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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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divefr said:
Conclave was more 'unplayable' to many people because they thought that PI was turning CK2 into EU4, It also made blobbing harder, which is a good thing.
This is far more than a simple 'fix' this goes above and beyond conclave. It could easily fix almost every problem anyone has with the game in general or with a bit of easy modding.
Actually most PI expansions have been met with happiness and rejoicing.
Click to expand...
What's PI?
 
Dracko81 said:
Paradox Interactive. Which just shows their lack of knowledge of how things work.

PI does Production. PDS does development. It is like EA/Bioware. People typically blame EA for bad games, when it is actually the development companies fault.
Click to expand...
I'm just using it because i can't be bothered to write out PDS or Paradox sooooooo..........
I'm a lazy gay don't blame me!
 
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Doomdark,

I would like to see an option to become part of a existing dynasty such as Plantagenets, Karlings, etc if you play a customized character. I know the Game of Thrones and CK2+ both have this option. You can either start as a sibling or the offspring of a particular dynastic member.

And I'm seconding the option to permit interfaith marriages.
 
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A couple bookmarks of popular "what if"-type stuff would be really cool, but may be super difficult, I don't know. I'd especially like to see one where every county is independent, though that would probably be tedious to do.
 
Interesting.

On a side note concerning the Sunset Invasion option, so even if the DLC is enabled (say, since some mods use it and it's features like the Aztec faces, like After the End) and you disabled it from the rules screen, will that be remembered if, say, the game is ported over to EUIV then? Or will the New World still have advanced New World?
 
I just thought of something...

Adjustable font so those of us with poor eyesight can change the font to something more easily readable...

Maybe it's size, or possibly a different font, or even color. I just want to be able to read these things without undue eyestrain...
 
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I just love how the opening post has only 1 Disagree, but +500 Agrees (and +80 Helpful). This is probably the least controversial Dev Diary ever.
 
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vandevere said:
I just thought of something...

Adjustable font so those of us with poor eyesight can change the font to something more easily readable...

Maybe it's size, or possibly a different font, or even color. I just want to be able to read these things without undue eyestrain...
Click to expand...
I would love for font color to be adjustable. Those of us that are red/green colorblind have issues with the red text.
 
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richvh said:
You said "broken". What was broken was mods (as usual), not the base game. That you didn't like the changes doesn't mean the game was broken.

And just because you didn't like the changes doesn't mean that everyone didn't like the changes.
Click to expand...

My game is "broken". Try playing next to a nomadic horde. With Shattered Retreat and a self-replenishing army, they are immortal. My game is unplayable, so IMO, it's broken.
 
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Ambigore said:
My game is "broken". Try playing next to a nomadic horde. With Shattered Retreat and a self-replenishing army, they are immortal. My game is unplayable, so IMO, it's broken.
Click to expand...
If playing a specific situation becomes harder than Dark Souls, but there are no crashes, then it is not broken, just very hard.
 
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