[GS] Seven Seas - Dec 2023 challenge DISCUSSION THREAD

[Eagle Pursuit]

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This challenge has a badge for Prince and for Emperor difficulties

Play as Konge Harald Hardrada with Heroes & Legends Mode and Gathering Storm ruleset*

*players who do not own these expansions or DLCs will be granted trial access for the challenge period

 

[Jeppetto]

It's with Heroes & Legends mode too, interesting.
This could bring potential, in Civ 7, to implement Scenarios and Modes in this way. Like one of the challenges could use unique Civ + Leader a be something Steampunk / Fantasy, one could have different rules about Barbarians or Resources, etc.

 

[Goodenuf]

Both of the challenges thus far also start in a later age. I rarely do that on my own so it makes for a bit of an interesting adjustment

 

[pokiehl]

Both of the challenges thus far also start in a later age. I rarely do that on my own so it makes for a bit of an interesting adjustment

That's a good point. I never start in later ages.

 

[Nikolai II]

later ages starts you with no development in Civ, it takes me out of my immersion, so I don't really do it either.

 

[remex]

Hi, how to start it in Emperor?

 

[Hellenism Salesman]

Gathering Storm ruleset*

*players who do not own these expansions or DLCs will be granted trial access for the challenge period

Wait, so they could have used the expansions last month but chose not to?

Huh.

 

[Nikolai II]

Wait, so they could have used the expansions last month but chose not to?

Huh.

Making more varied challenges, I guess?

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Wait, so they could have used the expansions last month but chose not to?

Huh.

The web page indicates that they responded to player reactions to the first challenge. I assume that meant both the ruleset and the difficulty levels.

 

[InsidiousMage]

Wait, so they could have used the expansions last month but chose not to?

Huh.

In addition to what Eagle Pursuit said, it was probably safer to start with only the base game to make sure it works, then use DLC once you are sure it works.

 

[blackbutterfly]

Strategies?

Recruit as many heroes as possible?

(They are all so OP so I'm guessing they will give the greatest advantage).

Sinbad in particular is great on water maps.

 

[Oberinspektor Derrick]

Still no option to play on deity I see. Such a shame, will pass then.

 

[UWHabs]

In addition to what Eagle Pursuit said, it was probably safer to start with only the base game to make sure it works, then use DLC once you are sure it works.

Yeah, you want to start with the basics. The fact that they did the second one with multiple levels, including DLC, means they presumably had that as available, and didn't have to rush to hack it in last minute. It's definitely good news, and hopefully they can continue to expand on the setups.

I didn't play the first one, but this one is tempting that I might give it a try, if I find the time.

 

[Disgustipated]

I'm not sure how to start on Emperor? I'm trying again. I finally get some time to play. Not a big fan of most of the modes, so I'll have to "deal with" heroes and legends.

Okay, no idea how to change difficulty. When I click the button on the main menu it takes me right to the game.

edit: okay, now I see it. When I minimized the game and went back, the arrow buttons on the annoying obnoxious "new features" box actually showed up, but only after some horrible lag after bringing the game back up.

edit: Also take note mods seem to work on this game? I forgot to disable my mobs, and my policy card mod is showing up right from the get go.

As for strategy, it seems domination, religion, and diplomacy victories are enabled. I'm undecided what to do here. I'm not sure if barbs are enabled, so not sure if I want to try to get a religion on emperor. I'll probably just go domination for diplomacy. Have to see how the map shakes out.

 

[Equilin]

from the initial map i see Yerevan, Hong Kong, Venice, Nazca, Rapa Nui, La Venta and Jerusalem CS, as well as Mato Tipila (next to spawn location) and Galapagos Islands.

 

[Goodenuf]

Also take note mods seem to work on this game? I forgot to disable my mobs, and my policy card mod is showing up right from the get go.

The mods I have seemed to work for me in the first one as well; until I tried to save it and come back to the game later. Then they did not work at all.
I haven't tried this one yet.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Mods might work better because your mods are probably designed for the GS ruleset, which this challenge utilizes.

 

[Disgustipated]

I'm definitely not speed running this game. And I don't have enough time to play because of work anyways. Would have preferred they released this at the end of the week. I was just exploring the map and whatnot, but eventually it looks like I'll have to switch over to conquer mode.

There's a ton of city states, barbarian camps were spawning a ton of units, and it seems the luxuries are by the barbarian camps which is interesting. Of course the ai is at a disadvantage because the barbs scare them off or capture their settlers (more for me), and the ai in general doesn't like to settle far away, at least in the early game. I do like the initial city spots have no luxuries. Forces you to explore and smash those barbarians.

edit: another thing this scenario has a lot of is natural disasters. Anyone else having repeated forest fires South of the wonder that Norway starts near? These fires are decimating my population. I don't normally chop forest on tundra, but I may have to. They keep happening over and over.

Another interesting thing, or more annoying thing is the AI is cramming cities in every nook and cranny, no matter if they can keep the city via loyalty or not. The lack of land in this map is really causing the AI to be desperate. I've had many cities get tiles taken away due to aggressive AI city placement.

Final edit: This game is complete. Diplomatic victory. I wasn't in the mood to conquer anything, especially since I had no aluminum. The AI went crazy attacking city states at the end. Interesting the final game graphs show no cities lost or destroyed (though I'm certain at least one city state was destroyed). Got a badge for the diplo victory and overall victory (so the other 2 spots are still there), but I can't be bothered to play this gain. Even though I'm very much a completionist. Not to mention I didn't get credit for the lower difficulty level, so if I wanted all the badges I would have to play Prince 3 times as well. No thanks.

Final thoughts. It was more interesting than the last one for sure. Barbs kind of dictated my strategy early on. I could have went for a religion, but I had to deal with barbs and try to expand before the AI.

 

[KyivanRusCivPlease]

Hi everyone! My game freezes at the beginning for the second time in a row after loading the Emperor level challenge! Did anyone experience the same?
EDIT: I switched to DirectX 11 and it has been working fine so far.

 

[UWHabs]

I'm definitely not speed running this game. And I don't have enough time to play because of work anyways. Would have preferred they released this at the end of the week. I was just exploring the map and whatnot, but eventually it looks like I'll have to switch over to conquer mode.

There's a ton of city states, barbarian camps were spawning a ton of units, and it seems the luxuries are by the barbarian camps which is interesting. Of course the ai is at a disadvantage because the barbs scare them off or capture their settlers (more for me), and the ai in general doesn't like to settle far away, at least in the early game. I do like the initial city spots have no luxuries. Forces you to explore and smash those barbarians.

edit: another thing this scenario has a lot of is natural disasters. Anyone else having repeated forest fires South of the wonder that Norway starts near? These fires are decimating my population. I don't normally chop forest on tundra, but I may have to. They keep happening over and over.

Another interesting thing, or more annoying thing is the AI is cramming cities in every nook and cranny, no matter if they can keep the city via loyalty or not. The lack of land in this map is really causing the AI to be desperate. I've had many cities get tiles taken away due to aggressive AI city placement.

Final edit: This game is complete. Diplomatic victory. I wasn't in the mood to conquer anything, especially since I had no aluminum. The AI went crazy attacking city states at the end. Interesting the final game graphs show no cities lost or destroyed (though I'm certain at least one city state was destroyed). Got a badge for the diplo victory and overall victory (so the other 2 spots are still there), but I can't be bothered to play this gain. Even though I'm very much a completionist. Not to mention I didn't get credit for the lower difficulty level, so if I wanted all the badges I would have to play Prince 3 times as well. No thanks.

Final thoughts. It was more interesting than the last one for sure. Barbs kind of dictated my strategy early on. I could have went for a religion, but I had to deal with barbs and try to expand before the AI.

I decided to give it a try, and opted for the religious route. Between Dance of the Aurora and stave Churches, my core cities are all rocking like +11 holy site adjacencies, which obviously pairs very well with Work Ethic. Got Sinbad to give me enough cash to do whatever I want, and there's plenty of barbarians around to max him out quickly.

I only got through the first era. I don't usually play the advanced starts, so there's some weird stuff from that to get used to. The era I don't know if it was coded to take forever, but I think I'm at like 70/29 era score. I think next era is basically just going to be spamming out settlers as fast as the eye can see, and just colonizing the entire planet. I guess after that colonization kick I'll see which victory seems the easiest.