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HOI4 Dev Diary - Formables and Releasables

Hello everyone and welcome to another dev diary for La Resistance! I should begin by introducing myself: I am Meka, I joined Paradox just a few months ago as a Content Designer. Some of you may be aware of me due to my work on Theocracies and Burgundy over on EUIV, but now I'm here to show what mischief I've been up to in my time on Hearts of Iron.

Man the Guns saw the creation of a lot of new tags, making some countries balkanisable, and almost all of the world decolonisable. Waking the Tiger saw the introduction of formable tags, a mechanic that until now has not been further utilised. However, with the Husky patch, a whole slew of new releasable tags will be added to the game along with two new formable nations; one as part of the free patch, and one for owners of La Resistance.
Polynesia 001.png

Starting with releasable tags, Man the Guns allowed most of the world to be decolonised, but Oceania was mostly left unloved with only one nation being added to the continent, leaving the rest of the disparate islands untouched and still under colonial rule. However, I have added 6 new releasable tags and one formable for the region.

The Kingdom of Hawaii was only annexed by the United States 38 years before the start of Hearts of Iron and can be released along with most of the US’s pacific holdings.
Polynesia 002.png


Tahiti
Polynesia 003.png


Samoa
Polynesia 004.png


The Federated States of Micronesia
Polynesia 005.png


The Solomon Islands
Polynesia 006.png


The Mariana Federation
Polynesia 007.png


These disparate islands may struggle to survive on their own, and so a nation who holds enough of the Polynesian Triangle will be able to unite all Pacific peoples into a single state known as Polynesia. This state will be formable by any nation listed above plus New Zealand. Unlike other formable tags, this nation can be created by dominions meaning New Zealand does not necessarily have to leave the Allies in order to form this tag.
Polynesia 008.png


But perhaps players wish to live out an alternate history where the Naha Prophecy was fulfilled and Kamehameha united the Pacific several years earlier. With the Polynesian Empire game rule, Hawaii will begin the game having already conquered the entirety of the Polynesian Islands and built up a fair-sized industry.
Polynesia 009.png

Polynesia 010.png


The ability to form Polynesia is a free feature, as are the releasable tags.


Along with adding these releasable nations, I did also touch up the old fragmentation game options to make the world fully split into different continents. The UK now surrenders its African, Asian, and American islands to its former colonies, Portugal surrenders Timor to Indonesia, and a few other small changes like that.


Also, armies standing around in former colonial territories is now a thing of the past and nations will now only have armies stationed in territories where they have access.
Armies.png


Iberia is a focal point of La Resistance and as such, a few releasable tags have been added to the subcontinent as well.


Catalonia
Catalonia.png


The Basque Country
Basque.png


Galicia
Galicia.png


Spain can of course be fractured from the start of the game by selecting the appropriate option in the game menu. However, I noticed Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Galicia simply weren’t enough to make Iberia look “shattered” so I took the liberty of adding an “11th of November” game rule, and I will leave it for you all to speculate what that option does.
Spanish Fragmentation.png


When it comes to the second formable, one must be opportunistic and take full advantage of the instability in Spain and Portugal. The Moorish people once reigned sovereign over all of Iberia, and owners of La Resistance will be able to restore the long-dead state of Al-Andalus.
Andalusia Conditions.png


Andalusia was once an Islamic Sultanate that ruled from the Iberian peninsula and a beacon of the Islamic world. Through struggles with the Catholic kingdoms in the medieval era, the Andalusians would slowly be pushed out of Iberia, ending with the conquest of the Emirate of Granada in 1520. However, the Moorish people continue to exist to this day in Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria, many of whom are descendants from Moorish refugees fleeing the Spanish Reconquista.

Andalusia will be formable by any of the North African countries; Morocco, Tunisia, Western Sahara, Algeria, or Libya. In order to form this tag, one must occupy a large portion of both Spain and Portugal’s southern states and forming the tag grants cores on the entirety of the Iberian subcontinent.
Andalusia 1.png


But that isn’t the end of Andalusia. Similar to Byzantium’s “triumph” decisions, Andalusia will be able to sweep across the Mediterranean and beyond, restoring their old claims and titles.
Andalusia Decision 2.png


If a player can enact all decisions relating to the Andalusian conquests of North Africa and the Med, they will be able to press on for Egypt and Arabia and declare themselves the Umayyad Caliphate reborn, granting cores on the Arabian Peninsula.
Andalusia Decision 3.png


Upon doing so, Andalusia will unlock their final set of decisions, allowing them to restore the entire former claims and titles of the Umayyad Caliphate, effectively reuinifying the Islamic world.
Andalusia Decision 4.png

Andalusia 3.png


As we have expanded the scope of Hearts of Iron, some old bits of content started to become outdated and lead to some annoying bugs, which I have dedicated some time to fixing. One key thing I have improved is the way that the British Raj interacts with different game options and Britain doing strange things. From now on, the Raj will be able to freely pursue their focus tree even if Britain forces them into independence, with some focuses bypassing, and others no longer requiring the Raj to be a subject.
Raj Fix.png


Join Da9L, Bratyn and Jojo at 16:00CET on twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive as they have a closer look at Anarchist Spain!
 
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What stands out to me is a lack of awareness their own cultural biases.

The route of 'reforming' the Roman Empire as Mussolini is an historically accurate ambition of his, and there's nothing new in countries using mythical histories to prop up their ambitions through such propaganda campaigns.

Sure the modern Algerians or Libyans 'reforming' the Umayyad Caliphate is a joke, but so was Italy reforming the Roman Empire; yet that didn't stop the narrative and wouldn't have stopped Mussolini from pushing it further if he could've.

It's a kind of Chauvinism to take issue with it; it's no more ridiculous just because North African Arabs (and Berbers) are doing it. Modern Italy's right to the lineage of Rome is little better.



Frankly it just comes across as petty, entitled, and self-absorbed when people can't accept free additions to a game — whose use is optional — simply because they aren't the exact additions they would rather see.
Exactly (all) this. Is a dream about some sort of Arab empire really more ridiculous than Japan going to war for their divine emperor, Hitler thinking he could beat the Allies and the Soviet Union, or Moussolini imagining a new Roman empire?
 
2/3 good and 1/3 terrible then.

See, the moving colonials troopers out, fixing India's tree so it's less reliant on the UK not being awful, and the Pacific Island nations are perfectly fine. Most of the formable nations in Spain also make sense just fine too.

Heck, I'll even give the formable Polynesian Empire (though honestly I'd call it Tui Tonga myself given you're using their flag) some credit; I could see it being similar to unifying the Benelux nations in that regard, where these tiny and weak nations confederate using a common culture to protect themselves from Great Powers. Road to 56 tier use of portraits given you kludged it with spy portraits, but eh.

But the El Andalus stuff is a complete joke. See, the Byzantium tag you used to justify shoving EUIV and CK content you're more familiar with in here? There are Pontic Greeks that remember and were alive too when they lived in Turkey. They also had populations in other parts of the Balkans, though not the majority at all. There is some insane logic to it, especially when you could just modify the tag buy only making a few of those provinces cores and the rest just are claims (which should be worked in that way IMO since it's one of the dumber formables). But this?

No. ESPECIALLY since you already have a unified Arabian state FOR this type of nation already. I'd have much preferred some of that focus being used to also break apart France as an alternate way to occupying it. Or making it so some of the less plausible results only have claims anyway. Or maybe even fix some of the focus tree buggery as mentioned with Hungary.
 
Hey,

We did something a little fun and different, it isn't the focus of what we do, so please try to keep some perspective when commenting on this. The vast majority of time and resources goes into improving the existing game, fixing issues and developing new features (which are historical).

There are a lot of people that play HOI4, and our data shows they play in a variety of different ways, so not everything we do is going to appeal to everyone playing, but we definitely need to try and do something for each type of player.

Thanks,
 
Hey,

We did something a little fun and different, it isn't the focus of what we do, so please try to keep some perspective when commenting on this. The vast majority of time and resources goes into improving the existing game, fixing issues and developing new features (which are historical).

There are a lot of people that play HOI4, and our data shows they play in a variety of different ways, so not everything we do is going to appeal to everyone playing, but we definitely need to try and do something for each type of player.

Thanks,
Thank you for addressing this, this situation is as bad as smash fans when byleth was announced.
 
Thank you for addressing this, this situation is as bad as smash fans when byleth was announced.

I am impressed how polite this thread has been though, so congrats to everyone here who managed to avoid being offensive. ;)

The passion and feedback is always appreciated, just needs to not be blown out of proportion. We will however cancel the plans for the Golden Horde expansion, its clear that probably won't be very popular here.
 
I am impressed how polite this thread has been though, so congrats to everyone here who managed to avoid being offensive. ;)

The passion and feedback is always appreciated, just needs to not be blown out of proportion. We will however cancel the plans for the Golden Horde expansion, its clear that probably won't be very popular here.

Nooooooo the haters have won. ;)

But, on a more serious note, will you give Mongolia and Mengkukuo cores on each other (or the chance to get them)? Or at least give Mengkukuo cores on the rest of Inner Mongolia (a large part of which it controls in the 39 start). Inner Mongolia was a lot less Sinicized than it is today and would help add some flavour to the region without much effort. Prince Demchugdongrub, with his “Heir of Genghis” trait needs some help!
 
Exactly (all) this. Is a dream about some sort of Arab empire really more ridiculous than Japan going to war for their divine emperor, Hitler thinking he could beat the Allies and the Soviet Union, or Moussolini imagining a new Roman empire?

Yep! It's a very safe assumption that if the power/resources were there, the fantastical comparisons and myths would follow.

Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb's legacy was invoked by Islamist separatists in India and then belligerent generals in Pakistan; Alexander used the myth of Greek liberation, while warring against tens of thousands of Greeks who were fighting on behalf of the Persians. No matter who/where/why, these mythologies are always just in justification of war.

Hell, what is Daesh if not exactly this?

Giving players agency to live out myths that never saw the light of day seems to me what HoI4 should be about. It's completely miserable that something so optional is raising such complaints.
 
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There are a lot of people that play HOI4, and our data shows they play in a variety of different ways, so not everything we do is going to appeal to everyone playing, but we definitely need to try and do something for each type of player.


Very true words
 
The people who want 100% historical accuracy need to chill. It's not like you can't just turn on historical mode and only play that. Too many people underestimate the number of people who love meme gameplay and ahistorical content. Just look at the most popular mods or the most popular content creators on Youtube if you need any proof as to how many people love this kind of stuff. I personally enjoy it. It keeps the game fresh for me. I would not still be playing if the game didn't have so many crazy possibilities to mess around with.
 
If you think this was meme and toxic content wait up for soviet union update...
It's guaranteed to be monstrosity of cringiness, memeness, dankness and easter-egg-ness and toxicity.
I already imagine full flurry of new releasable tags across USSR territory of 1936...
Crimea getting decision to claim its khaganate borders like near Voronezh...Golden Horde cosmetic tag.
Whole caucausus shenanigans can drive ones mind - will there be 2 ossetias, or may be 1 ossetia with cores in unrecognized S.O and Russian Federation subject...
the tatars of Volga - how many things can go south (west, north and east) with them??
Will all miriad of Civil war break-away short-lived states be present?
Monarchy restoration? Rurikid descandant (i heard the Georgian nobles claim to be descendands of Rurik - switch one Georgian for another)
How fascist Russia tree will look like and how crazy their claims will be?
 
If you think this was meme and toxic content wait up for soviet union update...
It's guaranteed to be monstrosity of cringiness, memeness, dankness and easter-egg-ness and toxicity.
I already imagine full flurry of new releasable tags across USSR territory of 1936...
Crimea getting decision to claim its khaganate borders like near Voronezh...Golden Horde cosmetic tag.
Whole caucausus shenanigans can drive ones mind - will there be 2 ossetias, or may be 1 ossetia with cores in unrecognized S.O and Russian Federation subject...
the tatars of Volga - how many things can go south (west, north and east) with them??
Will all miriad of Civil war break-away short-lived states be present?
Monarchy restoration? Rurikid descandant (i heard the Georgian nobles claim to be descendands of Rurik - switch one Georgian for another)
How fascist Russia tree will look like and how crazy their claims will be?

You forgot about the reconquest for Alaska...
 
Hey, I don't write here very often. Despite this, I'm a huge fan of Hoi4 (1,600+ hours) and I got strange reading complaints.

I understand people who are looking forward to the new DLC because I am one of them.

Al-Andalus also seems strange to me, BUT my taste isn't every player's taste.

And I'm very happy with fixes (I play most games ahistorically), and Polynesia is a great reason to finally play New Zealand (good work!).


I don't fully understand the many allegations of historicity. Hoi4 is a very complex game, but it's still just a game. Many things are very conventional.
I will also add that from my 600+ hours in multiplayer it appears that people are supposedly historically playing, they really interpret this issue very selectively.

And it's hard to reconstruct history when it is well ... history (spoiler: Hitler dies in 1945). It's hard to play fully historically since everyone is playing, regardless of the country (e.g. changing economic law to War Economy as soon as possible), as if they were sure that a great war or something would break out: D

Finally, the most important thing. Meka66 thank you for your work. The fact that you are doing something to make our game more interesting after working hours really impresses me.


Best regards and sorry if I wrote something wrong. English is not my native language.

P.S. Golden Horde expansion? Does this mean a focus tree for Mongolia? If so, I will gladly buy.

P.S.2 I was interested in the Queen of Tahiti. Can anyone tell me his name? I found information that Johanna Marau Taʻaroa and Tepau Salmon had died in 1935, so I think she is her oldest daughter. I read a little about it, but I found only information in French, but unfortunately, I don't know the language.
 
There are a lot of people that play HOI4, and our data shows they play in a variety of different ways, so not everything we do is going to appeal to everyone playing, but we definitely need to try and do something for each type of player.
Not meaning to nit-pick, but you don't need to do something for each type of player. You want to do that in an attempt to sell to as many audiences as you can, even when they have vastly different expectations.
 
Hi everyone!

This thread has turned quite toxic, so we're gonna need to pause it for a little while to go through it and make sure that everyone complies with the rules of the forum! We're not censoring anyone, but we have rules in place for a reason and if you can't follow them then your post will be removed. Please hang tight while we do maintenance and then feel free to continue posting!
 
I haven't seen any post ridiculing those that don't like this, but a lot of people have been making attacks on the new formable nations Meka66 has done on his own spare time. I think it's more the way you word it, a lot of this is pure malignant criticism, not very constructive at all. :(
I don't see why the new formable nations would be a problem for anyone who wants to play historical. You won't even see the decisions to form the new formable nations unless you're New Zealand and even then you can just ignore it. Formable nations are optional, you don't have to take it. Meka66 has also been fixing bugs it's not a make formable nation ignore bugs scenario, but more of a make formable nation and fix bugs scenario. Why can't he do both? As for him designing this and not focus trees, well who's to say that paradox hasn't already started designing the focus trees for the next DLC? As for AI improvements, podcat is already working on it, so I don't really see why formable nations would be a problem for those who want to play historical, they don't ignore bug fixing or AI improvements in favor of formable nations, so I don't see why formable nations is a bad thing.

Since I last posted I haven't read every post, but I did before and I didn't see any maliciopus post, only worry how these formable nations fit in a ww2 setting. They don't necessarily have any affect on your game, but they are there, and it just doesn't fit in a ww2 setting. I'm sure most people won't care or notice, but for some, at least me it ruins the immersion and kinda wakes me up to the fact this is not in fact a ww2 game - at least not compared to hoi2 or 3. Even if it's added content, it actually takes away from the game imo, it would rather be perfect mod content. Which is a worry for some as seen by the criticism. It also seems my posts didn't do my thoughts justice as I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say.

I haven't read the last few pages so don't base my answer on any action that happened the last maybe 16 hours. My concern and others have been voiced, I don't see what else there is to do at this point. Only to add what a fantastic game darkest hour is ;)

I see there are another quote of me, maybe others(I dunno how to link it in with this response). And I stated my "blame" would not be on the new content designer, but rather on the top boss man who approved this, so I dunno why you would quote my post then accuse me of not understanding that. And yes I realize there are already fantasy content that shouldn't be in ww2 setting strictly speaking, and I never have approved. Just because there is, it will never make it okay for myself to add more, I just don't want it because it takes away from ww2, which is what I want 99% of the time from a hearts of iron game. But I realize ho4 has become bigger than that and it sells more copies to make it something else, doesn't mean I won't speak against it. Also saying adding a fantasy tag is crap, is not exactly malicious is it? Saying the content creator is crap is of course not okay and afaik I haven't seen that.
 
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