Hello again folks!

This diary will be a bit on the short side due to the frenzy at the office this week, but since it recently came up on the forum, I thought I'd say a little bit about regnal numbers. One of the nice little touches in Europa Universalis III (and its predecessors) is that kings have proper regnal numbers. This feature was missing from the original Crusader Kings, but I am pleased to announce that it will be fully implemented in Crusader Kings II. The way it works is that the first names of actual scripted holders in the character database are counted for each landed title at game start. Regnal numbers are only displayed for Dukes and above, which includes the Pope (a kingdom tier title.) The Holy Father, however, is a bit special in that he changes name on accession. So, a character named, say, Étienne Aubert could get the name Innocent VI if he became Pope.



Somewhat related to regnal numbers is the state of a character at the time of death. In Crusader Kings II, you can browse back through dead characters and see exactly which titles they held and what regnal number they had. I'll leave you with some extra screenshots while you're waiting for the next dev diary, which will be about our beautiful new map. Failing unexpected delays, it should be posted on february 4.




Henrik Fåhraeus, Associate Producer and CKII Project Lead

 

[LordofSaxony]

I wonder if they are going to add a "cloud" background for the final product? Example (Edited in Photoshop)

Also, I wonder if they are going to add any weather effects? I suppose it would not mean individual rainy days, but rather rainy seasons.

 

[RedRooster81]

I like the weather effects. The rainy season has never been good for fighting, so that might be a consideration, also might affect agricultural production, trade, etc.

 

[LordofSaxony]

I like the weather effects. The rainy season has never been good for fighting, so that might be a consideration, also might affect agricultural production, trade, etc.

I was thinking the same thing, because while editting that the battle of Agincourt sprang to mind (also Waterloo )

You might be in the middle of a campaign and the next thing you know, here comes the rain - which could impact certain troop types and change the tide of battle for better, or worse.

 

[RedRooster81]

I was thinking the same thing, because while editting that the battle of Agincourt sprang to mind (also Waterloo )

You might be in the middle of a campaign and the next thing you know, here comes the rain - which could impact certain troop types and change the tide of battle for better, or worse.

Exactly. The climate is always the biggest enemy, up to today. Seasonal conditions on the Russian steppes, North Africa's deserts, and in the tropics cholera and yellow fever that follow the first rains. Not to mention seasonal wind patterns and their effect on moving troops by ship.

 

[unmerged(238440)]

The card is not very bright =(

 

[Hallsten]

Nice update!

The devs is on a plane to New York atm.

They shouldn't all be allowed to be on the same plane.


I think it would be really cool if the faces were designed so that a certain facial setup looked like Johan, one looked like Doomdark, one like Kallocain and so on...

 

[RedRooster81]

Nice update! They shouldn't all be allowed to be on the same plane.


I think it would be really cool if the faces were designed so that a certain facial setup looked like Johan, one looked like Doomdark, one like Kallocain and so on...

My wife has told me more than once that the devs must have designed the CK1 faces after their college roommates. Some of the faces from that game are interesting. Some of the Spanish kings are downright hunky. ;-P

 

[RedRooster81]

Patronymic names? Jimenez, FitzAlan, Andersson

Related to the topic of regnal numbers, what about patronymics, for those cultures (Iberian, Scandinavian, Slavic, Celtic) that historically named individuals after their fathers: e.g., Sancho II, king of Castilla at the 1066 start, would have been named Sancho Fernandez, not Sancho Jimenez (his dynasty name in-game, after his distant ancestor Jimeno). I.e., Sancho, son of Fernando. For this reason, I think that surname should be differentiated from dynasty name, although I will not begrudge the devs for not complicating the naming system they have already adopted (e.g., Edward III Plantagenet).

 

[telesien]

It's funny how the most important thing this month is not mentioned in the text and you have to find it among all the posts.

Dynastical CoA with random generation for less important and (I presume) new dynasties? That so awsome I can't even describe it

 

[Davisx3m]

I want rain too!!! And snow perheps!

 

[Don_giorgio]

Perhaps after the Dev Diary 5 about the maps the designing team should make a Dev Diary 6 about the Church and her functions in CKII...

 

[vadermath]

Yes! LordofSaxony has spoiled us with his ideas, so now we want some weather effects, dammit!

 

[Woody Man]

I want rain too!!! And snow perheps!

Please no, I want a game about Medieval dynasties, not a game overloaded with pointless fluff.

 

[unmerged(7537)]

Also, I wonder if they are going to add any weather effects? I suppose it would not mean individual rainy days, but rather rainy seasons.

If would be great if they added seasons first.

Please no, I want a game about Medieval dynasties, not a game overloaded with pointless fluff.

Climate and wheather which has a meaningful impact on gameplay =/= pointless fluff

Assuming that either are actually in the game of course, which I hope, but doubt.

 

[unmerged(157596)]

If would be great if they added seasons first.



Climate and wheather which has a meaningful impact on gameplay =/= pointless fluff

Assuming that either are actually in the game of course, which I hope, but doubt.

I wouldn't mind seasons (and climate), but weather is going a bit to far. I rather have the game spending CPU power simulating char_events for thousands of courtiers over the whole of Europe than wasting it calculating temperatures and wind speed.

 

[The Swert]

Please no, I want a game about Medieval dynasties, not a game overloaded with pointless fluff.

Agreed. Who cares about pretty visuals of rain falling on a 3D map? Let the provinces be the focus.

 

[Romtos]

I wouldn't mind seasons (and climate), but weather is going a bit to far. I rather have the game spending CPU power simulating char_events for thousands of courtiers over the whole of Europe than wasting it calculating temperatures and wind speed.

While I find the rain effects pretty and cozy I have to agree for this reason. We only have so much processing resources available.

 

[Cèsar de Quart]

Paradox, you made my day in a thousand awesome ways.

Independent CoA for dynasties? Independent CoA's for baronies? Popes that get a proper Papal name when ascending to the Thone of Saint Peter? This bigger map?

I love it all...

I loved in CK1, by the way, the event images. There were not many images, but I modded it a lot and got many events to have different, fitting images. That gave my games a very special feeling, and I'd like to be able to do it again. Just so you know.

 

[CatalanNation]

I loved in CK1, by the way, the event images. There were not many images, but I modded it a lot and got many events to have different, fitting images. That gave my games a very special feeling, and I'd like to be able to do it again. Just so you know.

You can already assume it will be in, in Victoria II is that way and it's very easy to mod.

 

[RedRooster81]

You can already assume it will be in, in Victoria II is that way and it's very easy to mod.

Let the raids on Wikipedia Commons commence!

My personal favorite: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Très_Riches_Heures_du_Duc_de_Berry