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EU4 - Development Diary - 14th of March 2017

Good day everyone, it's another bright and sunny day in glorious Stockholm, or rather, I wish it were. To distract from the grim grey reality of this cursed latitude let's delve into the second Religious overhaul present in Mandate of Heaven: Shintoism.

One month ago we got a Dev Diary covering changes to the Governance of Japan. As many of you I'm sure are aware, we model Japan with the strong but mechanically lacking Shinto religion. Shinto belongs in the Eastern religion group and are eligible to compete for the Celestial Throne and as part of Mandate of Heaven, Shinto nations will also have their own Isolationism mechanic.

eu4_154.jpg


Shinto nations will have an Isolationism level, 5 stages from Open Doors to Closed Doors each giving their own national effect. Japan starts in 1444 under the Ashikaga Shogunate before their Sakoku period of Isolation and as such is at an "adaptive" level. Periodically, this Isolationism level will be challenged by Incidents. Up to 8 of these Incidents can trigger throughout a campaign, depending on the situation in and around Japan.

eu4_153.jpg


Each incident can fire once per campaign and are spaced out by at least 30 years. They will spawn events giving choices on the issues they present in the vein of accepting new ideas, goods and people in Japan. Depending on how you react to these choices, your Isolationism level may draw closer towards open doors or closing off from the world as well as a 50-year modifier to your nation at the end of each Incident's event chain. Which path you wish to take is up to you and how you wish to shape your nation.

Isolationism level bonuses:

Open Doors
technology_cost = -0.05
embracement_cost = -0.1​
Adaptive
global_institution_spread = 0.1
development_cost = -0.1​
Selective Integration
idea_cost = -0.1
build_cost = -0.10​
Isolationism
culture_conversion_cost = -0.15
missionaries = 1​
Closed Doors
war_exhaustion = -0.03
stability_cost_modifier = -0.15​


eu4_152.jpg


Each Shinto nation will face these Incidents independently but the mechanic does not exist in a vacuum for each nation. The Shogun will gain a bonus to prestige for each Daimyo who has the same level of Isolationism as they do and conversely, suffer for each who does not. The Shogun has the power to force their subjects closer towards their own Isolationism level but at a great cost to their Liberty Desire.

the 8 Incidents in the game are:

  • Shushi-Gaku Neo-Confucianism
  • Nanban Trade
  • Proliferation of Firearms
  • Spread of Christianity
  • Rising Shogun Authority
  • Ikko Ikki
  • Wokou Pirates
  • Urbanization
Since each have their own triggers, it's not a given you will see all 8 if, for example, you do not get a port for Wokou Pirates or Christianity is wiped clean off the map preventing its spread.

Exciting stuff, but I want to take this opportunity to look at Japan itself too. We have spiced up Japan with map changes, new provinces and many new nation tags in the Islands, as well as re-writing a lot of the old existing events for the Japanese. Additionally, we have given unique National Ideas to all starting 1444 Japanese nations to stand in line with our goal of revitalizing the region. I'd like to extend a thank-you to community members @chatnoir17 and @Grand Historian for their extensive contributions towards these. Suggestions are always appreciated towards the development of our games.

I'll share just a few of these Idea Groups with you who enjoy reading our script files:

Code:
UES_ideas = {  #Uesugi
    start = {
        army_tradition_decay = -0.01
        production_efficiency = 0.1
    }
 
    bonus = {
        infantry_power = 0.1
    }

    trigger = {
        tag = UES
    }
    free = yes
 
    ues_kanto_kanrei = {
        diplomatic_upkeep = 1
    }
 
    ues_yamanouchi_and_ogigayatsu_branches = {
        army_tradition = 0.5
    }

    ues_kamakura_office = {
        reinforce_cost_modifier = -0.25
    }
 
    ues_dragon_of_echigo = {
        land_morale = 0.1
    }

    ues_nokizaru = {
        spy_offence = 0.2
    }
 
    ues_agakita_shu = {
        discipline = 0.05
    }
 
    ues_denkoku_no_ji = {
        idea_cost = -0.1
    }
 

ITO_ideas = { #Ito
    start = {
        spy_offence = 0.2
        global_garrison_growth = 0.25
    }
 
    bonus = {
        global_trade_goods_size_modifier = 0.1
    }

    trigger = {
        tag = ITO
    }
    free = yes
 
    ito_gokenin_family = {
        prestige = 1
    }
    ito_alliance_with_tsuchimochi_clan = {
        free_leader_pool = 1
    }
    ito_land_of_gods_landing = {
        ae_impact = -0.1
    }
    ito_anti_shugo_movement = {
        province_warscore_cost = -0.05
        core_creation = -0.1
    }
    ito_network_of_fourtyeight_fortifications = {
        defensiveness = 0.2
    }
    ito_sympathy_to_christians = {
        tolerance_heathen = 2
    }
    ito_foresty_development = {
        build_cost = -0.1
    }
}

TTI_ideas = { #Tsutsui
    start = {
        defensiveness = 0.2
        land_morale = 0.1
    }
 
    bonus = {
        global_missionary_strength = 0.02
    }

    trigger = {
        tag = TTI
    }
    free = yes
 
    tti_warrior_monk = {
        infantry_power = 0.1
    }
 
    tti_winner_of_eikyo_civil_war = {
        war_exhaustion = -0.01
        prestige_from_land = 0.25
    }
 
    tti_kasuga_shrine = {
        prestige = 1
    }
 
    tti_mountainous_province = {
        hostile_attrition = 1
    }
 
    tti_nara_city = {
        legitimacy = 1
    }
 
    tti_wise_opportunist = {
        ae_impact = -0.1
    }
 
    tti_kofukuji_temple = {
        idea_cost = -0.1
    }
}

Map Changes, new nations and new National Ideas are all free parts of the 1.20 update, while all things Isolation related are paid feature of the upcoming Mandate of Heaven Expansion, which releases for $19.99 on April 6th 2017

That wraps up Japan and Shintoism nicely, and next week we will be talking about an extremely exciting feature which is going to truly make your Diplomats work for their non-existent salaries. See you then!
 
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I like the changes, but I'm concerned that in just a few short years after the game start Japan is going to be divided between just a few daimyo. There need to be some mechanics, somewhat like those of the HRE, that allow new Daimyos to appear or old ones to be reborn.
I feel like more dyanmic tag creation could work well for daimyo's, chinese states that take the throne, and other cases like CNs breaking free and getting a new name
 
Maybe Open Doors could give a small technology cost reduction instead (that would also be in line with both the Byzantine and Moorish Refugees events). That would make it a better choice to go for.
Alternatively I think decreased development cost would make sense as a bonus.
 
So; unless I am mistaken; the only religions left in the game without some sort of special mechanic are Animist; Totemist and Sihk?

And Animist/Totemist are highly encouraged to reform to other religions anyway.

Unless Gurus are Sihk's 'special mechanic' which is completely non-interacive [Even if the Guru bonuses are cool]
 
By the way, I don't think that the ruler titles of Shinto Theocracies are correct:

Code:
shinto_theocracy = {
    rank = {
        1 = HOLY_PRINCIPALITY
        2 = HOLY_STATE
        3 = HOLY_EMPIRE
    }

    ruler_male = {
        1 = O_KANNUSHI
        2 = O_KANNUSHI
        3 = O_KANNUSHI
    }

    ruler_female = {
        1 = O_KANNUSHI
        2 = O_KANNUSHI
        3 = O_KANNUSHI
    }

    trigger = {
        religion = shinto
        government = theocracy
    }
}

Actually, only males could be called "Kannushi", and the female equivalent is "Miko".
What's more, the "O" prefix means "grand/large/big", so it shouldn't be used when the government rank is too low.

Here are my suggestions:
Code:
shinto_theocracy = {
    rank = {
        1 = HOLY_PRINCIPALITY
        2 = HOLY_STATE
        3 = HOLY_EMPIRE
    }

    ruler_male = {
        1 = KANNUSHI 
        2 = O_KANNUSHI
        3 = SO_KANNUSHI #So-Kannushi(means "General Kannushi")
    }

    ruler_female = {
        1 = MIKO
        2 = HIGH_MIKO
        3 = HOLY_MIKO
    }

    trigger = {
        religion = shinto
        government = theocracy
    }
}
 
You should seriously rethink those Isolationism level bonuses. The "open door" ones are WAY to weak. Better institution spread and embracing is UTTERLY useless, as Japan does not even get the chance in most games to get any spread, thanks to being hated by all neighbors who could spread anything to Japan. Unless there are actually (open door) events/incidents which make an institution to be present in single provinces, the difference in tech with closed or open doors will basically be zero, which destroys the whole intention of this change.
I very much agree. I would even go so far as to say that Selective Integration seems far more powerful than the other Isolation Level Bonuses. Maybe a tech cost reduction as @t6.28 suggested would be a better bonus for open doors.
 
Jewish and Zoroastrian as well.

Ah yes; I did forget those.

Although to be fair no tag exists with those religions; converting to them is both gamey and difficult; and Jewish doesn't even have a Custom Achievement associated with it.
 
Feels like an odd decision to tie Isolationism to Shinto... Its not like it is a main trait of the religion, rather that Japan was a prominent isolationistic country with that religion. Especially when many other east asian countries had eastern tendencies.

Wouldn't Isolationism have fitted better as a mechanism not tied to the relgion?
 
Unless the Nanban-in-your-backside Boeki event + Sakoku law sequence changes, Shinto is going to stay a false choice :(. Sensible play would almost certainly dictate switching to Confucian. Even animist --> Tengri would be better, or take Mandate --> go Christian from event rebels.

I am seeing no incentive to ever stay Shinto still :(. No missionaries, terrible conversion speed, humanist can't work due to enforced heritage being unworkable with it along with permanent intolerance of heathens even with it...nasty stuff.
 
The +10% Discipline was absurd combined with +15% Inf Combat and +20% Manpower, and quite frankly I think it was just a holdover from before Discipline values got halved across the board with Japan getting overlooked like it usually was. Prussia used to have +7.5% Discipline but that got nerfed with their unique Gov Type. The only other nations I can see justifiably getting something above +5% Discipline per their historical feats would be Spain, the Knights, or the Shimazu.

With current mercspam meta none cares about manpower bonuses until they are absurdly out of line.
Like you said, Prussia has got a compensation of 2.5% Disc loss by potential 10% Disc increase, so it seems to be quite fair to me.

Let's nerf Elan then, let's equalize all military ideas that are above +10% Morale, +10% Inf/Cav/Art CA, +5% Dis and +/- 1AT.
 
Good day everyone, it's another bright and sunny day in glorious Stockholm, or rather, I wish it were. To distract from the grim grey reality of this cursed latitude let's delve into the second Religious overhaul present in Mandate of Heaven: Shintoism.

If it makes you feel better, Jake, the weather where I am has been total crap as well.
 
So; unless I am mistaken; the only religions left in the game without some sort of special mechanic are Animist; Totemist and Sihk?

And Animist/Totemist are highly encouraged to reform to other religions anyway.

Unless Gurus are Sihk's 'special mechanic' which is completely non-interacive [Even if the Guru bonuses are cool]

Totemists might get mechanics. Can't see why not. Some sort of cults like fetishists.
 
With current mercspam meta none cares about manpower bonuses until they are absurdly out of line.

Johan's said that Mercs are getting nerfed next patch.
 
That wraps up Japan and Shintoism nicely, and next week we will be talking about an extremely exciting feature which is going to truly make your Diplomats work for their non-existent salaries. See you then!
Salary? Their salary is the greatness of glorious Dithmarschen comrade!