To you what makes CK unique?

[Aat Jago]

Of all Paradox games, Crusader Kings arouses me the most.

Go get a room

Edit: To me, CK is the only game that keep me coming back for more. It also the only PI games that feels very "personal" to me. And sometimes, when I play it, I make some kind of story in my head about the game that I currently played.

Bottom line, I love CK because of the "personal" feel of the game.

 

[unmerged(111652)]

I think it's basically because I suck at it. Just suck. Or at least the game makes me think I do - in CK there are so many unforseen problems, so many potential threats from everywhere and just because you have something doesn't mean you'll get to keep it.

So to me, it is more of an RP game. There are stories unfolding and I can't help but imagining the world that builds up in my game in greater detail. It's great.

But it doesn't change the fact that I suck at it.

 

[Sam L]

We read lots of posts on these forums about how CK is so innovative and unique.

So I ask you, what makes CK unique?

To me, it is the anti-human blob effect. I'll explain:
Every strategy game I've ever played has a tipping point. A point where the human player just can't be beaten anymore. Granted most games are so easy that you can't be beaten from the start, but there is definetly a huge issue with strategy game design about this. How do we keep the game interesting for the player when it is obviously that he can't lose anymore.

Now, we know CK isn't really the best developed game, it isn't stable and most of the features don't even work correctly, a lot of stuff doesn't make a lot of sense, etc. But there is no other game out there where you can have 3 king titles, be crowned Emperor of the germans, rule over a larger empire then Charlemagne and then sudenly your crazy bastard son kills you and your Empire starts to implode.

The icing on the cake is that...in CK...when that happens the game isn't finished...it is far from that. It can be just getting more interesting for you. Just as you tought you were better off starting again as a count.

That to me is the single most unique aspect of CK. ( and you thought I was going to say dynasties :rofl: )

Yes. Because ultimately it's about people. And people and lives are unpredictable. That's what makes it so unique and addictive. Also, unlike in The Sims or other RPG, it is still grand strategy in that it has an historical epic feel. You're not just living an ordinary person's life, you're living the life of a king with ramifications for future generations of people.

 

[KonradRichtmark]

The way almost the whole game is event-driven. Rather than being insignificant random flavour, events are what makes things happen in the game. Resulting in a game which is indeterministic and thus hard to powergame, but where events nevertheless (because of triggers and MTTH modification) follow causally from other things that have happened in the game.