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Strive: Conquest

A successor to first Strive For Power game, currently at alpha stage · By Strive4Power

Weekly Objectives, Unique Character Classes, and a few Bugs

A topic by Amag created Nov 06, 2023 Views: 1,194 Replies: 6
Viewing posts 1 to 3
(1 edit)

Just played the most recent version and a few things stood out:


  1.   Character's and mods' name bugs
  2.   Background flickering to main menu screen after animation ends
  3.   Unique characters don't feel unique outside their quests and scenes
  4.   After Loan quest ends, the game feels a bit empty
  5.   The Battles feel repetitive


   The first point is straightforward. Sometimes the JSON tag CHARNAME appears with the character's name. This also happened with the modifications available in the Slave Market menu. It's a simple, yet painful to solve given the amount of text (I know first-hand), bug.

   The second bug is again straightforward. When the background animation ends, the background quickly flickers to the main menu screen (which appears to also be running for some reason) before the BC animation starts again. I know one can turn the animations of, which will probably solve the bug, but I like the animations in the background. A nice addition when compared to Strive for Power, and one we may hopefully see in the ero scenes in the future.

   I know this may be my personal feeling only, but the unique characters barely seem unique outside their quests. Zephira, Anastasia, and the MC have unique classes that actually provides unique bonuses, so I reckon it would be nice to see it with the others. I'd also suggest allowing the development of said classes through EXP. For instance, Zephira receives a divine quest from Alios and, upon completing the quest, the player has the option to expend exp on an evolution of her unique class. Cali could have a Champion class (which further improves her sword) and Daisy could either have an improved Sex Toy class or a Lover class or similar.

   The fourth point is the most "personal feeling" of the five. After playing Strive for Power, my main critique of that game was that one simply needed to farm money in the beginning of the game before having an easy time with all the quests. Only the Dragon's nest felt like a real challenge, even with the best equipment and characters in the game. Having to, in Strive: Conquest, pay a loan gives the player a huge incentive to explore the game and find new ways to either strengthen your party, or get more money to pay the debt. I played in hard mode from the beginning, and it was a good challenge, but after I payed the bank, the game again felt empty, my only objective being upgrade the household, the characters, and doing quests. 

   I suggest having a weekly (or at least  between two and two weeks or something) objective. In the prologue, that'd be the Loan; in the Arc I, the landlords could be required to support the city's war effort through any ways possible (weapons, tools, food, battles participated, potions, armour, wood and stone, anything that can be produced). I haven't played Act II yet, but an objective would feel nice.

   The fifth point again is straightforward, and a bit personal too. The battles feel like the same after the first time you face an opponent. The locations making a difference beyond enemy type and strength could solve the problem. This is a low priority problem, though.

Anyway, I'm hugely satisfied with the game. It's far better than Strive for Power, which was already a good game. 


Edit: Probably something that was already considered in the development, but when it comes to checks in the gameplay, I think it would be better if the game used the stats instead of the factors. For instance, when recruiting Anastasia, even if the MC has maxed charm and chooses all the correct options, if charm factor is below three or four, you'll fail.

I agree that outside of their special scenes the unique characters seem bland. 

After the loan is paid off there is still the civil war arc and the forest and beasts arc, both of which require a lot of MC involvement with  several objectives.

Yeah, there are a lot of quests to do, but they're mostly battle, conversation, or fetch quests. One can simply spam time to get everything, including EXP, and do the quests easily. There's no pressure like there was with the loan quest, the game becomes trivial. I know many dislike the Loan and just want the characters, but I would still like to see a quest like the Loan in Arcs I and II in Hard Mode. For me, having to pay my debts while also leveling up and doing quests was the best part of the game, it was a fun challenge (then again, I think the challenge being restricted to hard mode was a good idea and new Loan like quests should also be limited to harm mode).

2. This is a bug we can't replicate and therefore figure out, hence why there's an option to disable animated backgrounds. Not much we can currently do sadly.
3. I do have some thoughts on deepening class mechanics but I'm not really planning to go overboard with it. And I'm not really sure giving just a couple of stat boosting classes will make things work. Anyway we'll look into it. 
4. I kinda plan eventually put the further story on stricter timer (have to win war in time and so on) so it will happen eventually. 

About 3. I agree that simple stat boosts would be far from a solution, now one or two unique skills would be nice, specially if they're obtained through character quests.

For 2, I can confirm I also have this issue.

I think the point is more that the war itself is far too short, rather than that it needs another timer. I'll write a bit more on this someday, but in a nutshell: Progressing too fast, while not having enough war-related content. I think gatekeeping progression like mansion upgrades and perhaps the farm would be a better choice. I.e. giving people a reason for wanting to complete it rather than forcing a timer. 

For example: Ore could cost more while the mine is not in your possession, or not be available at all. Classes being gatekept behind progression in the story, perhaps in the form of teachers that aren't available. 

Minor annoyances that don't force people to progress if they don't want to but also don't let them get strong enough to cheese the game. 


Paladin for example should imho require you to have Knight + Templar and Holy attacks should be restricted to Priest, Bishop, and Paladins in particular.  Other classes should have similar flavor. I have for example no real reason to pick Knight over Paladin, so that would give Knight a better use. Those classes in turn could be kept behind story related content, or sidequests, like the Priest class is. 

Another thing regarding classes is that there should be a maximum (not counting Master, and so on though. the master is already pretty weak compared to the Servants. )


And last but most importantly: Available quest rewards. I literally got a full, average levelled, Draconic Lance for slaying an Ogre, which is really easy even without a healer.