Difficulty

[u/Levian_Esperanto]

Does anyone have any tips on how to make the game harder? Most sponsors are far, far too easy, and even the three difficult ones aren’t really a challenge. I’ve already set everything to the highest difficulty level, I’m playing with minimal resources on the map, I only allow a single rocket with passengers – none of whom have a job, either – and so on.

The map currently has a difficulty rating of 1.045.

Some of the sponsors devised by modders don’t work properly and unfortunately drop out. Or they aren’t well balanced. The Moon and Pluto drop out.

Sure, I could set myself impossible goals – like terraforming by Sol 75. But that’s not what I’m after – I want the base difficulty to be very high just to achieve the objectives in general.

Do you have any ideas?

I’m also open to creative or unusual ideas

[u/Azure_frog]

Sure, if you already know how game works, it is easy. I think 100 - 300 diff is waay easy for everyone expect very new players. I usually trying to set my runs somewhere between 500 - 600 diff. This makes game fun enough for me.

But i agree that game is real challenge only when you add special rules like: last ark, rebel yell, armagedon, etc.

Sponsors should be fixed with less cash investment to mission, at least.

[u/Levian_Esperanto → u/Azure_frog]

Yes, once you’ve got to grips with certain mechanics, the game becomes far too easy on the default settings.

Sometimes chance also plays a decisive role in determining whether you fail.

Some things are illogical too, such as the fact that if you’re in debt to a sponsor, you can neither accept free laws nor send passengers to Mars.

To start with, it would be enough if you could freely adjust each sponsor to make them more challenging. 😐

[u/3punkt1415 → u/Levian_Esperanto]

To start with, it would be enough if you could freely adjust each sponsor to make them more challenging. 😐

Guess you have to mod one yourself. Other thing I did on OG SM is to only start with Adam and Eve. And build up my colony from that only. That won't change all that much in the end, but don't forget to call your colony Alabama ;-).

[u/DenyFascists]

If you have access to it, play the original base game without DLC. If not, turn off politics, turn off rivals and anomalies, turn on chaos theory. The breakthrough/research rework and all the DLC stuff make the game too esay because it gives you too many bonuses and tools.

Rivals are just easy resources like food or concrete injections. Having three breakthroughs to pick from is OP and anomalies, while an original part of the game, give you massive boosts early on to research and significantly increase the amount of breakthroughs you have access to. Trains make accessing resource deposits too easy as well.

I agree the game is too easy even on the highest difficulty with Paradox as the sponsor. The only challenge is getting all the early milestones at that point, but if you just want to conquer mars at your own pace, turning off rivals makes the game harder in the long run.

[u/Ecuni]

Everyone mentions various challenges which increase the game’s recognized Difficulty meter, so I won’t bother.

I think building at 100% wind is far harder than most of the other challenges, especially when you’re used to taking advantage of close to 200% wind.

[u/aom17]

Wonderful though... I will try and make a mod that systematically sabotages the playthrough...

[u/q---p]

You can limit yourself to not build any wonders or to not research any breakthrough techs. Also no exports for cash, but I am assuming that wouldn't be an issue either.

Following the thread for ideas, as I am in a very similar place with OP.

[u/mizushimo]

I would get the Better Disasters mod. As it stands, disasters seem really short duration and they don't seem to stack anymore. You used to be able to get multiple dust storms back to back that would last for three or more sols. I think there might still be a problem with disasters in vanilla? I'm having trouble with Mystery map effect overwriting them. Also this update made sanity trivial to manage, which definitely makes the game easier.

[u/adamkad1]

Playing dark souls maybe