Random Personalities?

[Ganthan]

Does this feature even work properly? Since I play on Marathon speed I haven't exactly tested it extensively but I have used it in a couple of my games. Both times it just seemed to make all the leaders exactly the same, lacking the extreme and colorful variety they would have normally.

I have a bad habit in games of wanting to redo entire sections if I feel they just didn't go well enough. I've never played past year two in Dwarf Fortress, in Oblivion I press quick save more often than attack and don't even ask me about Neverwinter Nights 2.

So I'm trying to condition myself to learn to live with stuff as they happen and part of that is playing Civ 4 with as much random stuff activated as I can. Huts/events on, randomly selected civ leader and random personalities, and absolutely no reloading of old saves.

 

[Mylene]

Sure, it works
You can get Hatshy and Gandhi on the warpath, while Ragnar builds wonders and spreads his religion.

 

[Aristos]

I have never, ever played without Random Personalities. I just find it boring to know beforehand how a leader will behave because you happen to know its personality from playing before. Random Pers gives you a nice ride.

It works perfectly well.

 

[*Svart*]

i hate random pers. I prefer to put random leader everywhere, but i like to know who i am fighting.

 

[GGracchus]

When Gandhi comes at you with a horde of troops in the BC's, you'll know he's monty in disguise.

 

[Aristos]

When Gandhi comes at you with a horde of troops in the BC's, you'll know he's monty in disguise.

Yes, you may conclude that. But then it's too late, isn't it?

You have to be prepared and focused the entire time, specially in the beginning, to try to "identify" behaviours... far better than having them granted because you happen to know the guy from previous games... an advantage that the AI does not have.

 

[GGracchus]

I never play with random personalities so diplomancy is a little easier: I can trust gandhi to go culture, MM to be a tech leader, and Monty and Shaka to DOW me(and therefore not trust the two latter ones)

 

[Aristos]

I never play with random personalities so diplomancy is a little easier: I can trust gandhi to go culture, MM to be a tech leader, and Monty and Shaka to DOW me(and therefore not trust the two latter ones)

I know it's a matter of taste also, but why would you want diplo to be easier?

 

[GGracchus]

So I can have fun in a game where randomness is already a big factor.

 

[Aristos]

So I can have fun in a game where randomness is already a big factor.

It's interesting how different the definition of "fun" can be from person to person... to me, randomness is fun. The more, the better. If I wanted determinism, I would go read a history book. I'm not lecturing you, I'm just noticing how different it can be... enjoy!

 

[Ice_Tyrant]

I always Random Personalities. I wouldn't want to know if Moctezuma is going to be a war monger as soon as I see him.

 

[Ataxerxes]

Seldom do random personalities. It does make the game easier but if the game is too easy you just increase the level. It reduces randomness and by mid-game you should know who you're dealing with. For instance, if Toku is selling you monopoly techs you can guess who's running the show. And if you can't get Open Borders at Cautious you know Toku is behind it. If Shaka is flooding you with missionaries, etc.

Also, although the relationship is weak, leaders often tend to do what they're good at. Aggressive leaders are more warlike and so get more out of their trait. Industrious leaders are more likely to go for wonders and so get more from their trait. Monty trying to build wonders is actually a weaker leader, as is warmonger Louis. Also, a peaceful Zulu leader isn't as dangerous as Shaka. So the increase in difficulty may not be as great.

 

[Tecibbar]

I always play Unreastriced leaders
Never Random Personalities.
Mostly because I will drill my brain out trying to figure out who's who. That's a complexity I don't want in a game. I like to play crosswords and civ4, but not both at the same time.
You CAN figure out who's who. favorite civics, propensity to be bribed, tech whoreness, peace weight, attack/defend units ratio etc. all leave figerprints.

 

[TheWilltoAct]

It's interesting how different the definition of "fun" can be from person to person... to me, randomness is fun. The more, the better. If I wanted determinism, I would go read a history book. I'm not lecturing you, I'm just noticing how different it can be... enjoy!

Interesting that you would mention an aversion to historical boundaries, the entire tech tree is an exercise in determinism from the inevitable granary to axemen and onward. Unless you use a mod, the rules and building choices have been set in stone before you found your first city.

 

[Lone Wolf]

I don't see how random events and random personalities are really comparable. Events and huts add more luck factor to the game, while RP doesn't, really.