[MOD] Romance of the Three Kingdoms 【Released】

[JaceX]

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

(Overhaul Mod: Compatible with CKII 3.3.3)

This mod focuses on China during the turbulent Han Dynasty.
To those who have played any game featuring the Three Kingdoms, or who have
actually read the books, this mod will be what you have probably been hoping for.

The current scenarios are:

-184- Yellow Turban Rebellion
-190- Coalition against Dong Zhuo
-194- Rise of Ambition
-200- Northern RIvalry
-208- Battle of Red Cliffs
-220- War of the Three Kingdoms
-225- Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign

Please try the mod here:

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

If y'all experience any errors/issues, or see any typos or leftover vanilla text, please let me know here!


Screenshots

Era Selection

Rise of the Yellow Turbans!

184 AD - Rise of the Yellow Turbans

194 AD - Age of Ambition

220 AD - Three Kingdoms

Culture Map

Religion Map

Changelog

(1.23)

• Update for CKII 3.3.3
• Fixed several typos in random places and corrected several histories
• Added localization for various opinions and clans
• Added 50+ characters including Sima and Zhuge clan members, several of whom are not born during the playable bookmarks
• Added 6 bloodlines (Liu Bang (Liu Clan), Kujula Kadphises (Kushan), Go Chumo (Goguryeo), Kong Fuzi (Confucius), Li Laozi (Laozi - Founder of Taoism), Sun Zi (IE: the Art of War)

(1.15)

• Update for CKII 3.3.0
• Fixed several events related to the Refugee System
• Removed erroneous references to non-existent religion
• Other event and decision fixes here and there
• Localization fixes for events and decisions and titles

(1.1)

• Updated Nobility Design
• Added 10 mercenary groups
• Added more ethnic combat tactics
• Added 10 characters
• Fixed dozens of character and title histories
• Removed erroneous references to non-existent culture groups
• Enhanced duel targeting and calculations
• Updated storyline events
• Updated empress consort events
• Other event and decision fixes here and there
• Localization fixes for events and decisions and titles

(1.005)

• Enhanced duel targeting and calculations
• Other event and decision fixes here and there
• Localization fixes for Imperial pretenders

(1.001)

• Fixed Imperial Marriage
• Enhanced character portrait graphics
• Other event and decision fixes here and there

(1.000)

• Compatibility update for CKII 3.2.2
• Fixed the zodiac system
• Fixed Divine Emperor usurpation
• Fixed dozens of history errors
• Added @BFKelleher 's wikipedia bit
• Added 200AD (Northern Rivalry - Cao Cao vs Yuan Shao) bookmark and 225AD (Southern Campaign - Zhuge Liang vs Meng Huo) bookmark
• Created 20+ more characters
• Other fixes and character adjustments here and there
• Added more loading screen and event pictures

(0.993)

• Added Chinese Zodiac traits whereby characters receive animal zodiacs based on their birth year
• Added 10 fan-made characters
• Added 40 Japanese characters to fill out the Wa court
• Added 30 Chinese characters for historical purposes
• Edited dozens of characters and title histories for accuracy
• Added 10 more storyline events related to Yuan Shu and Liu Bei and others
• Removed lots of vanilla leftover events and traits and societies, etc
• Updated lots of vanilla events and decisions and societies to fit RoTK
• Fixed lots of issues that were showing up in the error.log
• Filled out event descriptions and localisation
• Fixed the chancellor and Imperial system to allow non-Chinese and/or non-Confucian lords to overthrow the Divine Emperor
• Updated the finale events (Southern, Eastern, Northern invasions) to be more intelligent in how they choose their enemies (no more attacking the Divine Emperor when there is a huge empire right next to them)
• Lots more random little fixes and adjustments here and there

(0.99)

• Compatibility update for CKII 3.1
• Reverted to vanilla duels
• Reduced disease occurrence and spread rates
• Added more replacement graphics for interface and portraits
• Removed certain events, decisions, traits, etc. that are no longer necessary
• Fixed random issues here and there

(0.98)

• Updated to be compatible with CK II HF
• Added nicknames back in
• Fixed random issues here and there

(0.979)

• Fixed character bug

(0.978)

• Fixed coalition decisions, artifact events, maintenance events, etc
• Added 25 historical characters

(0.975)

• Added Yamatai to the map vis-a-vis the island of Tsushima
• Added Zhuya Commandery via the island of Hainan
• Added a unique Japanese feature that allows them to form Wako Pirate bands
• Added decision options to form alliances with the Japanese when relations are maxed out
• Added a few more storyline events
• Incorporated many of tsf4's fixes
• Fixed CoAs
• Modified starting technology levels
• Dozens of other little additions and fixes here and there

(0.973)

• Updated for the intermediate patches
• Dozens of other little additions and fixes here and there

(0.971)

• Added 50+ more historical characters
• Updated map details to have proper name and city positions, province positions, and terrain
• Updated lots of events and decisions
• Added formation of Shu and Wu Dynasty events
• Added, fixed, and updated several historical wars to use correct characters, dates, etc
• Updated 50 title histories to use proper dates and lieges and historical characters
• Dozens of other little additions and fixes here and there

(0.97)

• Added 50+ more historical characters
• Fixed unit addon pack to ONLY use the Turkish Unit Pack DLC
• Updated map details to have proper name and city positions, province positions, and terrain
• Added the basic Influence Balance system between Emperor, Empress, and Eunuchs to represent the complex checks and balances power dynamic between the three Imperial factions and the Chancellor
• As part of the above, added the ability for Emperor, Empress, and Eunuch factions to build personal armies and force Imperial claim wars when politically powerful enough
• Added several more events and decisions relating to Imperial Marriage (Installing an Empress), Finale events (Northern Invasion, Southern Raids, Eastern Expansion), and others
• Added, fixed, and updated several historical wars to use correct characters, dates, etc
• Enhanced duel, imperial, inheritance, usurpation, vanilla, and other events, cbs, and decisions
• Updated cultures, religions, opinions, buildings, units, mercenaries, titles, etc
• Updated localizations to use different KEYS and just different text
• Updated 150 title histories to use proper dates and lieges and historical characters
• Fixed Coats of Arms to use some custom CoAs again
• Updated 500 characters with traits, history, family, friends, ages, etc
• Removed references to vanilla religions, cultures, traits, societies, etc
• Hundreds of other little additions and fixes here and there

(0.967)

• Added Imperial Marriage target decision that allows Emperor to marry Inner Court when unmarried
• Fixed graphics for Korean, Japanese, Yue, and Man peoples
• Updated characters

(0.966)

• Fixed duel event calculations
• Updated characters

(0.965)

• Added and updated some characters
• Updated events and decisions and cbs
• Added more history and wars
• Updated graphics

(0.961)

• Fixed the Units Add-On (was using resources other than Turkish Unit Pack)
• Added Yamatai (Landless title for the Japanese)
• Added some more characters and cultural names and dynasties

(0.96)

• Updated mod for CKII 2.8.1.1
• Fixed and added a few hundred characters
• Added more finale events and flavor events
• Added cultures into the game that are not playable without Ruler Designer (Japanese in particular for you otakus)
• Updated terrain to fit geographical reality
• Updated character graphics
• Fixed and added history on wars and titles
• Fixed various events and decisions and casus belli bugs

(0.952)

• Increased chance of Chancellor Faction occurring.

(0.951)

• Added Install Chancellor Faction + decision + event + war chain
• Fixed various events
• Added more event and culture details

(0.95)

• Compatibility update for CKII 2.7.2.
• Added theocracies
• Fixed CTD issues from leftover vanilla events
• Removed fluff

(0.949)

• Made duel system awesome.
• Fixed some inheritance issues.

(0.948)

• Enhance duel system.
• Updated Societies.
• Rebellion rates reduced.
• Petition system changed for AI rulers.
• Added 10 characters (mainly Pang Tong clan).
• Added artifacts and graphics.
• Reduced rates of disease.
• Fixed various events that were causing issues with inheritance.
• Removed a lot of fluff leftover from vanilla.

(0.945)

• Compatibility update for CKII 2.7.1.

(0.9441)

• Hotfix to correct interface and gfx issues.
• Other minor fixes.

(0.944)

• Compatibility update for CKII 2.7.
• Event fixes.
• More decisions and events.
• Localization fixes.

(0.943)

• Added story events up to 199 AD.
• Troop/Technology balancing for Korean states
• Fixes to the events. (Biggest issues around ai empire handling)
• Fixes for the decisions.
• Fixes for the localizations.
• Reduced event related rebellions by 75% for the player, and by 90% for the AI.
• Fixed some script mistakes that disabled several of my events from showing up in game.
• Added a few more events chains.
• Some character fixes.
• Many other minor fixes to religion, laws, modifiers, bookmarks, etc.

(0.942)

• Added 5+ characters
• Fixed a CTD producing error
• Updated bookmark descriptions
• Updated some title history

(0.941)

• Added 50+ characters (mostly to Korea)
• Updated game for latest version of CK2 and Reaper's Due
• Updated several events and decisions
• Added a few more story events

(0.94)

• Added 50+ characters (mostly to Wu, several to Shu, and a few to Wei and others)
• Added Petition System and a few more random event chains
• Updated more title inheritance/usurpation events
• Added a few other casus belli and correlated events
• Updated Chancellor/Empire related events (they were wonky and firing for the wrong reasons)
• Updated a dozen maintenance and random events
• Updated several decisions
• Updated horses/pets
• Added/updated several titles (there were several provinces named or placed incorrectly originally)
• Reduced disease occurence (I feel like diseases occur and spread way too far and fast)
• Updated several localizations
• Updated more graphics
• Fixed several typos in various files that may have caused CTDs or errors (ex: some deaths by executions)
• Added a few more random events
• Fixed LAMA

(0.938)

• Updated Limit Territory event chain.
• Updated Warlord, Chancellor, Emperor events and decisions.
• Updated and streamlined various other events.
• Added a few more graphics.
• Updated more vanilla localizations.

(0.937)

• Overhauled Limit Territory event chain (there should be no more CTDs).
• Added Weapons and Horses events.
• Removed In the Field event.
• Updated Final Invasions.
• Streamlined dozens of decisions and events.
• Updated cultures and religions.
• Updated graphics.
• Updated localizations.
• Various other minor updates.
• 5 characters added.

(0.935)

• Fixed CTD issues related to duel targetting.
• Updated everything for the latest CKII Patch.
• Updated thematic music.
• Updated names and dynasties.
• Updated localizations.

(0.93)

• Fixed various CTD issues.
• Updated Maintenance, Noble, Warlord, Emperor, and several vanilla event chains.
• Updated decisions (duel, limit province, emperor, chancellor, warlord) and succession laws.
• Added thematic music.
• Added Fate Trait events.
• Added 15 titles and updated 250 title histories.
• Added 500+ characters (300 historical, 200+ filler).
• Added trait icons.
• Updated terrain and tree maps.
• Updated names and dynasties.
• Updated localizations.
• Updated flags.

(0.906)

• Added Form Clan Army decision.
• Added Diaochan + Lu Bu + Dong Zhuo story chain.
• Decreased likelihood of rebels and added possibility to prevent rebellions.
• Updated a few cbs, events, and decisions (duel, limit province, emperor, chancellor, rebels).
• Updated relationships between historical characters (to keep historically loyal characters loyal)
• Updated localizations.
• 5 characters added.

(0.905)

• Updated most events, decisions, cbs. (Makes Ruler Designer work, fixes most CTD complications)
• Chancellorships updated.
• Emperor events updated. (Choosing Imperial Guards, Spending time in the Harem, etc.)
• Combat trait initialization.
• Updated localizations.
• 5 characters added.
• Several title histories updated.
• Lots of background cleanup for ease of future modding. Mainly breaking events into categories.

(0.901)

• Updated province integrity events.
• Updated empire forming events.
• Updated duel handling events and decision.
• Updated nobility ranks events.
• Laws updated.
• Holy sites added for other religions.
• Created additional background events.
• 5 characters added.
• Various character and event bug fixes.

(0.90)

• Updated province integrity events.
• Updated empire forming events.
• New "In The Field" regency. (No more running administrations when you are leading armies!)
• 150+ more characters added to the mix.
• Updated more title histories, filled out most histories for You, Sili, Yan, Qing, Ji, Xu, Jiao, Liang provinces up to three kingdoms era.
• Several new titles and wars.
• Created Historical "King" positions for historical Imperial holdings.
• New Nobility ranks being tested. Grantable by the Divine Emperor. (Marquis, Duke, King, Emperor = Self-abdication)
• Various character and event bug fixes.
• More localization updates to remove vanilla flavor.
• Fixes for Emperor/Empress/Guard/Eunuch title handling
• Updated Imperial Tax system
• New events to handle Emperor inheritance
• Fixed problem with Dong Zhuo event not firing, thanks @@NickFeyR
• Fixed Way of the Five Pecks government, thanks @@QwarterPl
• Added Northern Invasions starting in 300 AD

(0.89f)

• Fixed bug that crashed games that started after 207 AD.
• Added 10 characters.
• Updated Province Integrity events.

(0.89e)

• Added new Province Integrity events that work in the background to make sure kingdoms stay together
• Added 200 characters and filled in titles
• Updated character and title histories (concentrating on Wu, Wei, Shu, and Yuan officer)
• Updated events and decisions
• Added more historical province titles
• Replaced several vanilla flavor schemes and localizations (replaces deus vult! and several church, crusade, and bible references)
• Mercenaries groups added
• Game balancing (including province/holding changes)
• Fixed provinces names/history for historical accuracy
• Fixed and added ~75 province histories so that the map is more filled out beyond 194
• Added more war histories
• Testing a new feature where characters can form independent clan armies without landed territories to represent Liu Bei, Lu Bu, Sun Ce and others at various times (currently AI only unless you use console cheats)

(0.88)

• Reworked premier system
• Reworked duel and imperial systems
• Increased population and manpower maximums
• New events and decisions
• Added localisations
• Added 100 characters
• 194 Scenario 80% filled out
• Added some traits
• Increased aggression

(0.875)

• Titles and history redone
• Culture and Religion redone
• Decisions and Events added/updated
• Flags redone (only a few hundred for now, still a few hundred more to do)
• Characters added/updated

(0.8751)

• Fixed events and decisions breaks
• Added significant localization

(0.872)

• Fixed Force Training bug
• Added 50 characters, 10 flags
• Added buildable holdings
• Updated events and crusades

(0.871)

• Updated some characters
• Updated laws
• Added some flags
• Updated objectives
• Optimized localisations

(0.87)

• Modified the skin pack to include some headgear
• 184 scenario is almost completely fleshed out
• 190 scenario is decent to play
• 194 scenario is in progress
• Added a hundred characters (80% historical family tree)
• Modified silk road trade route
• Updated events for 2.4.5
• Updated decisions for 2.4.5
• Optimized localisations
• Northern steppe peoples are now nomadic

(0.86)

• Compatibility update for CKII 2.4.5
• Added few hundred characters
• Added traits
• Added silk road trade route
• Fixed portrait issues
• Optimized localisations
• Updated Map

Compatibility

• This Mod is only compatible with certain mods that affect non-core aspects of the game. I have not done any official testing with other mods.
• Play at your leisure!

Credits

• JaceX
  (Team Lead)
• Arkham618
  (Contributor)
• KingTao86
  (Contributor)
• Warial
  (Contributor)
• Talvos
  (Contributor)
• Jolt
  (Contributor)
• Kraffeld, NickFeyR, Provenance, Zonkie
  (Suggestions)
• Skins Submods
  (Skin and Avatar sources)
• AGoT Team
  (Adoption system)

 

[JaceX]

I NEED HELP!

If you can provide assistance with the following things, then please offer your time/skills!
-Character script creation
-Events/Traits writing
-Historical research compilation (excel preferred) on who ruled where and when.

(RESERVED FOR UPDATES)

 

[zonkie]

I love the scenarios! I got interested in this period after I played DW8 and DW8: Empires and I think you should look at this mod for some inspiration. https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...ing-states-period-chunqiu-zhanguo-mod.765384/

 

[david gerero]

When I saw this thread, my eyes brimmed with delight as this song went through my mind. I then proceeded to read the text about this mod, while mentally listening to this song. You're trully doing heaven's work.

I propose this to be this thread's official soundtrack!

 

[PseudoCatfish]

This would be awesome to play

 

[Kraffeld]

Awesome!
I have a suggestion, it would be great if you could add more scenarios, for example:
234 - The Last Northern Campaign (Just before Zhuge Liang passed away)
239 - The Rise of Cao Shuang (After Cao Rui passed away, and his adopted son, Cao Fang, became the emperor)
249 - The Rise of the Sima Clan (After Sima Yi's coup d'état)
251, 255, & 257 - The Three Rebellions (Three attempts to depose the Sima clan from power)
258 - The Rise of Sun Xiu (After Sun Xiu became the emperor and planned to kill Sun Chen who had been abusing power)
263 - The Fall of Shu (Also, before Sun Xiu passed away)
265 - The Birth of Jin Dynasty (After Sima Yan became the emperor and ended the Wei Dynasty)
279 - The Fall of Wu (Just before Jin conquered Wu)
291 - Rebellion of the Eight Princes (After Sima Yan passed away)

 

[david gerero]

bumping for public interest

 

[Jolt]

Geez, I wonder who made that glorious uncredited map.

 

[zonkie]

Awesome!
I have a suggestion, it would be great if you could add more scenarios, for example:
234 - The Last Northern Campaign (Just before Zhuge Liang passed away)
239 - The Rise of Cao Shuang (After Cao Rui passed away, and his adopted son, Cao Fang, became the emperor)
249 - The Rise of the Sima Clan (After Sima Yi's coup d'état)
251, 255, & 257 - The Three Rebellions (Three attempts to depose the Sima clan from power)
258 - The Rise of Sun Xiu (After Sun Xiu became the emperor and planned to kill Sun Chen who had been abusing power)
263 - The Fall of Shu (Also, before Sun Xiu passed away)
265 - The Birth of Jin Dynasty (After Sima Yan became the emperor and ended the Wei Dynasty)
279 - The Fall of Wu (Just before Jin conquered Wu)
291 - Rebellion of the Eight Princes (After Sima Yan passed away)

While all those scenarios would be fun, creating this mod will be alot of work so it's best to focus on one scenario at start which could be the Yellow Turban Rebellion. When that scenario is fun to play, work could be done on the other scenarios he listed and after all those are done then maybe some of those scenarios you listed could be added, but it's best to focus on the other stuff first.

 

[Talvos]

What resolution map are you wanting to use? The map that you were using is 1920x1344. In CK2, unless you use some multiple of 256 like 2048x1536, you will get graphical map errors in game.

 

[Jolt]

What resolution map are you wanting to use? The map that you were using is 1920x1344. In CK2, unless you use some multiple of 256 like 2048x1536, you will get graphical map errors in game.

That's one of the issues with creating a map for Three Kingdoms. There are several areas of varying importance which may or may not be included. Like the Vietnamese coast, or the Korean lands, or the Western Protectorate, among others. That's a decision that needs to be made before even starting to work on the map.

 

[Talvos]

I can easily generate some maps using GIS software, and have relevant East Asia files ready to go. I just need to know the map dimension you're going for, a projection if you have one (otherwise i'll use a Lambert projection over the South China Sea), and what you want included in the map (such as what was pointed out above, or more? Less?) I've already georeferenced your above map to my data, I just need what I said above.

 

[JaceX]

Feel free to add advice, suggestions, questions.

@Talvos,

I'd like to hear about what your thoughts on for how complex we should make the map. I have basically broken the empire so that counties are baronies. If I make counties counties in the game, that would be...600 to 1000 counties depending.

Also... Is the map okay? I just winged by hand. I feel like your method would have been much faster...

@Kraffeld,

Yes. I intend to build a lot of scenarios. Baby steps. Let's make the first one nice and pretty and then we can go crazy.


@Jolt,

I hear ya. I fully intend to include all of the barbarian tribes: qiang, nanman, xiongnu, xianbei, di, wuhuan, etc.

Also, I plan to include Viet, Korea, (maybe? A small Japanese representation?), Tibet, and maybe more.

If anyone is curious about how I am handling the Emperor situation.. I figure the Han emperors would act as 'religious' figureheads with a barony within Luoyang or wherever the controlling king (ie: regent) is based.

 

[Talvos]

Please try this Alpha version of the mod here:
https://www.mediafire.com/?elm5pde5c90o4ix

I can't open .zipx files. I don't suppose you could just use .zip or .rar?

Also... Is the map okay? I just winged by hand. I feel like your method would have been much faster...

Because of the above, I haven't seen all the map that you currently have. The nice thing about making maps using GIS software is (and assuming you have them, which I do here) that you get the coastline, rivers (both major and minor, but the way that CK2 handles rivers, it may be best just to use the major rivers), lakes, topology (I have a map at 250m per pixel, much higher resolution than what you'd need for this mod), terrain (something like Blue Marble, or Natural Earth), and if you have any historic maps you can georeference it into your project (for easy and accurate mapping of potential counties you'd want to make). You can also get modern administration divisions if you so choose (which I don't know how accurate they'd be here... I'd think that the Communists would have changed many of the historic boundaries, but I really don't know). All of these are referenced to each other, and you have the ability to change map projections. I've spent lots of time in the past making different maps by hand, but it's so much easier, quicker, and I think you get a better outcome, if you use GIS software.

That being said, once the maps are generated, you'd need to fine tune the map. Maybe remove 1-pixel islands (they look pretty bad in game), make the rivers properly 1-pixel width (unless you are using the major rivers mechanic introduced in The Old Gods, but that's different), and redo the coast, rivers, and lakes to make it accurate to the time period (which is a fair bit for China - you can see where the coastline doesn't match up with the borders if the map you provided in my previous post). You'd then need to make your provinces file out of the land mask (assuming you didn't make one using GIS software, which I haven't - it'd take a fair bit of work and research to do, but I think would make a fantastic community project, but that's a different story entirely).

I'd like to hear about what your thoughts on for how complex we should make the map. I have basically broken the empire so that counties are baronies. If I make counties counties in the game, that would be...600 to 1000 counties depending.

Disclaimer: I honestly don't know a whole lot of information about this period in Chinese history, but am curious.

By complex do you mean scale or coverage? I'd need to think more about the scale, but I think it'd be cool to eventually have 600-1000 counties (and of course it would take a lot of time and research to make that). So, large enough to make the smallest provinces workable, but not so large that it would become a strain on people's computers. I think of 2048px as the 'typical' size. So in the ball park of 2048 and 3072, I would guess.

For coverage, again I don't know too much history on this time period. You've mentioned some of the map that you'd like to see in, but I'm just going to ramble a bit here:

The map you posted had northern Vietnam, and I've seen a map where parts of Korea are included in one of the three kingdoms. I'd image then at least northern Vietnam, and all of Korea. I don't think there was too much Japanese involvement on the mainland in this time period, but again I don't really know. Other things I don't know: How far north was relevant to Chinese politics? Just the southern Mongolian steppes, if that? How far into Central Asia? To Xinjiang? To Ferghana? If you extend the map east like that, you'll include Tibet as well (which you've mentioned). Do you want all of Indochina, or just the northern parts? And where do you make the distinction? Or do you just want to include areas that were historically claimed by one of the three kingdoms?

I guess the map boundaries should be discussed first (and please no "Roman map expansion" arguments =P ) if I am to generate some map files for us.

 

[JaceX]

Updated version in op!

 

[Talvos]

I've taken a look at your map, and I think it'd look better if I just generate some maps.

Thinking about de jure set up, I think that having the zhou as kingdom tier, commanderies as duchy, and counties* as counties would be good. From my (albeit quick) research, it seems that the current counties in China are more or less the historic counties - which is good for us, as I have county level gis data.

Spoiler

*I think it'd be unreasonable to have every single county as a county, and you could probably merge different historic counties into a single in-game county, with the baronies being the merged counties.

I made a preliminary map (3072x2048) just to showcase this county density - which is very large, and quite unreasonable to make it 1:1, historic to in-game county.

Spoiler

Most counties are between Paris and Normandie counties in size in vanilla. There are more than 2000 shapes here, which is a whole lot more than what we'd want - hence merging counties together.

On a side note, how do you like this projection? Maybe if it was turned counterclockwise 30° - less India, more Vietnam?

 

[Jolt]

He doesn't have a whole lot of information on the map because the uncredited map he posted in the first post was made by me and fellow Paradox user Fornadan, and grew in popularity after I posted it on reddit. It was previously posted on the most eminent Three Kingdoms forum along with most other maps I've made public.

We also have an assorted range of other maps, including a full fledged atlas with most of the settlements we could locate, of the period.

Such as:
This or this or this.

EDIT: Also, don't put the Zhou as kingdom-tier title. It's extremely anachronistic for the time period. A better solution I have thought up would be to have no established kingdom/empire-level titles (I don't know if the game allows that though), and have those be able to be created by decision based on a number of factors that historically were valid when proclaiming a Princedom/Imperial State, such as location of capital/fief/core territories, where the ruler was born, among others.

 

[david gerero]

The map actually seems interesting, for a beggining. I have checked some of the characters and they have interesting traits. Some of them are missing though.
I have some knowledge about this time period. If needed, I will provide a list of interesting traits, some that should be added, and some that "must" be added. Traits such as Cao Cao being deceitful, for example...

 

[JaceX]

Talvos, Jolt. Go at it hauses. Like I said before. That map took me a day of hand painting. I haven't touched gis tools since oil work.

As Jolt pointed out. The sizing and complexity of the administration level of the period is important. If we go by history...

Empire
Province (Zhou)
Commandery (Jun)
County (Xian)
Districts
Villages

I had planned to handle noble titles such as Kingdoms, Dukedoms, and Marquesettes as the "temple" settlement, as I had intended for the imperial family to be a religious poster child for the empire.

Now. As you might see with the current buildout (yes, only 113 because again, did with paint and Photoshop...), my intention was exactly as Jolt suggested.

From a game perspective:
EMPIRE - Unite all of China? Get at that Empire!

KINGDOM - The current China framework, any regent or powerful enough lord may declare a 'kingdom' or state.

DUCHY - Province level, the major 13 zhou., ruled by Protectors (castle) and Governors (city) and Kings (temple).

COUNTY - This is where I get flustered. I would say we need to have county level here and simple include commanderies on a level here. But this is very frustrating for me because I like having it all. Counties ruled by Commander (castle), Magistrate (city), Marquis (temple).

BARONY - Major cities, forts, gates, ports, palaces, temples.


The reason for not having at start kingdoms is specifically for the formable three kingdoms. Wei, Wu, Shu. And other potential ones such as the short lived Yuan Shu regime, etc.. Religious ones are handled by the k_tao handle. Hanzhong for the 5 Pecks order. I would not consider any of the three kingdoms (who were all declared emperors) empires until they actually united China.

And of course the barbarians and other neighboring civilizations. As you suggested I would make India and parts of Central Asia that are not pertinent just wastelands. As the Chinese did, we only see what is pertinent to the Middle Kingdom.

David,

Yes! Exactly. If you want to define a few hundred characters, get it! That's exactly what we need.

On a side note: Did y'all find Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Jian? They are in the 184 campaign.

Love the advice. This took a few days to produce and yeah, it was simple (my first mod after all). But as I said, it was a proof of concept to gather support, now we can work out a masterpiece.

 

[KaiserBeer]

What about the ranks:

Baron->Prefect (city)
Count->Inspector (castle), Magistrate (city), Marquis (temple)
Duke->Governor (city), Protector (castle), Marquis (temple)
King->Duke (temple)
Emperor ->King/Emperor (temple)