Game settings
Choose how much resistance and realism you want in a new game.
Pick the kind of game you want
Difficulty changes how hard other people are to persuade. Realism changes how closely the world follows what could happen. Together, they let you choose whether you want a breezy adventure, a balanced first game, or a demanding world with real limits.
Open Settings on the launch screen, beside Role. Your choice is saved for this game and becomes your default for the next one. Your character, starting place, and the game's rules stay the same.
Start with Normal + Grounded. It gives you clear consequences without making every plan a negotiation or every event a logistics report.
Choose how much the world pushes back
Difficulty changes the response to your plans. It matters when you ask for help, negotiate, fight, or try to turn preparation into an advantage. It does not make your character weaker or change the facts of the world.
| Difficulty | Choose it when you want... | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Very Easy | Freedom to explore ideas and learn a game | Allies and neutral characters look for ways to help. Rivals still protect their own interests. |
| Easy | A forgiving game with room to experiment | A clear plan often earns help or a useful partial win. |
| Normal | A fair first game | Good preparation and a convincing argument matter. |
| Hard | Pressure, trade-offs, and earned progress | People ask for leverage, proof, or a price. Partial success is valuable. |
| Very Hard | A serious challenge | Only strong preparation, decisive leverage, or clear proof moves reluctant people. |
Choose how closely the world follows reality
Realism changes both the detail you read and the freedom the world has to surprise you. Low realism keeps events brisk and can allow lucky timing or unusual turns. High realism follows the tools, time, resources, and limits already present in the world.
| Realism | Choose it when you want... | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Arcade | Fast reading and surprising turns | Shorter events, lighter detail, and room for dramatic coincidences or unlikely opportunities. |
| Adventure | A brisk, cinematic game | Clear scenes with a few concrete details and believable twists. |
| Grounded | A balanced game | Enough detail to understand the cost, time, and place of an action. |
| Immersive | A richly felt world | Tools, places, waiting, injury, and procedure become part of what you notice. |
| Simulation | A world that follows its practical limits closely | Resources, distance, capability, and institutions shape what can happen. |
Mix the two settings
You do not need to match the levels. Each pair creates a different kind of pressure.
- Very Easy + Simulation: people help when they can, but fuel, distance, and time still matter.
- Hard + Arcade: your plans meet resistance, but the game stays quick and leaves room for surprising turns.
- Normal + Immersive: a fair world with enough detail to make each place and consequence feel tangible.
Difficulty decides whether someone gives in. Realism decides what the world can reasonably make possible.