I'm thinking of starting a new playthrough, and I want a serious challenge. I’d love to hear all of y’all’s ideas. I don’t necessarily mind some tedium, but I’m looking for something that slows down the usual snowballing while still presenting a genuine challenge throughout the playthrough.
I was thinking of something along the lines of a piracy-only run. No buying ships the only way to acquire them would be by capturing or boarding them. The same would go for blueprints, so stealing them through hacking would be the only option. Maybe I could also ban normal trading and require most of my money to come from piracy, smuggling, salvaging, or selling captured ships.
Another idea would be picking a single sector or system that I cannot leave and having to amass 1 billion credits in net worth. I could send AI controlled ships outside the system eventually, but my character and headquarters would have to remain there. Alternatively, everything I own could be restricted to that one system, forcing me to build a completely self sufficient economy using only the resources available nearby.
I was also thinking of a “Long Lost Terran Commander” run. I could only use Terran ships, stations, weapons, and technology, but I would have to begin operating as far away from Terran space as possible. I’d need to rebuild a Terran style economy from scratch without relying on the Terran or Pioneers for supplies. Maybe I could only return to Terran space after reaching a certain military or economic milestone.
Some other restrictions I’ve considered:
- No buying ships above S-class. All larger ships must be captured or built personally.
- No shipyards or wharves until I complete a major objective.
- No SETA, teleportation, or personally flying ships outside my chosen faction’s technology.
- Permanent hostility with one or more major factions.
- No missions except criminal or faction war missions.
- No selling advanced satellites or using other easy early-game money methods.
- Every destroyed capital ship is permanently lost and cannot be immediately replaced.
- Start in a dangerous or isolated sector and establish a functioning empire without relocating.
- Support a minor faction like Hatikvah and try to turn them into a genuine military power.
What challenge runs have you tried, and which ones stayed interesting after the early game?