The issue with works of art system

[Mallos]

In short, works of art don't feel like unique art. They feel like yet another modifier with an icon.
For example, here is St. Mark's Basilica in Eu5 compared to real life:

I wish this beautiful real-life picture was accessible directly in game together with the description, most probably in another window (maybe also with a small picture underneath the generic artwork type symbol).
Same with other artwork types:

If you don't know, the third artwork is (surprisingly) a horses statue while the fourth one is a boat, but they've turned into a statue of a human head and a crown.
Also some artworks (like Bucentaur) didn't survive until modern day but there are still old miniatures and even a modern reconstruction:

so I think this is absolutely fine (or at least better then current implementation).

Also unique buildings (from what I know) are pretty hard to find. Here is Versailles, fo example:

It has an amazing well-detailed icon (although I like it less than real-life picture), but will be hidden in the buildings tab along with a smithing guild and a tavern. In Eu4, on other hand, monuments have their own window separate from other buildings.

 

[Kotyk-durkotyk]

For me, the biggest issue is that all building WoAs (churches, palaces) are depicted with a monument icon that looks more like a sculpture.
I think this should be definitely changed.

Regarding your issue, I agree — that would be great, but it probably falls under future DLCs and content packs.
Also, this would apply only to those existing in 1337. After that, WoAs will be generated randomly, so they will need to use generic images.

 

[kingner]

Look forward to the future Wonder DLC (haha)

 

[Korsjan Rīkis]

Another thing: Why are some buildings WoAs and some are unique buildings? I think every building should fall under the latter.

 

[mrflagio]

The whole work of art/monument feature is just modifier stacking anyway. Works of art, artists, etc. at the moment seem like very thin gameplay and are generally uninteresting in terms of gameplay mechanics.

 

[Mallos]

Another thing: Why are some buildings WoAs and some are unique buildings? I think every building should fall under the latter.

Do you mean that every WoA building should also be unique building and vice versa? Because your comment may imply that every single church should be unique.

 

[Mallos]

The whole work of art/monument feature is just modifier stacking anyway. Works of art, artists, etc. at the moment seem like very thin gameplay and are generally uninteresting in terms of gameplay mechanics.

They are even more focused on modifier stacking in Eu4. Nevertheless when I play with Monuments Expanded mod I always look at monuments in my country and read their descriptions.

 

[P.Quirinius]

Have there been any news on how works of art like literature, music and so on will work? It would be unfortunate if a literary work with thousands of copies around the world would be treated the same as a statue. Although a proper representation of these would require a lot of work so it would probably be more suitable for a DLC.

 

[Kotyk-durkotyk]

Another thing: Why are some buildings WoAs and some are unique buildings? I think every building should fall under the latter.

No, I don't think so. It should depend on whether a building has any additional value or significance. So I get the current logic.

For example, in Kyiv, St. Sophia Cathedral should be considered a Work of Art, since it's essentially just a regular church – but more beautiful and ancient. As a Work of Art, it would contribute to cultural tradition and influence.
On the other hand, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra must be classified as a Unique Building because it was not merely a beautiful monastery – it served as the largest educational, scientific, chronicle-writing, and pilgrimage center for East Slavic Christianity. As a Unique Building, it should provide different benefits.

Another example is the difference between a beautiful but ordinary palace in France, and the Palace of Versailles, which was a symbol of centralization and political power.