Settings to make game more challenging?

[vallu]

Hi!

Nice to play a new entry in the 4X genre - my favourite. I like a lot of the design decisions: leader ambitions, exploration and the events for example. The economy seems slightly complex for the depth it provides, I prefer a Stars in Shadow - like simple, but deep system myself. But that may just be an acquired taste.

I've played three games now. First one on average difficulty, second on severe, the third game with all AIs set to maximum difficulty and myself on the worst.

Unfortunately all three games have been cakewalks. Especially the last one was disappointing as I was expecting some form of opposition. I think I may be ending the games too soon with the AI still in expansion mode. The way all the games have gone is that I first micro my economy while building no military ships (or the slow colony ships for that matter). I grab the three best planets I can find (third from the culture choice). At some point one AI declares war on me. That's when I start building my first destroyers, followed by assault ships. The AIs have barely touched me in all the games. In the third one I lost a single mining outpost for a moment. Destroyers have always been enough to overpower their fleets and I haven't even seen tactical combat more than maybe 10 times in all the games.

Now to my actual question: Is there any way I can make the game more challenging by different settings? I've used the default medium size with three opponents. Tech brokering off, random tech trees and random culture. Would a larger galaxy give the AI time to build something?

I wouldn't want to start a large galaxy game and just waste my time..

[Medway]

Are you winning the games outright or quitting first because it looks too easy to continue?

[gaiuskonstantine]

I think you need to this, cause it sounds like you got some incredibly lucky rolls

Set the galaxy to huge,

Create a custom race, nothing too shabby, nothing OP, not charismatic!

Set the game to seven players, all AIs at impossible

Set yourself to emperor.

Set events to few... they tend to help you too much

Standard tech tree

Standard culture tree

Let me know, if it's a cake walk... because if it is, we may have an issue, so please hold a manual save for the devs to look at about every 50 turns until you win.

Thanks in advance

[vallu]

Thanks a lot for the response!

I"ll try with the settings you suggested and make manual saves. One thing I'll need to avoid is the race trait that gives the free tech and +100% research for 20 turns, it seems incredibly powerful. Sure, you need to stick to a single research field, but that isn't too hard..

And to answer Medway, the third win was a bit premature since I was elected as winner. For some reason all but the one attacking me voted for me. All I had done with diplo was accept trade deals when they suggested them. Maybe I should disable the voting win as well.

Again, thanks a lot and I'll get back to playing :)

[Medway]

Originally posted by valtteri_pirttila:

Thanks a lot for the response!

I"ll try with the settings you suggested and make manual saves. One thing I'll need to avoid is the race trait that gives the free tech and +100% research for 20 turns, it seems incredibly powerful. Sure, you need to stick to a single research field, but that isn't too hard..

And to answer Medway, the third win was a bit premature since I was elected as winner. For some reason all but the one attacking me voted for me. All I had done with diplo was accept trade deals when they suggested them. Maybe I should disable the voting win as well.

Again, thanks a lot and I'll get back to playing :)

Ok ya the diplo win isn't too difficult from what I've seen. There looks to be some AI changes that will make them attack much better soon so that might help too.

[CryonicSuspension]

Why would you want a standard tech tree & standard culture tree?

[aReclusiveMind]

Originally posted by CryonicSuspension:

Why would you want a standard tech tree & standard culture tree?

Because you prefer them? There are enough other random elements at the start of the game as-is. Also, I find the random starts easier typically because I can end up getting higher tier techs earlier.

There are plenty of reasons to choose one option over the other.

[Quasicide]

Being able to avoid building early military is why many 4X games have pirates and raiders.

[Davor]

Originally posted by valtteri_pirttila:

Unfortunately all three games have been cakewalks. Especially the last one was disappointing as I was expecting some form of opposition.

Not knowing how you play, and not seeing the game, I have to wonder something. Right now, all I can think of is how big is your fleet, how powerful are you? If you are powerful why would anyone want to war with you?

In my experience on easy level to learn the game, the AI is too passive. I guess it's for people to learn or want a very easy game. I upped the difficulty level 3 notches and then I find out that the AI declared war on me. Next game, same settings AI didn't declare war on me.

I was trying to think why, and then I realized in my current game I lucked out. Great planets to colonize, finding free ships. I basically had a good fleet. So I believe the AI is pretty good at seeing who to declare war with and who not to declare war with, just like in real life.

There is a reason why small countries or even big countries don't go to war with other big countries when their Army is better than theirs.

Now if you are saying you have no fleet, no army and the AI is not attacking you and you have two ships and it's a cake walk, then something is wrong. In my games, I have not seen this yet. Still early I may end up seeing this later.

[gaiuskonstantine]

Originally posted by valtteri_pirttila:

Thanks a lot for the response!

I"ll try with the settings you suggested and make manual saves. One thing I'll need to avoid is the race trait that gives the free tech and +100% research for 20 turns, it seems incredibly powerful. Sure, you need to stick to a single research field, but that isn't too hard..

And to answer Medway, the third win was a bit premature since I was elected as winner. For some reason all but the one attacking me voted for me. All I had done with diplo was accept trade deals when they suggested them. Maybe I should disable the voting win as well.

Again, thanks a lot and I'll get back to playing :)

What I do to make it really hard, is not give my custom race any traits at all.

Good luck

[gaiuskonstantine]

Originally posted by CryonicSuspension:

Why would you want a standard tech tree & standard culture tree?

To avoid the possibility that he receives a powerful tech too early, or a powerful advancement

[CryonicSuspension]

Originally posted by gaiuskonstantine:

Originally posted by CryonicSuspension:

Why would you want a standard tech tree & standard culture tree?

To avoid the possibility that he receives a powerful tech too early, or a powerful advancement

So randomizing the tech tree doesn't just make tech disappear, it accelerates it on the timeline?

[gaiuskonstantine]

Originally posted by CryonicSuspension:

Originally posted by gaiuskonstantine:

To avoid the possibility that he receives a powerful tech too early, or a powerful advancement

So randomizing the tech tree doesn't just make tech disappear, it accelerates it on the timeline?

It can at times Cryo, it's random, so at times a tech will appear in an earlier tier than it would normally, same with culture. When that happens, the player gains an advantage.

It's good to have it as an option, but if you're looking for a more challenging experience, best to leave it as standard.( Plus, you still have some randomness with the strategic resource techs)

[aReclusiveMind]

It can also move some techs deeper into the tree. This can create challenges as well, but generally early on getting higher tier tech earlier is an advantage.

It is fine both ways, I just prefer to play the preset way most of the time.

[Davor]

Originally posted by gaiuskonstantine:

It's good to have it as an option, but if you're looking for a more challenging experience, best to leave it as standard.( Plus, you still have some randomness with the strategic resource techs)

I don't understand this. May you please elaborate more. Not saying you are wrong but how does having "same old same old" work? All you do is just beeline to the best tech then. No strategy at all.

Also what do you mean randomness with the strategic resources techs? I don't understand.

[aReclusiveMind]

There is no such thing as beelining for the best techs. Especially early on. The galaxy throws a lot of curveballs at you.

Focusing on asteroid mining for instance, when no asteroids are around, is not a good strategy. You may instead see a lot of helium-3 or some antimatter around and focus your economic engine around those.

You may need to research colonizing hostile worlds early to take advantage of a huge rich planet. This may change the whole focus of your research towards planetary engineering.

You may have an opponent close by. Suddenly weapons and defenses start to take priority.

You may need logistics early because you can't see any good systems nearby.

There are a lot of tech choices even with the default non random setup. The optimal choice even varies by the race you are playing. I played for several years with no tech tree randomization. There is nothing wrong with randomizing, but it isn't a requirement for a varied experience.