* No more static event pictures. Events will feature the actual character models posed against some kind of background, and they can have props like knives, crucifixes, etc. Currently they don't animate to actually interact like getting into a fight.
Fortunately they don't animate, otherwise one would be distracted looking at childish animations while playing a complex strategy game. Anyway, I believe this approach will reduce the diversity the CK2 event art provides.
* Tutorial is described as "Stellaris-like", and they've improved the ways the game can give you suggestions on what you want to be doing. More approachable, but not dumbed down.
The only Stellaris that I played was exactly the tutorial and it certainly introduced me well into the game mechanics. This is a good step in the right direction.
* The tech system is more tied to characters than it was in CK2, but not ready to talk about it yet.
This seems strange and not realistic at all. I am all for a better tech system but linking it to characters seems odd...
* Historical events like the Mongol Invasion are in. Dynamic epidemics from Reaper's Due are not in, as they didn't feel that feature worked very well. No word on how the plague will be handled.
Disappointing. At least this can be conveniently modded rather quickly, I believe.
* Provinces now have Development, which is like civilization value in Imperator. Tribes don't care about it but feudals get more taxes from it.
* Revolt Risk has been replaced by Control, which is going to work a bit differently.
Sounds like good ideas
* If your heir when you die is an old guy who has already invested all of his perks, you can respec his lifestyle tree once if it sucks.
This is horrible. A rather poor design decision. It forfeits the threat we feel regarding the future by looking at an helpless heir, it prevents the devious schemes we always think to get rid of a poor heir and it voids the story that generates. And all this in order to have a magic button that suddenly converts the new ruler to what suits the player.
Unrealistic to the extreme and plainy horrible!
* Splendour is like your Dynasty XP. It's used to buy Legacies, which are kind of like national ideas in EU4 and stay with your dynasty forever. One of these lets you increase the chances of inheriting congenital traits, if you want to create a dynasty of stong genius ubermensch. It's not realistic but it is a playstyle they want to support.
Sounds good, as long as we are not talking about a new mana system. Perhaps the accumulated sum of Prestige + Piety each character receives can "buy" Legacies with the total of several characters?
* Foreigners don't care about Dread, only your own vassals.
The concept of Dread is neat!
* Fleets are now handled like CK1. You just pay money to turn into boats. Naval combat is a possibility in the future. Henrik thinks it would be cool, especially for the Mediterranean.
* Vikings can still sail up rivers.
How does these two merge? Are there navies or not, after all? Are the viking raids done by decision/event?
Returning to CK1 in terms of navies and abstracting the system more is not a good decision. One should have more things to do and worry about in the game, not less.
* Factions are back. Peasants can now found factions. One example given was that Norwegian peasants living under a Danish king can found a self-rule faction, and Norwegian culture nobles will join them. Like a combination of a CK2 faction and a peasant revolt, very powerful.
Sounds good
* Much more events that deal with interpersonal drama and people important to the player, like family/friends/rivals.
Sounds very good
* No crazy fantasy events (immortality, Satanism, child of destiny) at launch. Undecided if they will be added later, but if they will, there will definitely be game rules to turn them off. CK3 should feel more historical compared to CK2. This was a goal.
Sounds very good
* Control is more of a short-term thing and Development is more long-term. For example, Control in a province is reduced when it changes owners but recovers quickly.
Interesting dichotomy. Lots of potential.
* Religions have degrees of relation. Abrahamic > Christian > Catholic.
* Ecumenism: Catholics/Orthodox/Coptic don't treat each other as heresies for purposes of CBs and stuff. There are steps of tolerance. It's not just "True Faith, Heretic, or Heathen".
Very good this granularity
* Converting foreign rulers with your chaplain will not be in at launch.
* Investiture system and antipopes will not be in at launch.
Disappointing and a step back from base CK2.
Overall good vibes - but nothing spectacular, tbh - and the idea of allowing the modification of the heir on a whim is an absolute garbage. It seems something imported from insta reward mechanics that we see a lot in mobile games. At least create a game rule to bypass this "game design".
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