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Dev Diary #90 - Splendid Scandinavia

As most of the team enjoys the summer, I thought I’d try to write a couple of smaller rogue Dev Diaries to get us through the summer. I will mostly discuss smaller additions, rather than the big sweeping features in these Diaries.

For the first one, it seems the vikings have pillaged a cartographer and found some more defined maps of their own homes, of all things.

We will start with the most important of the viking Kingdoms, Norway. What is that? What do you mean Norway stopped being a Kingdom in the late Middle Ages? Sounds like Swedish and Danish propaganda to me, they are just jealous of our mountainous glory.

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The previous map of Norway always had certain issues with the western coast being quite the slog to move through, and the Kingdom feeling split by the mountain range. With a bit more definition to it, as well as a way to move between the two parts, we have found the region to be a lot more interesting of a place to hang out. In mainland Norway, 6 New Provinces and 2 New Duchies have been added.

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Far to the north-west, Iceland has been updated a little bit as well. We have increased the province count from 2 to 4, though knowing that Iceland was far from the most populated of places, we have made sure that they haven’t gotten too strong.

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In Sweden, we have increased the definition of southern Sweden somewhat, breaking up some of the provinces to try to show the relevance of the Geatish areas. This should hopefully help somewhat in rivaling the powerhouse of Uppland. 6 New Provinces and 1 New Duchy have been added in Sweden.

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And finally, in Denmark we have new pathway across the islands and added Lolland as its own island. Both Jylland and Holstein has been split up and reorganised somewhat, to increase the definition of these areas and show their relevance in the era. In all, there has been 5 New Provinces added and 2 New Duchies.

We hope these changes to Scandinavia will be an interesting addition to all of the updates made to Pagans in Holy Fury, and make certain parts of the region a better experience. Next week, we will take a look down south, towards the changes around the Alps.
 
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Far to the north-west, Iceland has been updated a little bit as well. We have increased the province count from 2 to 4, though knowing that Iceland was far from the most populated of places, we have made sure that they haven’t gotten too strong.

i'm no expert on Icelandic topography, but shouldn't there be an impassable mountain range between Norðland and Suðurland? this route is barely accesible even today.

leaving that aside, i really like the new changes to the map, great job! Scandinavia gained a lot of tactical depth now; the only thing i still find a bit irksome are the straits opening up access to Gotland and Bornholm. the overall feeling is great though!
 
We are reworking some of the map, but I can tell you right away that we won't have time to update everything. I mean ... The map is huge :eek:
 
Will you make Iceland Irish in the Charlemagne start date, to model how things were believed to have been before the norse came?

Ehem...

Iceland will be settled by Irish monks in 769. When the Viking Age starts, all the vikings will get a new decision to settle Iceland.
 
DD with no swedish bias, 10/10. Yay for Norway and Irish monks in Iceland!
 
The alps too! Me and my friends already agreed to do a succession game in the Baltics once the patch was out, because you reworked most of eastern Europe; now you're going to make us have to do a succession game in Burgundy too! Slow down there mate. Some of use have jobs, we can't keep up with all this.
 
We hope these changes to Scandinavia will be an interesting addition to all of the updates made to Pagans in Holy Fury, and make certain parts of the region a better experience. Next week, we will take a look down south, towards the changes around the Alps.

I'm already pumped for this. Will we finally get a pathway through the alps at the Brenner pass? It's one of the most important passes in the region - even during the timeframe of the game - and would add a needed connection between the Italian and the Bavarian regions.
 
All very interesting, though one imagines Aalborg is right on the border of its eponymous province. Personally though I was hoping Sjælland might have been divided into two. Ah well, can't have everything.

PS Need more over-powered Danish content.
 
I'm already pumped for this. Will we finally get a pathway through the alps at the Brenner pass? It's one of the most important passes in the region - even during the timeframe of the game - and would add a needed connection between the Italian and the Bavarian regions.

Yes, Brenner Pass has been added.
 
@Snow Crystal Thanks for a great update! but; coming from Norway myself and being a history buff I gotta add my thoughts to this!

  1. Bergen (meaning mountains) is the German Hanseatic name for Bjørgvin(founded in 1070!). The Hansa didnt take over the town until about 1350 so really the ending years of ck2. Probably a better name would be modern Hordaland, or the old Hǫrðafylki
  2. Østerdalen should be named Hedmark and should stretch all the way down to the river between the A and K there. It is after all named so after the Heider-tribe living in Østerdalen, their king holding court in Hamar by Mjøsa just south of where Gudbrandsdalen start.
  3. What has now become Hedmark should actually be Oppland (as it is ingame now right?)
  4. Akershus should be Vingulmork in Norse atleast!
  5. And this is a personal one (I come from Romsdalen): moving north through Gudbrandsdalen you actually end up in Romsdalen, not Sunnmøre! Romsdalen splits Møre into two parts, Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. During the viking age the Møre-Jarls probably controlled the whole area there anyways, and so maybe Romsdalen should just be gone, but Romsdal had a kaupang(a marked town), Veøy, back then (this is where you would sell goods going inland down Gudbrandsdalen to Oslo) sooo perhaps an better idea:
  6. Flip the names of these two and just rename Sunnøre to Møre (this would now encompass the modern Nordmøre), but you then you gotta move the border between Sunnmøre and Romsdal north (so the what seems to be the Romsdalsfjord on the ck2 map still remains a part of Romsdalen!)
 
Yay! Rogue Dev Diary!

Also did you guys get rid of Alfheimr or did it just get an additional, alternate name with Baahuslen?

I always liked how Sigurd Hring was married to Alfhildr av Alfheim, daughter of Alfr av Aflheim. So many Elves :p