• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

CK Console DD #4: Tech Optimization & PS Exclusive Features

Howdy all!

Today is the day for our Crusader Kings III release on Next-Gen Consoles! We are very excited and hope you are as well. Once again, our friends over at Lab42 have brought us some wisdom and insight into the process of how the game was created to reflect the performance standards for Xbox Series X|S and Playstation 5.

Our team in Stockholm is hard at work on the next steps of the PC version and with gathering and taking action on the feedback we have received thus far. Hopefully we will have more information on that side of things for the near future! In the meantime, this Dev Diary is for Console news.

Today, our Dev Diary will cover technical optimizations as well as console specific features for the Playstation 5. Hopefully this provides some useful information and brings further excitement to your day!

Without further ado:

Technical Optimization and PS Exclusive Features:

The adaptation to console brings some natural technical optimisation that comes directly from the features of the current gen consoles. This includes quick loading, which is a welcome feature for Crusader Kings on console. Despite the latest consoles being powerful we still had to be wary of performance so our game held up and was an example of how things should be. As your kingdom grows you end up with a lot of “widgets” in play, so we made sure to focus on optimizing performance and UI flow to keep the game, and the gameplay, running as smoothly as possible. To get certified on consoles is definitely a challenge: quality is very important to our Partners and they are very exacting!

Game Help & Activities have been utilized on Playstation 5 to assist with on-boarding and signposting for users in game. CK3 is not a linear mission based game, so the inclusion of Activities was not a straightforward implementation but something that was considered to be beneficial for the overall user experience. The use of Haptic feedback from the PS5 DualSense™ controller was implemented to add immersion to the game experience. Major in-game events were given apt haptic feedback and local controller audio, such as major Stress or Death. The longer term aim is to expand on this feature over time to further engage the user and add to the ambience and CK3 setting. The DualSense™ touchpad has also been used to allow the user to pause and un-pause game time as well as increasing and decreasing Game Speed.

New achievements have been added to the console experience which are designed to add signposting to the game as well as new console specific game challenges. These new achievements are in addition to the wide variety of PC achievements that have been ported to the console game – and certainly provide a challenge for you in the Community to complete over the long term.

In addition to the features described above, we’ve introduced some quality-of-life functionality that has been specifically designed for the console experience. The Quick Access Bar was introduced to enable seamless access to any active process. This includes fluid interaction with active wars, raised armies, building construction and upgrades, and schemes in progress. We’ve also added an Automated Warfare option which gives army control to the AI. This enables players who do not wish to manage wars manually to select the Automated option, allowing them to focus on alternate strategies like Dynasty building and Intrigue. Alerts and Suggestions are easily accessible through the Hints Menu that can be invoked through a single button press. For those players that want to dig down into the detail of the game, you can use the Auto Tooltips or Advanced Tooltip Mode to improve your knowledge of the CK3 world and refine your strategy and approach to gameplay.


 
Last edited:
  • 22Like
  • 21
  • 6
Reactions:
Will the console/controller style interface come to PC? It looks great!

As someone who works on a PC all day, it would be nice to play CK3 using a controller to chill on the couch instead of the mouse and keyboard.

There aren't any plans for that at the moment due to how different the UI works in the Console Edition, but nothing is ruled out for the future. If the demand is there, we'll see how feasible it will be to port it over.
 
  • 6
  • 1Like
Reactions:
I want to. I so want to, if only to open the game even more. And... other... reasons I won't disclose... Not entirely my call (I am your new AI overmaster for PC working out of Stockholm), though. We'll have to cross our fingers that we can do this.
( 人・ω・)
We're on your side! This feature sounds like such an awesome option! I loved automating my armies in Imperator and it's like a special game mode!

Fingers crossed.


There aren't any plans for that at the moment due to how different the UI works in the Console Edition, but nothing is ruled out for the future. If the demand is there, we'll see how feasible it will be to port it over.
It would be really really good to have the console version available on steam. With the steam deck and the option of steam big screen it would give the game a lot of flexibility! I'd love CK3 on the go!
 
  • 2
  • 1Like
Reactions:
1 thing i totally miss in the console version is the option to see what titles you hold, there is no way to see all the titles you hold which is a serious issue if you ask me, no idea how this could have been overlooked during development. I mean surely someone must have thought hmm lets see what titles i hold. For example I chosen to start with the king of scotland and all i can see is that I hold 5 titles but which titles that are is no where to be seen.

Another thing is that the base game on console is so outdated, its like playing the base game of the PC CK3 from when it first launched. I just took an even deeper look but yeah this is the Base game version that we received when it was launched on PC in 2020, lots of things missing in barbershop that got added to the base game in early 2021 but you notice it on other parts of the game. I hope it gets updated soon.

The worse part is the missing option to click on titles to see all the titles you hold even the tooltip says you should be able to click it but you cant.
 
Last edited:
  • 2
  • 1Like
Reactions:
the stuff with haptic feedback on PS5 is neat! I don't have a PlayStation, but definitely noticed the benefit of the simple controller vibration when events popped up on Xbox.

(the return of the circle portrait is also very welcome)
 
the stuff with haptic feedback on PS5 is neat! I don't have a PlayStation, but definitely noticed the benefit of the simple controller vibration when events popped up on Xbox.

(the return of the circle portrait is also very welcome)
Nobody needs this PS5 anymore, their company showed its true colors by canceling pre-orders for new games for all players (including me on CK3, which I bought instantly in the first hour of pre-order opening) and closing the in-game store on a territorial and language basis, while stealing my (our) money.
 
  • 1Haha
Reactions:
Nobody needs this PS5 anymore, their company showed its true colors by canceling pre-orders for new games for all players (including me on CK3, which I bought instantly in the first hour of pre-order opening) and closing the in-game store on a territorial and language basis, while stealing my (our) money.

Doesn't sound like something we would do, but I am sure Support could help you clear that up. Have you tried filing a Support ticket yet?
 
  • 2Like
  • 1
Reactions:
Doesn't sound like something we would do, but I am sure Support could help you clear that up. Have you tried filing a Support ticket yet?
I get the strong impression the person you're addressing is Russian and is complaining about Sony's behaviour.
 
  • 10
  • 1
Reactions:
1 thing i totally miss in the console version is the option to see what titles you hold, there is no way to see all the titles you hold which is a serious issue if you ask me, no idea how this could have been overlooked during development. I mean surely someone must have thought hmm lets see what titles i hold. For example I chosen to start with the king of scotland and all i can see is that I hold 5 titles but which titles that are is no where to be seen.

Another thing is that the base game on console is so outdated, its like playing the base game of the PC CK3 from when it first launched. I just took an even deeper look but yeah this is the Base game version that we received when it was launched on PC in 2020, lots of things missing in barbershop that got added to the base game in early 2021 but you notice it on other parts of the game. I hope it gets updated soon.

The worse part is the missing option to click on titles to see all the titles you hold even the tooltip says you should be able to click it but you cant.
And same goes for alliances should also be clickable on the character screen but also is not enabled, seriously did this even get tested ?? How can this have been missed the game cant be played without this info, how can I play if I dont even know what titles I hold come on guys fix this please
 
  • 2Like
  • 1
Reactions:
Doesn't sound like something we would do, but I am sure Support could help you clear that up. Have you tried filing a Support ticket yet?
Of course not PDX, although at first I doubted. I am a big fan of the series of your games CK2, Europe, Stellaris, Emperor, Hearth of Iron and even the ancient Chariots of War and etc... and of course CK3 and I will stay with them, but Sony's hypocrisy and meanness pissed me off, they took away the product and did not return the money. I really wanted to spend time in CK3 lying on the couch, but apparently not fate) But thank you for answering me, I think no one here can help)
 
  • 3Haha
Reactions:
There aren't any plans for that at the moment due to how different the UI works in the Console Edition, but nothing is ruled out for the future. If the demand is there, we'll see how feasible it will be to port it over.

I've played the PC version with a Steam controller on my TV, but native controller support would be very much appreciated! This is a great game to play in a relaxed setting on the couch instead of behind a desk! Please...! :D
 
Do you really think this behavior is normal?
I think it's entirely normal for Sony.

But then, I have a fairly low opinion of Sony's ethical fibre.
 
  • 5Like
Reactions:
I think it's entirely normal for Sony.

But then, I have a fairly low opinion of Sony's ethical fibre.
I don’t know what it is, but I accidentally read on the news that something worked there in the ps store before I was going to sleep. I went in and really was able to order ck3 again at the same price from my wallet, downloaded not much even played for 10 minutes, disconnected the Internet from the console from sin and now I go to sleep happy;)) p.s. started for Harald the beautiful-haired and did not understand how to declare war on the neighbor for the county, the menu does not allow you to choose to declare war, although if you choose to declare war for a raid on prisoners, does it allow? Is this an innovation that needs a claim or a glitch?
 
Automated warfare is a ballsy move. People forgive some amount of the AI's incompetence both because players can't monitor every action the AI takes, and because players are somewhat less critical of things that help them win. Will players be so forgiving when its their own country that's a thousand gold in debt because the AI keeps embarking armies and refuses to conduct a siege?
 
  • 7
Reactions:
I'm part-way through the tutorial and have already noticed several instances of language not updated from the PC version such as instructions to "hover over character portrait," how the heck do I do that on console? A little trepidatious about this port so far. Fingers crossed.
 
This is a topic I would love to cover, and will at some time in the future. I'm still settling into this role within the team, so I cannot give a timeline for when I can do it.
Humans are often emotionally irrational, making passionate and tragic choices, out of personal conviction, even those choices are obviously tragic... Especially true in politics... Game AI, definitely knows how to make irrational choices.. [but lucks human character of such choices, passion behind it, and so on. Maybe that can get some attention from AI team ? Make characters more believable, more authentic.
 
  • 1
Reactions:
I dont know how things can be overlooked like being able to click on titles so you can see all the titles you or another character holds, for those wondering enable expanded tooltips and hover over titles in character screen it says titles with a nr behind it and if you then hover over it it says it should be clickable but you cant click it. A vital part of the game is to see all your titles but its just simply not possible. It really needs a fix and fast