Building comparison
head to head
Diplomacy is Not an OptionvsStronghold
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
Diplomacy is Not an Option
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A wave-defense RTS testing economic and defensive optimization against scripted hordes.
Stronghold
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A castle-building strategy game where economic optimization and defense planning is the whole test.
Diplomacy is Not an Option leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Stronghold leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Diplomacy is Not an OptionStronghold
Axis by axis
Execution3 vs 2
Diplomacy is Not an Option leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Diplomacy is Not an Option
Fast unit micro helps but isn't the ceiling
Stronghold
minimal, mostly clicking and management
Reads1 vs 2
Stronghold leans a little harder on reads, though the gap is small.
Diplomacy is Not an Option
Enemy hordes follow scripted waves, not adapting
Stronghold
AI opponents are scripted, minor prediction
Variance2 vs 2
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Diplomacy is Not an Option
Some map and event variation, mostly fixed
Stronghold
minor resource and raid randomness
Optimization9 vs 9
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Diplomacy is Not an Option
Economy, defenses and army composition against scaling waves
Stronghold
economy and castle-building near-solvable
A matching score does not mean a matching test. Two games can both sit at 10 on execution and demand completely different things of you - which is why the reasoning above matters more than the number beside it.