CK2 Dev Diary #46: Surveying the Survey

[melkor88]

Some interesting stats, thanks for sharing them

 

[neusaap]

I don't get why so many want even earlier bookmarks that'll just create even more fantasy scenarios. If you want to add bookmarks, at least set them between 769 and 867 or later, because then you'll have more information and less fantasy cultures that never become anything close to what you'll find in history. Having an early Muslim world where just one bad military conquest and you never get Islamic middle east sounds really boring to me.

I don't really see the issue with the middle east not turning muslim tbh. As long as the invasions aren't crushed every game and Islam has at least a 75% chance of capturing the lands it had seized historically; with 10% chance of not only crushing the Sassanids but also the Byzzies and/or successfully conquering not only Iberia but also Italy and Greece sounds like a fun uncertainty. Plus starting earlier allows for nurturing cultures that historically failed/died out/were assimilated/ended up as an oppressed minority in Russia in the form of a nationstate...

 

[Giuvito]

First post on here, so I do apologize if it comes off a bit off-topic.

I genuinely did appreciate the survey and the level of review it received. I also found it amazing that nearly all of the answers on said survey seemed to go inline with what I checked, so it shows not only a community consensus, but the developers willingness to hear it out.

I think there were only two deviations from the consensus that I still hold true to.

The first of which wasn't anything more than a matter of preference. I think one of my favorite CKII memories was the first time I resorted the Roman Empire. Now, I'm going to color myself a bit biased here, because I myself was born in Rome. So I'll chalk that one up to nothing more than personal fancy.

The one thing I was surprised to see; was how low 'Expanded Map' was, and it's percentage. The ever growing map on CKII has been one of my favorite features. I understand why (reasonably) the Western Hemisphere and the South Pacific (Particularly Oceania) sphere are so far out of the original range of play to be considered.

But I would be interested to see the expansion of tribal play in Sub-Saharan Africa. I thought the inclusion of Mali to be very clever, but I would love to see the capacity for Southern Expansion, a sort of 'African Empire' that can contest in some way against the Mediterranean's political sphere if it develops quick at earlier dates. Sure, it allows for complete historical overhauls by your own hand, but that is the beauty of game in some respects.

And, I feel like in the few instances I have visited this forum, this has been said often enough, but I'd feel wrong to leave it out. I'd love to see an expansion in to China. A game with dynastic play begs for such an addition, and with the existence of several (long forgotten by the start date) former kingdoms, such as Shu, Qin, Zhao, Wei, Wu, and of course the glorious Han, it would make for some brilliant play and events. I would respectfully disagree with the premise of a 'Chinese invasion', because the internal politics and play on land (as well as the former Chinese independent states) makes for a web of politics as interesting as the already standing realms (if not more)

See, I really do love all the little events that CKII add in. And I logged on to literally buy Monks & Mystics and give that a whirl. But, I've swept the Map as Rome, and the Fylkir, and I'd love to go all the way east to do much of the same.

Now, I fully recognize that this is just one person's wishlist. So I'll put that on the back burner and realize that the community consensus really matters on here. But with an expanded map, I feel that it could allow for new events, and (perhaps) even new starting dates (though I don't find the latter to be much of a concern).

Cheers.

(P.S. I wasn't fond of Sunset Invasion either, but I can genuinely see the appeal that it had for some people, especially those playing as the Great Khan, flood v. horde).

 

[Infinityball]

They can call it: Sunrise Invasion.

They already have Buddhism programmed into the game for a Chinese invasion...

 

[StarSword]

They already have Buddhism programmed into the game for a Chinese invasion...

Buddhism started in India in 600 BC and moved EAST, dummy.

 

[Kalderus]

On a more related note, if the devs do decide to do another start date, I think it will likely be either one in the 10th century (possibly 927, 966) or an earlier one. If it is earlier, they will almost certainly not go before 632. That's a hard cut off, as I'm not sure Paradox wants to have Mohammed be a live character in the game. So a 635 or 640 start date is possible, I guess.

Oh spare the PC pandering. No era should be "off-limits" because of people being "offended/triggered". They could easily model him with the history file character they already have, using the traits he has, and have him appear with an event-spawn horde a la Mongols/Seljuks declaring invasions first to unite Arabia, then to Sassanian Persia + Byzantine Levant, with a series of event chains allowing neighbouring rulers to convert/swear fealty (and be demoted in the process if already a higher rank) and possibly avoid invasion.

The problem is really, that all of this should occur in a different, dedicated dark ages/late antiquity game, possibly covering the late Roman Empire (circa Constantine I?) - Charlemagne (or probably also to 1066 to not lock off players without CK2 dlc). I'm sure many of us would greatly enjoy a migrations/late antiquity era game (very unlikely also a CK2 dlc IF and only if migrations and pre-feudal societies could be properly modeled) and do not wish to be forever deprived of one, simply due to modern politically-correct pandering.

 

[Rationalsanity]

Seriously, the game's engine struggles to properly simulate the earliest start date as it is. Going back even further would just make things worse.

 

[Vokasak]

Dude, again only people who dislike it bring it up, when was the last time you saw a praise SI post? my point is that there are no fanboys of SI, only people that like it enough to not post about it.

Don't misunderstand, complain as much as you want, is your right. I just don't think you should dismiss other people's opinions as fanboyism.

PS: I'll stop posting in this post now, I don't want to start an unnecessary discussion.

There was a Praise SI post in this very thread. I posted it.

 

[brandonbbbbb]

I would really like to see more House management mechanics. I notice that it is extremely difficult to manage your house, even if non of them are rulers. Could do things like setting house education focus, which defaults all children in that house to focus on a certain education. Can expand on that to make it more specific like house members in your court. Could also focus on head of house systems which could determine the succession of the head of house, for example even though a kingdom may have absolute primogeniture the house may not therefore the head of house may be someone else. Do somethings regarding legitimization and il-legitimizing members. Also CADET BRANCHES, this would be a very popular addition if we had cadet branches that form off your house.
Could even do rulers of the same house will typically like you more, unless some event changed that, and be able to form an alliance since you are of the same house. Perhaps include house politics. etc.

 

[Spear12]

Also CADET BRANCHES, this would be a very popular addition if we had cadet branches that form off your house.

This sort of happens already, if you count bastard dynasties.

 

[brandonbbbbb]

This sort of happens already, if you count bastard dynasties.

Yes, but do it without bastard dynasties. Like when your family gets to certain level, they form their own family that doesn't change the mechanics of the original.

 

[Kalderus]

It would be a nice convenience to have a way to automate marriages for distant/less relevant dynastic relatives who are both landless and in your court. Currently, it's not too difficult to open up the character finder and search "My Dynasty" + "Adult" + "Married = No" and find brides/grooms for everyone, but it might be a nice option to have a way for 2nd+ cousins to be set to automatically betrothe/marry the highest rank candidate, highest candidate of a certain stat, etc.

The marriage automator could also perhaps have settings like "only my culture/religion", "only landed rulers/heirs/no rulers" and whatever else might make sense. For those of us obsessed with multiplying our dynasty regardless of prestige/gold costs, there could also be an option to only select matrilineal marriages for female dynasty members (or even female dynasts of a certain kinship relationship or closer) and if no candidates exist, have the game generate a landless male courtier (with whatever skill focus you select) and fine you the equivalent amount to promote commander/invite noble/invite holy man etc.

This may sound like a trivial suggestion, but it would likely save many of us hours of micromanaging headaches once our characters' dynasties reach gargantuan (empire+) sizes, and their courts are full of relatives whose relationship would take several minutes of zooming out on the family tree to even find a common ancestor.

I'm sure I'm not the only one frequently worried that a few branches of my dynasty will, or have already died out simply due to being too busy/lazy to marry off relatives, whom otherwise, will just sit around in my court and die without heirs.

 

[mewzle]

I feel like a 629 or 632 start date for CK2 would tie everything in very well if PDX ever intends to make Rome 2.

 

[Spear12]

I feel like a 629 or 632 start date for CK2 would tie everything in very well if PDX ever intends to make Rome 2.

The problem with that then is that Rome 2 would have to extend from 4th/3rd century BCE to 7th century CE which is a very long and diverse time (how will you simulate Diadochi politics, internal Roman Empire/Republic politics, and great migrations politics all in the same game) but also runs into the problem of simulating the birth of Christianity and Jesus, which can be a, well, touchy subject just like the aforementioned Mohammed.

Also, it would be a pain to have to do BCE and CE at the same time. Perhaps a game that starts 404 BCE and ends in 1 BCE would be better, and a separate game that goes from 118-622 to simule the fall of Rome and the migrations while CK2 could neatly pick up in 633.

 

[Sir Tornado]

I am livid about Sunset Invasion. The completionist in me was compelled to buy it (although I bought it in a 75% off sale), but since then I have never played a single game with the DLC turned off. Many people often say this hyperbolically, but for me it was literally money down the drain.

And the constant sales pitch for this bought but turned off DLC on main menu when CK2 starts infuriates me even more... it is almost as though the game is mocking me about it.

So, all in all, I am rather satisfied to see it score so low in surveys!

 

[Urzhail64]

They can call it: Sunrise Invasion.

The Rising Sun Invasion would be a better choice.

*sips some sake*

 

[Zalmoxis]

I think a Rome game that has personal and dynastic politics, like CK2. BUT, instead of a feudal system (Except for Parthians) its instead a system of government posts that noble families compete for. Like Consul and Pontifex Maximus, or the archons for Athens, and Shopetes for Carthage, and etc.https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...VOhpx9Ho7ppxWAsRETf2Cg&bvm=bv.150475504,d.cGc

 

[Kalderus]

I think a Rome game that has personal and dynastic politics, like CK2. BUT, instead of a feudal system (Except for Parthians) its instead a system of government posts that noble families compete for. Like Consul and Pontifex Maximus, or the archons for Athens, and Shopetes for Carthage, and etc.

I feel like this could definitely work, and you could still play as a dynasty as in CK2, but your default/lowest rank would be to just be a landless minor noble/aristocratic house (possibly even Plebian/lowborn dynasties rising from nothing). Instead of relying on land for taxes levies etc., you would rely on your relationship with other aristocratic houses/ important rulers/ factions/ early trade or craftsmen guilds/ with the goal of eventually seizing power and/or influence somewhere and possibly promoting your character's patron religion/ ideology and likely, but not always acquiring hereditary land as antiquity comes to a close.

Basically everyone, save tribes/nomads would function somewhat like a CK2 patrician with a wide degree of variations and options.

 

[ggsimmonds]

Not understanding how the old gods was the most hyped and also exceeded expectations the most.

 

[Fawr]

Glad to see sunset invasion in its rightful place - between ignored and hated.