CKII is released.

[wwsd]

On a positive note, I've taken up the Game of Thrones mod again. It still has some annoying problems, but for instance the constant Ironborn raids can be modded out very easily. I still don't get why it's called "1.0" other than that the previous version happened to be "0.9", but oh well. Playing Dany Sue is still a chore because of strange things like "wars ending inconclusively" and event options missing inexplicably. I hope they'll fix that kind of stuff, but that fix will probably require the new patch, if not the DLC. Aargh!

A few updates ago, they changed the Clash of Kings bookmark to make sure that both the Lannisters and Tyrells are at war with Stannis from the beginning (Renly being already dead). It used to be that the Lannisters and Tyrells could only join one of Joffrey's wars at a time, so they were unable to do anything against Stannis until the war against Robb was decided. Which always made it a walkover for Stannis. That has changed. Now I'm having barrels of fun with Stannis because the game actually makes you fight for your throne.

 

[Whisky]

Fuck me, Conclave...

I haven't had the catastrophic experiences people had with other recent DLC. Even Seduction from Way of Life, although broken when I use it, never resulted in my entire family getting cuckolded.

But Conclave...holy shit. Nothing but bad decisions all around and I don't think they can save it. I remember when the Mediterranean Face Packs came out and they were so terrible that Paradox remade them and patched the old version out (Patching a cosmetic DLC!) and hey, that fixed the problem. I don't think they can save this that way.

I was always waiting for CKII to be finished and I would make a mod. I guess it's too late for that.

 

[Average Manatee]

What's wrong with Conclave? Seemed like a good DLC that expanded the depth of the game rather than the breadth.

If you are referring to the "free patch" changes then yeah, I'm pretty sure everyone everywhere hates those.

 

[Turrul]

Fuck me, Conclave...

I haven't had the catastrophic experiences people had with other recent DLC. Even Seduction from Way of Life, although broken when I use it, never resulted in my entire family getting cuckolded.

But Conclave...holy shit. Nothing but bad decisions all around and I don't think they can save it. I remember when the Mediterranean Face Packs came out and they were so terrible that Paradox remade them and patched the old version out (Patching a cosmetic DLC!) and hey, that fixed the problem. I don't think they can save this that way.

I was always waiting for CKII to be finished and I would make a mod. I guess it's too late for that.

Council mechanics are pretty cool, maybe the best addition in the game. There are some small bumps and issues with it but the overall concept is pretty good.

I can even tolerate coalitions since they kinda balanced it, but shattered retreat and auto alliance call (Which you CAN't mod out) pretty much sucks.

EDIT: It seems like Doomdark adressed to forum users about the automatic call to war. Funny that they realized they fucked modders' shit up after they release the Conclave with the mechanic. I suppose we'll see at least one more DLC that fixes the previous issues while bringing a whole new batch of bugs.

 

[Average Manatee]

Is the auto alliance call the reason major mods still haven't updated? Was wondering why it was taking this long.

 

[Alienman]

Looks like Paradox is going to be listed on the stock exchange.

http://digital.di.se/artikel/paradox-interactive-gar-till-borsen
Swedish link.

They are not doing it for money says Fredrik. They are doing it to get "listed" so they easier can buy other companies? I think anyway. Another thing he is saying, they will focus more on mobile games and consoles (lol). They want to expand aggressively the coming 4 years.

Going to be interesting to see what will happen now. I guess most will turn to shit, but who knows!

 

[Turisas]

"Here Paradox, all I ask in exchange is some console and mobile titles."

 

[Hoaxmetal]

Buy a province for 0.99$

 

[Delbaeth]

Can't wait for Candy Crusader Kings™, Clash of Iron™ or Europa Bejewelled™.

Until hostile takeover in 2020 by Microsoft to prove they're coming back to PC Gaming™.
Until shutting down in 2027 after two aborted F2P, made Windows-store-the-another-try™ only.
And Johan coming back to Kickstarter to make a Hearts of Iron successor in 2029. Heads of Steel planned for 2031. Delayed to 2035 because trying to jump into another VR bandwagon and "when it's done". Early Access in 2033. Actual release in 2036, when another Early Access comes for HoS II. Petitions for proper Medieval Rulers, Bismark and Colony Conquest denied by Johan because he wants to sell the engine where settings are modules™ ($50 base price for engine, $20 base price for setting, $5 classic™ DLC) where the HoS series is the official module supported. The fans obviously follow.

Enjoy the futuuuuure.

 

[Spectacle]

Anyone got the feeling that the game was enjoyable and now is a convulted mess ?

CK2 jumped the shark with the India expansion, that marks the point where they ran out of ideas for European play and just started adding anything that came to mind. There have been some decent ideas in later patches/DLCs but the bullshit to cool stuff ratio is unbearably high.

 

[Erzherzog]

Another thing he is saying, they will focus more on mobile games and consoles (lol).

Oh jesus christ. Now even the niche developers are trying to imitate the shitstorm AAA-budget developers.

Amazing, considering that they've delayed HoI4 for about a year at this point. I would think that would tell you maybe you're having enough trouble just doing what you have been for years but no, add chaos we haven't fucked up enough lately. Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!

 

[Alienman]

One reason they might not be feeling any pressure, is because their city building game was a smashing success. Probably much more so than they hoped.

 

[Kem0sabe]

I'm hopeful vanilla stelaris manages to capture what vanilla ck2 brought to the table, because I'm about done with this overweight piece of software crap.

 

[Kem0sabe]

Vanilla CK2 wasn't all that, the game only really surpassed the original with The Old Gods DLC.

Regret to say that I didn't play ck1, only really got into the series with ck2, especially with th ck2+ mod.

 

[RK47]

ITZ

 

[Mr. Pink]

ITZ

Why are you mongol and also a whitey?

 

[RK47]

I'm the Byzantine vassal, Cyprus.

We can't hold.

 

[sser]

How is the game nowadays anyway? I noticed Horse Lords was on sale somewhere, but I haven't played CKII in ages. Felt like the balance had gone way out of whack with all the DLC and the game itself just ran slower with all the map extensions.

 

[RK47]

How is the game nowadays anyway? I noticed Horse Lords was on sale somewhere, but I haven't played CKII in ages. Felt like the balance had gone way out of whack with all the DLC and the game itself just ran slower with all the map extensions.

With the amount of Defensive Pacts and Alliances, the AI is capable of locking itself in inter-alliance wars for years on end. It severely weakens the Western Europe power. They're literally incapable of putting up an united front against the Umayyads due to the constant infighting.

In the east, Byzantines are locked up against many smaller forces banding together to stop its expansion but found no help when the Muslims descend upon Anatolia with 50k stacks.

I'm honestly having issues myself after becoming King of Italy. I tried entering some alliances with France, Germany etc, 'just as an insurance' and saw it being abused by my allies who continue to spam de jure claims against each other instead of using the alliance as a shield against Umayyad expansions. You can no longer decline war invitations triggered from alliances, preventing you from holding peacetime activities like feasts and doing other stuff that could stabilized your kingdom more. And despite my best bribes and 60ish state diplomacy, my vassals still won't elect my chosen successor as next king. I honestly gave up on Elective Monarchy immediately and just switched to Seniority instead to maintain hold on power.

And so far, I see no advantage in trying to expand further. As you blob harder and harder, your 'threat' increases and defensive pacts can be created against you. You think you have the advantage against Republic of Venice? Think again. A 10 kingdom Pact will fuck you over immediately. Much like how most of Indian kingdoms survived the Abbasid invasions by calling in Western Kingdoms as well.

 

[Kem0sabe]

How is the game nowadays anyway? I noticed Horse Lords was on sale somewhere, but I haven't played CKII in ages. Felt like the balance had gone way out of whack with all the DLC and the game itself just ran slower with all the map extensions.

The new features introduced in conclave made gameplay a pain in the ass, I detest the threat percentage consequences, the new council system is also shit, so is the new education system...

Unless next dlc actually status removing features, then it's a lost cause.

 

[sser]

How is the game nowadays anyway? I noticed Horse Lords was on sale somewhere, but I haven't played CKII in ages. Felt like the balance had gone way out of whack with all the DLC and the game itself just ran slower with all the map extensions.

The new features introduced in conclave made gameplay a pain in the ass, I detest the threat percentage consequences, the new council system is also shit, so is the new education system...

Unless next dlc actually status removing features, then it's a lost cause.

Is it at least fun to create a Mongol horde and just go map painting?

 

[Multiple Sarcasm]

How is the game nowadays anyway? I noticed Horse Lords was on sale somewhere, but I haven't played CKII in ages. Felt like the balance had gone way out of whack with all the DLC and the game itself just ran slower with all the map extensions.

Old Gods was the last worthwhile addition, and the game's been continuously going downhill with every subsequent JewLC.
Performance-wise, HIPS's 'performance' option for SWMH helps by removing a lot of African/Indian junk, but the gameplay still lacks... focus, I guess. It's been thrown under the DLC bus and overgrown with too much fluff and pointless complication. And the same's happening to EU4.

Is it at least fun to create a Mongol horde and just go map painting?

If you're after fun and map painting, you're better off with EU4. I've given up trying to squeeze any of that from CK2 lately.

 

[Average Manatee]

CK2 is really horrible for map painting now unless you want to make one stroke every 30 years. Threat scales up exponentially the stronger you are, eventually every county you war for will cause the whole world to unite against you.

 

[Barbarian]

So I haven't played this in quite some time, had given up on the game and all, but was curious and went on the forums to see what was going on.

These swedish cucks simply don't get it. Not only the game remains more broken than ever since the last dlc, the next one will be apparently be adding more worthless and silly features:

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/development-diary-2-get-sick-and-die.915089/

Years from now perhaps some uncucked modder who loves history will fix this and make it the game it ought to be, until them better not play it.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Didn't the new patch make coalitions only work for defensive wars?