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CK2 Dev Diary #17: Crusader Cats

Hello everyone! I’m Virvatuli, one of the Content Designers on The Reaper’s Due, which also happens to be my very first project here at Paradox. It’s been so much fun working on this DLC and I hope you’ll have even more fun playing it! In this week’s DD (another first for me), I will reveal one of Reaper’s most important features. Oh, okay, it might not be that important, but at least it’s my personal favourite and pet project. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you cats.

For the longest time, there’s been a issue regarding the representation of pets in Crusader Kings 2. In the realm of companion animals, there has been a worrisome lack of diversity. Most of you who play Way of Life have probably had a loyal hunting dog, there have been some events regarding birds of prey, and a lucky few Conclave players might have encountered a tiny rodent friend. Sadly, that has been pretty much it on the pet front. To rectify this serious problem we’ve added some additional furry and feathered friends in The Reaper’s Due. As we did, of course we couldn’t leave out the best animal of them all: our Feline Overlords, Befurred Ninjas, Gods of the Internet.

In the new DLC you can befriend a cat in a number of ways. However, as any Dwarf Fortress player or real-life cat lover knows, you do not adopt a cat. A cat adopts you. Once your feline friend has decided that you’re the one and only slave for it, you will receive a fancy “Pet Cat” character modifier (unless you scare it away, you horrible person). It will give your character +1 health, as the cat brings you so much happiness, and +1 intrigue, because we all know that cat owners are a bit more clever than everyone else (hey, it’s science!).

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However, most things can become troublesome in excess, even your love for felines. In every cat owner’s life there comes a time when you ask yourself if you shouldn’t get just one more. At some point, the answer is probably no, at least if you don’t want to scare off all of your friends and repulse the courtiers.

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Unless you want to become even sneakier, that is. Then go ahead and become a Crazy Cat Lady, or a Crazy Cat Lord, if that’s how you identify.

At first thought, one might think that cats would be a very insignificant aspect of a medieval ruler’s life, however, when the Plague comes around to visit this changes drastically. Most of you probably know that the Black Death was likely spread by fleas on rats. Sadly this fact is unknown to ye olde peasant, and when people start to die, some of them might point fingers to our furry protectors. Believe it or not, there are some people who do not like cats. It’s crazy, I know, but trust me on this. How will you deal with their growing fears? Do remember, if you don’t have cats, you’ll have plenty of rats…

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This sneak peak of cats is all you’ll get for now. Don’t worry though, The Reaper’s Due is out on the 25th of August and then you can experience cats for yourself in all their whiskered glory. Next week Darkrenown will talk about more assorted features. Now I need to get back to scripting, there’re still some cat-related subjects which need further exploration… Adieu!
 
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I heard that Prophet Mohammed himself is a Cat-lover
True story. His pet cat (IIRC, named something along the lines of "Little Priest") fell asleep on the sleeve of his good robe one day as he was supposed to lead prayers, and rather than disturb her he used scissors to cut off the sleeve so she could keep it for a bed.
 
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Not because I need to make this a big discussion, but since people keep commenting, I feel I need to respond - I clearly stated in my post that I knew he/she tried to be funny and was making a joke, but that I didn't feel that it was the time or the place to make such a joke. So it seems rather needless for your comment that it is just a joke. I clearly know that!

I think the tone is quite aggressive in many threads - I don't mean to make it worse myself, but it is sad when people just argue with "calm down" or "chill out", as I/or others have got into a rage of some sort. It should be aloud to express opinions, questions and worries, without being punked about it.
I guess the issue is that some use this forum as a big joke community, while others like myself use it as a serious information channel. Of course there should be place for us all?

I had a question, which was only answered by a sarcastic joke by a Paradox member. I explained that I felt the joke was provocative to me, I felt looked down upon, and not what I would expect from a member of Paradox, but perhaps from a 13-year old child. The respond to this was the member saying I could just look on the internet - no comments about the obvious bad and out-of-place joke.

It doesn't matter if I am an idiot, or get upset about something that wasn't mean to upset me - but if you do the same thing in real life, the normal thing to do would to appologuise and state that it wasn't meant to upset them. My conclusion is that I continue to feel looked down upon by Paradox members, and that there often is a witch hunt from other users on those who are a bit annoyed about stuff regarding Paradox. I think Paradox should take this more serious - it is a simple customer experience, and though they might survive without my support, they should think about how they communicate on the forum, and how what they say is received.
I have always expected Paradox members here to be support-members, and have received great help from them. I have always respected them. But now it feels like they are just a band of sympathizers or thugs, that only bring joking to the forum. I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE CASE - but it feels like that...

Lets leave this discussion at this, I don't want to make a big deal out of it (thought writing all of this, might suggest otherwise) Sorry!
I look forward to the DLC, and really like the game and the work that is put into it from Paradox.
Because PDS would absolutely put anachronisms into the game.
Fantasy not included.
 
It is rumored that on the distant steppes, the khans can get personal horses, but in feudal Europe? Nary a horse to be found.

A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!

I know for a fact you can have your own horse, because I had my ruler crush hers under her body weight once.

...actually that kinda explains why the horses stay the hell away...
 
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If people took global warming even 1/100th as seriously as Vindahi does with this game we would probably live in a green utopia today, if only because the amount of complete hatred outpouring from the masses would be totally unbearable.
 
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Not because I need to make this a big discussion, but since people keep commenting, I feel I need to respond - I clearly stated in my post that I knew he/she tried to be funny and was making a joke, but that I didn't feel that it was the time or the place to make such a joke. So it seems rather needless for your comment that it is just a joke. I clearly know that!

I think the tone is quite aggressive in many threads - I don't mean to make it worse myself, but it is sad when people just argue with "calm down" or "chill out", as I/or others have got into a rage of some sort. It should be aloud to express opinions, questions and worries, without being punked about it.
I guess the issue is that some use this forum as a big joke community, while others like myself use it as a serious information channel. Of course there should be place for us all?

I had a question, which was only answered by a sarcastic joke by a Paradox member. I explained that I felt the joke was provocative to me, I felt looked down upon, and not what I would expect from a member of Paradox, but perhaps from a 13-year old child. The respond to this was the member saying I could just look on the internet - no comments about the obvious bad and out-of-place joke.

It doesn't matter if I am an idiot, or get upset about something that wasn't mean to upset me - but if you do the same thing in real life, the normal thing to do would to appologuise and state that it wasn't meant to upset them. My conclusion is that I continue to feel looked down upon by Paradox members, and that there often is a witch hunt from other users on those who are a bit annoyed about stuff regarding Paradox. I think Paradox should take this more serious - it is a simple customer experience, and though they might survive without my support, they should think about how they communicate on the forum, and how what they say is received.
I have always expected Paradox members here to be support-members, and have received great help from them. I have always respected them. But now it feels like they are just a band of sympathizers or thugs, that only bring joking to the forum. I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE CASE - but it feels like that...

Lets leave this discussion at this, I don't want to make a big deal out of it (thought writing all of this, might suggest otherwise) Sorry!
I look forward to the DLC, and really like the game and the work that is put into it from Paradox.

No offense, but I think most people prefer that the devs speak freely and as human beings on the forums (which naturally includes sarcasm and jokes), not as bland "the customer is always right" PR-drones. Besides, your original question was pretty easily seen as a joke in itself.
 
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This is ridiculous. Why focus on naval battles, cadet dynasties, immersion, combat, the freaking speed of the game when we can add cats! You heard me correct! Cat pets for that is the most important addition to the game. One more reason not to buy the DLC. Paradox get your sh*t together, seriously.
 
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There's one track unlocked by the gamebook, but no Reaper's music pack.
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An intrigue bonus? Why? Unless your cat is Mrs Norris from Harry Potter, I see no reason for this.
Because cat people are usually more introvert, but yes perhaps it should be a learning bonus.

is this possible to use cat as advisor?
Do cat get relation penalty if he is not part of a council, like powerful vassals get?
Can cat vassalize our character?
Yes
Of course, have you ever seen a neglected cat.
Can it not?

There's something missing from this dev diary.

Horses.

It is rumored that on the distant steppes, the khans can get personal horses, but in feudal Europe? Nary a horse to be found.

A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!
Horses can be characters.

Oh Man.... please tell me this is a joke.... What a stupid idea...
Why? Cats are a lot more realistic than world conquests or the same dynasty staying on the throne for 700 years.

I would fully agree with you IF the upcoming dlc named Ck2: Pets. It's just a small portion of dlc just gives cats. That being said.
It would be absolute disappointment IF cats/rats ratio are affecting the plague. Because one cat owner won't change the outcome.
Either you've never had cats or you've had lazy cats, my late cat could have halted a plague rat infestation on his own, he really liked killing things.

And -50 sex appeal.
What a catty comment.
 
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This is ridiculous. Why focus on naval battles, cadet dynasties, immersion, combat, the freaking speed of the game when we can add cats! You heard me correct! Cat pets for that is the most important addition to the game. One more reason not to buy the DLC. Paradox get your sh*t together, seriously.
First of the naval aspect of ck2 is still better than EU4 so be careful what you wish for. Secondly changing major game mechanics is not the same thing as writing a few events and adding a couple of traits.
If we assume that paradox can create a good naval game (HoI4 seems to handle it somewhat well so maybee) it'd still take orders of magnitude more work than this.

TLDR: Scripting is not coding
 
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I'm not sure that the framework that CK2 is based around would allow for decent naval combat. Might need a sequel for that.
 
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