pdm?

[The_13th_Ronin]

When the game gets to its later stages you need to slow down to play it anyway. When a massive wars going on you usually have to pause each day if you want to conduct it efficiently.

[airpirate]

First one is minor, but this is beyond trivial.
If it were to become as slow as pre-AHD V2 was, then it would be too crammed.
Lack of speed = less accessibility, ultimately lower popularity.

PDM is an important experiment that proves the true value of underlying mechanisms.
I appreciate the pop & economic simulation of V2 much much more due to Naselus & co.'s hard work.
Now I understand better how much delicate balancing it has required.

Did I ever say the slow down wasn't major? I personally don't mind it, and some people don't get it, but it is the one thing new PDM players should be wary of.

[flame7926]

Yeah, its as slow as pre AHD V2 for me. But my computer is not the best.

[Tolstak]

PDM also makes the game very easy. Blobbing is easier than vanilla and money is NEVER a problem.
Many of the changes meant to "balance" the game, for example the redesigned military units and the rebuilt tech tree with a focus on inventions rather than techs, actually just cause the player frustration.

I would not recommend it, especially to a new player who may find the infinite money and easy expansion to be a crutch.

[lullelulle]

In my honest opinion, and I really seem to be against the norm here, I think PDM is great in theory. But when actually playing it's A LOT easier than playing vanilla.

All these changes are great in theory, but in practice they make the game easier.

[flame7926]

In my honest opinion, and I really seem to be against the norm here, I think PDM is great in theory. But when actually playing it's A LOT easier than playing vanilla.

All these changes are great in theory, but in practice they make the game easier.

Its because the ai can't handle the economy, it goes bankrupt a lot in vanilla.
But I would not say that blobbing is easier. I dont know about the infamy rate, but the infamy wars are good when you go over the limit.

[Tolstak]

Just because the AI cannot handle the economy does not mean the player should be given massive boosts to income and research points.

[flame7926]

Just because the AI cannot handle the economy does not mean the player should be given massive boosts to income and research points.

The player isn't given boosts over the AI. Income is just because everything is a bit more profitable so the ai doesn't sink.

[Tolstak]

But the AI is bloody retarded and cannot fully take advantage of the INFINITE MONEY and massive boosts to RP gain.

A better solution would be giving boosts JUST TO THE AI so that the player would be left with more a challenging game, rather than setting tax efficiency to 100% and giving everyone free money on the second day, which only removes the economy as something that even needs to be managed.

[lullelulle]

The player isn't given boosts over the AI. Income is just because everything is a bit more profitable so the ai doesn't sink.

Yes and the player benefits greatly from it while the AI is only saved from ruin by it.

Managing the economy is way easier in PDM. Which makes it boring in my opinion.

[airpirate]

But the AI is bloody retarded and cannot fully take advantage of the INFINITE MONEY and massive boosts to RP gain.

A better solution would be giving boosts JUST TO THE AI so that the player would be left with more a challenging game, rather than setting tax efficiency to 100% and giving everyone free money on the second day, which only removes the economy as something that even needs to be managed.

A few things:

1: Tax efficiency is back in the game as of quite a few PDM versions ago.
2: I find RP's harder to get in PDM. In vanilla the RP bonus techs are massively overpowered and you don't need to worry about anything except Clergy (which you can heavily abuse for massive literacy gain) and clerks. Everything with Clergy is capped at 2.00% in PDM (so literacy takes longer to build up), and it's pretty much impossible "max out" RP gain (you'll never get 4% capitalists).
3: How difficult the economy is to manage varies from version to version. I would also point out that maintaining a large bureaucracy, army, and navy is really, really, expensive in current versions of PDM. The economy isn't perfect, but I find myself having to do massive cuts to pretty much everything in times of war to keep my stockpile level maxed. Even in times of peace, I can have a maxed out education and bureaucracy slider, but it requires pretty high taxes (and even then the bureaucracy slider can be draining for large countries). I can’t really compare PDM with vanilla as I haven’t played it in a while, but PDM’s economy does require management.

[OrrieKM]

I feel that PDM makes the game too easy for my liking, but yes, it has more events and decisions which adds to the flavor.
But besides from that, its pretty much makes the game easier overall.
It also has some interface issues with the goods pages, and my imaginary OCD can't stand that.

I only use NNM these days.

[Retrograde]

It also adds a lot of fun new unions to create, allowing for new goals and playthroughs. Recreating Mali, anyone?

[Tolstak]

It also adds a lot of fun new unions to create, allowing for new goals and playthroughs. Recreating Mali, anyone?

Aren't those all in NNM?