Grand Strategy Crusader Kings III

[thesecret1]

I really hope they'll revamp the whole UI. It's awful. Absolutely terrible. I don't understand how they went from CK2's UI to this shit

 

[fantadomat]

There is more than 90k people playing this shit. I am depressed by the state of the world,we really do deserve to get conquered and exterminated by the arabs.

So bend over it will be useful to you then. Especially that your country is one of the first ones to go.

Suck a fat paki dick you inbreed cunt! Fucking shit slurping degenerate decliner .!.

 

[Preben]

 

[Alienman]

Decided to put more hours into this, and the potential is so good. I still standby by that it feels pretty meager to CKII with all the expansions, but if you actually try to roleplay a bit instead of just painting the map and min-maxing it's really fun. The new mechanics (the hook system) truly allow you to do some machiavellian shit, so being a underhanded schemer is good fun. At times it feels like playing Game of Thrones, manipulating people to your will, discovering deep secrets and fighting for having your own guarded secrets hidden. Had a vassal that found out something really nasty about me and I decided to let him have a hook instead of it being revealed, and eventually he used it for his own gains getting more power for himself. That form of dynamic story telling is just superb to me, it makes my imagination run wild with what kind of intrigue this would create if it was real. I of course swore to have the man arrested (and probably tortured ) and his titles taken away - and so the story continues.

 

[Axioms]

The thing for me about the hook system is that it could have been so much more and fed into other systems. The potential exists in CK3 for much more extensive conspiracy type situations part of which would involve hooks but they just called it a day. Maybe they'll figure this out in a DLC but probably not.

 

[Preben]

 

[Harthwain]

Wanna pet your cat? You can do it once every 5 years. That must the saddest pet cat ever. But seriously - decisions like Go on a Hunt or Host a Feast have this ridiculously long cooldown timers. All because they reduce current stress level. This is retarded beyond belief. Especially that is you take into consideration that some medieval rulers would go on a hunt every chance they could get. Here if you don't have enough luck and your ruler doesn't live long enough you can call a hunt once in your life.

The cooldown timers aren't that long in my experience, especially considering how many options there are. It also makes sense as a balancing mechanism. Stress can be managed by deciding to do things that are in your character (or not do things that aren't), so you are no longer larping in CK3 - who you are is integral part of your character. If you are really having problem with stress, then you must be doing a lot of things that go against your character.

This really annoys me. For one it makes the Stress level very video-gamey as a resource to spend and not something that is happening to you and secondly the guaranteed chance encourage save scumming. And on top of that makes every future game very samey. I prefer percentage succes/failrue values because despite of your decisions you get could different outcomes. Who thought that changing this is going to be a good idea I don't know.

Sorry, what? It makes playing each character different, because he will be more (or less) inclined to do certain things, while still allowing you to go against his instincts within certain limits (at the cost of stress or money, if you want to reduce it).

Basically now you hava mana. That you wait for it accumulate and then you spend it. For example on life style perks.

Everything is mana. The key difference is how it ties with the in-game mechanisms. Since stress costs money (unless you happen to have an event where there is a choice that reduces your stress) you have to consider what you spend your money on (and there are a lot of useful things you can spend money on), which is a meaningful choice.

Another thing that irks me are the magical boats. In CK2 you needed to have actual coastal towns and shipbuilding capibilites to launch a fleet. Here you just reach the sea and you magically convert money into ships. You're a Wizard Harry! (The one from Buther not the one from Rowling )

Yeah, this makes bodies of water a non-issue. I think there should be a limit of troops you can transport "automatically". Perhaps governed by how many coastal provinces you have. You should also be able to hire mercenary fleets, but at very steep price (unlike now).

Things like these shouldn't happen so early.

Shit is going to happen when the game is a sandbox.

Decided to put more hours into this, and the potential is so good. I still standby by that it feels pretty meager to CKII with all the expansions, but if you actually try to roleplay a bit instead of just painting the map and min-maxing it's really fun. The new mechanics (the hook system) truly allow you to do some machiavellian shit, so being a underhanded schemer is good fun. At times it feels like playing Game of Thrones, manipulating people to your will, discovering deep secrets and fighting for having your own guarded secrets hidden. Had a vassal that found out something really nasty about me and I decided to let him have a hook instead of it being revealed, and eventually he used it for his own gains getting more power for himself. That form of dynamic story telling is just superb to me, it makes my imagination run wild with what kind of intrigue this would create if it was real. I of course swore to have the man arrested (and probably tortured ) and his titles taken away - and so the story continues.

The game can be pretty addictive when you get into it.

Just yesterday I was publicly defending the Pope's good name (he was accussed of liking to torture people), because I needed more Piety and good opinion with him to keep asking him for money to finance my war against my subjects who tried to force me to lower Crown Authority in Holy Roman Empire and the subsequent war for independence (which would rip the Empire in half, by the way). Maintaining the cohesion of the Holy Roman Empire is hard work. Ultimately I managed to get white peace in both wars. Then I had to put half of my vassals - mostly Dukes - in jail, because they were joining factions (I still had the right to do so, because white peace does not let them off the hook) and that was how I stopped them. After that I had time to start developing enough dread to keep them in check by fear. I mean, if they do not love me, they should at least fear me, right?

Also, I forced Lollard rulers in northern part of the Empire to convert, but they seem to be shit at converting their lands themselves. Iconoclast Duke to the south was even more annoying, because you can't demand for an Iconoclast to convert, so I found a workaround - I gave his child to some proper Czech Catholic courtier with a mission to convert him to Catholicism. Once his father dies this should do something. If he won't be able to convert it himself, perhaps I could, because he won't be opposed to conversion of his lands anymore (with him being good Catholic).

 

[Tytus]

Sorry, what? It makes playing each character different,

I had five guys in my dungeon tortured because my previous prince had the torturer trait and all five of them gained the trait Lunatic.
The Stress could be a good thing but as it is right now, its implementation makes the whole experience let's just say not great.

The cooldown timers aren't that long in my experience, especially considering how many options there are. It also makes sense as a balancing mechanism. Stress can be managed by deciding to do things that are in your character (or not do things that aren't), so you are no longer larping in CK3 - who you are is integral part of your character. If you are really having problem with stress, then you must be doing a lot of things that go against your character.

I did not have a single mental break yet despite being on my sixth ruler from this dynasty. It's just so easy to game the system the Stress mechanic is just terrible. The perks system only makes the problem worse because so many perks are tied to reducing stress. (Especially in the diplomacy lifestyle).

Stress should be something that builds over time "independently" of what you do (because of realities of being a ruler on a daily basis) and have these with negative events that can bump it up (the increase rate). It shouldn't be a resource I can buy traits for my children (and basically buying other things). Especially in most cases if you "spend" stress points you can get something as a guaranteed reward. It should be a percentage chance of getting or not getting it. Because it pretty quickly turn into "oh much stress points do I still have? Oh ok, let's spend them here to get this bonus". This mechanic is just turning into a shopping game. Especially that things like hosting a feast (or being invited to one) can reduce your stress so much at a time it's ridiculous. In my opinion the whole Stress should be tied with the Control county mechanic. The tighter grip you want have on your territory the more stressed you are. And with a softer grip stress comes down over time. But if your control is low and everyone is rebelling against you the stress gain is increased. It shouldn't be something you can buy down with one event. Also stress should be tied to things like you are being of different culture then the people you rule over, you being of different religion, you being heretic, ongoing war should give you flat stress increase in the background, many ongoing wars at once should especially do it. Making peace should decrease it. You know things that are actually stressful and not I have a humble trait so because this event says that if buy this thing for this character I gain X amount of stress points which I can later buy down using another bullshit event. Stress should also be tied to things like a heresy is converting counties in your territory, being raided should give a stress level increase. And it should also be tied to traits. Like being callous or cruel would make you more resistant to those ever growing stress increases but it would make unpopular with the vassals if handled incorrectly. And that's another thing is a powerful vassal has a negative opinion of you that should also count as something that is generating stress.

If they wanted to have a stress mechanic they could've have done so much with it. And could've tied to so many aspects of the game and actually make it worthwhile. They sadly chose otherwise. Hell you could even tie this with the council mechanic and your spouse. The more power you delegate to your council the less workload you have on your own the stress can be beaten down over time (but not immediately). This also means you are giving some power away.
And things like happy married life, good relations with your family, good relations with powerful vassals, good relations with powerful foreign rulers, strong alliances etc. should bring down stress levels (over time).

Please Paradox rework the stress mechanic because now it's just shit.

Shit is going to happen when the game is a sandbox.

 

[Harthwain]

I had five guys in my dungeon tortured because my previous prince had the torturer trait and all five of them gained the trait Lunatic.

So? I had three characters by now and each of them played differently, because each of them had different traits and were built differently, in order to maintain stability of the realm.

If anything this means torturing should give wider range of traits than just Lunatic.

The Stress could be a good thing but as it is right now, its implementation makes the whole experience let's just say not great.

I agree it requires changes, it's too generous right now, but overall I think this is a step in the correct direction, compared to CK2. In CK2 stress was basically a disease. In CK3 it is its own mechanic, directly related to your character's traits and actions.

 

[eXalted]

This thread:

> I have been playing for 100 hours. This game sux.

So, is it gud or bad? Should I buy?

 

[thesecret1]

I had three characters by now and each of them played differently, because each of them had different traits and were built differently, in order to maintain stability of the realm.

Really? All my characters played the same, regardless of what lifestyle they had. If one had a deficiency in an important stat, I just married someone who had it high and had it raised through the roof. Befriend scheme is overpowered as fuck and means you do not need to deal with domestic issues ever, but even without it, you have the sway scheme, which is the same thing just less powerful (but still easily secures you the loyalty of powerful vassals). Since AI realms seem to be extremely unstable and tend to explode, after reaching medium size, you're practically unopposed and don't need to micromanage shit to get a few extra troops or gold, so that's external threats covered as well. By the time I held two kingdom titles, I felt like I've won the game and quit, as there was nothing that could reasonably challenge me.

 

[thesecret1]

Should I buy?

Never buy from parajews

 

[Tytus]

This thread:

> I have been playing for 100 hours. This game sux.

Well you need to give something a fair chance and test all the features before throwing your own feces at it

So, is it gud or bad? Should I buy?

In my opinion wait for a discount and a few patches/dlcs. It's not worth it right now.

 

[Tytus]

 

[RobotSquirrel]

So, is it gud or bad? Should I buy?

In my opinion wait for a discount and a few patches/dlcs. It's not worth it right now.

Better yet wait for the humble bundle and throw it all to charity*.
*make sure its not antifa.

 

[thesecret1]

So, is it gud or bad? Should I buy?

In my opinion wait for a discount and a few patches/dlcs. It's not worth it right now.

Better yet wait for the humble bundle and throw it all to charity*.
*make sure its not antifa.

Usually it finds its way to smugglers without borders and similar cancerous groups. I'd rather flush money down the toilet than give it to a "charity".

 

[vonAchdorf]

Yeah, this makes bodies of water a non-issue. I think there should be a limit of troops you can transport "automatically". Perhaps governed by how many coastal provinces you have. You should also be able to hire mercenary fleets, but at very steep price (unlike now).

Auto ships turned out to be the decline I suspected them to be. And I don't see that they improved the AI's capabilities for using ships. It's at least as chaotic if not more than in CK2.

Ultimately I managed to get white peace in both wars.

It feels like White Peace is more often an option in CK2 - in CK2 I can count on one hand the times I had to settle for a white peace.

 

[Harthwain]

Really? All my characters played the same, regardless of what lifestyle they had. If one had a deficiency in an important stat, I just married someone who had it high and had it raised through the roof. Befriend scheme is overpowered as fuck and means you do not need to deal with domestic issues ever, but even without it, you have the sway scheme, which is the same thing just less powerful (but still easily secures you the loyalty of powerful vassals). Since AI realms seem to be extremely unstable and tend to explode, after reaching medium size, you're practically unopposed and don't need to micromanage shit to get a few extra troops or gold, so that's external threats covered as well. By the time I held two kingdom titles, I felt like I've won the game and quit, as there was nothing that could reasonably challenge me.

My first character was a count of Bohemia who was Honest, Just and Patient. Because he was surrounded by fellow vassal kinsmen I decided to make him into Family Hierarch + Diplomat + Architect. He was universally loved by the whole Kingdom and basically had only to wait for becoming a King (and then Emperor).

My second character was his son (Gluttonous, Compassionate, Impatient) who inherited difficult situation with the Holy Roman Empire, because he spent all of his last 15 years of life (he ate too often at McDonald's) fighting off two wars with his vassals. He was Theologian (AI chosen), but that came in handy, because he had a lot of Piety, so he could beg the Pope for money to finance the war.

My third character went a bit into Scholar (3 points) and I decided to invest 4th point into Open-Minded, so people would like him for being Czech (it gives +15 for having different culture and removes different culture penalty) and then went into Martial, because he had Honest, Temperate and SADIST, so I wanted to get Serve the Crown ASAP (+15 to dread, combined with +35 to dread from Sadist is a lot), because I decided that if they don't want to love me, they will at least learn to FEAR me! This was also the moment when I put half of the realm in jail.

Oh, and I can jail some random Lollard Mayors basically anytime (they usually refuse to convert, which is a crime where I live, and they don't have families), so I can torture them for stress relief and free dread. If I didn't have Sadist, I would probably have gone for Administrator instead, because (if I recall correctly) there are perks that increase your vassals' opinion and reduce the chance they will join independence factions.

So, yeah, it was a pretty unique experience so far. And there are more permutations between Lifestyles to pick from, depending on what traits you have, what your exact situation is and what you want to accomplish overall.

This thread:

> I have been playing for 100 hours. This game sux.

So, is it gud or bad? Should I buy?

Ask again when somebody has 1000 hours. Just to be sure.

But seriously, if you really liked base CK2, you should enjoy this as well.

 

[Tigranes]

Every character plays the same in any CK/Pdox game if you play them that way.

None of these games ever had truly robust and strong constraints to force you to play a certain way for that nation/character. I wish that Pdox leaned harder into that for CK/Rome and put significant constraints, but Pdox very consciously makes all of games sandboxy blobbers and we all know this. It's never been different and probably never will be.

If we accept that basic premise, the question is how well the game supports you trying to play different kinds of characters. I'd say it's not very different from CK2 - i.e. mildly yes, if you want to you can lean into the lifestyle training and refrain from gaming the thing to just eat up 500 stress and murder everyone as a Humble Just fellow.

 

[Fedora Master]

This thread:

> I have been playing for 100 hours. This game sux.

So, is it gud or bad? Should I buy?

It's playable and more engaging than Imperator. Pirate it. Don't give PDX money.

 

[Zed]

I never played much of CK or any other Paradox grand strategy game, but I'm enjoying this a lot.

So, is it gud or bad? Should I buy?

In my opinion wait for a discount and a few patches/dlcs. It's not worth it right now.

It's 20% off on indiegala for 12 more hours. Probably won't find it cheaper for some time.

 

[Fedora Master]

 

[Xamenos]

Where's the "throw the filthy agitator in the dungeon" option?

 

[Renfri]

Feels when you finally got new player character that has perfect stats for what you want including wife too which similar bonuses, all about stewardship for money, cos money is king and extra domains for levies. He is also young so there is about 40+ years of reign remaining during which you can finally get few more counties and establish Empire of Italy, but then your guy gets plague and dies, then suddenly you are 7 year old kid.

Spoiler

 

[Harthwain]

He is also young so there is about 40+ years of reign remaining during which you can finally get few more counties and establish Empire of Italy, but then your guy gets plague and dies, then suddenly you are 7 year old kid.

Your Court Physician recommends: Anatomical Studies, Wash Your Hands and Iron Constitution.