Mac Users Play ModAcken - Challenge #1

consentient

Domination!
Joined
Jul 7, 2014
Messages
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I have no idea if there are enough players wanting to join in with playing the mod right now, let alone Mac users (as Acken has been making a special version for us!!), but here is a save file if you want to play along with me.

DemiGod, Inca, Pangaea, Selected (peaceful?) AIs, 9 NWs

I'll add the starting location if people want it, but it's a nice map so far (I've played 25 turns or so) and really, this is such a niche thing it's like, take it or leave it :D
 
so perfectly fine for windows users, yes?

I may finally have a crack at Acken's Mod. Incas remain loyal to Tradition so let's see how will that work out ;)
 
Actually, I think the mods are not compatible at all. You could find out though! Just try loading it! :D

In my own game, T126 resign.

I thought things were going quite well, and then a horrible horde came unexpectedly from the north. I had built a lot of units, but the horde was just a joke, and as you can see from the minimal, I wasn't its first victim. I felt I'd done enough to keep him away, but alas I was wrong.

Spoiler :


Not sure if I'll replay. Peaceful play on Demigod feels like Deity++ for me without the accompanying tech speed and development.

My social policies were Full Piety, Commerce Opener and Trad Opener (didn't want to dip into Aesthetics until guilds were up)

My conclusion (which I know people disagree with) is that:-

Acken Level 6 = Deity+ (in overall difficulty). There are some things that make war easier, for example, but I find my domination sweeps on this level to be much harder than Deity.

Acken Level 7 = Deity++. I've played 3 games on this level now and they feel crazy hard. OK the AI doesn't start with a settler, but the way the game is set up in this mod, the early aggressors quickly spiral out of control.

Acken Level 8 = Haven't played, but can only imagine that victories of any kind would be really hard for me, and I don't think I'm that bad a player. Feel free to disagree and tell me I'm crap! :D
 
so perfectly fine for windows users, yes?

I may finally have a crack at Acken's Mod. Incas remain loyal to Tradition so let's see how will that work out ;)

Both versions are not compatible but windows users can install the DLL free lite-version for mac/linux (haven't put the link yet).
Not sure this thread should be in S&T though even if I appreciate the publicity ;)
 
Given how few threads are in S&T I don't think anyone would have a problem with it being here. Even though it's mod specific, those who don't have the mod may still be able to learn about Civ V in different ways from the write-ups.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Wait, where is the mac version of Acken's mod? I can't find it in his original post, it says it'll be out in a few days?
 
Not sure this thread should be in S&T though even if I appreciate the publicity ;)

1. You deserve the publicity. As drastic as the changes your mod brings in are, you've breathed fresh life into the sagging corpse of one of the best games ever.

2. If the DCL stays in S&T, then why not other challenge games and shared games?
 
Gonna give the mod a go - quick question - is this the first and only save file of the 'Challenge Series' #1? Or are there only saves available, #2, #3 that I just have not found?
 
Yes, this is the first and only -- see the OP posting date.

Update: T60, rolling back 35 turns, missed the last religion. Should have hard built worker.

Do slinger keep special ability when promotted?

EDIT1: T55 missed last religion again. At 211 faith, so it is just RNG. I had reduced faith policy (Mandate of Heaven), but that seems no effect for 1st GPr. I am not much interested if I cannot properly enjoy modified piety tree...

EDIT2: T56 played it better, so at 229 faith I found the next-to-last religon. Once again, it comes down to what the AIs are doing, not how I am playing. Too much RNG -- but that has nothing to do with the mod.

EDIT3: T90 Lost cap to western neighbor. As advertised, cities are noticeably weaker. I am pretty sure I would have survived (just barely though) otherwise. I will try reloading, playing more defensively.
 
I've played parts of 6 games with the mod, but only one to completion (CV with Polynesia Large Islands). The mod is awesome! The last 4 have been Demi-God, and I've done alright. Current game I will likely lose, but not die. Several of the AI always seem to be in berserker mode - absolutely bent on DomV. I have even seen war bribes for free or only 1 gpt. It's weird seeing so much less Piety, and often not much interest in WC Culture Proposals...

I can't help myself, I open with Piety almost every game. beetle, the reduced faith policy should make you pop a GP around 160 faith, I believe. I am almost always first to religion - just lucky?
 
I thought that Mandate of Heaven only applied to purchases and not pops, right?

Nige, can you confirm whether you've won a game on Demigod yet?
 
Slingers keep withdrawal promotion. Knowing that, I cranked out three more right before construction. That saved my game!

the reduced faith policy should make you pop a GP around 160 faith, I believe.

That was my expectation. The mouse-over text also said 200 faith needed for chance at GPr.

T115, I got a DoW from East and West neighbors. East neighbor let me re-negotiate for white peace when he had me on the ropes. I thought this mod was suppose to fix that? Also, many shots on my zero health city rather than my pikes in front. I remember the AI switching over to units when the city is at zero health.

East neighbor opened with a couple fresh GPr, so that was nice. But would not take peace at any price until I was clearly winning. Eventually I took a city, which would have been immediately recaptured, so again I re-negotiated for white peace.

Cities fall a little too easily IMHO. I lost an expo for a few turn. I recaptured it with a pretty strong force, but left a wounded swordsman and wounded CB. Those two units took my city back the next turn! On my turn, 3x full health and 2 full health pikes only barely took it back. It felt very uneven.

I am at T184, just got 2nd place at WF. I feel way behind where I am normally, and I have not even build NC yet. Last on the score board as usual, but I feel the two neighbors are under control. I need to crank out more melee units now, so I am ready when the peace expires.
 
Nige, can you confirm whether you've won a game on Demigod yet?
Yup! That Polynesia CV on Large Islands was Demi-God. I was at or below average on most demographics. But I built Moais early, and so I filled I don't know how many policy trees. After winning WF I was getting a policy every 4-5 turns (I had a wonder in all three early cities)! I didn't quite get to Flight to get the cash.

The AI fought all game - I didn't even have to do any bribes for a long time.
 
Loss by SV, turn 375 (!) -- I still needed about 15 turns.

I had 8000 faith banked and that was with my last GPr costing 3800. Rationalism not unlocking until Industrial very much competes with Ideologies because of Radio bulb. I should have picked TtGoG for my reformation belief.

Game was mostly warding off simultaneous DoWs from closest east and west neighbors. Then at the end bribes to keep the runaway busy with anyone but me.

I wanted to try SV since that is what I am most familiar with, so to have a baseline. I am going to roll back, skip Hubble, and just beeline globalization.

EDIT: Terrible, I cannot get the DiploVC as CS keep getting killed. So I am rolling back to turn 91 when I picked my reformation belief. Should be a much game now that I understand I need to get to the Industrial Age to unlock Rationalism. Patronage has been buffed, which I did not expect, but I really want my first game with the mode to more a bog-standard SV.
 
Islands is a different matter, Nige.

Could you do us a favour and play this map as I think we're of a pretty similar overall level, thought you're probably a more persevering and better peaceful player, and maybe I'm slightly better at war. I just don't see how to defend against Knights with the units I had at the time. Even if I had built horsemen I would have been crushed by one neighbour or another.
 
I'll give it a spin as well. Maybe I'll be lucky and hold out a few more turns longer than you guys did :p

provided of course I can open the map anyway
 
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