• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

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!
 
Last edited:
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]

Muslims in a sense too, as they're now the only religions with a group-wide mechanic.

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?

The issue is that Shinto is more of a "regional religion" too, considering it was a mix of Confucianism/Taoism, Buddhist sects and indigenous beliefs. It may be weird to think of a non-Japanese shintoist nation going through isolationism but, considering the only way to be shinto is to be Japanese, to be forcefully converted by the Japanese, or to be formed by the Japanese, then it's understandable that isolationism is tied to the religion.

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.

I'm bummed out too, but I'm gonna trust Trin Tragula and Jake that they've properly revamped the Japanese events so that Shinto becomes more attractive. Specially the Sakoku Law mess.
 
The only differences between those samurai models are their helmets, surely they are not paid contents? @Trin Trigula
They are even more of ctrl+c ctrl+v's then the Mare Nostrum Italian unit models.
 
Hey mods, while I've spent close to 1,000 hours on this game, I am also a big Nobunaga's Ambition fan, and a fan of Koei's Warriors series, which is why I need to ask.

Please tell me that the Takeda get cavalry bonuses on par with Poland/ a Horde?
 
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?
Heck, I would've settled for it being tied to government form.
 
At the end of the chains you get a modifier for 50 years dependent on your choices as well.

For both the Ikko Ikki and the Christianity incident the extreme versions of the end will not see your state religion officially changing (as that would remove the incidents and japanese mechanics), it is just seen as you giving this religon a favored status above the others.
If you do eventually form Japan however you will then be able to make Christianity or Buddhism the official religion if you so choose (and the factions you previously backed will be disappointed in you if you don't).
Will the Shushi Gaku Neo Confucianism incident also allow you to change to Confucian after you form Japan?
 
Hope HRE minors all get unique ideas as well cause currently half of them use common german/divine/italian ideas!
and some more DHE for smaller states / HRE nations would be nice, as playing them can be kinda boring over time:) historical flavor is always welcome!
Maybe an idea for the next patch?
 
Another question: Can you switch religions from Incidents if you convert to Shinto as a non daimyo/shogunate country? For example, if you switch to Shintoism as Korea, and get the Christian Converts incident, what conditions would allow you to convert? Would you still have to form Japan? Because that would be intuitive to say the least.
 
Intrigued by the subject for next week, but concerning this week's subject I appreciate the attention Japan has received.
 
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 Nanban Boeki issues are tied to being Japanese culture while not being Ryukyu. I don't think there's anything regarding religion in the files. You'd still get it if you swapped to Christian.

trigger = {
culture_group = japanese_g
NOT = { tag = RYU }
has_global_flag = japan_has_encountered_the_west
NOT = { has_institution = global_trade }
NOT = { has_country_modifier = sakoku_law }
NOT = { has_country_flag = sakoku_law }
NOT = { has_country_flag = western_trade_flag }
}

mean_time_to_happen = {
months = 200
}

Luckily the game places a favored culture right next door to convert to ;)
 
Looks cool and all. It will be interesting to see how they get along with their new mechanics and how thus will effect East Asia in the game.
 
The Nanban Boeki issues are tied to being Japanese culture while not being Ryukyu. I don't think there's anything regarding religion in the files. You'd still get it if you swapped to Christian.



Luckily the game places a favored culture right next door to convert to ;)

Yes, but Christian faiths can actually convert provinces...

This is probably one of the easier non-Ming routes to going Christian after Mandate too.
 
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?

Religions that don't spread by themselves and are from the start available only to one culture can represent cultural elements as well. Furthermore, since conversion to a foreign religion would bring an end to Isolationism and closer ties to foreigners, the whole mechanic is easier to represent if tied to Shinto than to culture or government.
 
Does Ikko Ikki a new buddhist religion or just a rebel + modifer? And how will be relation between Shinto and buddism? They were many buddist temple in Japan and no major discrimination.
 
It's nice to see they've made Japan more interesting instead of either gamey and OP or flat out annoying. Mind you Printing press spawning in Musashi in my last Uesugi game was fun, so all I had to do was to take 1 province for all my institutions. Probably can't convert to Christian that early anymore.

Edit: As a side note, I can't really see anything bad about Japanese ideas that needs improving, except the -10% stab, which imo is borderline useless. Literally 10 Adm every 10 years maybe? But then again almost everyone has some kind of near worthless ideas.

Many people say things about +1 prestige being useless, but I find it helps in placating my 1000+ dev vassal super loyal all game so I hope you are not going after that. And for someone who loves max milking estates, the prestige and +1 legitimacy is amazing.
 
Last edited:
I see you've added some provinces to Mongolia/Korchin/Oirat area. Any chance they too will be getting some national ideas? Too many hordes just have generic ideas and have little to differentiate them.
 
Religions that don't spread by themselves and are from the start available only to one culture can represent cultural elements as well. Furthermore, since conversion to a foreign religion would bring an end to Isolationism and closer ties to foreigners, the whole mechanic is easier to represent if tied to Shinto than to culture or government.
But isolationism is neither something inherently connected to Shinto nor is it unique to Japan. First, other highly isolationist countries like China or Korea get nothing similar. Second, Shinto wasn't even especially important politically until after Meiji Restoration. Buddhism played far more important role in politics and Daimyo losing isolationism when converting to Mahayana sound simply illogical.
 
Is it really wise to release the DLC for EU4 on the very same day as DLC for Stellaris? Both are huge DLCs with bigger price tag and they would compete with each other. Not to mention that even if I had spare 40 euro for buying both, chosing which of them I would prefer playing first will be painful.