Having to restart campaigns 50 - 60 year in because RNG doesn't go your way saps all the fun out of this game.
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Enable save states in Ironman
- Thread starter klingonadmiral
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You are aware that you can make a copy of the ironman save file using your computer operating system, then restore it after an adverse RNG event, right?
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Yes.
But good game designs leans into the players' habits. Plus this method has the issue that it still advances the game date.
Just make it so that you can't save again for 50 ingame years or so to not make save-scumming casual.
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Oh, i think i misunderstood your post. You are actually complaining about there being too much random chance involved in the game?
Is there is a specific thing you want to mention, or are you against all use of random values?
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Half agree, half disagree - I'd take more chances if I could roll back saves (I never play non-Ironman, never got into the habit) - but then I'd learn less about the game via the punishment of RNG + some variable I wasn't aware of.
The half agree comes in for events like my last playthrough as Holland, in which in 1621, France just said 'LOL CONQUEST' and destroyed me. I'd have rolled that back & annoyed everyone less in the peace deal immediately preceeding that, but then again now I know about AE
The half agree comes in for events like my last playthrough as Holland, in which in 1621, France just said 'LOL CONQUEST' and destroyed me. I'd have rolled that back & annoyed everyone less in the peace deal immediately preceeding that, but then again now I know about AE
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In my last game:
Burgundy chosing the Habsburgs despite being a +200 opinion ally of France (me) ... twice ... and both times Mary offered me a "Political Marriage"
Naples evading the Baronnial Revolt even though sitting at 20-30 legitimacy for a decade before the cutoff date at 1494
Castile chosing a local noble (though that was admittedly in my favor)
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Yes, some events do have a wide swing on a single random draw. I would support making the Burgundian inheritance devoid of chance for a Human, by either making Humans completely banned from inheriting it, or by only allowing the Guelderian duke, Adolf of Egmont, to inherit. He would have gotten it if it weren’t for the random chance of him dying in battle.
According to who? Quit whining about cheating taking a small amount of effort. The game isn't obliged to let you cheat.
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There already is a simple and convenient way to work around this. Before starting a new game, there is a checkbox saying "ironman mode". Simply uncheck it to enable the ability to save at will.
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That is the point of Ironman. Don’t like it? Put in the minimal effort to get around it or don’t play Ironman.
I keep regular backups. Not about RNG, but because of bugs (last night, in the middle of my war with Denmark the “transfer subjects at half cost” age ability quit working and now Norway costs the full amount and there are two options for Sweden one at full cost and the other half, I will definitely be reverting that), allowing me to experiment with obtuse and unexplained mechanics, and to branch campaigns for achievements. It really isn’t that hard.
I keep regular backups. Not about RNG, but because of bugs (last night, in the middle of my war with Denmark the “transfer subjects at half cost” age ability quit working and now Norway costs the full amount and there are two options for Sweden one at full cost and the other half, I will definitely be reverting that), allowing me to experiment with obtuse and unexplained mechanics, and to branch campaigns for achievements. It really isn’t that hard.
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Then you should also not play Ironman, as you are not using the mode as intended.
I am not cheating. Emperor was a huge uptick in RNG. In 1.29 and below you could take a mostly guaranteed free 150-ish dev as France from the BI, while nowadays you have a huge ~400 development delta between getting the inheritance or not getting it - which is at the end of the day out of your hands. The upside of getting an at least mostly healthy Burgundy is so massive that it makes absolutely zero sense to continue a run where Burgundy either screws up or goes to someone else.
I heavily disagree with this as all European majors excluding the Ottomans and kind of Russia (and for those you could make the argument that they are essentially playing in Asia) are somewhat on the weaker side.
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weaker? that's the point of picking nations other than the ottomans. if your strategy relies on a coin flip, maybe you need a better strategy?
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Only if you have to accumulate dev in a predetermined way. Otherwise take it before, take it after, don’t take it all. Go conquer Italy instead. There are plenty of ways to carry on that game? And if you do want to play with more control for whatever reason, nonironman or backups are valid options. I think the whole idea of Ironman is to commit to taking setbacks like that in your stride
That said, I do sympathise with the examples given more than I initially thought I would. It would be nice if the trigger conditions/decision factors for big events were such that they usually make logical sense. E.g. Poland randomly takes a local noble, because he’s a great ruler. Sometimes it may turn your plans upside down but it is at least sane. That is RNG that is easier psychologically to accept. The Burgundian Inheritance can be a bit harder to explain within the narrative of the game, and therefore more frustrating.
Weaker than the Mamluks and Japan:
Castile -> Spain: 2780 dev in 1651. In the uppermost percentage luck-wise since I got the Wedding before Naples was released as well as a PU over France in 1505-ish. Also has a PU over Austria and Opole, but I don't count these until they are integrated.
Mamluks -> Arabia: 2687 development in 1670
Ashikaga -> Japan: 2711 dev in 1666
I think most people would agree that Castile is one of the strongest countries in Europe while Mamluks and (non Shogunate cheese) Ashikaga are clearly second-rate countries. However, it took literally 99th percentile luck for Castile to outperform them (without the France PU, I wouldn't have the Austria PU).
Europe simply has multiple inherent problems that some other parts of the worlds are spared of.
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kinda agree with klingonadmiral tho the bi in this patch is really annoying
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Europe being different is not a problem, it is a feature. all countries are supposed to be different in power and ability to expand. that's part of what makes them fun to play.
Maybe, but I’m not sure that’s an argument for changing ironman?
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Dude, there is the whole point of ironman. You have to adapt your decisions to the rng.
I personally never had a situation when I had to restart after 50 years besides my first games when I didn't understand the mechanics, went into massive coalition and had no idea how to deal with it. When RNG is not on your side it is even more fun. I like playing new games in regions I have no idea about so I don't know what the events will be.
I personally never had a situation when I had to restart after 50 years besides my first games when I didn't understand the mechanics, went into massive coalition and had no idea how to deal with it. When RNG is not on your side it is even more fun. I like playing new games in regions I have no idea about so I don't know what the events will be.
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I almost quit my Aragon campaign this week when Burgundy chose to remain Burgundian instead of falling into my hands. Been allied and married to them since day 1.
However kept going... a decade later, during which they warred and conquered like a drunken sailor, managed to put my dynasty on their throne and immediately claimed it. Just as I prepared to attack them, they fell into a PU with me, and 2-3 years later I suddenly inherited them.
It all happened so fast I had just enough time to accept the Dutch culture and move my capital to the Lowlands before the Dutch revolts kicked off.
My point is, even if one event chain doesn’t work out, there are others...
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As someone who doesn't care about achievements and only uses Ironman because I tend to forget to save in normal mode.. I would actually love a pseudo-ironman mode without achievements that automatically saves the game every month and whenever I close the game, but also makes automatic backup saves I can get back to without having to check auto-save 1-20..
Stellaris has it like that where each save has inbuilt multiple sub-saves of older stuff you can immediately go back to easily.
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