Kenshi - open-ended sandbox RPG set in a desert world

[Galdred]

i kinda wanna give this game another chance. how viable is loremater/archeologist RP if i want to learn the lore of the world. how are they presented?

In Kenshi people like this are known as Tech Hunters. It's a viable option for a playthrough given that the world has a significant amount of lost history / secrets to discover, but unfortunately the game offers no path to join the Tech Hunters faction or work in conjunction with them, and there are virtually no questing or reward systems to help you set goals or recognize you for your effort.

In terms of gameplay it should be pretty fun though, since exploration is one of the game's strong points and you'll get to see a lot of the world this way. You could run a small, lightly-armored party that relies on Stealth and Athletics to keep you out of harm's way, or go the "expedition" route and build up a force of heavily armed guards that can carve a path through hostile territory.

Not a bad way to play the game, all things considered. And there might be a few mods you could pick up that would help with the LARPing aspects somewhat.

Are there mods to add that content? Either way i can always pretend i build a new indie tech hunter guild with blackjack and hookers. Like how are the background history presented? Are there artifacts to hunt? Ruins to spelunk? Certain NPCs that knows some history to interview?

Not sure about the history, but the game is basically about spellunking to discover artifacts and blueprint in order to research lost technologies.

 

[mondblut]

I did this combining save files thing and the "imported" characters _did_ get portraits if you manually edited one value (portrait_index?) to something not in use by the old characters. Granted, I was working far below that 256 limit...

That's portrait_index, yes, and it is limited to 0-255. Characters after 256 all get 255 too, and editing it beyond this value doesn't change a thing. The generated portrait texture is 16x16 portraits.

Why would you need to combine save files anyway? Between randos at bars and exploiting slave camps you can easily hit 256 recruits without any shenanigans.

 

[Joined on the 4th of July]

Why would you need to combine save files anyway? Between randos at bars and exploiting slave camps you can easily hit 256 recruits without any shenanigans.

Sometimes you just get the urge for 10 more greenlanders with skill 1.

 

[Zanzoken]

Are there mods to add that content? Either way i can always pretend i build a new indie tech hunter guild with blackjack and hookers.

Unfortunately I don't know any specific mods to recommend for this type of playthrough. If you run across anything on the Workshop that might be promising but you aren't sure about, feel free to post it here and I will be glad give my non-spoiler thoughts.

There is a lot of stuff I could tell you about the game in general, but I won't because that would 100% ruin the fun. However I will recommend you get the Dark UI mod, as well as some form of upgrade to the vanilla map.

Like how are the background history presented? Are there artifacts to hunt? Ruins to spelunk? Certain NPCs that knows some history to interview?

The presentation is very bare bones. There are books and maps you can find that are helpful, but very few NPCs have meaningful dialogue and even then it's not that much compared to more traditional RPGs. It's a little bit like Age of Decadence in that you can find clues that will help you understand the truth about the world and its history, but it's the polar opposite of AoD in its gameplay structure.

There are plenty of ruins to explore and you will find interesting stuff there (as well as danger, naturally). You can find artifacts in the form of rare, valuable loot but there aren't many unique items unfortunately.

 

[The_Mask]

I think the best loremaster character would be a skeleton, because each new area they enter, they keep dishing a line or two about what used to be there "before".

Other than that, your gameplay will reflect that. That's why Kenshi is awesome.

 

[mondblut]

Why would you need to combine save files anyway? Between randos at bars and exploiting slave camps you can easily hit 256 recruits without any shenanigans.

Sometimes you just get the urge for 10 more greenlanders with skill 1.

That's what Eyesocket is for.

 

[Salvo]

I think the best loremaster character would be a skeleton, because each new area they enter, they keep dishing a line or two about what used to be there "before".

Other than that, your gameplay will reflect that. That's why Kenshi is awesome.

Technically Skeletons know why the apocalypse happened and swore a group pact to never talk about it. It's why all the "lore" characters are skellies.

 

[mondblut]

Ok, after some extensive testing I can confirm that this crack works to skip the 256 character limit check when recruiting via dialog:

Open the executable in hex editor. Look for the following byte sequence:
0000 7541 498B 0649
and change to:
0000 7500 498B 0649

(41 > 00 at offset 0052BF03 in gog 1.51 version)

Does not work for slaves joining on their own as they don't use the "your party is a little full" message and must have their joining handled elsewhere in the code, so equip yourself with either Player Slavery or Recruitable Prisoners to go all in with Kenshi: Total War.

 

[Fenix]

Hey, just recently found the game, it's on pair with Underrail in quality, I wasnt that excited since ELEX I think.
I mean, jokes aside, game is very good.

I have some troubles too - one faction (black dragon ninjas) did a bandit raid on my outpost. They arrived and immediately run to a big house, there they stood still around the chest except one guy before the door (he didn't have the room or act as guard?), doing nothing and not reacting on me, pelting them with bolts. They do react if I come to melee range though. After some 5 min the storm off lol, but didn't took anything.
Is it bug, or just mechanic like that?

I hope on you codex, to explain this.
Otherwise - surprisingly smooth and bug-free sail for such game.

P.S. Also, what settings do you guys recommend? I'm using default ones for a game - maybe I should turn on dismembering from Rare to more often or somesuch?
Also, good mods? For now it feels like game is perfectly balanced - mod for faster exp gain isn't needed, all comes naturally.
I play alone, built outpost, hiding when raids are coming, stealth is already ~80 with gear.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

I have some troubles too - one faction (black dragon ninjas) did a bandit raid on my outpost. They arrived and immediately run to a big house, there they stood still around the chest except one guy before the door (he didn't have the room or act as guard?), doing nothing and not reacting on me, pelting them with bolts. They do react if I come to melee range though. After some 5 min the storm off lol, but didn't took anything.
Is it bug, or just mechanic like that?

Probably trying to trade and you blew it.

 

[Fenix]

I have some troubles too - one faction (black dragon ninjas) did a bandit raid on my outpost. They arrived and immediately run to a big house, there they stood still around the chest except one guy before the door (he didn't have the room or act as guard?), doing nothing and not reacting on me, pelting them with bolts. They do react if I come to melee range though. After some 5 min the storm off lol, but didn't took anything.
Is it bug, or just mechanic like that?

Probably trying to trade and you blew it.

Dude they didn't try to trade - they already visited me before, and were attacking me on sight.
This time hovewer their behavior is different - they don't care about me even if I stand rigth before them.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

What's your standing with them?

 

[polo]

Hey, just recently found the game, it's on pair with Underrail in quality, I wasnt that excited since ELEX I think.
I mean, jokes aside, game is very good.

I have some troubles too - one faction (black dragon ninjas) did a bandit raid on my outpost. They arrived and immediately run to a big house, there they stood still around the chest except one guy before the door (he didn't have the room or act as guard?), doing nothing and not reacting on me, pelting them with bolts. They do react if I come to melee range though. After some 5 min the storm off lol, but didn't took anything.
Is it bug, or just mechanic like that?

I hope on you codex, to explain this.
Otherwise - surprisingly smooth and bug-free sail for such game.

P.S. Also, what settings do you guys recommend? I'm using default ones for a game - maybe I should turn on dismembering from Rare to more often or somesuch?
Also, good mods? For now it feels like game is perfectly balanced - mod for faster exp gain isn't needed, all comes naturally.
I play alone, built outpost, hiding when raids are coming, stealth is already ~80 with gear.

Its a bug, the black dragon ninjas raid its kind of bugged, happened to me in differente playtroughs. They actually did this in my first pt, but after like 5 or 6 raids were they destroyed me, in the last one they ended all tucked in a small deposit, it was kind of hilarious. I used that bug to destroy them there.

 

[Gregz]

This game is so fucking great. It hasn't even been a year and I'm jonesing to play it again.

 

[SoupNazi]

This game is so fucking great. It hasn't even been a year and I'm jonesing to play it again.

It's seriously very close to Deus Ex level of "if someone mentions it, I reinstall"

 

[Fenix]

What's your standing with them?

Completely neutral. Well, I don't remember where you could see exact number with decimals - map probably? - but faction menu show 0.
If I eliminate a few of them during raid, it would be -1 so it seems single member of faction valued in decimals, depending on rank of course.
When they did the first raid, they behaved differently I belive.

Its a bug, the black dragon ninjas raid its kind of bugged, happened to me in differente playtroughs.

Thanks!
I don't want to use the bug - game seems not hard as it is, don't need to use that. I would simply hide or run to a Hub that is nearby.

How it looks lol.

Spoiler

 

[Bergblatstein]

I have some troubles too - one faction (black dragon ninjas) did a bandit raid on my outpost. They arrived and immediately run to a big house, there they stood still around the chest except one guy before the door (he didn't have the room or act as guard?), doing nothing and not reacting on me, pelting them with bolts. They do react if I come to melee range though. After some 5 min the storm off lol, but didn't took anything.
Is it bug, or just mechanic like that?

Could be a bug but ive never seen it in my games. Have not played recently dough.
Did you have any food in the chests for them to take? This is what they seek when they raid and they standardly behave as you described. The "they dont react when shoot at" part is strange as at least the guy you are shooting should come after you. Is their pathway to you blocked by something? What crossbow you use?

If you plan to continue solo dont change dismemberment from rare.
I only tried Genesis from mods and while its quite good with stuff it adds to the world it did as above mentioned increase loading chunks while traveling significantly for me.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Also, good mods? For now it feels like game is perfectly balanced - mod for faster exp gain isn't needed, all comes naturally.

You should need only a few mods for Kenshi: a better map (there are several possibilities), Let's Talk (more comments from squad members), and more world-state changes (Reactive World or the newer Living World).

 

[SoupNazi]

Also, good mods? For now it feels like game is perfectly balanced - mod for faster exp gain isn't needed, all comes naturally.

You should need only a few mods for Kenshi: a better map (there are several possibilities), Let's Talk (more comments from squad members), and more world-state changes (Reactive World or the newer Living World).

And the Black UI

 

[Fenix]

Did you have any food in the chests for them to take?

I think yes.

Is their pathway to you blocked by something?

nope, they are in the stormhouse, I'm outside.

What crossbow you use?

Standard Toothpick - good for training.

P.S. Those BDn I think bugged further - they are in Hub now, and few of them constantly run some routs, like outside the Hub and immediately back. They don't attack me, I don't attack them. But in case they bug out and storm me again I bought high grade springbat - I'll show them they were wrong all alon, perstering me.

more world-state changes (Reactive World or the newer Living World)

What they do?
I think I saw stream where streamer used Reactive World, and like barman sold rare books, not the basic ones, which should not be for balance reasons?
Or maybe it happened because one of the Hub's building was repiared?
What I think it do is addig too much loot by constant attacks/similiar activities.

a better map

If that mean map with named areas then no - it steal a lot of joy from me, at least at first time.

Black UI

Huh? What it do?

P.P.S. WHat I do want from mods is something for better building - I mean, the one theat allow to put thinhs like Weapon Smithing closer to a walls. Cause now in bughouse that has that oval form you can't put it close to walls in that rounded end.

 

[SoupNazi]

Reactive World / Living World basically adds what it says - the world better reacts to your actions. For example, in vanilla, there are some limited world states where if you kill a dude X of faction Y, faction Y will stage a very "special" assault on your base (if you have one) that is super tough with some named heroes in it. And a city might get destroyed. The mods add to it that for example, the city gets taken over by a faction they were at war with. Or it allows you to wipe out certain factions completely, etc. I found it to be very non-intrusive and give a very vanilla feel. Didn't feel it needed balancing, as that's all it really added.

For the better map - there is one that just gives region borders and routes, which is pretty useful. No region/city/faction names, iirc. I do recommend that one.

For the UI - sorry, I meant Transparent UI + Dark UI (working combo). It makes the UI a lot more neat:

 

[Fenix]

You can't in original game wipe out faction?

 

[SoupNazi]

Some you can (although there will always be remnants moving about, IIRC), some you can't. With those mods you can pretty much do anyone, and it opens up ways to do it without actually having to, well, physically wipe everyone out.

 

[Fenix]

For now I wiped out Dust Bandits camp north of Hub, the one right after bar/shelter. One of them, #117 I think.
Does that mean there are 117 of them, or that just the number of that exact camp?
I think 117 camps for one faction is just too much?

 

[SoupNazi]

That's just the identifying number of that specific squad of Dust Bandits. I'm pretty sure they replenish, btw. That's one of the examples for the Reactive/Living mods - there is a Dust King who, if you kill / arrest, triggers a stop on spawning more Dust Bandit squads, and instead you'll have more Starving Bandits. I don't think that's possible in vanilla.