As we all wait for the release of Together We Rule early next month, why not while away some time with another scenario? One a little less... daunting than the last one. We’re going for something short and sweet this time, a quick game on a small map. If you put your mind to it, you can probably finish it in a single sitting!
Speaking of the last scenario, Against the Odds, we’ve decided to extend the leaderboard submission window until the release of Together We Rule on November 9th, so more people will have a chance to submit their results. Submissions for the new scenario will also close on November 9th, to avoid mixing scores achieved with two different sets of features, though the save should remain compatible for casual play. Find all the info and the save below.
The Space Race Scenario Challenge
This world isn’t big enough for two... No, seriously, have you looked at the map? It’s a tiny map at only 40% land mass. It’s pretty cramped here. So let’s get off this rock! I hear Mars is nice this time of year... Just be careful you don’t ruin the world first.
Place the save in "/Documents/Humankind/Save Files"
Load the save labeled "Scenario-SpaceRace" in game
(Optional) If you want to submit a score to the leaderboard, check this post in the contest section
Scenario Conditions
Victory Condition: Most Fame at game end
End Condition: Mars Conquered
Game Conditions: Nation difficulty, Blitz game speed
Game version: V1.0.15.2767-S10, no mods
Leaderboard Submission Deadline: November 9th
Leaderboard Ranking: Fastest Victory, tiebreaker by Fame
Please note: While leaderboard entries will be ranked by how quickly they achieve victory (faster is better), they still need to be considered the winner of their game, i.e. have more Fame than the AI opponent. Though we suspect on Nation difficulty, this will not be a problem for most players interested in the leaderboards.
Have fun escaping the confines of this tiny map and going to space!
Together We Rule: Embassies and Reinforcements
Together We Rule releases early next month, so it's time for us to talk in a bit more detail about the features. But there's a lot to cover: Embassies, Agents, and the Congress of Humankind, but also third party reinforcements, the new stealth system, and the improved independent people. So we'll be spreading this closer look across multiple posts over the next few weeks, and this week, we'll start with some cooperation and some conflict.
Together We Rule: Embassies, Agreements, and Leverage
In Together We Rule, Embassies will open new ways to conduct diplomacy with other empires. Once you have met at least one other player, you will be able to construct an Embassy district in one of your cities to receive their delegations and house your own. Don't worry, you'll only need one of these, no matter how many other players you're dealing with.
This will give you access to the new Embassy tab in the diplomacy screen which will give you access to new diplomatic interactions. If both you and the other player control an embassy, you can sign cooperative Agreements between your empires. For example, you can sign an Arms Deal that allows you to train the other empire's Emblematic unit, at some additional money cost paid to the other empire. Or you could sign a Scientific Correspondence Agreement, giving each a discount on technologies already researched by the other empire. Here's an overview of the Agreements you can expect:
Scientific Correspondence: Each empire gets a discount on technologies already researched by the other empire.
Arms Deal: Each empire can build the Emblematic Units of the other, for an additional cost in Money.
Monumental Contractors: Each empire can contribute to the Cultural Wonders of the other empire, gaining their choice of Money, Influence, or Leverage based on their contribution.
Diplomatic Cooperation: Some of the leverage collected by each empire is shared with the other.
Refugee Agreement: When either empire loses population, the other receives a Food and Industry bonus on their capital.
Even if the other empire doesn't have an embassy of their own, you'll have some options at your disposal in the embassy screen to impose your will on them by using Leverage. You could Placate them to lower their war support when trouble is brewing with your neighbors, but maybe you are tired of them playing the waiting game and would rather force them to respond to your demands. As the game progresses, you will unlock more advanced ways to put pressure on other empires. Here's what you can impose on other empires:
Placate: Lower the other empire's war support.
Expel Military Forces: Temporarily restrict the other empire's access to your territory while maintaining the Open Borders treaty.
Diplomatic Ultimatum: Force the other empire to accept or refuse your outstanding demands this turn.
Expose Undercover Assets: Mark the current location of every hidden army the other empire has in your territory with a map pin.
Apply Economic Sanctions: Apply an empire-wide penalty to Industry and Money to the other empire.
So, you need leverage to “convince” the other empire, but what is leverage and how do you get it? It's a new resource that represents various means of pressuring others into agreeing with you, from dirty secrets to favors owed. You Agents will be crucial to collecting this leverage, so we will tell you more about it next time.
Signing an Arms Deal to let your ally train your powerful emblematic unit (and making some cash in the process) is nice, but sometimes you need to immediately come to their aid to save them. That's here the new third party reinforcements in the Metternich update come in handy.
If you are allied to one party in a battle, you will now be able to move your armies into the battlefield to add them to the fight. Once there, they can join the battle like any other reinforcement army. But too many generals would cause confusion, so as your units join the battle, control of them will be handed over to your ally to use them like their own units.
What if you want to intervene in a battle where you are allied to both sides and “shift your allegiance”? We're afraid both parties would consider that unsportsmanlike, so you'll have to formally dissolve one of your alliances first. No equal opportunity attacks or mid-battle betrayals.
That's all for this week. Next week, we'll be looking at the new Agents and the reworked stealth system, so come back then if you are feeling sneaky!
Free Weekend and Expansion Overview
The release of “Together We Rule” is approaching quickly, and we know you’ve been eager to learn more about the first expansion for HUMANKIND™, so we’ve prepared a short overview video for you. But before we get into that, we have some other news to share:
From now until Monday, HUMANKIND™ is free to play! If you weren’t sure if this game is for you, or you just wanted to get some friends to try it, now is the perfect opportunity. More than that, Humankind is also on sale until Wednesday, and so are the DLCs and our other games, so this is a great time to round out your collection.
Now, let’s not keep you waiting any longer. If you want to know more about Agents, Embassies, and the Congress of Humankind, check out the gameplay overview video:
Liked what you see? Together We Rule will release November 9th, and you can already pre-order Together We Rule.
But we have even more coming, as we’ve been working on the Metternich update to be released alongside the expansion. In this update you will be able to briefly give control of your units to an ally to reinforce them, ambush your enemies with the improved stealth system, and form stronger bonds with Independent People.
If you want to know more about the features of the update and the expansion, stay tuned for more news in the coming weeks and tune in to our streams on Twitch.
See you next week for a closer look at Embassies and allied reinforcements!
Scenario Challenge 03: Against the Odds
The 100 Years War challenge ended just last week, and it’s already time for the next one. With this challenge we are moving away from the historical inspiration of the previous challenge, to instead face you off against some hopefully truly challenging opposition.
Don’t worry though if you preferred the history-themed bend and handcrafted map of the 100 Years War scenario: Though submissions to the leaderboard are closed, the 100 Years War scenario will remain accessible through the Play section of the main menu while we work on an improved scenario interface. In the meantime, new scenarios will not be integrated in the menu, and will instead be shared as a save, as we did with the first scenario. You’ll find the save as well as instructions on how to use it below and in the contests section.
The Against the Odds Scenario Challenge
Everybody loves a good underdog story, right? We hope you do, as you will be playing that role in this scenario. As in any game of Humankind, you find yourself as the head of a small neolithic tribe, but your neighbors have already advanced into the Ancient era, and rumors abound of even more advanced peoples across the sea. Can you catch up to them in fame and power and bring the world under your rule?
Place the save in "/Documents/Humankind/Save Files"
Load the save labeled "Against the Odds Scenario" in game
(Optional) If you want to submit a score to the leaderboard, check this post in the contest section
Scenario Conditions
Victory Condition: Most Fame at game end
End Condition: Last Human Standing (Eliminate or Vassalize all other Empires)
Game Conditions: Humankind difficulty, Normal game speed
Game version: V1.0.15.2767-S10, no mods
Leaderboard Submission Deadline: October 18th
Leaderboard Ranking: Fastest Victory, tiebreaker by Fame
Please note: While leaderboard entries will be ranked by how quickly they achieve victory (faster is better), they need to be independent at the end of the game and leading in Fame to be eligible for the leaderboard. For details on how to submit your scores, see the related thread.
Have fun fighting your way to the top!
Together We Rule Expansion Announcement
Many players have told us that they see great potential in Humankind, that the game offers a great foundation to add not just more content but new systems to explore aspects like diplomacy or religion in greater depth. We're happy to announce that we've been working on Together We Rule, the first expansion for Humankind! Aiming to expand your diplomatic gameplay, this expansion will include:
Agents: A new class of units that can serve as diplomats or hidden agents; they can act on enemy cities or collect...
Leverage: A new resource that can be used for various diplomatic actions
Embassies: Form stronger ties with other empires and access cooperative treaties, like mutual access to Emblematic Units
Congress of Humankind: Vote on globally enacted laws and resolve conflicts through diplomatic pressure
New Cultures and Affinity: Sumerians, Han, Bulgarians, Swiss, Scots, and Singaporeans, sharing the new Diplomatic Affinity
New Content: Natural Wonders, Cultural Wonders, and Narrative Events
Together We Rule will be released in Fall 2022, and will be accompanied by a free Update to the base game including the following main features:
Third party Reinforcements: Lend control of your armies to an ally for a battle
Reworked Stealth System: Based on depleting a “reserve” of stealth rather than a binary yes/no check
Improved Independent People: Stronger competition for patronage and more detailed treaties
We'll be talking in greater detail about the features of the Update and the Together We Rule expansion in the coming weeks, so stay tuned if you want to learn more!
Together We Reul Expansion Announcement
Many players have told us that they see great potential in Humankind, that the game offers a great foundation to add not just more content but new systems to explore aspects like diplomacy or religion in greater depth. We're happy to announce that we've been working on Together We Rule, the first expansion for Humankind! Aiming to expand your diplomatic gameplay, this expansion will include:
Agents: A new class of units that can serve as diplomats or hidden agents; they can act on enemy cities or collect...
Leverage: A new resource that can be used for various diplomatic actions
Embassies: Form stronger ties with other empires and access cooperative treaties, like mutual access to Emblematic Units
Congress of Humankind: Vote on globally enacted laws and resolve conflicts through diplomatic pressure
New Cultures and Affinity: Sumerians, Han, Bulgarians, Swiss, Scots, and Singaporeans, sharing the new Diplomatic Affinity
New Content: Natural Wonders, Cultural Wonders, and Narrative Events
Together We Rule will be released in Fall 2022, and will be accompanied by a free Update to the base game including the following main features:
Third party Reinforcements: Lend control of your armies to an ally for a battle
Reworked Stealth System: Based on depleting a “reserve” of stealth rather than a binary yes/no check
Improved Independent People: Stronger competition for patronage and more detailed treaties
We'll be talking in greater detail about the features of the Update and the Together We Rule expansion in the coming weeks, so stay tuned if you want to learn more!
[1.0.15.2767] "Post-Anniversary Update" Version Notes
CHANGES AND ADDITIONS
Removed the cakeification on city centers and the unicorn spawn boost. Cake-city centers will remain as long as they are not renovated.
FIXES
fixed an issue resulting in the game being blocked into infinite turns pending when a white peace was proposed to an AI, in rare occasions.
One Year of Humankind and the Future
Today, we're wrapping up the one year anniversary of Humankind. Thank you all for celebrating with us, and for the many kind and encouraging messages we received.
As part of the celebration, we had prepared a short video looking back at the past year. Some of you may have already seen it on our anniversary livestream, but we know our fans are spread across the world, and the middle of the week isn't always convenient, so here it is again for you to watch at your own leisure:
While we've been celebrating the past year, we also want to take a look forward into the future. We've prepared a new overview of what we'll be working on in the next few months.
Of course, this list isn't exhaustive, and we have other plans for improvements and additions to the game. But we're not quite ready to talk about those yet, so stay tuned to our channels if you don't want to miss any big announcements! In the meantime, check out the Games2Gether rewards section for one final anniversary gift: A pack of three What If themed wallpapers.
Scenario Challenge 02: 100 Years War
As part of our One Year Anniversary for Humankind, we are continuing our new format for in-game challenges. Thank you to everybody who participated in last month’s challenge for your interest and feedback. We are happy with the positive reception of the new format, but we knew the devil’s in the details and there would be many improvements to make, so your ongoing feedback will be invaluable. For this month we are using a map handcrafted by one of our designers and trying different scoring conditions, and we look forward to hearing about your strategies and what you think of the scenario.
The 100 Years War Scenario Challenge
In this scenario, you start in the medieval era as the Franks, in control of Paris on a huge map of France. The English have already made landfall, and it is up to you to push them back. But act swiftly, for only the quickest to defeat the English by taking all their land or vassalizing them shall enter the Hall of Fame! The scenario itself will be available permanently, but if you want to be added to the leaderboard you need to submit your score by September 14th.
How to Enter the Leaderboard
Start the scenario from the Play section of the Main menu
A save of your victory turn (found in \Documents\Humankind\Save Files)
If you play a second time, please update your existing submission (Do not create a new one)
All entries will be added to the leaderboard, ranked by how quickly they won the scenario (faster victories ranking higher). In case of a tie for the victory turn, the player with higher Fame score will be ranked higher. If that is still not enough, the player who destroyed more units will be ranked higher.
While everybody will be entered into the Leaderboard displayed in the contest section after the challenge ends, only the top players will be worthy of entering the “Hall of Fame” and receiving a special Games2Gether badge to commemorate their success. Please note that the badges may not be ready by the end of the challenge, and you may receive them at a later date.
If you're not interested in entering the Hall of Fame, perhaps you would rather lead your civilization through all of history on this map. We have made a four player version available on our mod.io page.
Have fun leading the Franks to victory!
One Year Anniversary
It's been a year since the release of Humankind, and it's been a busy one! We've had several major updates, various events, two DLCs expanding the selection of cultures, and the announcement of the console edition. This week we want to celebrate the birthday of Humankind with you, and we have brought gifts and games:
First off, the in-game events and their rewards are back! Couldn't finish the Dia de los Muertos challenges and unlock La Catrina? Missed out on the cool player icons from the da Vinci event? No problem. Just jump back in and grab what you missed. Except this time, there's no time limit! You can finish these challenges and unlock their rewards at your own pace. The Lunar New Year challenge has also been re-opened for a second chance to unlock the persona.
If you're not into this kind of challenge, we got a new Challenge Scenario for you instead! Carefully crafted by our game designers, the 100 Years War scenario pits you as the Franks against the English on a map of France. How quickly can you defeat them? You can download the 100 Years War scenario conveniently from the play section on the main menu of the game this time! If you do feel competitive and want a shot at entering the Hall of Fame, check the scenario blog for information on how to compete for fame and fortune bragging rights. You can also grab a four player version of the map on mod.io to play on it with any cultures you like.
We've also added some new avatar customization options for everybody: Hats, at long last! Well, at least some of them could reasonably be called hats... Among the selection of hairstyles, you will find six new headdresses ranging from ancient pharaonic to modern styles to adorn your ruler. Heavy is the head that wears the tricorne. You might also notice a few other, temporary changes to the game.
Finally, we're joining the celebration ourselves with a stream! Tune in to twitch.tv/Amplitudestudios for our anniversary stream with interviews and gameplay. We'd love to see you hanging out with us in chat!
