Your Self-Imposed Gaming Challenges

[Mikejames]

My first go on Dark Souls, I decided I was trying to play a moral character despite benefits of being a sociopath.

Priscilla and the Quelaag's sister were my bros.

 

[Angry Camel]

Batman Arkham City: No leveling up. You never fully appreciate critical strikes until you're halfway through the campaign without them.

 

[jwonno]

I tried one of the Far Cry 2 playthrough where you only have the one life, and you erase your profile if you die.

I like to do no-death runs on the hardest difficulty possible in an effort to simulate reality and some form of tension - that if I die, I die. Game over.

These challenges are great, the one life else new game challenge. It can be very demanding on some games and particularly annoying on RPG's.

My favourite self-imposed challenges are Ultimate Metal Gear Solid Playthroughs: naked run (i.e. no new game+) 1 life (no continues, can save for breaks), hardest difficulty (Extreme or Euro-Extreme), no alerts, no kills, no health recovery items, collect all weapons and unique items (on MGS3: Snake Eater this included all Camos, Facepaints, Plants & Animals, and shooting all the Kerotan Frogs).

 

[elvor0]

I tried one of the Far Cry 2 playthrough where you only have the one life, and you erase your profile if you die.

I like to do no-death runs on the hardest difficulty possible in an effort to simulate reality and some form of tension - that if I die, I die. Game over.

These challenges are great, the one life else new game challenge. It can be very demanding on some games and particularly annoying on RPG's.

My favourite self-imposed challenges are Ultimate Metal Gear Solid Playthroughs: naked run (i.e. no new game+) 1 life (no continues, can save for breaks), hardest difficulty (Extreme or Euro-Extreme), no alerts, no kills, no health recovery items, collect all weapons and unique items (on MGS3: Snake Eater this included all Camos, Facepaints, Plants & Animals, and shooting all the Kerotan Frogs).

That's pretty impressive, I've done Big Boss runs for all the metal gears,(cept 4, damn you sony!) so that's no issue but I hate those little kermit bastards, especially the ones in the chase sequence. grrrr.

Though to be fair, I may well have to do that one day, I know Snake Eater perfectly, I even know whats going to happen before the game does, due to knowing what each disc sound means. It's a shame that in the HD collection they took the Boss mode out. Oh well, 21 playthroughs and counting, why not make 22 the perfect one?

Mind you with Metal Gear Rising coming out, that Big Boss thing may take a hit, no idea what the conditions will be, as you /can/ stealth it up in the demo, and you get an instant S rank for doing so, yet the game obviously isn't designed with that in mind.

 

[Vhite]

To make ONE GODDAMN GAME in Dwarf Fortress succeed. I have been playing it for over a year. I know how to play it, I attempted to make each industry work but I simply cannot make them work well. And it's the little things that always get me. Sheep bite each other to death at the start, making any chance of my future wool industry disappear. Or when I find out that in already built fortress there can be found no better metals than copper, silver and lead. Plants don't grow and when they do they wither instantly just when I have famine in my fortress. And if everything is fine, someone goes insane just for the hell of it making my fortress descend into tantrum spiral.

 

[Bucky01]

i used some mods so i can tinker with my fallout new vegas characters stats and started a new game on the hardest difficulty hardcore mode in which i gain only 33% of total XP earned from stuff, radiation is absorbed 400% normal (so 1 rad per sec = 4 rads per sec)(seriously camp searchlights fire station can kill in 12.5 seconds alone), weight carry base set reduced to zero so i can only carry 200 units of weight before en-cumbersome (without perks), hitpoint multiplier set to 5 (from 20) so barely any hp gain from leveling(currently lv 13 and have only 170ish hp), head DT turned off so if im not equipping a helmet i don't get my Armour's DT stats and can easily be killed, distance before i take fall damage from 600 units to 200 ( a flight of stairs can break your legs/kill if your not careful), only gain a perk every 3 levels, fast traveling turned off, dynamic repair system so there's no weapon repair kits and i require to use a toolbox misc. item each time i repair one item with another in the pipboy menu. an immersive hud so i dont see my hp until its below 30%. oh and increased darkness at night time. (and sierra madre's clouds make it so bad its pitch black, can't see your hand infront of your face by 11pm game time)

oh and waaaaaaaay back when i was a stupid child i went through legend of legaia without using the spirit command as i thought it's only use was to fit in more arts techniques and had no idea it actually reduced damage. boy those boss battles were a pain in the ass. especially Xain.

 

[MajorTomServo]

In LoL, I only really use Cho'Gath, because I think he's cute.

After using him a lot though, I've gotten pretty okay at him.

I've one thing to say to that, and that's

OT: I play through Skyrim with vampirism (not with the DLC), one dagger, no bows etc. I also have mods which make the dragons a lot tougher.

It still doesn't stop the game from being god easy though.

I know he's supposed to be a Lovecraftian Hellbeast, but something about him I just find absolutely adorable.

I just want to pet him and feed him a sugar cube. <3

On that note, while trying to find a cute picture of him, I stumbled upon this.

Spoiler

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

My self-imposed gaming challenge is going through Skyrim using as much stealth as possible, and with a bow and a dagger as my only weapons. I'm trying to kill as few people as I can to see if it works out. Though I am still level 20 because I pickpocket people teaching me skills, so I level up extremely fast.

That's actually not that hard. I have a 36 stealth archer. Let's just say it is fairly rare to not kill an enemy in one hit.

As for my self-imposed challenges, not sure if it counts, but I never buy armor or weapons in MMOs. I either make it, find it, or earn it through quest rewards. Money is for skills, or questing and a speeder (stupid TOR, and it requiring money to go on skill quests...). Although I make an exception in TOR for commendation goods, because God knows I need to use those commendations on something.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I beat Deus-ex:HR without that spinning bomb move. Well more like I didn't know how much easier it would've been with it.

I beat DE-HR without that thing as well. I'm attempting a non-lethal run now, also without that thing (and also I have to kill bosses so...technically it is lethal but...well whatever).

I haven't really taken on any challenges but this thread is a great source of inspiration. I think I'll try a no magic, no health upgrades, no potions run of Fable 2 for my first challenge. If the thread hasn't died then I'll report on my progress.

 

[janjotat]

If the thread hasn't died then I'll report on my progress.

Do you really think that this thread will stay active for a few weeks?

 

[The Sanctifier]

I've tried a few.

In Ace of Spades I've decided that when playing the miner I'll only use the pump action shotgun in Zombie Mode, as the alternative, the double barrel, is ridiculously overpowered. I've seen matches now where almost everyone just picks the miner (who uses shotguns) and just picks double barrel, which allows for incredibly easy zombie kills.

As for single player games, I've tried to beat Rainbow Six Vegas 2 without dieing once, on the easiest difficulty without using squad mates. So far, I've only managed to get about a third of the way through, and the easiest difficulty only makes it slightly less impossible.

Also, In X-COM EU, I try to limit my number of saves to ten in classic. Though that kind of feels a bit more like a necessary challenge for me, as otherwise, I could pretty much reload every-time someone gets killed and then I wouldn't feel as motivated to play really carefully.

 

[TheRussian]

If a weapon is too effective or a character is unbalanced, I shall avoid using the weapon, or use fair tactics that give my opponents a decent chance.
Captcha: "I like you!"
It's alive! It's alive!!!

 

[TWEWYFan]

I don't know if this counts, but I don't allow myself any non-hostile fire/ casualties even where it's not required for success or a bonus.

 

[Nieroshai]

Going through Dead Space 1 and 2 using only the plasma cutter, did upgrade it though.
Not sure if that is really any feat, considering that thing is incredibly powerful at cutting. But it added a bit of tension during hordes of enemies.

Should add it was only on normal difficulty.

Doing Nightmare and Hell in Diablo 2 using nothing but Frozen Orb.

...

...

I joke of course, everyone did that!

In Dead Space, it's actually easier to use only one weapon.

 

[DanteLives]

The only challenge i imposed on myself was to get the platinum trophy for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune as quickly as i could (with breaks of course).

Finished that thing in a few days, boy was the AI a real pain in the backside to deal with.

 

[bug_of_war]

I used to have Skate, on the wii.

I'd frustrate myself taking on loads of challenges that I'd just make up, and then trying to perfect them, to make them look super awesome.

For example, there was a bit with a vertically wavy pavement, with a ledge next to it, wavy in the same way.
So my aim was to roll up the first wave, flip into a grind on to the ledge, grind down the first wave and up the second wave, and flip out to roll down the second wave.

It took me ages, and I sincerely doubt I had fun, but finally nailing it was awesome.

Seriously, there should be features on a skating game that lets you make a challenge, record yourself completing it, and send it to your friends to attempt.

Man I love SKATE. Especially SKATE 3, in that I made it my mission to try and do a flip in EVERY challenge. Of course some are impossible to do, but some of them were so fun when it cam to thinking about where to execute the flip, how much speed I'll need, when to let go of the board. Just...WOW the SKATE series is fun, especially trying to execute all the challenges while keeping your own style.

 

[Blunderboy]

In my second Skyrim play through my imperial soldier only used imperial equipment. Legion armour, sword, shield and bow. No magic and no shouts.

Also in most strategy games I limit myself. Like my games of Rome Total War where I will secure my home region and then not expand for at least 75 to 100 turns.

 

[Sacman]

Well, obviously as a Christian... [sub]Not really...[/sub]

I only do the christian Pokemon playthrough...<.<

Also in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. I play without the Hud, and on highest difficulty, with no saves... it's just a much more immersive experience...<.<

 

[QuadFish]

I regularly play Chivalry with friends in Fisticuffs mode, which is exactly the same as normal but you only use your fists which, by the way, can't actually be used to block a weapon, which is kind of a big deal. But swarming that bastard of a vanguard with your friends and punching his helmet in so hard it crushes his skull is pretty darn satisfying, especially when they start posting "darn fisties" in chat at you.

 

[The Name's Bond]

When I play Skyrim, when I join the Companions, Thieves Guild, etc, I must always use only the equipment they provide for me with the exception of weapons, which are whatever I can find, spell books for mages, daggers for thieves, etc. Also I'll play without using fast travel, so I have to walk, ride or take a cart to wherever I want to go, which makes for an interesting experience when playing as a new character

Also in Far Cry 3, at random times I'll play explosives only mode, where I have to only use grenades, satchel charges or mines to complete my objectives, which leads to time where I'll end up essentially as a suicide bomber.