Your're absolutely right - nothing is unusuall in AI's "cheating"! But what's wrong about it in DG? First, mr. Bullethead as representative of developers made the statement that "computer does not cheat". This is probably not correct. At least there is a strong feeling that it's not. If SES confess about computer's cheating - we could discuss this futher - how to improve that point of game etc. But SES declines discussion!
Second, IHMO - in DG results depend on random numbers TOO MUCH. It means at the same situation you may achive ABSOLUTELY different results and these results are almost UNAFFECTED by player's actions! This is terrible for game - even if this is historicaly true. Player learns to load each time something goes wrong - and at the end he loads almost every minute and repeat-repeat unlikely situations trying to outrun random generator.
Third, it's very difficult to get a pleasure from naval game if your ships just doesn't hit while enemy is hitting constantly
At last it's a game about gunfire! How should I suppose to play if my ships just can't hit no matter what I do???
There are a lot of possibilities which can be made to reduce computer's disadvantages in logic and strategy. At least there should be wide range of tactical tricks which can greately affect the results of battle! Ok, let computer have more powerfull guns - but give player a way to overrun this advantage! But in DG computer successfully hits regarding of sun, wind, distance and sometimes - even ship's positions! Yesterday I had a duel with Kassuga and Nisshing - which have 8" guns at back only. They go strictly to my ships in position none of back guns could fire - but Tsesarevich got several 203mm shells
This is just amazing!!!
The most important question is just either SES want's to improve game futher or not. If it does - we may probably propose different ways and indicate some narrow points. Sometimes it helps. If it doen't - I probably spent $50 for nothing...