First off, what I loved most about the original Tropico was how so many different factors changed the game's estimated difficulty percentage, which would effect the final score. I found this to be the best kind of difficulty system in any videogame that has ever been released by allowing the player to tweak the areas they felt they were good at to make them harder, without making others harder.

For example, I typically played with the Beer Baron background and built an economy entirely around getting as much Rum shipped out as possible, which meant money was typically a pretty easy deal. I could eventually afford to make the money side a little harder to deal with, or everything else about the game (Map size, terrain, political climate) a little harder and rely on my strong economy to make do with the rest of the game, without putting extra stress on cash as well.

But what I've discovered is that one of the more interesting parts of Tropico, the fact that you define your character by his past and his personality Qualities and Flaws. You had to make a choice of what benefit and penalties you wanted to pick.

This just gets dumbed down in Tropico 4, as Qualities and Flaws are merged into a simple choice of 3 of them, but you can just use 3 of the positive traits for your playstyle and skip the flaws entirely.

Was wondering why the developers chose to remove this choice from the game.

I'd imagine part of it is to do with the casual / lower-the-bar type of gaming a lot of people who play Tropico like. It introduces an "Easier" mode. The "hardcore" players can choose to take them, but since it's not forced, more people might enjoy it. When they're ready for the challenge, they can take negatives instead.

Bear in mind many of them "balance" (give + and - bits).

I think it's an improvement, but if nothing else it's a change that was needed to "refresh" that part of the game.

you can skip the positive and take 3 negitive traits if you like..

(17-05-2012 01:28 AM)Tropije Wrote:  you can skip the positive and take 3 negitive traits if you like..

I like doing this. It's like it's really me running the country!

(17-05-2012 05:42 PM)RELee Wrote:  

(17-05-2012 01:28 AM)Tropije Wrote:  you can skip the positive and take 3 negitive traits if you like..

I like doing this. It's like it's really me running the country!

heh, that made me laugh..

But that is one of the ways to effect difficulty. Though honestly i think it needs a bit more of an effect.

Id love to see other traits.. things that are major negitives..

Perhaps...

Crowned Prince.. Having grown up in the lap of luxoury you have no idea what money is all about. buildings cost 50% more

Radical Leader.. You really should learn to keep your mouth shut, cause the things you say really rub people the wrong way. (each year one random citizen becomes a rebel and another a criminal.


could add another 10 or soo that have some very bad effects. could make things interesting for missions. Sure you can add all this through scripting, but it would be nice to beable to add it to any campaign, or challenge you play.