How should I play FtG?

[Ir0nSlug]

I have played vanilla EU2 15 years ago, but the memory is vague... Should I try to be pro-active and make things happen or should I let myself be guided by events, getting missions, casus belli (I don't know my latin to make it plural), etc from them? I'm not a particularly aggressive player and I don't tend to mega blob on my own. I mostly play historical, with some diversion, like obviously trying to win wars that were lost in reality. What's the philosophy of the game?

Also should I go straight to AGCEEP?

 

[Crookback]

I have played vanilla EU2 15 years ago, but the memory is vague... Should I try to be pro-active and make things happen or should I let myself be guided by events, getting missions, casus belli (I don't know my latin to make it plural), etc from them? I'm not a particularly aggressive player and I don't tend to mega blob on my own. I mostly play historical, with some diversion, like obviously trying to win wars that were lost in reality. What's the philosophy of the game?

Also should I go straight to AGCEEP?

That's entirely up to you, but the general recommendation is to start with vanilla as it's a lot simpler to get the hang of. France in 1453 or 1492 is a good choice as they're strong, wealthy and have good room for expansion, as well as being able to afford a colonial empire.

AGCEEP is fun but it can be tricky, and I would never recommend it over vanilla initially. Get the hang of the base game, then try AGCEEP.

 

[Ir0nSlug]

Thanks. What do you mean tricky? I was under the impression it would mostly add historical events? I remember forming netherland as brabant in EU2 vanilla AGCEEP a very long time ago, and sure I had to look up on internet to get the requirements, that's the sort of thing you are refering to?

 

[Crookback]

Thanks. What do you mean tricky? I was under the impression it would mostly add historical events? I remember forming netherland as brabant in EU2 vanilla AGCEEP a very long time ago, and sure I had to look up on internet to get the requirements, that's the sort of thing you are refering to?

In vanilla FtG you can form the Netherlands by decision as either Flanders, Friesland, Guelders, Brabant, Holland, Utrecht or Zeeland after 1550. Holland (the county) is playable in 1399, whereas some of the others are playable in other early scenarios. As a bonus, if you form the Netherlands as Friesland you get German culture as well.

AGCEEP is 'tricky' in the sense it has a lot more going on; the world is much more heavily scripted and controlled by interlocking events, whereas vanilla is more 'open world' and historical events - though they appear and have impact (and there are more of them in 1.3) - do not set as much of the narrative as in the AGCEEP.

Fundamentally, they are different gameplay experiences.

 

[Crookback]

Once you're back into the swing of things, try the Timurids or Golden Horde in 1399.

 

[Ir0nSlug]

Thanks. Having the game being guided by historical events is exactly what I'm after, else I would play EU3 or 4. I want to try and play to see what happens rather than play to win if that makes sense. I'll try a country with and without the mod and judge from there. Probably Portugal or France. Is FtG 1.3 from GoG packaged with the last version of AGCEEP?

 

[Crookback]

Thanks. Having the game being guided by historical events is exactly what I'm after, else I would play EU3 or 4. I want to try and play to see what happens rather than play to win if that makes sense. I'll try a country with and without the mod and judge from there. Probably Portugal or France. Is FtG 1.3 from GoG packaged with the last version of AGCEEP?

Yes, I believe Steam and GoG are now both running 1.3 final.

There are still plenty of historical events in vanilla FtG, so it's definitely not the same sort of thing as EU 3 or 4 - it's just that AGCEEP has a lot of historical events.