Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out - Ragnarok comes to Glorantha

[Infinitron]

https://af.gog.com/game/six_ages_2_lights_going_out?as=1649904300

Life after myths. Death, disaster, despair.

This new installment in the Six Ages series is a stand-alone survival-storybook combining interactive fiction and turn-based strategy. The world is ending, and your small clan's survival depends on how you manage its relationship with the remaining gods and their followers.

Managing your clan is complex, but may require you to:

• explore the wilderness
• trade with (or raid!) your neighbors
• settle disputes mundane, spiritual, or political
• improve livestock pastures
• make offerings
• build altars
• travel to the Otherworld

Whether you're dealing with angry ghosts or clan policy, there's rarely one "right" or "wrong" answer, because the deep simulation will make your particular situation unique. Remember that your choices have socio-economic impact, and your advisors often squabble amongst themselves, but some consequences might not be obvious for decades.

Your clan struggles to survive in the world of Glorantha, one of the richest, oldest game settings ever created, perhaps familiar from other games such as RuneQuest or King of Dragon Pass. This bronze age world is facing an existential crisis as it undergoes a transformation. Ten generations after the events of Ride Like the Wind, some gods have already perished and humanity itself seems to be on the brink of annihilation. Here, the laws of physics themselves are subordinate to the whims of the gods and spirits.

In Lights Going Out, you can continue a game you began in Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind, or start a new story in this Great Darkness.

Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out is immensely replayable, with over 580(!) interactive scenes with multiple, system-driven outcomes. Short episodes and automatic saving mean you can play even when you only have a minute or two. The built-in saga records your story for you, while advisors help you track your promises, though their personalities will often judge your actions.

Miracles have always required sacrifice. Now, your people need them more than ever, but the costs are higher, too. Is it worth aiding the destructive gods of Chaos to ensure your own survival?

 

[Silva]

P.S: the music seems different though. Stan Lepard has passed, I hope the new music director keep the good work.

 

[sorcerian]

Six Ages was excellent. I've been looking forward to this for years and I'll be buying it on day 1. Excited to support A Sharp again.

 

[Thorakitai]

I guess the crazy apocalyptic shit that is the Great Darkness only happens in the halfway part, given how they are still stressing about the KoDP style clan management, diplomacy abd exploration.

 

[Silva]

I guess the crazy apocalyptic shit that is the Great Darkness only happens in the halfway part, given how they are still stressing about the KoDP style clan management, diplomacy abd exploration.

Why can't we have management, diplomacy and exploration during the apocalypse?

I wish we had the clan lands screen back though. That shit was neat.

 

[Thorakitai]

It's not your typical apocalypse.

The Great Darkness is when the Gods of Chaos and the legions of demons, undead and whatever abominations wreck havoc on the world of Glorantha and go on a killmurder frenzy that left few species alive to even struggle to survive.

As if the above wasn't enough, eternal night with no sun, near-total extinction of conventional plants and animals, the land is completely frozen over and scoured by killing winds and toxic gases and the corrupting power of Chaos is so strong in that period that even single thought can lead to horrible shit, the least of all is accidently summoning demons to your doorstep.

KoDP style managent during that time would be interesting to see.

 

[Raghar]

They are releasing games in rapid succession. But what about quality?

 

[oscar]

Six Ages was fantastic (the faster pace meant you had less opportunity to break the game like an experienced KoDP player will do and end up overflowing with goods, cattle and food while in Six Ages you always stay pretty lean and desperate) so looking forwards to this.

 

[Infinitron]

They are releasing games in rapid succession. But what about quality?

Eh, Six Ages was released in 2019.

 

[Silva]

Is there a month estimate? I want to replay Six Ages 1 again right before 2nd part comes up.

 

[Silva]

Replaying Six Ages now (finished once before) and the game feels much more.. directionless? I don't remember what triggers that Beren "main quest" but I suspect it's raising your clan reputation just like in KoDP? If so, that reputation track from KoDP is missed here, as it gave a more clear picture of your goal. Other than that, it's a great game. More streamlined but still challenging and open-ended. Gives me high hopes for Lights Out.

It's also interesting to note the differences between cultures: in KoDP we are Celts-like farmers with powerful gods of the earth (plants, grains, etc) and wind (war), while here we are Scythian/Kazakh-like riders with powerful gods of movement, exploration, foraging, etc (and more shamanistic too).

BTW, a question: can we really migrate to another region in the map? A couple allied clans now came with this idea but I never followed it through. If doable, it would be pretty cool and evoke that nomad feeling.

 

[sorcerian]

Replaying Six Ages now (finished once before) and the game feels much more.. directionless? I don't remember what triggers that Beren "main quest" but I suspect it's raising your clan reputation just like in KoDP? If so, that reputation track from KoDP is missed here, as it gave a more clear picture of your goal. Other than that, it's a great game. More streamlined but still challenging and open-ended. Gives me high hopes for Lights Out.

It's also interesting to note the differences between cultures: in KoDP we are Celts-like farmers with powerful gods of the earth (plants, grains, etc) and wind (war), while here we are Scythian/Kazakh-like riders with powerful gods of movement, exploration, foraging, etc (and more shamanistic too).

BTW, a question: can we really migrate to another region in the map? A couple allied clans now came with this idea but I never followed it through. If doable, it would be pretty cool and evoke that nomad feeling.

Time is what triggers events in Six Ages, if I recall correctly. Things happen around the same time each game. This gives you a little time to optimize and prepare for things that happen. I've only played the game ironman, and it took me, god, seven or eight excruciating failures before I finally got it, and most often it came down to preparation before the main events of the game occurred.

Also, I don't think your clan can migrate. Maybe there are events I haven't seen, but I don't think there's a specific system for it.

 

[Adeptus]

I love the ceoncept. But I tried playing King of Dragon Pass and can't comprehend it, especially economics. Probably I am just retarded.

 

[Silva]

I love the ceoncept. But I tried playing King of Dragon Pass and can't comprehend it, especially economics. Probably I am just retarded.

A friend of mine who is a strategy fan could never grok it either. In his case he struggled to enter the mindset of a different culture as the game requires, and kept trying to apply the same cold numbers/map painting logic from Civs and EUs. Perhaps that's your case?

 

[Adeptus]

Maybe. Hard to determine now.

 

[oscar]

I love the ceoncept. But I tried playing King of Dragon Pass and can't comprehend it, especially economics. Probably I am just retarded.

A friend of mine who is a strategy fan could never grok it either. In his case he could never enter the mindset of a different culture as the game requires, and kept trying to apply the same cold numbers/map painting logic from Civs and EUs. Perhaps that's your case?

Ironically what I love about it. A treasure "helps us see through the bargaining tricks of others" or "helps some of our children grow up faster and become mighty warriors" instead of + 3.5% to light ship trade node power or -15% to infantry recruitment costs. You need to think like a bronze age tribal Celtic chieftain (in a setting where the gods are very real and there's inhuman foes who can destroy your little 800-2000 people clan no matter what if you antagonise them enough) instead of try stack modifier upon modifier like a Paradox map painter. You're a moderate regional power at very best (and small fry compared to some of the civilisations and ancient races you interact with). There's little to be certain of beyond cows (the true form of wealth) are good.

 

[Adeptus]

Yes, fact that cows are important is one thing I understood But it didn't help me much.

 

[Malakal]

Getting them to not starve is a challenge at first thats for sure.

What I hated most was having to memorize all the heroquests and preferred answers to challenges. The second game does this better.

 

[oscar]

There's an in-game sense to that in that you have to trade for other tribes memories of how heroquest rituals should be performed (and they ask you for them too). Of course invalidated by just taking a look at the wiki now but a fair gameplay mechanic in the 90s.

 

[Lagole Gon]

Eh, "Lights Going Out" is not exactly a fitting subtitle for a bronze age fantasy game.
Then again, at least it's not "inquisition" or "retribution".

 

[Malakal]

Great news! It's very cool to see another game like KoDP being made. I would love to make such a game myself, but it's very art heavy. I hope this one's going to be even better than Six Ages 1. KoDP is still ma favourite one of those 2 games.

Well then good news! You can do a serviceable job with AI generated pictures nowadays.

 

[Abu Antar]

They released a demo.

 

[Infinitron]

Coming to GOG: https://af.gog.com/game/six_ages_2_lights_going_out?as=1649904300

 

[Skorpion]

Strategy...

 

[Lagole Gon]

I feel like I'm doing something wrong with food.
Can I do ventures during farming seasons? Or it will take away people away from the fields?