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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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How about adding an Ambition to desire an Empire? For now, the only Ambition regarding titles is to be king. An Ambition to become Duke could be nice as well.
 
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Anything that gives *MORE* choice to the player-instead of less-is good as far as I'm concerned.
 
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If you actually do this, you're awesome. This will be a great patch. Now all we need is to also include fixing Aquitaine and make disabling defensive pacts ironman-compatible. Otherwise, amazing.
 
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This is nice.
There should be some "set default" button too, sorry if it was and I did not notice.
 
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One other thing I'd lke to see regards Opinion...

You could have three settings.

Pre-nerf level/Current level/disaster level

Don't know how to make red text but the three levels are pretty self-explanatory. First setting would be Opinion before it was nerfed. Second setting would be what it is right now. And the third setting would make Opinion less than cutrrent settings by about half, so that pretty much everyone hates you...
 
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Royal Blood for everyone! Plunge the world into inbred chin destruction!
 
Maybe make it so only certain achievement are disabled when certain options are chosen

For example you should get the Yes Man achievement wether or not the Mongol invade or Adventures are on
 
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I will just repeat two options I see as a must: Crusades (Default/Historical) and Pagan Reformation (Default/None).

I'm not sure it's been mentioned before, but this should have a simplified "Default Window" with some key options and an "Advanced Settings" button that opens another windows which can withold millions of different options. Maybe even with categories and subcategories to make exploring these options easier and clearer.
 
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OH! HAPPY DAY! Wow, what outstanding news! Just as I was starting to clean up my CK2 affairs, you guys come out with this. This was so pleasantly unexpected that I am seriously having a change of heart about putting away CK2. :)
 
Doomdark said:
I've seen a lot of good suggestions already. Keep 'em coming. :)
Click to expand...

Rule option ideas:
-Allow shattered retreats but greatly increase warscore for victories.

-Change max warscore from battles.

-Increase chance to imprison/die in battles and sieges.

-Reduce levy regen rate.

-Child Education:
For player character only/player dynasty only/default/off(all educated old way).

-Old-style revolts/default revolts

Also, please allow baron level characters to educate their children the old way nomatter what, since they can't educate them the new way now.
 
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Frank327 said:
Looks like a good idea. I especially like the option to make some features more harsh like historical gender equality and deadly epidemics. Turning mods/dlc's on or off can be a hassle. Can I make a suggestion though?

India region: On/off

Most of my campaigns have nothing to do with this region but my computer does have to simulate it every time. It would be nice to be able to turn the region off and make the game run faster.
Click to expand...
Definitely. Also East and West Africa. They aren't very influential if you are playing as russia.
 
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This is an excellent idea, my first thought would be to expand on it as much as possible and make the same for all your major titles when it makes sense.

Im happy to make my own personal mods, but this will be useful for many.
 
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KingKone said:
Excellent :)
Would this make the game difficulty settings redundant? like very easy mode to very hard mode.
Click to expand...

This may be the beginnings of a system I've been wanting for ages; a beefed-up difficulty slider that allows for every possible play style; a system that spans all the way from "I-win" buttons up to "I-lose" buttons.

The devs are moving away from global one-size-fits-all nerfs that don't really give challenges to blobs, and only hurt the small fry.

They're moving toward something that might just make CK2 gameplay a *TRULY* personalized experience...
 
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