I needed a real goal oriented game, with a clear beginning and end. I also wanted it to be insanely hard, if I made it on the first try, it just wasn't good enough.
Note: this IS a modded challenge.
Plot: you found an old manual, detailing the steps to making a rocket capable of getting you off-world, which is good, because things aren't good. Very few people left, and those alive are forced to live underground. Surface life is zero.
Rules(very few):
No dimensional travel to the nether or the end. The dungeons provide everything.
Hardcore mode, 1 life only. Recreating the same world twice is the same as getting a second life, you should never know what new horrors await you.
No minimap, I do however use NEI for recipes and magnet mode.
Winning means getting to the planets moon safely with your tier 1 rocket from Galacticraft. Once I actually achieve that for myself I'll have to think up a new challenge, but it hasn't happened yet.
The World:
I use BWG4 - cave world. Surface is 128, so you can still go up there end game to take off in your rocket. Cave World also provides some structures to the world gen that along with the two dungeon mods below create very few safe zones in the world.
DoomlikeDungeons mod AND/OR roguelikeDungeons mod. I am using both atm, the variety of style keeps me interested. Because of the rule about no dimensional travel to nether or the end, these dungeons are key. They will provide everything from both nether and the end, and none of it will be easy to get.
InfernalMobs - because dungeons aren't enough. Now you will have mobs with special powers.
Galacticraft - of course, and also buildcraft so that you can pick up oil. If you know of another mod that allows you to pump up or pick up oil and won't affect the challenge, it can of course replace buildcraft.
Other Mods:
Battlegear 2 - I threw this in because it provides more entertaining battles without compromising difficulty too much.
Yet Another Lether Smelting Mod(optional) - won't be a lot of leather around, though because there is still leather found in both dungeon mods, this is optional.
Backpacks mod, or MoreBackpacks etc(optional) - inventories fill up quick trying to traverse the dungeons or if trying to get oil for your rocket later on.
Well, that's it. I'm on my 13th death now, but it's been so much fun so far that I thought I'd share.
Note: this IS a modded challenge.
Plot: you found an old manual, detailing the steps to making a rocket capable of getting you off-world, which is good, because things aren't good. Very few people left, and those alive are forced to live underground. Surface life is zero.
Rules(very few):
Began playing during Alpha 1.2.6.