Here is a fairly poor translation from the fish of Babel...
DTF: How do you do! Let us begin immediately straight away. What lowest feudal title, which can bear your player in the universe of "crusaders"? But or to us are accessible only quite important feudal lords?
Snowball: Graph is the simplest title in the game. But this simplicity is deceptive. For example, in the Roman Empire there exist the set of the independent graphs, which are been very serious force. So that, to rise at least to the duke will be complex - competitors to doze will not begin.
DTF: What regions will include the political map of "crusaders"?
Snowball: First of all, this Europe from Iceland to the Urals. Also place for Asia Minor, Arabia and North Africa was located on the map.
DTF: It is still here interesting. Maybe, peace will be large, and player always will be conveyed only around his feud, driving off zealous competitors?
Snowball: In some regions precisely so everything must be for example, in small Ireland there are five local rulers, each calls itself by "king" and each it leleyet the hope to become the fully authoritative ruler of island. For a long time to be absented from its possessions in this situation is very dangerous.
DTF: But as does work system with marriages and children of monarch? Is it possible to marry its prince on the queen of some state and thus to take its throne? What will be, if the monarch not at all had children? Does indicate this defeat, as in Medieval: Total War?
Snowball: To marry heir on the strange queen is possible and even it is necessary. In this case in your dynasty the claim on the throne of the newly-made relatives will appear. However, in them to your - also. It is worthwhile to also consider that the artificial intellect knows how to check the inheritance not worse than the player. Therefore if for it is exist danger to lose title, then it marries queen on its own duke and will leave title to itself. And neither gold nor diamonds nor significant loss of prestige will influence its solution.
As far as childless monarchs are concerned, this not such already and rare situation. But in such rulers will always be located brothers, nephews, cousins and further on the family tree. It is worthwhile to consider that we nevertheless count characters properly, but not as in MTW. in that game the main thing - tactics of battle, in our - the tactics of family relations.
DTF: Is it possible to bequeath its throne of daughter?
Snowball: It is possible. Only for this it is necessary to accept the appropriate law. But to carry out this is possible only two hundred years after the beginning of game.
DTF: Byzantine empire. As we know, for the power of romeyev it frequently was necessary to survive internal wars - it is more frequently than to carry out some achievements. How will be realized the internal device of byzantine empire in the "crusaders"?
Snowball: It is worthwhile to consider that the internal wars occurred by no means because of the poor device of empire or bad nature of romeyev. To everything fault was the infrastructure, which elementarily did not make it possible to follow after the political and administrative formation of such sizes. Inside occurred to be the feudal relations: entire earth is tsarist, but the further from the center, the more insolent controlling. But if among the notable it is ancestral there is not one, which possesses indisputable authority, then appear plots and subsequent wars.
DTF: In the period of the middle ages "Roman Empire" and the Papal throne they played enormous role in the world policy. How will be realized their pressure above the ambitions of individual princes and rulers? In "Europe II" this moment was somehow missed. In Medieval: Total War Developers generally send by the most primitive way - they made the "Roman Empire" as unitary state! It is interesting, as will enter you?
Snowball: Again you about MTW. us nothing connects with this game, and her primitivism let remains on the conscience of creators. Our emperor rather is similar to that, which exists in the global strategy "Europe II" and which existed in medieval Germany: the first among the equal. However, in the "crusaders" emperor will nevertheless somewhat limited in the rights - deprive the duke of title, and also obtain imperial tax and troops he will be able not always.
Pope and all the remaining rulers - real character, but not figment. I.e., any Catholic ruler can cut his son or nephew in monks, and then appoint somewhere bishop, in the hope, that rodstvennichek will grow to the Pope. Indeed if this occurs, then it for sure will remove from the church of the enemies of dynasty. On the clean agreement, it understands.
DTF: Analogous question apropos of the device of Kiev Russia and caliphate. They indeed were also crushed; however, they did have a certain authority above their internal vassals?
Snowball: Kiev Russia is characterized by extensive territories, but control capabilities are far from limitless. If there is an authoritative and talented ruler, then everything is held together. But if for the change someone with the modest skills arrives, then entire structure simply will be scattered. The same regularity is observed also with respect to the caliphates: strong ruler - empire solidly stands on the feet, average ruler - all is loose, weak - everything is pulled down.
DTF: Tricky question. What historical school you do adhere to with respect to ancient Russia? : -) Some indicate that the feudalism was definitely, others are considered that not it was it, the third cannot make a decision... But you themselves that do think, on what source you do rest?
Snowball: In our game the relations in all countries and states are defined as feudal. Certainly, this approach generates inevitable simplifications. But otherwise it is impossible. The English, German, Scandinavian and French "feudalisms" were very differed from each other. Peasantry was everywhere enslaved to the different degree, feudal lords had different rights, besides graphs and dukes there were viscounts, marquises, markgrafy and many others. In the "crusaders" the feudalism is everywhere one.
DTF: Question about the assembly of armies. There will be they conditional as in "Europe", or as in Medieval: Total War - to be comprised from different type yunitov? Can troops collect experience?
Snowball: Give let us go away from the analogies with MTW and not we will more compare "crusaders" with the game, whereas in which in 1096 by Kiev guided the man with the Mongolian features of face, robed in the Mongolian armors OF THE XIII century. By the way, in our project armies will be dressed on the last military mode, i.e., their extrinsic ethos will change on the motion of game.
In the "crusaders" there are seven types of troops, pluses siege machines. Assembly it is regimental it occurs through the provinces, depending on the distribution of material goods between the social groups: peasants supply mainly militiamen and a little archers, nobles - exceptionally horse and foot knights (heavy cavalry and heavy infantry) with the armor-bearers (light cavalry).
DTF: Is it possible it will play for the nomads - Hungarians, the Mongolians, the Turks, etc?
Snowball: Since at the moment of the beginning of game in 1066 Hungarians were already Christians, then for them to play it is possible. Mongolians will appear in the game in the beginning OF THE XIII century. To battle for the Turks will not come out.
DTF: How will be realized battles in the game? There will be in the "crusaders" sea battles? Will be able the hero of player to participate in the battle?
Snowball: Everything is simple with the battles. We war by that army, such as it was possible to outfit. Commands army the one who is set in her chapter. We can assign combat tactics. As a rule, in the battle itself the hero of player does not participate.
DTF: What religions and heresies will be represented in the game? Is it possible it will become king- heretic? Is it possible it will cross the population of the conquered provinces into its religion, and if yes, as this will be realized?
Snowball: In the "crusaders" are represented Christianity (catholicism and orthodoxy), Islam and paganism. To become heretic is possible. All depends on what solution will be accepted in one or other situation or another. The church wonderfully will manage with the rotation of population into the necessary faith, the main thing it from not preventing. But to here turn into your the religion of the conquered ruler you are simply obliged.
DTF: On what does act the religion of state? In EU2 there were insignificant bonusy, which were rather made for the balance, than as the separate aspect of game. Do love in the "crusaders" of each other catholics and orthodox?
Snowball: In the game the wars without the official occasions are impossible. But in catholics and orthodox such occasion, which we call konfessional'nym, exists always. Hence it is possible to make a conclusion about their relation to each other.
DTF: But that about the economy? How will be supplemented the treasury of player? Is it possible it will change tax policy and construct the additional buildings, which increase income in the province?
Snowball: Treasury is supplemented in the course of the planned collections of taxes. Their "collectability" directly depends on the loyalty of population. In this case the level of taxation you establish themselves. But one should consider that the higher the taxes, the lower the loyalty and vice versa. Besides this, there are special collections on the special cases. For example, the erection of son into the dignity of knight - outstanding occasion to gather money from its vassals.
DTF: Of what innovations of diplomacy in the "crusaders" in comparison with "Europe" you most of all do be proud?
Snowball: The concept of the diplomacy of "crusaders" was formed by us on the basis of long considerations at our forums and analysis of the reports to Russian leagues on the game into "Europe II". As a result came out the system of negotiations, whose analogs, with our entire innate modesty, there does not exist. For example, about the need for dividing military alliances into the defensive and the offensive have long ago they spoken, but realized this only we.
DTF: What will obtain the player, if does select Jerusalem in Moslems? There are or some bonusy to player -musul6maninu, who conquered Jerusalem kingdom? What about the orthodox?
Snowball: First of all the player will obtain additional glasses of prestige, which will lie on the calculation of his dynasty. There are other places, for the possession of which give additional glasses, and - they take away for the loss. For each of religion they their. Only to heathens this nevertheless.
DTF: Can the character of player participate in the battlefield and perish?
Snowball: Can. And, we are sincerely enraptured by such rulers, as personally conduct troops in the battle.
DTF: Finally. Ask not we will be on the periods, we know that nevertheless you will not say: -) Already at least you describe to our readers, on what stage of development are located the "crusaders"? Soon whether there will be skrinshoty?
Snowball: No comments.
DTF: Enormous thanks for the answers! We desire to you the successes in the development of games, good sales and abundance of foreign publishers!
Snowball: Thanks to you. To answer such questions - continuous pleasure.
