Stonewall382
Knight at Arms
Looking for a real challenge? Think you're the master of this game? Think you got what it takes?
So did I.
I think I've developed a way to make the game a lot harder for those of us who have been playing for a few years, and have lost some of the enjoyment because the game is so damned easy (after a LOT of time spent playing). So, without further ado, here are the rules (in no particular order):
1. Battle size must be as high as your computer can reasonably take it--even something like 80 or 90 would be good.
-- Janus' Battle Size Changer tool can be found here.
2. In the options screen:
a. All the options in the lower right need to be disabled.
b. Damage to player: Normal.
c. Combat AI: Good.
d. Control block dir.: by mouse movement.
e. Control attack dir.: however you want to do it.
3. Must be in first person camera mode during battle.
- As per Roller's argument, this is an optional Iron Man rule. I still support it, but he made a solid argument for third person camera mode later in this thread.
4. You cannot hire troops to make your party size more than twice your level (this should be discussed/worked on).
- This is no longer an Iron Man rule, as it almost entirely nullifies the leadership skill.
5. You cannot buy any items that cost more than your level cubed (lvl 1--nothing above 1 denar, lvl2--nothing above 8 denars, etc.).
-- This was put in because the lower level armors never get used by the player, and they really should.
6. You must try to battle realistically:
a. Don't race your horse around the battlefield endlessly--keep in mind a horse's stamina.
b. Don't march backwards and fight at the same time (in reality, you'd get knocked over and swarmed).
c. You won't be able to tell who's who very well, but try to hold your swing if you're attacking a friend (this one doesn't really matter, but it helps the realism, and I personally just like doing it).
7. If you get knocked out:
a. If you're SURE that it was a blunt damage weapon (you should know which weapons are blunt damage just by looking at them)
that hit you last, you're unconscious.
b. However, if you're not POSITIVE that it was a blunt damage weapon, you:
1. Take which party member has the highest surgery skill, and use that skill level.
2. Have a clock handy. If the minutes are a multiple of 2 + the highest surgery skill (straight surgery skill--that whole hero skill
decrease thing is bull****), you're dead. If not, you're just unconscious.
Example: You get knocked out, and the last hit is a river pirate (you loser) with a falchion. You have surgery level 3, Marnid has a surgery skill of 2, and Borcha has a skill of 1. You're knocked out, so that is why your surgery skill doesn't matter. Marnid's skill is higher than Borcha's, so we use his for calculations. We look at the clock immediately after the player is knocked out. If the time is, for example, 12:32 (which it is right now
), you're dead, because 32 is a multiple of 2 + Marnid's surgery level (2). If it was 12:33, like it is right now ( ), you'd just be unconscious.
c. An alternative:
8. When knocked unconscious, if you are taken into captivity, you lose everything in your inventory and on your person, and if you have the money, must buy everything out of Marnid and Borcha's inventories too. Then, after the next battle, you must leave all your wonderful items in the after-battle loot. Alternatively, you may put it all in the chest in Zendar, but you can never use it nor sell it.
- You may sell your items to pay for the cost of buying your heroes' items (obviously, you can only sell enough items to pay for the heroes' items--no more)
9. The following cheats are allowed: ctrl+space, F9 (slow-mo), and F11 (freeze time). You can also go into edit mode just to look around if you really want to. However, cheats may not be used to gain extra info about the enemy in a battle, or to give you more time to think.
10. You must bet on your character in an arena fight. It can be even five denars, but you must bet something.
11. If your party gets caught by a pursuing foe, you must fight at least one round of the battle. If you want to retreat, you must run your character to the edge of the map (unless it's a forgone conclusion that you'll make it, in which case you can just hit tab already and get on with it).
- In the same way, if you are chasing an enemy and you catch them, you must charge when you get to the battle screen. Obviously, in reality, if you got to the battle and just stood around, the enemy would just run away.
12. When joining a battle already in progress, use some discretion as to how you order the allied troops around. If you're a level 4 joining a Vaegir War Party in battle, you aren't going to be ordering their troops around, and in fact, all but your heroes would probably go under their command. So you can only order your companions around. However, if you're level 30 and helping Swadian foragers in battle, you would probably take command.
- That said, the first round of a battle in progress that you joined should always be the straight charge from both sides, as you're joining a battle already in progress. After that first round, you may tell your men (and your allied men, as they'd do this too) to hold position and advance in an orderly fashion, or whatever your orders may be.
13. Possible expansion on the orders process: you must have a line of sight to your troops before you can give an order, and even then, it has to be either one specific order (cavalry, charge!), like something you had planned ahead, OR it can be as many generic orders (everyone, follow me!) as you like.
- This only goes when you are a ways away from your troops. If you are riding with your cavalry, you can give them more specific commands, or if you're advancing with your infantry and foot archers, then you can give them more complex orders. The basic thing is, you must be close to your men to give them complex orders. Otherwise, the above rule applies.
14.
15. I don't agree with this rule, but I can see why it's reasonable enough to be included:
16. Remember that these rules are all to be used at your discretion. If you don't like one, change it or disregard it altogether. If you have any suggestions, please post them. But remember, above all else:
Don't be a *****.
So did I.
I think I've developed a way to make the game a lot harder for those of us who have been playing for a few years, and have lost some of the enjoyment because the game is so damned easy (after a LOT of time spent playing). So, without further ado, here are the rules (in no particular order):
1. Battle size must be as high as your computer can reasonably take it--even something like 80 or 90 would be good.
-- Janus' Battle Size Changer tool can be found here.
2. In the options screen:
a. All the options in the lower right need to be disabled.
b. Damage to player: Normal.
c. Combat AI: Good.
d. Control block dir.: by mouse movement.
e. Control attack dir.: however you want to do it.
3. Must be in first person camera mode during battle.
- As per Roller's argument, this is an optional Iron Man rule. I still support it, but he made a solid argument for third person camera mode later in this thread.
4. You cannot hire troops to make your party size more than twice your level (this should be discussed/worked on).
- This is no longer an Iron Man rule, as it almost entirely nullifies the leadership skill.
5. You cannot buy any items that cost more than your level cubed (lvl 1--nothing above 1 denar, lvl2--nothing above 8 denars, etc.).
-- This was put in because the lower level armors never get used by the player, and they really should.
6. You must try to battle realistically:
a. Don't race your horse around the battlefield endlessly--keep in mind a horse's stamina.
b. Don't march backwards and fight at the same time (in reality, you'd get knocked over and swarmed).
c. You won't be able to tell who's who very well, but try to hold your swing if you're attacking a friend (this one doesn't really matter, but it helps the realism, and I personally just like doing it).
7. If you get knocked out:
a. If you're SURE that it was a blunt damage weapon (you should know which weapons are blunt damage just by looking at them)
that hit you last, you're unconscious.
b. However, if you're not POSITIVE that it was a blunt damage weapon, you:
1. Take which party member has the highest surgery skill, and use that skill level.
2. Have a clock handy. If the minutes are a multiple of 2 + the highest surgery skill (straight surgery skill--that whole hero skill
decrease thing is bull****), you're dead. If not, you're just unconscious.
Example: You get knocked out, and the last hit is a river pirate (you loser) with a falchion. You have surgery level 3, Marnid has a surgery skill of 2, and Borcha has a skill of 1. You're knocked out, so that is why your surgery skill doesn't matter. Marnid's skill is higher than Borcha's, so we use his for calculations. We look at the clock immediately after the player is knocked out. If the time is, for example, 12:32 (which it is right now
), you're dead, because 32 is a multiple of 2 + Marnid's surgery level (2). If it was 12:33, like it is right now ( ), you'd just be unconscious.c. An alternative:
Cymro 说:
8. When knocked unconscious, if you are taken into captivity, you lose everything in your inventory and on your person, and if you have the money, must buy everything out of Marnid and Borcha's inventories too. Then, after the next battle, you must leave all your wonderful items in the after-battle loot. Alternatively, you may put it all in the chest in Zendar, but you can never use it nor sell it.
- You may sell your items to pay for the cost of buying your heroes' items (obviously, you can only sell enough items to pay for the heroes' items--no more)
9. The following cheats are allowed: ctrl+space, F9 (slow-mo), and F11 (freeze time). You can also go into edit mode just to look around if you really want to. However, cheats may not be used to gain extra info about the enemy in a battle, or to give you more time to think.
10. You must bet on your character in an arena fight. It can be even five denars, but you must bet something.
11. If your party gets caught by a pursuing foe, you must fight at least one round of the battle. If you want to retreat, you must run your character to the edge of the map (unless it's a forgone conclusion that you'll make it, in which case you can just hit tab already and get on with it).
- In the same way, if you are chasing an enemy and you catch them, you must charge when you get to the battle screen. Obviously, in reality, if you got to the battle and just stood around, the enemy would just run away.
12. When joining a battle already in progress, use some discretion as to how you order the allied troops around. If you're a level 4 joining a Vaegir War Party in battle, you aren't going to be ordering their troops around, and in fact, all but your heroes would probably go under their command. So you can only order your companions around. However, if you're level 30 and helping Swadian foragers in battle, you would probably take command.
- That said, the first round of a battle in progress that you joined should always be the straight charge from both sides, as you're joining a battle already in progress. After that first round, you may tell your men (and your allied men, as they'd do this too) to hold position and advance in an orderly fashion, or whatever your orders may be.
13. Possible expansion on the orders process: you must have a line of sight to your troops before you can give an order, and even then, it has to be either one specific order (cavalry, charge!), like something you had planned ahead, OR it can be as many generic orders (everyone, follow me!) as you like.
- This only goes when you are a ways away from your troops. If you are riding with your cavalry, you can give them more specific commands, or if you're advancing with your infantry and foot archers, then you can give them more complex orders. The basic thing is, you must be close to your men to give them complex orders. Otherwise, the above rule applies.
14.
nijis 说:
15. I don't agree with this rule, but I can see why it's reasonable enough to be included:
Gregor Eisenhorn 说:
16. Remember that these rules are all to be used at your discretion. If you don't like one, change it or disregard it altogether. If you have any suggestions, please post them. But remember, above all else:
Don't be a *****.
)
