Rock Paper Shotgun article

[Ottoman Master]

RPS made sure to let the devs know they'd write more articles if they stepped out of line.

People blaming the memes for this are missing the point, the memes aren't the problem, it's the journos ginning up controversy that are. Was anyone really offended about Deus Vult in a game famous for getting players to the moral standard of a rabid sewer rat?

They have a few more years before even the dumbest people realize game journos are outdated and don't need to be listened to anymore. Even putting aside phenomenally dumb takes like "haha yeah the evil nazi menace that's waiting to take over society at any moment and also likes to say deus vult will get totally owned by this", they're such obviously bought and paid for corporate shills with how often their reviews are at odds with player reviews that you genuinely just shouldn't listen to them on anything.

 

[TSSLOBT]

I've been forced to conclude, after reading many game news sites, that 'game' journalists resent the fact that they have to report on games.

 

[Zephyrum]

Glad to see Paradox has the right idea in mind regarding how to handle players' questionable morality, we're all paragons of virtue in Crusader Kings.

Now excuse me, my sister-mother gave birth to a baby, I'll extort and expel the jewry so I can bribe someone to kill him before he is of age. And then I'm going to jail and torture all of the involved. Can't risk the possibility that someone will take my place as ruler, else how will I be able to tell my court chaplain to burn the apostates?

 

[DukeDayve]

If it doesn't have at least as much content on release as CK2 does right now why are they releasing it when they are?

Because a lot of what's in CK2 never gets used. When's the last time anybody used their chancellor for anything other than fabricating a claim? Or the steward for anything other than collecting taxes? Or the college of cardinals? I bet less than 0.1% of players ever play in India, or as a nomad, or as a republic... and I don't think anybody enjoys the Muslim decadence mechanic. How many people ever play a start date other than 769, 867 or 1066/1081? How many people play as a tribal and enjoy it, rather than rush to feudal? How many people ever use a succession law besides ag-cog primo or ag-cog ultimo?

Personally, I'd happily give away 50% of the mechanics in CK2 in exchange for a proper, in-depth, challenging decay system for large kingdoms/empires.

 

[Grand Historian]

Because a lot of what's in CK2 never gets used. When's the last time anybody used their chancellor for anything other than fabricating a claim? Or the steward for anything other than collecting taxes?

While I can agree with the sentiment, I regularly use my chancellor to improve relations and the steward to speed up construction when I have more money than time. CKII isn't as much of a game for powergamers as EU4 because it has more rp elements and the relatively frailty of states.

 

[DàbiànLājīdàrén]

This was the right thing to do.

 

[Chaos Marine]

This was the right thing to do.

Oh definitely, from looking at the agreements/disagreements, a lot more people think it's the wrong thing to do. You're totally correct that it was the wrong thing to do.

[Edit] You know, considering how there's a lot more people in this forum thinking Paradox is wrong as shown in the agree/disagree ratings, I wonder if Paradox will make a statement, taking into account on what their paying audience wants and not what entitled, "woke" idiots want.

 

[THEKingFareday]

Because to include everything from CK2 in CK3, plus all the new stuff would mean adapting many mechanics they dislike to the CK3 engine, and would allow people to buy a more complete game than CK2 plus every DLC at a lower price.

I understand not keeping some mechanics, but they are making a game for a consumer. If people liked it, then it ought to be in the game. DLC should be used sparingly to add things that weren't in the previous installment.

 

[Manbearpig]

Oh definitely, from looking at the agreements/disagreements, a lot more people think it's the wrong thing to do. You're totally correct that it was the wrong thing to do.

[Edit] You know, considering how there's a lot more people in this forum thinking Paradox is wrong as shown in the agree/disagree ratings, I wonder if Paradox will make a statement, taking into account on what their paying audience wants and not what entitled, "woke" idiots want.

They've already walked it back.

 

[Te. Kenzo]

this interview don't cover anything could that be considered interesting or wanted for a CK player. Who is the target? I can play unlanded? There are cader-branches? I can play in land republics? What about the DLCs policy, What about naval battles? These are the points if you know the game, and even if you don't know the game, for sure the points exposed are not interesting for anyone. I don't want to be considered negative, but I think there are no doubts about this. A game like CKIII need to be exposed first to history nerds, with historian deontology, and after that to the general journalist.

 

[Funnybunny]

They've already walked it back.

Where?

 

[Evaris]

Stream said they "cut" some stuff, but that they are confident that it's the less popular stuff. No more Nomads or Merchant Republics.

Map though is bigger than CK2.

Well, I half understand that, but I'm sad to hear there won't be merchant republics, I much preferred playing them to feudal states.

 

[Despotism]

I don't know why Paradox would even be afraid of bad press, from what I've seen, games that stand their ground against these journalists are received far better by their audience, than companies who capitulate which leads to outrage like this.

As to worries of the game being streamlined, it is certainly a concern, but Henrik tried to make it explicitly clear during his interview that he had no interest in dumbing the game down, only making it easier to pick up and learn for newcomers; that might just be PR speak but it is still encouraging regardless.

 

[Manbearpig]

Where?

In the article.

 

[DPS]

Because a lot of what's in CK2 never gets used. When's the last time anybody used their chancellor for anything other than fabricating a claim?

I frequently use my chancellor to improve relations. When you play pagans, which I generally do, there's less need to fabricate claims.

Or the steward for anything other than collecting taxes?

Again, when you play pagans, you end up spending a lot of time as tribal, and using your steward to settle your tribe. And even when feudal, I sometimes use my steward to speed construction, and even to research tech. Once you're feudal and have a fairly large realm, the extra money that your steward might occasionally manage to collect isn't usually that significant.

Or the college of cardinals?

Got me on that one. Even when I play Catholic, I've never bothered to worry much about the College of Cardinals.

I bet less than 0.1% of players ever play in India, or as a nomad, or as a republic...

I've enjoyed playing in India. In fact, my current game is as the Emperor of Tibet (which isn't exactly India, but wouldn't make much sense without India). OTOH, I've never seriously tried to play as a nomad or as a MR, though from reading the forums, some players seem to prefer playing as nomads or MRs.

and I don't think anybody enjoys the Muslim decadence mechanic.

I doubt anyone enjoys it, but it's there for a reason. Unfortunately, the mechanic doesn't quite work right. Still, that means it needs to be fixed, not thrown out.

How many people ever play a start date other than 769, 867 or 1066/1081?

I have to admit that since I bought Charlemagne, I've never started at any date other than 769. I haven't even tried the new Iron Century bookmark. I think some people like the 1337 bookmark.

How many people play as a tribal and enjoy it, rather than rush to feudal?

I think that tribal gameplay is actually more fun than feudal gameplay, but at least pre-Holy Fury, it made sense to feudalize fairly quickly, because as technology levels went up, tribals became increasingly outclasses (which is historically accurate and appropriate). The changes made in Holy Fury make it at least somewhat reasonable to stay tribal for the whole game.

How many people ever use a succession law besides ag-cog primo or ag-cog ultimo?

I don't know the number, but some people actually prefer other gender and succession laws. Personally, I want primo, but generally favor agnatic over agnatic-cognatic.

 

[BeyondExpectation]

Promising?!
"2. It’s easier to play than Crusader Kings 2. Sort of."
If anything the article is extremely worrying , i am not interested in dumbed down version of their previous games. You could say oh its just streamlined not dumbing down! It's never the case ever, it always end up with a less than satisfying experience.

What Paradox sequel was dumbed down? Hearts of Iron 4 wasn't, unless you think easier to learn is inherently dumber. Some mechanics were simplified, but far more were made more complex.

 

[Truewhit]

While I agree that that the quality of Rock paper shotgun has decreased over the years, (look at their review of the remake of pathologic compared to their old articles one he original game) the hatred thrown at the website and game journalism is so overblown. Without game journalists how whould we know about companies mistreating their employees and getting kids hooked on gambling? I truly feel that many outspoken "gamers" cannot take criticism of any kind and see something as silly as a negative review of a digital good they like as a personal attack. Just look at how gross gamergate became.

 

[Truewhit]

RPS is garbage. Can't believe Paradox gave one of their first interviews to them...

Says the user with quite a red flag of a username...

 

[Despotism]

While I agree that that the quality of Rock paper shotgun has decreased over the years, (look at their review of the remake of pathologic compared to their old articles one he original game) the hatred thrown at the website and game journalism is so overblown. Without game journalists how whould we know about companies mistreating their employees and getting kids hooked on gambling? I truly feel that many outspoken "gamers" cannot take criticism of any kind and see something as silly as a negative review of a digital good they like as a personal attack. Just look at how gross gamergate became.

I think people get angry at gaming journalists because a great deal of them clearly have no investment in the industry, many of them can't even play video games, so when many write stories, they don't actually have a grasp of what they are talking about. Obviously some of them do, but it can be easy to get the impression that many don't even want to be a gaming journalist.

 

[Grand Historian]

Says the user with quite a red flag of a username...

Calling what is obviously a joke username a red flag is just tipping your own hand. And possibly fedora.