cannot check the board, you have to know
> by heart who needs what.
>
> The number of times the AI lands just before or after your hotel you
> start doubting if even the dice throwing goes randomly. But this I cannot
> prove of course.
> BTW, even with all these problems I was able to win my first game in many
> years against an best level AI opponent: although I was almost bankrupt
> at some point I fortunately had a blocking minority of all colours and 2
> full collections myself so after several hours my 6 hotels killed him.
> From a score of 100-3.000 I returned to 10.000-700 at the end.
>
>
> --
> Best Regards,
> Gunny
Agreed.
Re point 8, there should indeed be no option as $50 should automatically be
deducted from your account on the commencement of your 3rd turn and
subsequent exit from jail.
The whole game feels rushed. A decent monopoly game with tight AI using
known strategies would find a welcome place in my collection