New Gameplay Mode: Adventure

from Elemental Forums

So, you can't actually set this gameplay mode in the game (can't turn off conquest), but with a little self-regulation, you can still do it.

In Adventure mode, you...

- Can only win the game with a Master Quest victory (although you can't disable Conquest victory, so you'll have to control yourself).

- Play with monster difficulty on Insane.

- Have only one AI player, set to Easy (or Hard+, but nothing in between because that actually makes it easier since you can buy from their stores).

- Cannot attack the AI player at all (you can still use their shop, though).

- Cannot have a city.  You cannot settle one, and you cannot take one (not even the wildlands one).  

This presents a few challenges.  For one, you can't train new units.  Also, the only research you'll get is from Lost Libraries and champions that have a research trait.  If you play on a harder difficulty, you may be able to trade for tech as well.  Also, if your sovereign dies, you lose the game.

You can play with whatever custom faction/sovereign you want.  

I haven't figured up any additional rules.  Despite the fact that you can't set all the game options to support this game style, you can setup the game well enough, you just have to self-enforce the rules above.

I can't remember if there's anything else to this playstyle.  Suggestions are welcome.  It's just a fun thing to do. I do recommend against having too many scouts.  It's strategically a good idea, but it gets boring fast.

22,755 views 14 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Why would you want to do that at all?

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Because it would be fun.  You know, the whole point of gaming in the first place?

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

To each his own I guess.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Should be fairly easy if you take Beastlord. Otherwise, it will be difficult.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Fallenchar, reply 5

Should be fairly easy if you take Beastlord. Otherwise, it will be difficult.
or impossible?  The only troops you'd have would be as a result of *some* quests.  I guess you could take banditlord and bribe some bandits if you somehow lucked into money.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

Darxim- Have you done this successfully?

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

I love your Idea, Darxim!

My first try was both a success and failure. I carefully designed a custom faction and sovereign for this challenge. I played versus 1 easy AI opponent which was killed after just 5 or 6 turns by I guess the neutral monsters. 8C

I won the game but lost the challenge...

Next game I will try hard difficulty for the AI opponent. Perhaps it will stay alive then.

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

I always thought a champions vs. monsters mode would be fun

that part of the game is executed far better than the empire-management which the AI just can't do without insane bonuses

 

it would be interesting to see if this is playable / balanced without forcing you down a specific path (eg. beastlord)

 

maybe a mod could make it fleshed out a bit more

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

@Flector: Yeah, that's the main problem I've found with this game type.  Fortunately I haven't actually run into that problem yet.  I have noticed that, even though I'm pretty far along, the AI player still doesn't have anything beyond the initial 3 items in their shop. :/  I really want to get some mounts.

@davrovana:  I'm still working on my first game (running on a Huge map).  I'm running a Beastlord, so I should be fine.  However, I apparently set my quests to few accidentally (fewer quests makes it harder).

My next run I'm going to play a General Dodge-Assassin build, and just try to Sov-solo it.  Then I'll try difficult builds (which would be anything).

BTW, the "Cruel" weakness is actually just a bonus in this mode, since you don't have any cities to have Unrest in.

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Darxim, reply 10

BTW, the "Cruel" weakness is actually just a bonus in this mode, since you don't have any cities to have Unrest in.

Likewise with the "Rebels" faction trait.

Good luck Darxim! Gotta be challenging to get started.

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

I just completed the Solo-sovereign variation in ironman mode. I played Anthys map with one Hard AI opponent.

It was an interesting game but with a good tailor made custom faction and sovereign it's actually easier than you may expect.

Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

maybe if you made the other faction Krax (or custom faction with 'Defensive') they'd be able to last longer against monsters and it would be harder to take their cities if you succumb to temptation.

Reply #14 from Elemental Forums Top

https://forums.elementalgame.com/443181/page/1/#3346190

 

I tried a version of this with a life magic beastlord a while back and it was pretty fun.  Although I attacked other players iirc...

 

A summoner with attunement and scholar would also work.