Difficult, Enduring, & Masochistic Gameplay?

[TehKaoZ]

Well I "think" GoS works because it allows you to set your max grass to the 128 value and still have good grass density (where as normally it would just make your game grass-less).

 

I've had similar experiences with having to extensively test saves, I do use a bash patch as well (although giants riding dragons sounds intense haha). I still try to keep at relatively lore friendly too though, this is why I avoided SkyrimMoMod and set SIC to the purist setting. I agree with simply increasing the potency of what's already in the game (bandits, necro's ect). I think I achieved this pretty well.

Frankly, If I'm winning in a fight, something is terribly wrong with my game!

[baloo42]

i will have to experiment with GoS one day, it sounds and looks promsing :thumbsup:

 

Haha, yeah, i agree, if you're winning a fight, that's when you know something has to change!

SIC - Immersive Creatures is fantastic, i really like what the author did with the giants!

lol, the dinosaurs in Momod were really special! what was it, a Tricerotops! (gotta admire them for their creativity)

 

Best mod Ever imo!!! Hardcore FUS-ROH-DAH !!!!!!! seconded by Swearing Mudcrabs, and possibly Rabbit Rage (psycho wolf hunting rabbits)

but Hardcore FUS-ROH-DAH is guaranteed to give kicks everytime, and it never wears off

(one moment your fighting a bandit and kicking her ass, and you think your next blow will finish her, but your own health is almost critical... then next second, she uses what!! Unrelenting Force (thanks to Revenge of the Enemies!!) and then your flying through the air, and smash your face against a rock, skull fractured, and holy s*** did you fly!!!!!

ohhhhh!!! i almost forgot ... Fire and Ice Overhaul, wait till a manic deranged mage sets fire to a farmhouse, and it then engulfs the overhanging tree !!!!

 

Back on topic, i think ticking each of these categories should contribute to a more "Hardcore" style of gameplay:

 

- Player Character Leveling,

- Combat intensity,

- Visibility (effects combat)

- Economy

- Traps & Diseases

- Encounters

- Loot lists

 

(i also play music from external source, or play Skyrim music soft ... mostly environment ambiance

this way you can't tell when someone is about to attack you, as you will not hear the warning music play

now you almost get that feeling when playing Silent Hill, or Slender Man xD)

 

For Masochistic:

Warning!!!! do not try these mods unless you want an almost unplayable Lvl of difficulty

 

- Encumbrance mods

- Reduced player carry weights

- Wound /Injury mods [ones which require bandages]

- Hardcore Disease mods [with visual effects]

- Invincible Vampire & Werewolf mods [wood stake/silver weapons]

- Property price increase mods

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

i also believe there should be a "Death Penalty"

(lol, and i don't meaning hanging)

there are some great "No Death" mods out there, but unfortunately they're not compatible with my current mods,

so what i do instead, is actually drop weapons/armor whenever i die in a new combat.

The Skyrim Dice System i created for this very reason, that and to add even more restrictions to the game, and a luck element.

 

i think item restrictions is something to go for,

i for one limit my items according to my class,

so if i'm barbarian, that means no spells, and no arrows, for example

whereas, if i'm a Mage, then it would be no armor, no weapons, only dagger, and staff

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

another thing worth mentioning here is roleplaying, which is mentioned on many other forums

the idea of actually playing in your character,

so if i pick my Nord character, i usually play Barbarian, so i think Conan, who has code of chivalry. i think i would class him as Good Neutral.

So his actions would generally be good natured, but the Neutral "law' aspect, he would not so easily bend to the law. He does what he believes is right and just.

Even if it against the law!

 

I am by no means the type of player who would play on Legendary or Master

i think that would class for "Masochistic",

(lol, although i do own a copy of Dark Souls, which is what you are really looking for)

Edited December 9, 2013 by baloo42

[chanchan05]

Well, some mages do wear armor. An example is some of the 7 mage classes from Elder Scrolls lore. Witch Hunters and Spell Swords sometimes use light armor instead of clothing, while Sorcerers and Battle Mages use either heavy or light armors. Bretons are well known battle mages, usually with heavy armor.

[baloo42]

Okay yes, that is very true, but i have personally always taken lore from the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons series, specifically the Forgotten Realms universe. (only clerics and paladins were allowed to wear armor and use weapons, and they could only heal, charm, holy magic (anit-undead), and summoning)

 

With the exception to the "Multi-class characters"

A character may add new classes as he or she progresses in level, thus becoming a multiclass character. The class abilities from a character’s different classes combine to determine a multiclass character’s overall abilities. Multiclassing improves a character’s versatility at the expense of focus.

 

The down-side to multi-class characters:

- Slower Lvl up per class

- Losing special character class abilities

( this would allow you to wear armor and so on, you could even be a cleric mage, and have both spells and scrolls )

 

In Skyrim

- if i was going for ranger, i usually pick a thief-like/wilderness-hunting character, and then limit myself to 2/3 schools of magic ( maybe illusion,conjuration and alteration )

(light armor only, with exception to maybe helmet/gauntlets, i usually let him use a shield/dual weapons, and bows/throwing weapons of course, but likes his blades)

- if i'm a fighter, i might allow myself the use of alteration, but he really knows nothing about staffs/scrolls, maybe a little bit of enchanting/alchemy just for fun :smile:

(i would not even let my fighter use the starting flames/healing spells, and that goes for my ranger too, they are strictly on potion&meal diets)

- if i go mage, i might allow myself the use of a Mace, but mostly Staffs/Daggers/Bound Weapons (slings if there were), and perhaps a Crossbow, or Shortbow

but he would be able to use all and any schools of magic

 

(There are some really cool articles about this on the internet, peoples ideas on how they create their unique classes, so many possibilities ...

but i like to keep it to 3, to keep things simple. There are some i would really like to try however, for example, playing pure Necromancer!

pure Conjuration/Illusion)

 

i also extend these restrictions to the use of alchemy, and forging and improving weapons, thinking along the guidelines of what my characters history is, and how he/she apprenticed

 

There are some cool mods that give more flavor to fight-class characters,

specifically "Throwing Weapons", "Torch Arrows", and maybe even "Dwarven Explosives" (of course weapon mods are simply a must here, i use "Immersive Weapons&Armors")

 

Another thing i take into account, is alignment ... is my character likely to buy leather, hunt for leather, or steal the leather, for example

a good scenario, If i break into a farmers house and get caught taking all his stuff, you are told to leave .... do i walk away like a good man should, or have the evil inclination to actually slit the farmers throat instead, and leave no witnesses ... hmmm

 

i like to play with a really nice mod i came across "Become a Highwayman"

here you can tell people, (anyone) to give you their stuff, thing is, if they don't they become hostile and start attacking you, but this is really awesome when travelling between cities, as a rogue character, and you come across some travelling hunter for example, what are you going to do?

 

There is another one worth mentioning here .. "KOS Land at War"

With this tiny mod you become a permanent outlaw in Skyrim, so no more trading in cities - ever, period! (unless maybe you take the city!)

(i will try this one day, when the time is right :smile: )

 

But it's everyone to their own, these are really just guidelines. But they should contribute to a more enduring style of play, and give more variety to the style of play with each new character build

 

Those "masochistic" mods i have listed will definitely give you what you are looking for in terms of gameplay, i can't remember their specific names, but those are the general categories. Here is one i remember the name to, the link to the undead vampire mod "Supernatural AI - Vampires and Monsters", lol, i did not try the mod after reading the description, this is truly insane!

i liked the "Skeleton Resurrection" mod on one hand, but undead vampires, with new enhanced abilities, together with their life-draining abilities! give me a break :tongue:

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/38370/?

 

At the end of the day, i think everyone's Skyrim mod build must be so unique from anyone elses, and i think that is really cool!

Edited December 10, 2013 by baloo42

[TehKaoZ]

Originally I had tried to make an Orc berserker/barbarian build. I ran in with my two handed battle axe and my fur armor roaring a fus-ro-dah! Then proceeded to get curb stomped by bandits. Now I am the hulking barbarian screaming obscenities at you while firing arrows on top of that mountain ledge =p

[baloo42]

Hell yeah! a Berserker Orc, Man! that's one i have to try. haha, it's so cool to feel that power in Skyrim! (feels like a moment in the Max Payne movie,

when he's jacked up on that crazy ju-ju juice)

i love to go all-out Conan!!! That crazy red-eyed Nord Barbarian from the North! Who takes his women, and loves his drink.

or Redguard, wild dude from the wilderness, with weird vodoo magic, and creepy scars and tribal tattoos, with venom-stained daggers!

 

cool mods worth mentioning here:

"Cannibal Cuisine" - make human pie ... so delicious!

"More Hearts and Flesh" (lol, i think that was the name) =p

Edited December 10, 2013 by baloo42

[KanesGhost]

I love a challenging game, no fun if your a god....though it's also important to me for combat damage to be equal both ways...realism...so I don't play beyond Expert difficulty.

 

My Mod list:

 

The Way of the Dovahkin - Ultimate Deadly Encounters (aka: Sleeping Dangers - Sands of Time)

Deadly Dragons (though vanilla, health and damage upped and set to Swarms)

 

I build the rest of my Mod list around the above two mentioned:

 

Duel Combat Realism - Hardcore

Skyrim Bandages

Fighting Styles of Tamriel

You are being Followed

Realistic Poison

Poison Skills Enhanced

Stealth Skills Rebalanced

Traps Make Noise

Havoc Bedrolls (sleeping outdoors is dangerous due to Ultimate Deadly Encounters)

Faster Stand Up

Martial Arts - Front Flip

Armor Perk Trees Redone - Light Armor (all about agility for me)

Trick Shot Perk for Archery

Sneak Tools

Werewolf Mastery

Would love to use Dragon Combat Overhaul, but is way too buggy.

 

Then there are the immersion Mods:

 

Trade and Barter

Syrealism - Crafting Kits

Realistic Room Rental

Hunterborn

Realistic Loot Lite

Harvesting Animation (dangerous to harvest with Ultimate Deadly Encounters installed)

Reduced Gold Rewards for Quests

Am just trying out 'Forbidden Luxury - The Fur Traders Legacy' at the moment also.

 

Then there are my own rules I play by...I play 'Perma Death' it gives me very good incentive not to die... :confused: ...I tend to play a Stealth Poisons Archer (Nord RP'ed as something else, my own made up Race with a couple of tweaks...is a Werewolf from the start with Beserker Rage set as a lesser power, very heavily RP'ed..he has a temper... :tongue: ...).

 

1. Does not use Enchanted Armor or Weapons.

2. Does not use Magic of any sort...he has none (using a Mod that removes starter spells)

3. Does not use Healing Potions or Skill Buffer Potions.

4. Does not carry weight exceeding 220...a self imposed cap.

5. Does not loot large or heavy items.

6. Only carries the bare necessities, no extra's....Only the one set of Armor he is wearing (Light), one Heavy Bow, one Crossbow (though it is the Van Helsing), one Two Handed Sword, one Dagger, a selection of Poisons, a little Food, Water, Bedroll, Lock Picks, Bandages, Crafting Kits for Camp Fire, Alchemy and Smithing...and a small number of rotating Poisons ingredients.

7. Never Fast Travel or ride Horses or go by Carriage.

8. Has to break out of Battle and run for it if he is hurt...find a safe place to apply Bandages to heal before he can head back into Battle. (The Modder of UDE set the Werewolf Hunter Boss to run just that little bit faster than my Dovahkin, giving me another challenge... :tongue: ...makes escape hair raising... :happy: ...)

9. Only have a Follower if I feel like a break...always Stenvar or Hoth...much prefer Lone Wolf game play...though my man does carry one Enchanted Ring (summons a Sabre Cat) as back up if he is cornered in a confining space (interiors) or heavily outgunned such as two or more UDE Bosses at once or Dragon Swarms around poor cover...and when he is sleeping outdoors.

10. Eats, Drinks, Sleeps and Bathes regularly (Bathing to conceal his scent, I would love to find a Mod to enforce that)...would love also to use a Realistic Needs Mod, but due to RP is impossible, as a Werewolf he lives on raw Humanoid and Predator flesh.

11. Never uses Light Armor beyond Leather.

 

I think that's about it...I love Tactics and Strategy and I find this Mod load out and restriction rules enforces the need for me, is essential for my Dovahkin to survive....have refined the arts of dodging and Bow bashing... :tongue: ...he rarely takes any damage at all...and is a very dirty fighter, such as: If he picks up a train, a nasty UDE spawn or a Dragon Swarm he will high tail it straight for a Bandit or Giant Camp sprinting through the Camp and dragging them into the fray.

Edited December 12, 2013 by KanesGhost

[chanchan05]

@Kanesghost - You need Frostfall and Realistic Needs and Diseases if you really want immersion. RND will make you NEED to eat, drink and sleep regularly. You get penalties if you don't like getting tired means decreased damage on one hand, decreased regen rates etc. Frostfall to make the environment feel like it really would: freezing. You may want to install a lighting mod like RLO (best option for performance) to make dungeons darker like they should be. Locational Damage would also be excellent for you.

 

I have no plans on playing hardcore right now. Still on my first playthrough with SkyRe and Master difficulty on this is pretty harsh (Some people say that vanilla Master difficuty is like Adept difficulty on SkyRe). Still haven't got all the nuances of this mod set. So far I'm getting accurate enough to hunt animals with a crosshair-less bow (can take down deer and wolves from afar. Working on foxes and rabbits). I tried lowering the difficulty to Expert, but then missed the challenge of Master with it's stronger enemies. Although playing on Expert would seem better if I would be a non-potion taker or without magic for hardcore gaming but see, I like mages so I do have healing spells.

[TenderHooligan]

I really like that setup/character/roleplay KanesGhost. In fact, I'd like to inquire about a couple mods.

 

1) What mod do you use to remove starting spells? I have one as well and just curious if there's another better one out there.

 

2) How do you like Skyrim Bandages? I remember looking into several different first aid mods a few months back before I started my current playthrough and found something I couldn't live with with each of them. But I'm not sure if I saw this one specifically or not so I'm curious how you like it and if there's any downside for you.

 

Cheers mate and have fun. My own setup/rules are pretty similar though I probably could never do a Dead is Dead playthrough as I'm just not good enough and get too attached to each character, so mad respect for that.

Edited December 12, 2013 by TenderHooligan

[TehKaoZ]

"crosshair-less bow"? now THATS hardcore! I can barley hit with a crosshair sometimes =p