Europa Universalis III: Divine Wind is Gold

<strong>[ Announcement ]</strong>

The next <a href="http://www.paradoxplaza.com/games/europa-universalis-iii-divine-wind" target="_blank">EU3 expansion</a> is just a week away.
<blockquote>Paradox Interactive are proud to announce that Europa Universalis III Divine Wind, the majestic new expansion for Europa Universalis III set in the ancient Far East, has gone Gold. The expansion will release on December 14th with a recommended retail price of $19.99/&euro;19.99/£14.99. The pre-order has now started on all major leading digital distribution platforms.

The fourth expansion to the classic historical strategy epic, Europa Universalis III Divine Wind is set in the Far East and will enhance every aspect of the original game to create an even deeper and more rewarding experience. Requiring Europa Universalis III Complete as well as the Heir to the Throne expansion to play, Divine Wind introduces a new graphical style, a more detailed map, and a wealth of new oriental provinces to control.</blockquote>

 

Mmmh, I might get this puppy. Been ages since I played EUIII and perhaps the allure of mappainting might return with this.

On the other hand, fuck it. The LP's already show me that after surviving the initial start you'll still soon become untouchable. Lame.

 

Isn't that in every empire builder though? No game yet apart from Barbarian Invasion has modeled the true difficulty in maintaining an empire, an inherent difficulty that eventually leads to their inevitable collapse.

There should be a tension between the contradiction of grabbing everything to pay for the upkeep of the empire and knowing that this very expansion invites ever more problems in its maintenance later on. Shit, the Romans knew you couldn't conquer everything and decided early on to not bother too much with poor areas, yet in games there's no such problem in painting everything your color. The British could afford to lose the American colonies and get stronger, yet in games there's never even a need to abandon anything.

 

Excellent point. Still, there are a handfull of games that did just that or at least paid hommage to it. Great Invasions modeled it quite well, Crusader Kings could really bite you in the ass, Rome: EU tried and managed up to a point and indeed RTW:BI also miraculously succeeded in showing that. Almost everything else seems to become about painting the map when you've overcome the start.

It's why I'm pretty burned out on grand strategy games at the moment and focus on smaller scale wargames and the like.

 

AIWars mister, AIWars.

 

EU is as hard as you wish it to be. There are a lot of mods, improving the game in all possible ways. There is AI mod, there is MMU, there is MEIOU, DeI etc. If you find vanilla too easy mod the goddamn game, is as easy as downloading the mod and putting it in the right folder.

 

The game is not too easy. The game becomes about mappainting when you've become a medium power and have dealt with the challenging starting phase. Like almost all all empire builders. Read the post before you respond.

Tried AI wars btw. That game had such a steep learning curve and seemed like such a timesink that it quickly lost me. BTW, is it really an empire builder?

 

To be honest, it's not.

But if someone is forgiving enough it could be described as one.

You've got conquering new planets. Researching, building bases and defences. But it's not a MoO or GC or any other 4X where more planets/cities equals better. In case of AIW it's exactly opposite.

 

Yeah, forgot about GI, it did it well indeed, though a little to much the other way what with hard coded collapse. Would have been better if you could 'win' by surviving, and in those days it would entail grabbing as much as you can in the expectation that you'd lose most of it but maybe in the process develop a strong enough core to survive as a people.
Haven't played Rome: EU, but if it's like this then I'm going to.

I always raged at people whining about BI, because all the rage was primarily that it was HARD to play as the WRE! FFS, everyone complains that the TW are too simple, and when we finally got a TW game that was challenging(for some factions), all of a sudden we got cries of 'Bawww, no fair, too hard, too many rebellions etc'! That's how it was fuckers! That's why the WRE fell! BI was great because it had the empire builder factions for those that want an easy time and the hold on with what you can factions that were a real challenge. I bet it was all the whining that made CA go full derp, and the more I think about it, the less I can really blame them.


As for AI wars, well I'm intrigued with the 'more is less' premise...

 

^ Are there anymore games about the western roman empire? I loved playing as an empire in decline and raising it back up.

 

Paradox is king.