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CK2 Dev Diary - The Rules of the Game

Well people, what do you know? I needed a break from the Stellaris crunch, so here’s an unscheduled dev diary! All the hubbub about Defensive Pacts and Shattered Retreats got me thinking about an old ambition I’ve had to improve the game set-up screens in order to allow players to customize their experience without having to resort to modding. The idea is inspired by games like Civilization and the Second Wave DLC for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, which allow players to change various advanced options and settings for a different experience in the game. I really like such options and typically make good use of them myself.

Now, of course there is such a thing as “the way the game was meant to be played”. That is, how the designers made the game and like to play it themselves. However, variety is the spice of life, and after 11 Crusader Kings II expansions things are not as clear-cut anymore. It’s actually pretty funny that I’ve been using a small personal mod for CK2 for awhile myself. There are some downsides to modding and using mods though:
  • It requires awareness that it’s possible, and where to find existing mods. The modding scene is a jungle.
  • It takes a modicum of extra effort and skill.
  • It might not feel quite legitimate (it can feel a bit like cheating) and you might not get any Achievements.
  • Mods typically do not have the same level of support as the base game. Many become fossilized or are otherwise problematic.
For these reasons especially, I think that adding a bunch of Paradox-approved, fully supported in-game rule variations is a good idea. Thus, when you start a new game, you are now presented with several interesting options. Most of them are simple flavor variations, but some are more fundamental and will disable Achievements in Ironman mode. Here’s the list of options we are currently showing in the new screen (still a work in progress though):
  • Sandbox vs Ironman
  • Shattered Retreats: On/Off
  • Defensive Pacts: On/Off
  • Gender Equality: Default/Historical/All/Players
  • Sunset Invasion: 13th Century/Random/Off
  • Mongol Invasion: Historical/Random/Off
  • Raiding: Historical/Unrestricted/None
  • Epidemics: Dynamic/Historical/Deadly
  • “Supernatural” Events: On/Off
  • Adventurers: Normal/Rare/None
  • Provincial Revolts: Normal/Rare/None
  • Regencies: On/Off
  • De Jure Drift: Default/Restricted/Off
  • Dynamic Kingdoms and Empires: On/Off
  • Diplomatic Range: On/Off
Red options disable Achievements.

Crusader Kings II - Rules 01.jpg


Our new rule system is itself fully moddable, so that modders can use the same system with pretty much any options they might want!

Crusader Kings II - Rules 02.jpg


I look forward to your thoughts and comments. Are there any rule variations you think we’ve missed, or that you would really like to see?
 
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Three suggested optional rules:

1: Enable Orthodox Great Holy Wars

2: Make Kingdom of Venice and Kingdom of Sicily de jure Italia instead of de Jure Byzantine Empire

3: Make Kiev an Orthodox holy site instead of Antioch
 
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While I always prefer more options and like to customize as much as the next guy, I'm not that thrilled of another pop-up whenever starting a new game. I'd like to do it once and then keep it shut.
iron0037 said:
There should be an option to enable the old assassination system for all the players that miss it.

Assassination: Plots Only/Plots and Diplomatic Action
Click to expand...
Someone give this one a cookie.
 
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What I want more than anything in Paradox games are Gold/Silver achievements.

I don't care about bragging rights, but I like having achievements to mark my own progress in a game. It feels good to watch that completion bar go up and up, and to play campaigns inspired by achievements.

Yes, I could just aim for the achievements anyway, and keep my own list in an Excel spreadsheet... but come on. You know that doesn't feel like the same thing, otherwise we may as well just scrap all achievements, because the people who really care could just post screenshots and save files on the forums for proof.

EDIT:

OH! Duh, the most obvious thing that's missing from these options is historical/limited de jure empires. Now that we have custom empires, there really is no need for any de jure empires in Christendom but the HRE and the ERE. If I want an ahistorical empire for myself, I'll make a custom one.
 
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mudcrabmerchant said:
Yes, I could just aim for the achievements anyway, and keep my own list... but come on. You know that doesn't feel like the same thing, otherwise we may as well just scrap all achievements, because the people who really care could just post screenshots and save files on the forums for proof.
Click to expand...
Honestly... I wouldn't care too much if they did this. They might as well keep them around for people who like them, but I don't really see the point.
 
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Fantasy de jure empires on / off

Or restrict them to the AI, if that is somehow possible? (I understand the AI needs stuff like Hispania and Scandinavia to direct its expansion, I just dislike having a map full of de jure entities like "Wendish Empire" to direct player expansion)
 
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Question...

If I turn Diplomatic Range off, does that mean there is no diplomatic range limit?

Just want to be sure on that...
 
gja102 said:
Fantasy de jure empires on / off

Or restrict them to the AI, if that is somehow possible? (I understand the AI needs stuff like Hispania and Scandinavia to direct its expansion, I just dislike having a map full of de jure entities like "Wendish Empire" to direct player expansion)
Click to expand...

No, the AI using them is the worst part about them. The player can just ignore the titles completely - what bugs me is when I see the AI enter fantasy land of its own accord.
 
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mudcrabmerchant said:
No, the AI using them is the worst part about them. The player can just ignore the titles completely - what bugs me is when I see the AI enter fantasy land of its own accord.
Click to expand...

Again, this should entirely be a matter of player choice.

You don't like them, and that's fair.

But other players do like them.

Me? I don't really care either way, and that's the point about making it the player's choice. It's a Single Player game, after all, and what I choose for my Single Player Game won't affect anyone else's Single Player Game.

That's why I whole-heartedly approve of this incoming patch. It's putting the power of choice where it will do the most good. Into our hands; the hands of the players themselves...
 
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vandevere said:
Again, this should entirely be a matter of player choice.

You don't like them, and that's fair.

But other players do like them.

Me? I don't really care either way, and that's the point about making it the player's choice. It's a Single Player game, after all, and what I choose for my Single Player Game won't affect anone else's Single Player Game.

That's why I whole-heartedly approve of this incoming patch. It's putting the power of choice where it will do the most good. Into our hands; the hands of the players themselves...
Click to expand...

I was arguing against his idea that they could just give us a "default/restricted to AI" choice, instead of disabling them entirely. If they implement choice on the matter, I want the option to have them completely turned off.
 
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mudcrabmerchant said:
I was arguing against his idea that they could just give us a "default/restricted to AI" choice, instead of disabling them entirely. If they implement choice on the matter, I want the option to have them completely turned off.
Click to expand...

I'm sure, if they make Fantasy Empires a choice, Off would be one of the options...
 
Doomdark said:
Thus, when you start a new game, you are now presented with several interesting options.
Click to expand...
This is really great and i completely support it but can you hide them in a 'scenario options' menu? The amount of clicks it takes to get a fresh game start is starting to get pretty tedious and I don't want to see another click added. In EU4 scenario options are tucked away int he options menu which is a bit too hidden for my taste but at least it doesn't add an extra step to starting the game fresh.

This is important because us modders need to restart the game many times to test our changes and all the waiting and clicking can get very tedious. It's already been slowed down by the era selection screen and the game rules screen. Both of which i would recommend having an option to turn off for us advanced players that don't really have any use for them. Of course this game is pretty complicated so i don't mind if everything pops up as default for new players as long as i can switch it off.

Anyways here are some suggestions taken mostly from various existing mods:

Shatter world:
Historical/Random/Counts/Dukes/Kings/Emperors

De Jure Empires:
Default/Historical/None
(usually the historical ones are the Byzantines, HRE, and Persia.)

Character Designer:
Default/Unlocked

Concubinage:
Default/All but Muslims

Marriage:
Default/Monogamous/Polygamous

Silk Road:
Default/Expanded/Full/None
(Expanded would take it to Constantinople, Full would add it throughout Europe and various other important trade routs)

Dynastic loss condition:
Normal/None
(play as your heir no matter the dynasty)

Matrilineal marriages:
Default/Off/Player Only/Always

Nomads:
On/Off/Everywhere

Tribals:
On/Off/Everywhere

Education:
Conclave/Vanilla

Extra CB:
Default/Savage/Extra Savage
(Savage would give everyone a county conquest CB and extra Savage would give everyone a duchy conquest CB)

Melting pots:
Default/Historical/Off
(Historical would force the melting pot event at a certain time rather than based on culture so you always get english, etc.)

Sea Attrition:
Off/On

Winter:
On/Off
 
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nice one @Doomdark! this is the emancipation proclamation of DDs. short and sweet but damn it is a doozy. i'm going to have fun with a totally random mongol invasion.
 
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