Too Easy?

[Don't wig out, brah!]

So is Tropico 4 too easy like Tropico 3? Or is it challenging like Tropico 1? Thanks

[Gallifrey - CSSC Gaming Founder]

Tropico 1 didn't have a campaign did it ?

IMHO Tropico 4 is a lot easier than Tropico 3 but then I really struggled on a couple of the Tropico 3 missions. I might do better now having played lots more Tropico.

Development can be a little slower in some ways because most edicts now need a Ministry ($4000) and qualified ministers to make. In addition most buildings now require the purchase of plans making the first building of its type more expensive than the original. Against that there are buildings (some might be DLC - warning) such as the cement factory (which improves building speed) and customs house (which can increase export prices) and improved production on "Modern Times" buildings which can lead to huge increases in your cash flow.

So definitely easier, no Juanita on the radio (boooooo), but an increased cast of supporting characters representing the faction leaders and foreign countries (now expanded to include Europe and China as well as Russia and the USA).

On balance having played Tropico 1 - 4 Tropico 4 with its connected story campaign is my favourite. That said if you've played Tropico 1 about 75% of Tropico 4 still looks very familar.

S.x.

[Vidopoulos]

Originally posted by Crispy Bacon Strips:

So is Tropico 4 too easy like Tropico 3? Or is it challenging like Tropico 1? Thanks

Did you ever successfully finish the Cigars scenario on tropico 1? (new havana)
If yes, Tropico 4 is piece of cake.
If no .. .. It's still easier.

[Don't wig out, brah!]

Thanks for the replies. I completed several of the "Very Hard" scenarios in Tropico 1 a long time ago. I tried out Tropico 3 a year ago. Everything feels a lot easier, so I quickly lost interest :/

I wish Poptop was still around :( Their games were some of the best.

[LSD]

It's harder to lose in T3/4 than it is to win in the majority of scenarios.
Even when you're doing bad, foreign aid will almost always get you back on your feet.

[Gallifrey - CSSC Gaming Founder]

Originally posted by LSD:

It's harder to lose in T3/4 than it is to win in the majority of scenarios.
Even when you're doing bad, foreign aid will almost always get you back on your feet.

Not really. Foreign aid starts at about $6,000 a year and tops out at about $9,000. By the end of the game that's not even two months' expenses. Generally the custom's house and the Industry TV adverts will keep the money coming in once you have industries but the game does throw curve balls at you every now and again. You learn to appreciate "Quick Build".

S.x.

[Artur]

For making things more complicated I almost always decline propositions from factions, so sometimes I can even loose elections (if without cheating )

[Fernando Lima]

Tropico 4 is easier than Tropico 3, in my opinion

[shiggies713]

yea, after playing it again for a little while, I have to say, it is far too easy.

Basically build a cash crop plantation, corn farm and a tenement and you litererally cannot fail.

I even tried putting political stability on the hardest mode, rebel yell on etc. sometimes even leaving dozens of people jobless and homeless, it is still almost impossible to lose as long as you have something, anything to make some money.

You can oppress your people, don't hold elections, it doesn't really matter, even the worst of rebellions will only demolish one building, usually something cheap and halfway useless anyways. Even if the rebels win, it just gives your mostly useless construction workers something to do.

maybe its just me and I've been playing these types of games too long, but even when I make poor decisions just to roleplay, the game just seems too easy, and there aren't any real consequences for bad decisions, except perhaps a less effecient economy.

[Uzi Master]

Sandbox mode is even harder to fail in than the campaign is though, do keep in mind. Speaking of, have you tried a sandbox game with all settings at their hardest? Lowest Economy setting, highest random event setting, hardest settings on a random island?

[shiggies713]

thats almost what i was doing, except i kept the economy at the normal setting, and I was playing on some of the pre-made maps (the hard ones). Pre game it was saying something like a difficulty of around 200% depending on which map I picked exactly.

I guess I could make it really really hard by making the economy crap and playing on some map with massive tsunami and volcano areas and turn disasters on, but that doesn't even seem like fun honestly. I almost always turn the disasters off because they seem like a poorly made mechanic, every single time a tornado hits it bounces around my whole city but only destroys ALL of my garages or some other critical buildings.

Originally I was referring to the difficulty as in being overthrown or overran by rebels, but I've realized you cannot lose the game this way. At least I haven't managed to play poorly enough to do so (I tried). Pretty sure the only way to actually lose is to run out of money.

[Gallifrey - CSSC Gaming Founder]

Originally posted by shiggies713:

thats almost what i was doing, except i kept the economy at the normal setting, and I was playing on some of the pre-made maps (the hard ones). Pre game it was saying something like a difficulty of around 200% depending on which map I picked exactly.

I guess I could make it really really hard by making the economy crap and playing on some map with massive tsunami and volcano areas and turn disasters on, but that doesn't even seem like fun honestly. I almost always turn the disasters off because they seem like a poorly made mechanic, every single time a tornado hits it bounces around my whole city but only destroys ALL of my garages or some other critical buildings.

Originally I was referring to the difficulty as in being overthrown or overran by rebels, but I've realized you cannot lose the game this way. At least I haven't managed to play poorly enough to do so (I tried). Pretty sure the only way to actually lose is to run out of money.

On some scenarios the rebels can kill you. You can be vulnerable at the start before you have the high school because if you lose any of your four soldiers they are not easily replaced. Some scenarios have massive rebel attacks.

S.x.

[Uzi Master]

Originally posted by shiggies713:

thats almost what i was doing, except i kept the economy at the normal setting, and I was playing on some of the pre-made maps (the hard ones). Pre game it was saying something like a difficulty of around 200% depending on which map I picked exactly...

The economy setting is probably the biggest factors actually, it's easy to avoid rebels when you can easily afford to build everything people want. Well, easier.

A completley barren random island is going to have less resources than pretty much any of the pre-built maps, I think, might be one I'm not thinking of.

I do agree that the disasters are pretty stupid, I play with them of myself. Honestly, it's just the tornados that are bad, but theyre just SO bad.

[Gallifrey - CSSC Gaming Founder]

Originally posted by Uzi Master:

Originally posted by shiggies713:

thats almost what i was doing, except i kept the economy at the normal setting, and I was playing on some of the pre-made maps (the hard ones). Pre game it was saying something like a difficulty of around 200% depending on which map I picked exactly...

The economy setting is probably the biggest factors actually, it's easy to avoid rebels when you can easily afford to build everything people want. Well, easier.

A completley barren random island is going to have less resources than pretty much any of the pre-built maps, I think, might be one I'm not thinking of.

I do agree that the disasters are pretty stupid, I play with them of myself. Honestly, it's just the tornados that are bad, but theyre just SO bad.

Money is a major mitigating factor. If you have the cash "quick build" remedies any critical damage done and with an upgraded weather station casualties can be avoided. The one thing I really prefer of Tropico 4 over Tropico 3 is that it clealy labels the damaged and destroyed buildings.

S.x.

[Artur]

Once I even manage to have massive protests with coups, rebels, and 2 uprising in 1 year.
For this, you should keep happiness of your people lower then 40%. And when uprising treat is high - forbid elections.