Hi folks!

Tomorrow is the release day for Monks and Mystics and, of course, the 2.7 patch - exciting times! Now, we've already covered the new features pretty well, so... how about a Q&A? Unleash your questions about everything CK!

(Oh, and don't miss the livestreams later today, 16:00 CET as usual!)

 

[IFWanderer]

Do you feel the game could do better on in-court interactions (as in, stuff with family members, friends, rivals, (in-court) lovers and other characters at your court), if so, what would you like to do there?

 

[Karlingid]

There's a lot about this game I love. I have gone faithfully into each expansion, and I do not believe I've ever been truly disappointed. I've been playing since 1066 was the only start date (albeit I used to use my brother's account to play, whereas now I've got my own) and Monks and Mystics is no exception for the hype. However, if we've only got one expansion left (maybe more, but I'm not certain about its likelihood) then I'd like to simply ask to consider the following:

Would it be possible to do a touch-up on the Middle East? Please?

Key notes that I'd like to argue:
1) The "Arabic" culture group is far too broad and encompasses many cultures that could individually be very fun and unique to play with.

Spoiler: much detail

All of my suggestions have been covered in The Great Sands, an overhaul I proposed a couple of years ago. However, there are a few things I'd like to update after educating myself just a bit more in the matters of groups like the Beja, who would also be applicable to my theoretical "North African" religion. Speaking of which, I went into more detail with the somewhat abandoned Memoretis Vetustas thread. I shall try to make a rough outline here of cultures and graphics:

Arabic culture group:
Bedouin: Arabic portraits, Arabic clothing
Mashriqi: Mediterranean portraits, Arabic clothing
South Arabian: Arabic portraits, Arabic clothing; special namelist plucked from Sabaean/Himyaritic people
Himyarite: Arabic portraits, East African clothing; shares namelist with South Arabian
Features: Current Arabic features
(If needed or asked for, I could create a file for South Arabian and Himyaritic)

Mesopotamian culture group:
Assyrian: Mediterranean portraits, Persian clothing; Retinue: Horse archers, use Akkadian names

Canaanite culture group:
Ashkenazi: Mediterranean portraits, default European clothing
Sephardi: Mediterranean portraits, Iberian clothing
Mizrahi: Mediterranean portraits, East African clothing
Aramaic: Mediterranean portraits, Persian clothing
Phoenician (Near dead, but still has a couple of provinces): Mediterranean portraits, East African clothing
Features: Current Israelite features

Berber culture group:
Masmuda: Arabic portraits, Arabic clothing
Zenata: Iberian portraits, Arabic clothing
Guanchinet: Iberian portraits, Arabic clothing
Tagelmust: Arabic portraits, Arabic clothing
Tuareg: East African portraits, Arabic clothing
Features: Current Berber features (though one could argue using Iberian portraits for all except Tuareg)

Spoiler: files

Underscores used to connect names of identical origin but different spelling
Assyrian

male: Abaya_Abaye_Abayi_Abba Abdima_Avdima_Avdimi Ador Akhikar Akhina Akkad Asa Ashur Asya Avira Aviqam Avitar Aviya Eshai Dadisho Dimi Dunanu Idan Ila Isho_Ishu Khama Khammo_Khammu Khanin_Khanina_Khaninai_Khinena_Hanina Kaiapha Karna Mannu Nahur Narsai Nekhunya Nehor_Nehorai Nur Palkha Pityu Rakhim_Rahim Rue Sagu Samano Sami Sagi Sarhad Shai Shama Shalim Sharukin Sheraga_Shraga Sima Tamuza Tauma Talmai Timai Tolmai Ukba Zaya

Female: Ashurina Bathishva Devura Dinah Esmar Istir Ishtar Khanna_Hanna_Hanno Layah Maryam_Mayyo Nami Ninvah_Ninveh Nohadra_Nuhadra Ramina Rebqah Shamiram_Shamo Sharukina Siduri

from_dynasty_prefix = "bet "
bastard_dynasty_prefix = "dodeh "

male_patronym = "bar "
female_patronym = "bat "
prefix = yes


used_for_random = yes
dukes_called_kings = no
founder_named_dynasties = yes
dynasty_title_names = no
________________________________________
Aramaic

Male: Abaya_Abaye_Abayi_Abba Abdima_Avdima_Avdimi Akhina Asa Avira Khama Khanin_Khanina_Khaninai_Khinena_Hanina Dimi Dunanu Idan Ila Kaiapha Karna Nahur Nekhunya Nehor_Nehorai Nur Oran Rakhim_Rahim Raz Saba_Sabah Sami Sagi Shai Shama Sheraga_Shraga Sima Tauma Talmai Timai Tolmai Ukba Ishu

Female: Adva Alya Anena_Anina Khayuta_Khiyuta_Hayuta Hina Mahalia_Mehalia Meiriona Nura Raz Sima Talia_Taliah_Talya Zeita_Zeta


from_dynasty_prefix = ""
bastard_dynasty_prefix = "dodeh "

male_patronym = "bar "
female_patronym = "bat "
prefix = yes


used_for_random = yes
dukes_called_kings = no
founder_named_dynasties = yes
dynasty_title_names = no
_______________________________________

Phoenician

Male: Adonba'al Mistneb Abiba'al Baraket Ba'alshilat Mitelik Hamilket Milkya'ton Pimya'ton Adyl Adon Ipshehir Mitonba'al Ba'alrom Mitsih 'Abdmilk Ba'alhanna Aderba'al Idniba'al Adonim Idikran Mitomba'al Ilba'al Shiptiba'al Amotba'al Aztbada Shabdosiri Shedrap Ikonshlom Bodo Shapot_Shipot Benmilqart Arishti Ay Ashdabor Sibal Nimal Mepesh Sidden Hanniba'al Hanno Milti Arisim Mika Horba'al Ba'aleshlom Tanubda Natslip Masushan Aylul Eshmunshalokh Sudru Duni Himilk_Himilkut Magon Palabast Sidya'ton Haya Shalom Asepyahba Ma'shuq Ykoneshlam Tibnit Piso Kemosh Mehdish Medar Adirba'al Bodo Shidrid Ba'alishmor Jar'ashtarut Mikar 'Ashtartya'ton Aqhat Ashtzaf Danel Hiram Khilletsba'al Sakarba'al Zimrida Yerubba'al

Female: Hannah Anot Atirat Alissa_Elissa Asherah Ashtart Ba'alat Ba'alat-Gebal Batnoam Dido Izabel Melita Nikkal Shapash Tanit Ummashtart Arishat Mutunba'al

from_dynasty_prefix = ""
bastard_dynasty_prefix = "mamzer "

male_patronym = "ben "
female_patronym = "bat "
prefix = yes


used_for_random = yes
dukes_called_kings = no
founder_named_dynasties = yes
dynasty_title_names = no

_______________________________________

Egyptian

#Mostly okay as-is, but needs more Coptic. This list might reuse names already in the file. Because Coptic was Egypt's main spoken language until the 17th century, Egyptians can pronounce "P" unlike Arabs. Religion is important, so there will be separate lists for Christian names that can be added to the primary (secular) list. Muslims can, of course, use Arabic names too. Some spellings are altered, almost exclusively reducing "ou" to just "u" to represent native Egyptian spelling and pronunciation, instead of Hellenized versions. In Pdox's form, many "T"s are spelled as "D", which is actually the Arabic form of the name, rather than the Coptic. Some of these are the Egyptian/Coptic variant of names in Pdox's Egpytian list that were Greek variants, such as "Sacmis" being, in Egyptian and Coptic, "Sekhmet". Arabic names are removed.

Some names are shared with Hebrew due to many Levite names actually being Egyptian in origin.

Male: Aharu, Aru, Apamun, Apanub, Amun, Anub_Apapa, Apamun, Apanub, Mesu, Mina, Pamun, Panub, Papnuti, Patape, Pamun, Penuti_Panuti, Pigol, Pishoi, Psote, Unefer, Ruwais, Shenuta_Shenuti, Sidhom, Usiri_User_Aser

Female: Amunet, Asenet_Asenit_Asenat, Ese, Miryam, Padiyat_Padiyet, Sena, Sekhmet, Tanuti, Tawaret_Taweret, Titi

Christian extra (male only): Gerges_Girgis, present non-Arabic Pdox names with "ou" replaced by "u"

from_dynasty_prefix = ""
bastard_dynasty_prefix = "Jut "
#From "Djoout", which is, frankly, difficult to interpret. "ou" stands in for "u", so it becomes "djout", which is theoretically pronounced like "Joot", hence "Jut"

#male_patronym = "shiri "
female_patronym = "sheri "
prefix = yes


used_for_random = yes
dukes_called_kings = no
founder_named_dynasties = yes
dynasty_title_names = no
________________________________________________________

All of the Berbers

Male: Aderfi, Agerzam, Agizul, Amanar, Amazzal, Ameqran, Anaruz, Anir, Asafa, Aslal, Ayrad_Irat, adis, Bukkus, Gaya, Gulusa, Gwafa, Gwasila, Idir, Igider, Ikken, Izabudjen, Izem, Massin Maysar, Meddur, Mennad, Misibsen, Merrin, Mahsensen, Mezian, Saden, Shushunq_shishungh, Tashafin, Usem, Winaruz, Winitran, Yani, Yattuy, Yuba, Yugurtha, Yuffayur, Yuften

Female: Bakhta, Dihya, Izabudjen, Kahina, Massa, Tadefi, Taderfit, Taghbalut, Tanaruz, Tasa, Taziri, Thiyya, Tifawt, Tinifsan, Titrit, Tiziri, Tuda, Tuftent, Tumert, Tunaruz, Tuya, Tzil


Muslim extra: Lahsen (Male), Zineb (Female)

from_dynasty_prefix = ""


#male_patronym = "weldi "
female_patronym = "benti "
prefix = yes


used_for_random = yes
dukes_called_kings = no
founder_named_dynasties = yes
dynasty_title_names = no

________________________________________________________

Ashkenazi

Male: Alter, Anshel, Avrum_Avruhom, Benesh, Ber, Chatzkel, Danyal, Dovid_Dudel, Evron, Faibush_Feibush_Faivish_Feivel, Falk, Fishel_Fishke, Gavrel, Haskel, Herschel_Hersh, Hyman, Iser_Issur_Sroel, Kapel_Koppel_Yankel, Lazer, Leeber, Mendel, Moishe, Motel_Motke, Nosson, Sekel, Selig, Sender, Shimmel, Teivel, Tobiah_Tevye, Velvel, Yudel, Yussel, Zalman, Zusman

Female: Alte, Baila_Beylike, Bluma, Breindel, Charna, Eidel, Faigel_Faiga, Freyde, Fruma, Gittel, Gluke_Glukel, Golda, Hena_Henda_Hendel, Hode_Hodel, Hudes, Kaila_Kayla, Kreine_Kreindel, Leeba, Mirele, Perele, Raisa, Reina_Rayna, Rifka, Ruchel, Saina_Shaindel_Shayna_Sheine, Shprintza_Shprintze_Shprintzel, Sisel, Suri_Tzeitel, Velvela, Yehudis, Yente, Yentil, Yutke, Zelda, Zusa

#Translations can be found here: http://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/yiddish For connecting names to other cultures. Moishe_Moses, for example, and Haskel_Ezekiel, and so on.



from_dynasty_prefix = ""
bastard_dynasty_prefix = "mamzer "

male_patronym = "ben "
female_patronym = "bat "
prefix = yes


used_for_random = yes
dukes_called_kings = no
founder_named_dynasties = yes
dynasty_title_names = no

__________________________________________________________

Sephardi

# "G" and "J"are pronounced like in English. Some obvious Occitan variants of Spanish names will be seen. "C" is like "K". "Angelo", thus, is like "On Jello"

G before I O U is like "J" as in "Jello"
G before A E is like "G" as in "Good"

Male: Aaron, Abel, Abraham, Amadio, Amado, Angelo_Angel, Astruc_Astrugo, Bakhor, Belhom, Bello, Benami_Benamy, Bendit, Beni, Benvenuto_Benvenist, Benvenido, Bonjidio_Bonjueu_Boniudo, Bonsenyor, Bruno, Buendia, Daniel, Gento, Kalo, Izi, Jaffyu, Liaou, Mercado, Mois, Moreno, Moshiko_Moshon, Nalfimai, Nissim, Pepo_Pepe, Perfeto, Rafael, Sadi, Salvator, Samuel, Sasson, Sevim, Simantov, Vidal_Vitali_Vidalon, Vivas, Zafiro, Zac

Female: Aida, Allegra, Almonda, Amada_Amata, Ana, Aster, Astruga, Atsero, Bananta, Bekhorah, Bella_Belica, Belma, Benuta, Bethania, Bianca, Boli, Brianda, Cadin_Cadon, Cara, Ceti, Diamente, Counin_Counine, Dicno, Dolva, Duena, Edma, Elia, Emma, Esperanza, Estela, Estimada, Facima, Farina, Fermoza, Flora, Fortuna, Gaia, Gioia, Gracia, Hantza, Hasiba, Hiren, Ino, Isha, Isca, Joliet, Judea, Jusseva, Lina, Loba, Luna, Meri, Mimi, Mira, Nena, Oro, Penu, Perla, Reina, Rosa, Saliste, Samulina, Sucule, Tsutsa, Ventura, Vida, Vinosa, Zafira, Zimbul


Translations: http://www.behindthename.com/bb/fact/246859

from_dynasty_prefix = ""
bastard_dynasty_prefix = "mamzer "

male_patronym = "ben "
female_patronym = "bat "
prefix = yes


used_for_random = yes
dukes_called_kings = no
founder_named_dynasties = yes
dynasty_title_names = no

__________________________________________________________

Mizrahi


#The Mizrahim have the most conservative/historically-accurate pronunciation of Hebrew among the 3

Ḥ/ḥ will be used for Heth, and it represents this sound: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_pharyngeal_fricative

Kh will be used for kof, and it holds the pronunciation of previous "kh" names so far: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_uvular_fricative'



Male: Aḥav, Adalya', Adam, Adin_'Adinah, Adlai, Adoniyah, Aharon, 'Amaryahu, Amnon, Amos, Amram, Aran, Arieh, Ari'el, Asa, Asaf, Asher, Avidan, 'Avi'el, Avihu, 'Avima'el, 'Avimelekh, Aviram, 'Avishai, 'Aviyah, Avner, Avram_Avraham, 'Avshalom, 'Azaryah, 'Azazyahu, 'Azri'el, Baraq, Barukh, Benayahu, Binyamin, Boaz, Dan, Daniyyel, David, Delayahu, Diklah, 'Efrayim, Ehud, Eiran, Eitan, 'El'azar, Eli, 'Elifalet, Elihu, Elisha, Eliyyahu, Elkanah, Enosh, Ezer, Gad, Gavri'el, Gedalyahu, Gemaryahu, Gershom, Gid'on, Gilad, Ḥananyah, Ḥanokh, Ḥavaquq, Ḥawah, Ḥizqiyahu, Ḥulda, Haran, Hevel, Hilel, Hiram, Hoshe'a, Imanu'el, Itamar, Kalev, Kayin, Kenanyahu, Lemu'el, Levi, Manashe, Meshullam, Metushelaḥ, Mikha'el, Moshe, Naftali, Nadav, Natan, Neḥemyah, Nevukhadnetsar, Noaḥ, Omri, Oved, 'Ovadyah, Peleg, Pinḥas,[ Rafa'el, Re'uven, Seraiyah, Sha'ul, Shem, Shim'on, Shimshon, Yehoshua_Yeshua, Yehu, Yehuda, Yered, Yishai, Yissakhar, Yosef, 'Yov, Zekharyah, Zevulun

Female: Aḥinoam, Anat, 'Asenat, 'Ashtoret, Atalyah, Atarah, 'Avigayil, Avishag, Avital, 'Aviyah, Basmat, Bat-Sheva, Bityah, Bo'az, Devorah, Dinah,Elisheva, ' Ester, Ḥaggit, Ḥannah, Ḥeftsivah. Ḥulda, Hadassah, Hagar, Hodiyah, 'Izevel, Qeren-Happukh, Ketsi'ah, Le'ah, Maḥalat, Merav, Miryam, Moriyah, Na'amah, 'Orpah, Raḥel, Rivqah, Sarah, Sarai, Tamar, Sipporah, Yehudit, Yohkeved, Zilpah


translations: http://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/biblical-hebrew


from_dynasty_prefix = ""
bastard_dynasty_prefix = "mamzer "

male_patronym = "ben "
female_patronym = "bat "
prefix = yes


used_for_random = yes
dukes_called_kings = no
founder_named_dynasties = yes
dynasty_title_names = no

Spoiler: maps

The Mizrahim were, by far, the dominant group in the Middle Ages. Judeo-Arabic was the dominant Judaic language, and the majority of Jews lived in the Middle East, North Africa, or Muslim-controlled Spain. Giving the Ashkenazim everywhere outside of Spain is simply wrong. While I'm at it, Jewish groups keep extensive records on who is a Kohen, so there's not really a factor of them being unknown such as the third temple restoration would indicate.

Also seen are new provinces, whose names are written in said provinces. These will help diversify Arabia to fit more tribes in, as well as letting Yemen be historically developed in relation to the rest of Arabia.

Although I have not accounted for them, the Beja should also be added here.

2) The spread of Islam was not quite as determined as one might imagine, and neither was the Arabic language.

Spoiler: detail

While the current situation of Christianity in the 769 start isn't too bad, my personal opinion is that Nestorian should be flipped to a new "Syriac" religion which encompasses most of the Fertile Crescent. The reason for this is that, despite many religious traditions existing in the Middle East with regards to Christianity, they all use Aramaic and share in the Syriac identity. The Maronites are hardly similar to the Roman Catholics in many ways, but they do share much with the Assyrians. This can be left out, I suppose, but I'm going to include it anyways.

Semitic paganism isn't all dead, either. The Assyrians in and around Harran, for instance, practiced their ancient paganism openly during the first couple of starts, until the Caliph forced them to chose a religion of the book, to which they chose to become Sabians. What exactly Sabians are is debated, but they reportedly continued practicing paganism until C. 1030-1040 when their temple was destroyed. A pagan holdout in Yemen is also reported, having survived the destruction of their idol by Muhammad. Lastly, some Bedouin tribes were reported to be pagans by Mughal authors, indicating a long-lasting influence in the hard-to-reach nomadic camps. Islamic scholars also indicated a survival of Assyrian pagans into the 17th century. Semitic paganism also encompasses the worship of Waaq, the Ethiopic and Cushitic equivalent to the ancient Arabic deity Allah, the Judaic/Canaanite El, and the Akkadian Ilu. The presence of Fetishist countries in Eu4 would indicate that this portion was not entirely dead either.

North African paganism, identified as the Egyptian religion on a broader scale, was far from dead in the game's first half. Numerous Berber tribes had followed it for centuries, if not millennia, and these are recorded in the game as West African Berbers. The Barghawata Confederation, a group of Berbers in Morocco who are in the Charlemagne Start, were a syncretic form between pagan and Kharijite, but in the game are currently represented as Shia for some reason. Other than the Berbers, the Beja also follow this religion, and would continue to do so for centuries into the game's timeframe. I'd recommend reading the suggestion thread's proposal for the Beja, as it is more detailed than I can give. I am simply incorporating it.

Spoiler: files

Syriac

christian = {
has_coa_on_barony_only = yes
graphical_culture = westerngfx
crusade_cb = crusade
playable = yes
ai_peaceful = yes # Will make Hordes lose their super aggressiveness

syriac = {
graphical_culture = muslimgfx

icon = 1
color = { 0.5 0.6 0.6 }

crusade_name = "CRUSADE"
scripture_name = PESHITTA
high_god_name = GOD_ELAH
god_names = {
GOD_ELAH GOD_ILAYA GOD_ISHU GOD_MARYAM
}
evil_god_names = {
BEHERIT MAMMON BEELZEBUB
autocephaly = yes
investiture = yes
can_excommunicate = yes
can_grant_divorce = yes
can_grant_invasion_cb = invasion
can_grant_claim = yes
can_call_crusade = no
priests_can_inherit = no

can_retire_to_monastery = yes
}
}
}

Holy sites: Antioch, Baghdad, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Socotra

______________________________________________

Semitic

pagan_group = {

semitic_pagan = {
graphical_culture = muslimgfx

high_god_name = GOD_ILU

god_names = {
GOD_ILU GOD_ASHERAH GOD_ISHTAR GOD_HADAD GOD_SHAMASH GOD_BAAL GOD_YAREAH
}
evil_god_names = {
SHED
}

unit_modifier = {

camel_cavalry_offensive = 0.2
light_cavalry_offensive = 0.2

}

crusade_name = GREAT_HOLY_WAR
scripture_name = THE_LEGENDS
priest_title = PRIEST

priests_can_marry = yes
defensive_attrition = yes
max_consorts = 3
reformed = semitic_pagan_reformed

religious_clothing_head = 6
religious_clothing_priest = 4

intermarry = jewish_group

dislike_tribal_organization = yes

Holy sites: Baghdad, Mecca, Sana'a, Tyrus/Sur, Damascus
________________________________________________

North African

#The religion marked as "Berber" on the map

pagan_group = {

berber_pagan = {
graphical_culture = muslimgfx

high_god_name = GOD_AMUN

god_names = {
GOD_AMUN GOD_TANIT GOD_ASER GOD_NET GOD_AMUNET GOD_ASET GOD_THE_ANCESTORS
}
evil_god_names = {
SET
}

unit_modifier = {

light_cavalry_defensive = 0.2
light_cavalry_offensive = 0.2

}

crusade_name = GREAT_HOLY_WAR
scripture_name = THE_TEXTS
priest_title = PRIEST

priests_can_marry = yes
defensive_attrition = yes
max_consorts = 3
reformed = berber_pagan_reformed

religious_clothing_head = 6
religious_clothing_priest = 4

intermarry = jewish_group

dislike_tribal_organization = yes

Holy sites: Marrakech, Atlas Mnt, Medjerda. Tunis (Carthage), Cairo

Spoiler: map

The Beja, if added, should also follow the religion here named "Berber". Properly, this religion would be called "North African", as the Egyptians and Berbers had the greater portion of their religions shared as far as contemporary writers can tell, while the Beja also followed the Egyptian religion either through adoption or cognate.

3) Desert nomadism could be added

Spoiler: detail

This will function similarly to Hordes as presently in the game. Think of this as a similar distinction between Merchant Republic and regular Republic government types.

Many peoples of the Middle East and the Sahara have been nomadic for millennia. To see them represented as sedentary tribes is highly inaccurate, and so my proposal is a "Desert Nomad" government type to overcome these issues and bring forth a final product we can all be proud of.

The desert nomad mechanics affect Bedouin, Berber, and Baluchi nomad groups. These will be similar to the current Nomad groups in the steppe, with a count of manpower, more benefits from emptier provinces, and largely cavalry-based armies. The types of soldier available to Desert Nomads would be light cavalry, heavy cavalry, horse archer, and camel cavalry, with various combinations available to pick from as in the regular Nomad mechanic. Realistically, the Baluchi people would be much more horse-focused, whereas the Bedouin would have abundance of camels, but a deal of mixing is to be expected in the end due to the limitations of the game's mechanics.

What's the difference, then? Well, the difference is first and foremost that these are raider cultures. The Desert Nomad government type should be exempt from pacification, as these nomads were ruthless raiders on settled peoples all around them. A good example is that, despite being largely Islamic, Bedouin were known to raid Hejaz and, once, even sacked Mecca. This group, the Qarmatians, was nonstandard, but Muslim all the same. Their raiding culture payed a pivotal role in World War 1 as popularized in Lawrence of Arabia.

What else? They are also skilled traders. While Steppe nomads have the Silk Road to represent their peaceful trade alongside their raiding, the Bedouin, Berber, Beja, and Blemmyes were all known for guiding caravans across treacherous stretches of hostile terrain, ferrying goods from one place to another, and were highly involved in the efficient practice of the slave trade. While something cheap and easy could be done in a style similar to the silk road whereby all Desert Nomad provinces have a trade route inside of them, the key thing here would instead allow for a special "Caravansarai" holding that would act similarly to the Silk Road Trade Post, sans the Silk Road. Allowing Desert Nomads to build the Caravansarai not only encourages raiding to fund the construction, but also forces them to make a decision between the increased wealth and prosperity of being a trade hub, or the increased might provided by empty provinces. The Caravansarai could also improve technology spread and generate tech points to represent trade of ideas across large areas, and to function as the primary method for the Desert Nomad to generate points.

The last major difference is, of course, the retinue/army composition as seen earlier. Many minor things that don't particularly affect gameplay could also be considered as distinctions, such as a probable unique graphic for the camp, displaying tents instead of yurts. Desert Nomad would not have access to things like Airag. Many of the buildings would probably change names, but likely not functionality.

The titles used by the Desert Nomad group should be thus:
Wali
Sheikh
High Chief
Grand Chief
Emperor

The choices made here represent the tribal nature, with most of the titles mimicking those of other tribes for the express purpose of avoiding Arab-centrist naming, which would not occur in non-Islamic regions like Baluchistan or the Sahara, and likewise avoids titles that attained their status through Islamic conquest. By setting these parameters, the tribal nature of Desert Nomads, who were largely unaffected by Islam's cultural and linguistic developments, appropriately use tribal titles. The last Arabic title used is "Sheikh" for "Count", because the word "Sheikh" originates as a tribal title roughly equivalent to "Chief" or "Chieftain".

Spoiler: map

With considerations of the Beja, this may be a bit outdated. Still, I hope it gets the point across.

4) It's one of the few places that hasn't been updated since launch

Spoiler: details

Okay so maybe it has been updated. The Bedouin and Berbers attained tribal status, the start dates of course allowed for a design change, and Sword of Islam gave a significant amount of updating. The problem? Sword of Islam is like Sons of Abraham, in a sense. It doesn't add new cultures, or update the ones already there. It updates Islam which is entirely independent of the Middle East and North Africa. Spanish Muslims, Turkish Muslims, even Norse Muslims all get the same experience as Berber or Bedouin Muslims.

The basic point is that people have been stating their concern over the somewhat generic nature of the Near East as of late. While Europe is host to 8 portrait packs and numerous culture groups and most pagan religions, India has two culture groups, two portrait packs, and a bit of unique flavor for its 3 religions, the Steppes have unique governance, culture, and general dynamics to play with (including now a dynamically-named Tarim basin), and all of these have one or more music packs inherent to the cultures and not the religions, the Middle East and North Africa is left with a single culture group, practically speaking a single religion, and most of the content for it is inherent to Islam rather than to any cultures.

This is simply playing catch-up to the rest of the world.

Spoiler: potential miscellaneous ideas

Dynamic name for k_mesopotamia: If ruled by an Assyrian, it given the dynamic name of "Assyria". Baghdad is renamed to "Babil" if held by an Assyrian.

Possible 'restore Akkadian' event chain using dual Aramaic-Akkadian texts?

Dynamic name for d_yemen: If ruled by a Himyarite, it is renamed to "Himyar". If ruled by a South Arabian, it is renamed to "Sabea". Himyarites and South Arabians can form titular kingdom of "Yamnat" or "Yemen" when holding both d_yemen and d_oman.

Dynamic name for k_africa: If ruled by a Canaanite culture, it is given the dynamic name of "Carthage".

Dynamic names for k_jerusalem: If held by a Canaanite culture, it is given the dynamic name of "Canaan", if held by a Mashriqi ruler, it is given the name "Palestine". "Israel" is already in the game.

Tower of Babel event for Semitic pagans?

Restore temple in Memphis/Thebes for pagans?

Alans given Iranian graphics

Italian culture in 769 made into Roman: What we think of as "Italian" only began to diverge from Latin at the earliest around 960 CE, while in the Early Middle Ages they retained a great deal of Late Roman culture. Manners of eating, dressing, acting, and performing were all very similar to the Byzantines during this period, whereas much of the rest of Western Europe lost their Roman qualities to their Germanic warlords and had developed unique Latinate cultures. The Italians specifically during the first two starts fit the Roman culture fairly well if we assume it to be Late Roman and not, say, Caesar and Augustus. Plus, Lombard was at one point marketed as a "Proto-Italian" sort of group that would shift to Italian once the Lombards lost power. Well, then Lombard rule over Romans could mean they all switch to Italian once a foreign ruler takes control.

In short, the Middle East and North Africa has seen a small fraction of the love everywhere else gets, and despite the true diversity the region holds both culturally and religiously, nearly all of the special features present (such as music) are coded into Islam instead of culture. So, to reiterate my question for the Q&A:

Would it be possible to do a touch-up on the Middle East? Please?

 

[ringhloth]

A crusader Kings massively multiplayer online grand strategy role-playing game. When?

Well, there is Crowfall, in pre-alpha right now. Probably not grand strategy, but, you know, modest strategy.

 

[Baron of Red]

Is hellenism making a return? I thought I read somewhere they were implementing it again, but i could be mistaken.

 

[loup99]

Thank you for taking the time to do this Q&A and answering questions!

Q3: Naval combat changes are not planned at this time, and naval combat is unlikely to ever happen.

Is naval combat unlikely to ever happen for CK2 specifically or does this also apply for the Crusader Kings series in general?

 

[Myrten]

1)How absorb life force exactly work?
2)Can we only absorb life force from direct children or also from grandchildren etc...?
3)Is unholy child the same as Demon Child from SoA? Is child of unholy child also unholy?

 

[Arkabeth]

Question: What does a secret society's influence being high or low result in?

 

[DevilSauron]

Would it be possible to add "playable=yes/no" flag to governments and government groups in the future? Some mods would greatly benefit from "unnatural" playable govs, especially those taking place in fantasy worlds.

 

[MateuszS]

What about some kind of relationship between societies?

 

[stnylan]

1. Any plans to have events to add new Societies as likely candidates developed over time?
For example, you could have an event in the early 13th century that would enable a new Society called the Franciscans

2. Any plans to setup conflicts between societies themselves, or between societies and other in-game groups.
For example, the Franciscans had a number of conflicts with the Papacy, especially in the early 14th century.

 

[MateuszS]

Maybe even religious order/society could turn heresy? Franciscans going fraticelli?

 

[VenetianPriest]

Q1: No. I'd love that though!

Q2: Unlikely.

It'd really help with immersion. Always irked me that one king to the next wouldn't wear the same crown. Could also add a lot of flavor. A deposed king could run off with the old regalia, refusing to give it up. New king suffers a prestige malus because he doesn't hold the traditional crown. He could get a mission to seize it.

 

[kmh42]

AI Faction joining has been heavily tweaked and a serious bug with Claimant Factions fixed - in a later patch level

I am looking forward to this patch. The lack of claimant faction didn't bothered me much till you mentioned it in the stream. Now I know there is something missing and I can't stand it.

Making the game harder for experienced players is a goal, but we have to do it without destroying the fun of blobbing.

Very good to hear that you set this goal. I am sure you learned you lessons in the DP/threat debacle and I am sure you find a good solution.
One "short" suggestions:
Make the AI more challenging:

AI does not…

... understand land distribution
The AI makes terrible decisions when distributing land. This leads to multiple problems. Large realms become unstable because of many avoidable opinion maluse (e.g.: Wants control of ... , Desires county of..., has a claim on, ...) and (elective) Gavelkind realm split (e.g.: 769 Karling border gore)

Fix:
Give out land on the following rules

• Is in the demense limit
  • Do nothing

• Is over the demesne limit
  • Is not over the vassal limit
    • Give a county (which is not de jure of held Duchy) to an courtier. Prefer courtiers with claim, dynasty members, same religion, high opinion and content trait. Exclude rivals
  • Is at or over the vassal limit
    • If a vassals desires, wants control of or has a claim on a county give it to him. Or give it a courtier and transfer vassal to a de jure liege

...understand vassal management

The AI randomly transfer vassals across the realm which add to the problem from the previous issue

Fix:
Is over the vassal limit

• If a vassal wants control of a lower rank vassal transfer this vassal to him/her before transferring to another vassal
• or transfer vassals only to neighboring vassals

...understand the Alliances and NAPs
It dose

• ...not make Alliances when they are a vassals
• ...make bad or few alliances in general
  
• ...not renegotiate NAP and Alliances after a ruler’s death
• ...reject Alliance offers right after offering the same
• ...not accept a good alliance offer when in real trouble for no good reason

Fix:

• Vassal AI should be able to make alliances
  
• Find the line (search for it) - MARRIAGE_AI_PRESTIGE_VALUE in the defines.lua and triple it's value from 0.33 to 0.99. Find these lines - MARRIAGE_THREATENING_FOR_US,MARRIAGE_LANDED, MARRIAGE_PRIMARY_HEIR, MARRIAGE_SECONDARY_HEIR, MARRIAGE_CHILD_OF_RULER and increase their values substantially to the point of doubling them

… understand the conclave education system.

• It picks bad/random child foci and ignores childhood traits.

… understand army movement and prioritization
They prefer to attack a 500 raider stack over a beatable enemy army attacking the capital. Besides they send there stacks against much larger hostile armies or do not place them were they are at least save from the enemy armies.

• It should ignore raiders when a war is going on
• It should retreat it's armies before they are in the next counties if they are stronger and the AI is aware of it

… understand war prioritization
The biggest thing for me would be to work on how the AI priorities wars. For example I see the AI prioritize wars against the player where it stands to lose a county or nothing at all because it is on the offensive all the while it is ignoring empire breaking decadence revolts or crusades. Regardless of the player it should prioritize winning defensive wars for the highest title down then offensive wars. Obviously there should be caveats like if it is winning an offensive war by over 80% for example to finish that off.

... assign (good) commanders
They have one death stack of 10k men but assign bad commanders or worst none.

…understand Viceroys
I can't blame it. Viceroys are horrible and need a change of its own.

• AI viceroys do not care about preserving patrilineal marriage for their sons or matrilineal marriage for their daughters
• AI emperors murder viceroys based on the "I would inherit a title" rule
• AI emperors will not grant multiple viceroyalties to a single duke
• AI emperors do not make a concerted effort to make their realm all-viceroy or all-feudal, resulting in a mix that lowers the opinion of feudal dukes.
• AI minor viceroys should consider the "Increase Council Power" faction to be high-priority until title revocation is under council control, because they know they are at risk of having their viceroyalties revoked. (Currently, rulers only consider it high-priority until war declarations are voted on.)
• AI emperors rarely revoke viceroyalties. They should consider revoking from faction member, especially in all-viceroy realms where there is no general penalty for re-granting the viceroyalty.
• AI emperors never retract vassals from kings.

...understand Attrition
When my ally sends me 12k men to help, I am very grateful (even though they are not needed), but when they attach them to my 10k army, leading to a 10% attrition, when they are provinces nearby to siege, or enemies armies to quickly defeat, it makes me rage a little bit. My allies kill more of my men than my enemies do.

...consider the strength of your allies!
They declare war with not a single ally against a realm with multiple allies.

...handle large scale wars good
When the AI is facing multiple enemies in one or multiple wars, it can not fight them all in a seasonable manor. E.g.: Mongol Invasion against a world wide DP

...use Favors in a reasonable way
It seems that the AI collects and uses favors completely random.
Fix:

• Script the AI so that it uses favors in a more sensible way

... kill rebel stacks
But siege rebel captured holdings, despite being able to easy wipe out the rebels after a battle

The new aggressive AI does very unimmersive things…
… like conquering Africa, the Steppes and Abyssinia. Nearly nothing holds a AI blob from conquering weak neighbors. No DP/threat nor council
Fixes:

• Turn down the aggressiveness
• Make aggressive AI at least reasonable. (Ambitious, zealot, not conquering worthless Steppes, Mountains ...)
• target weights need to be greatly diminished over distance...

The AI does build stupid Trade Posts
Currently AIs build trade posts as soon as it is possible to do so, even if that trade post was just destroyed by raiders who are still raiding the province they're building it in. This often results in a trade post being destroyed over and over again and needlessly costing the AI a very large amount of money.
Fix:

• AIs should never build trade posts while they are hostile to another due to having been raided.
• AIs never build trade posts in provinces that contain enemy armies.

single Female AI rulers
Female AI rulers do not have a panic point where they marry a random courtier due to being unable to get an alliance/NAP or prestigious marriage that they want. This leads to some random female counts ruling for decades unmarried, until they are past the age of childbearing.
Fix:

• Female AI rulers and female AI heirs who are over the age of thirty and have been unmarried for at least 6-12 months should just marry a valid fertile random courtier in a matrilineal marriage to make sure they can actually have kids

creating unnecessary titles
The AI creates all lower titles before creating a possible higher title (e.g.: Charlemagne creating every Duchy and Kingdom even he meets all criteria for e_Francia)
Fix:

• If possible create the Highest tier title first. Maybe even save up for a higher title. Only create lower tier titles when over the VL

Especially that part were vassal AI doesn't make alliances, is this fixed?

EDIT: Thx for taking time to answer questions.

 

[lordbadguy]

It's my understanding that Merchant Republics are hard-coded to be male only, such that even the Gender Equality game rules can't facilitate a female ruler.

Question: Will there ever be support for female Merchant Republic characters?

 

[Meneth]

Can characters reveal they are part of a secret society?

They can be discovered if they're too obvious. The new Court Chaplain job action is also specifically dedicated to finding members of secret societies.

Can you be part of multiple societies at once?

No, only one.

- Will the base expansion feature new music tracks? If so how many?

- If not, will new music be available in a separate DLC pack?

There will be a music pack with 5 songs: https://www.paradoxplaza.com/crusader-kings-2-hymns-of-revelations

If I'm secretly a Slavic Pagan while professing a Catholic faith and I die, will my heir be a secret Slavic pagan as well ? What's going to be his rank in the order ?

You'll have the opportunity to induct them into the cult. That'll make them the starting rank, and they'll then be able to progress on their own.

Seems like the Q&A has ended for today?

People do have a life outside work

I was wondering about Artifacts and raiding, I think raiding is a core gameplay for the Germanic Norse, will they get a greater chance or event to steal a relic/artifact from the county/character they are raiding from compared to other cultures and religions?

I don't think the chance is greater, but they're likely to be raiding more and thus stealing more artifacts.

Q1 Can we "wear" Crown Jewels that are in our inventory? In other words, if we have the bling appear physically on our character?

No.

Related question, is there anyone to not wear society clothing? Or am I always going to end up looking like Friar Tucks brother from another mother when ever I join one of the monastic groups?

High-ranking members of monastic orders don't bother with the hair, though IIRC they do wear the rest of it.

So if supernatural = Off and Demon Worship = On, will worshipping demons still give you demonic power and other supernatural stuff/abilities?

If yes, whats the logic behind that?

Yes. I think the logic is that the player specifically made that choice, so that's what they get

Question: What does a secret society's influence being high or low result in?

Some society interactions get cheaper. Might be some stuff beyond that too; not sure.

 

[Tavior]

Will you ever make it easier to spot commander that are assigned as commander while having the flag, from councilor etc..., to NOT allowed to lead your army?

IE if I assigned a major of a city with 15 military skill as one of the commander and my current marshal dies. I don't want to waste my top major city talent so I flag him to not lead but he is still a commander.

So I would like to know when to change my commander minor titles to allow more non-councilor characters whatsoever to lead my army.

 

[Aries666]

If Paradox had access to unlimited work hours of the best programmers in the world, what would you like to see modeled in Crusader Kings 3?

You mean they don't already

 

[Slayen]

Kings and emperors are not affected.

Is this something hard coded, or something that can be modified to say also extend to dukes for example?

 

[Rags17]

Related question, is there anyone to not wear society clothing? Or am I always going to end up looking like Friar Tucks brother from another mother when ever I join one of the monastic groups?

Umm, that was the whole point. Most of the Catholic holy orders required vows of chastity and poverty, having just one and only set of clothes was pretty much the whole point.

It was the priests and officialy clergy who got all the bling, the monastics all wore the same habit day in and day out.

 

[fastrike]

So will saxons/anglo-saxons finally keep their clothing the whole game rather than reverting to ugly vanilla clothing eventually?