• 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.

CK2 Dev Diary #17: Crusader Cats

Hello everyone! I’m Virvatuli, one of the Content Designers on The Reaper’s Due, which also happens to be my very first project here at Paradox. It’s been so much fun working on this DLC and I hope you’ll have even more fun playing it! In this week’s DD (another first for me), I will reveal one of Reaper’s most important features. Oh, okay, it might not be that important, but at least it’s my personal favourite and pet project. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you cats.

For the longest time, there’s been a issue regarding the representation of pets in Crusader Kings 2. In the realm of companion animals, there has been a worrisome lack of diversity. Most of you who play Way of Life have probably had a loyal hunting dog, there have been some events regarding birds of prey, and a lucky few Conclave players might have encountered a tiny rodent friend. Sadly, that has been pretty much it on the pet front. To rectify this serious problem we’ve added some additional furry and feathered friends in The Reaper’s Due. As we did, of course we couldn’t leave out the best animal of them all: our Feline Overlords, Befurred Ninjas, Gods of the Internet.

In the new DLC you can befriend a cat in a number of ways. However, as any Dwarf Fortress player or real-life cat lover knows, you do not adopt a cat. A cat adopts you. Once your feline friend has decided that you’re the one and only slave for it, you will receive a fancy “Pet Cat” character modifier (unless you scare it away, you horrible person). It will give your character +1 health, as the cat brings you so much happiness, and +1 intrigue, because we all know that cat owners are a bit more clever than everyone else (hey, it’s science!).

dd1.png

However, most things can become troublesome in excess, even your love for felines. In every cat owner’s life there comes a time when you ask yourself if you shouldn’t get just one more. At some point, the answer is probably no, at least if you don’t want to scare off all of your friends and repulse the courtiers.

dd2.png

Unless you want to become even sneakier, that is. Then go ahead and become a Crazy Cat Lady, or a Crazy Cat Lord, if that’s how you identify.

At first thought, one might think that cats would be a very insignificant aspect of a medieval ruler’s life, however, when the Plague comes around to visit this changes drastically. Most of you probably know that the Black Death was likely spread by fleas on rats. Sadly this fact is unknown to ye olde peasant, and when people start to die, some of them might point fingers to our furry protectors. Believe it or not, there are some people who do not like cats. It’s crazy, I know, but trust me on this. How will you deal with their growing fears? Do remember, if you don’t have cats, you’ll have plenty of rats…

dd3.png

This sneak peak of cats is all you’ll get for now. Don’t worry though, The Reaper’s Due is out on the 25th of August and then you can experience cats for yourself in all their whiskered glory. Next week Darkrenown will talk about more assorted features. Now I need to get back to scripting, there’re still some cat-related subjects which need further exploration… Adieu!
 
  • 230
  • 53
  • 28
  • 1Like
  • 1Love
Reactions:
Nah, even an insane character would realize that cats really aren't councilor material.

I think a insane person would really believe a cat would make the perfect spymaster or regent. I mean they're perfectly capable of making humans do their bidding....
 
  • 1
Reactions:
I think a insane person would really believe a cat would make the perfect spymaster or regent. I mean they're perfectly capable of making humans do their bidding....
Not even an insane person would trust a cat with that position. I like cats, but I'd prefer a spymaster who couldn't be bribed with a bite of fish or a bowl of milk. At least when my spymaster betrays me, I know he did it for large quantities of gold.
 
  • 3
Reactions:
Not even an insane person would trust a cat with that position. I like cats, but I'd prefer a spymaster who couldn't be bribed with a bite of fish or a bowl of milk. At least when my spymaster betrays me, I know he did it for large quantities of gold.

Cats can't be bribed. You can give them fish and they might seem subdued but the next second, woosh, it's around your hand biting and clawing and you're bleeding to death. And who's to blame? The cat? No. The cat was punishing a criminal who tried to bribe an official.

But the point in question isn't whether a cat would make a better spymaster than a human would. Question is - would a cat make more sense as a councillor than a horse if your character is a cat owner. I think it would. I mean, the popular belief(at least among some people) is that a cat can tell whether someone is trustworthy. So if you are insane and believe it, it would make sense to use a cat as a spymaster - because if they don't like someone, then this someone must obviously be a nasty traitor and not to be trusted.
 
  • 6
Reactions:
Not even an insane person would trust a cat with that position. I like cats, but I'd prefer a spymaster who couldn't be bribed with a bite of fish or a bowl of milk. At least when my spymaster betrays me, I know he did it for large quantities of gold.

Yeah being betrayed over a bowl of Tender Vittles<tm> would sting wouldn't it ?
 
  • 1
Reactions:
I don't think declaring a cat a councillor necessarily works, although I could see it happening.

Now voting for it as your heir in an elective monarchy? That I could totally see happening. I mean cats are already kings or queens of all they survey.

After all, we all know the saying: "Cats don't have owners. They have staff."
 
  • 2
Reactions:
Being the big cat adorer that I am, I´m SOOOO FREAKING HAPPY about this (obviously!) much needed DLC:D
Anyway, will there also be new coat of arms with cat designs too? I´d really like one.
 
  • 2
  • 1
Reactions:
I think your way of communicating is a bit offensive!
I know you try to be funny, but I actually feel you are giving me "the finger" here - I as a customer ask a question - I have the idea that cats were pet animals in Egypt, but was first really introduced to Europe as a pet in the 15-1600 perhaps - so it is a legit question, and you as a person from Paradox act like this?
I don't get it... It feels like you think you are superior when writing like that.

And sorry, it is not because I sit curled in the corner right now crying - and I can get through it, don't worry - I just want to tell you that the way you communicate is not very "customer-friendly" in my eyes.

Cats existed in Europe long before the 1500s, there are even reports of tortured and mutilated cats used in europe to send a messege to others in cities and villages of someones wrongdoing.

The oldest evidence of domesticated cats in Sweden are even dated back to somewhere between 400-200 BCE.

The main difference between Europe, China and Egypt is that China and Egypt had a larger tendency to domesticate animals then the Europeans where.
 
  • 3
Reactions:
I'm afraid I agree. The new paradox team have completely broken down in customer (or friend-like) communication. These type of sarcastical answers to real questions have become more frequent recently, and I'm not sure if it's all of paradox or just some people, but it's not funny or respectful.

Random people on the internet are not your friends. Paradox employees are not (in general) your friends. It's long past time to realize this. Perhaps you will receive a civil response, but you should by no means expect that you will receive a friendly response. Respect is earned, not given out to everyone like some participation trophy. You do not have the respect of strangers. Strangers do not respect you because they do not know you. To respect someone that you do not know is like giving a random person a very personal gift. It makes absolutely no sense.
 
  • 4
  • 2
Reactions:
Is this what they call content these days?
well, this dlc is not about cats only, and since in this dlc maked that pets matter to some degree, i will love f they make in this adopting of aother aminals like dogs,birds little bit easier.
 
  • 2
Reactions:
Random people on the internet are not your friends. Paradox employees are not (in general) your friends. It's long past time to realize this. Perhaps you will receive a civil response, but you should by no means expect that you will receive a friendly response. Respect is earned, not given out to everyone like some participation trophy. You do not have the respect of strangers. Strangers do not respect you because they do not know you. To respect someone that you do not know is like giving a random person a very personal gift. It makes absolutely no sense.

Respect is something everyone deserves, not something you earn. If you can't hold yourself from insulting strangers who act respectfully towards you, then you are a bit of a four-letter-word.
 
  • 3
Reactions:
Saying that cats didn't exist in Europe is 100% worthy of a sarcastic response. Probably several.
 
  • 5
Reactions:
Respect is something everyone deserves, not something you earn. If you can't hold yourself from insulting strangers who act respectfully towards you, then you are a bit of a four-letter-word.
It seems we do not agree on what the term respect means. You seem to think that respect is when you do not insult someone or not spitting in their food, etc. Surely you would not insult a person you respect, but respect is more than that. When you respect a person, You trust that person, you would be willing to follow that person, you would be willing to risk your life for that person, etc. It's not something that you should dole out lightly.

Also I am honestly confused as to which four letter word you are referring to, there are so many insults/curse words which are four letters long.
 
  • 1
  • 1
Reactions: