With the most recent patch the AI got some love. So they may seem harder, but really they are just spending their incomes better. So if you were use to playing the game half wake you cant do that anymore. You need to be aggressive in the beggining. Define a chokepoint. Get teched up ASAP. Get Long Range Frigates!

update made it more fun

Used to be too easy.  Easily beat 9 unfair ai or even 9 vicious all teamed againsted you

Now 3 vicious is hard and 4/5 I havent been able to beat.

Its not harder than the original on the most difficult settings. Its really not at all. But anyone who is use to a very causal easy game on easy or normal...will have to change their tactics. You can no longer play the game half awake or distracted. The biggest difference is the AI can now use the income it collects to actually better itself. If you sitting back letting the AI milk the cash cow, then your gonna lose.

Personaly I agree with JohnJames. Its harder really when you get to the higher difficulties b/c like I said the AI now can use its income better. And the higher difficulties get a huge boost to income, so they of course are harder.

To sum it up again, the AI is now fixed, not made harder. But fixed. If you want the bad AI you can always get 1.0 and play, Google, Torrent, IM, write a research paper, and watch TV all at the same time.

LOL, well some can still. You and most the major online players are great examples of those who can. But not everyone can.