Anyone planning on getting europa universalis 4? I'm addicted to these paradox games. I've spent more time I'd than I'd like to admit on crusader kings 2 and Victoria 2.
-
New York Yankees
Chicago Bears
Chicago Bulls
Rutgers Scarlet Knights -
Comment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
I have EU3, but have never installed it.
CK2 has eaten up hundreds of hours of my time, though, and I am still lost playing it.badComment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
I've never "finished" a session in CK2, I usually end up starting over as someone else. It's even worse now since The Old Gods DLC pushed the starting date back to 867 AD.
But I plan to try and finish at least 1 game as there is a rumored CK2>EUIV save converter DLC(supposedly free if you pre-order). So that would be cool to try out at least once.
also, I'm glad I typically play CK2 without steam as it would probably show how much time I actually spent playing the game.Comment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
Ive never finished a full CK2 game either. My most recent game i started in 867 as a king in Spain (Leon? cant remember exactly). Through series of wars, marriages and some "timely" deaths i was emperor of hispania, francia and nearly kaiser of the HRE. Then around 1100 AD my ruler died and I experienced the most massive revolt I have ever seen. Nearly every vassal in Germany, France, Africa, Italy attacked me, crushing my massive army of retinues. Was a lot of fun but very disheartening to build such a large empire and then lose it within a year.
I wish i did that from the start lol.
Maybe we could do a OS multiplayer game on EU4. I've never played any of these games online but EU4 is supposed to be a massive improvement on it.New York Yankees
Chicago Bears
Chicago Bulls
Rutgers Scarlet KnightsComment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
I've played CK2 online a couple times, in few short sessions. It's a bit of a pain to setup though. The good news is EUIV is going to incorporate streamworks and using steam as the multiplayer system. should make it less of a hassle.Ive never finished a full CK2 game either. My most recent game i started in 867 as a king in Spain (Leon? cant remember exactly). Through series of wars, marriages and some "timely" deaths i was emperor of hispania, francia and nearly kaiser of the HRE. Then around 1100 AD my ruler died and I experienced the most massive revolt I have ever seen. Nearly every vassal in Germany, France, Africa, Italy attacked me, crushing my massive army of retinues. Was a lot of fun but very disheartening to build such a large empire and then lose it within a year.
I wish i did that from the start lol.
Maybe we could do a OS multiplayer game on EU4. I've never played any of these games online but EU4 is supposed to be a massive improvement on it.Comment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
Can you guys break down what Crusader Kings and EU are?Comment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
I'll try to break it down some, It's been a while since I played of few of Paradox's games though. Maybe others can add on.
It's a real-time strategy game(meaning not played in turns) played from an angle similar to the Civilization series. It doesn't have RTS-like battles like the total war series, the battles are simulated like in civilization(you see the models attack each other).
most of Paradox's in-house games use the Clausewitz Engine, but they tend to take slightly different paths of gameplay or goals. I would say their "big 4" games are Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis, Victoria, and Hearts of Iron. They have many more, though I think most are developed by someone else and they just publish them.
Their games are also moddable, and the modding community is fairly active.
Crusader Kings
The base game starts in the year 1066, around the time the Duke of Normandy invades England. The latest DLC allows you to start in the year 867 though. I'm not quite sure what year it ends, since I never got there, but I think somewhere in the mid 1400's. The game is also centered on Europe. the map is not the whole world, there is no Americas, only the top part of Africa is shown, and the east part of the map stops before India. As the name suggests as well, it's based on the christian crusades and religion does play a role in the game. I believe the base game only allows you to play a christian character. there are multiple DLCs that allow you to play as other religions. I think the only characters that are unplayable now is the Pope(or any Theocracies), and in-land republics(you can play a coastal republics).
The gameplay is centered around your Dynasty, or family. As long as someone in your family is alive and holds a county level title, you'll never get a game over screen. You control one person at a time, when that character dies, you play as the heir of that character.
You attack people by having a claim on a title on a piece of land. The claims are held by individual characters in the game. You can only control certain levels though, lowest level being Count, then Duke, then King, then Emperor. In a way, It's part RPG, as you'll get some roleplay-like events and the characters can have traits and attributes.
Alliances are made through marriages only. so your character marries the princess of France, France is your ally by way of that marriage. However, that doesn't guarantee that they will join your wars.
I have the first CK game, but I haven't played it that much. the 2nd one has been a lot of fun to play. Steam has a demo available to download/play, so you can play it. just a warning, these games can have a big learning curve and the tutorials are not exactly well made. So you may have to just try it out and end up learning things on your own(or search the internet). You could probably search youtube and find of human commentary explaining some parts of the game, which would be better than the tutorial.
These games also get updated a lot, and updates are sometimes big. so the current version 1.101 is actually a lot different than when the game was released(i think it was 1.01?). If you do become interested in getting the game, I would look around and wait for sales. the game often goes 75% off(or sometimes as much as 90% off) and you can get the entire collection of the base game + all DLCs for cheap. Normally all the DLCs and game would add up to around $125, but with the sales, I've seen it around $15.
CK II released in Feb. 2012. There are currently 5 "main" DLCs that add gameplay elements and most allow for certain types of character to be playable(republic DLC allows coastal republics, Swords of Islam allow Muslim characters, Old Gods allows Pagans). There are a bunch of minor ones that add immersion(music packs, unit graphic packs, character portrait packs)
Europa Universalis
now some of this might/will change with the 4th game, so this is mostly based on EUIII. EU is more based on you controlling a country, unlike CK where you controlled a character. you still have a ruler/king, but he is not you. I believe IV will start in the year 1444 AD, during the 100 years war between England and France, and ends in the 1800's(i think around 1820). The map is the entire world, and you can play as anyone. The game is not centered as much on religion, though it is still there. a big focus of the game is colonization of the Americas. And most of the focus is with the European countries.
The combat is closely the same of Crusader Kings with the results being simulated. The unit change more than in CK this is during the time of gunpowder, so you'll start seeing muskets and cannons. The ways to go to war is not much different than CK, though the claims on land is not held by individual characters, but by the country. You lose if you lose all you Provinces. As you are in war, you gain "war score" by winning battles and siege enemy controlled Provinces, which is similar to CK, but in EU, you can take more land than you have a claim on. In CK, you go to war for your land you have a claim on, and that is the only land you can get. In EU, you go to war for a claim, you can take other provinces along with it, though it'll cost more to get them(In EUIV, I believe it'll cost diplomatic points).
Alliances are made by alliance diplomatic options. There are royal marriages in EU as well, but they don't make an alliance by itself.
There is a EUIII demo on steam as well. not really sure how good the demos are these game to be honest.
EUIV comes out in August, from what I've seen, it's going to be one of their biggest games so far. They have increased their development team for the game and it looks really nice.
Victoria
As the name may suggest, the game take place during the Victorian age. Starts in 1836, ends in 1920 I think. I would say the focus is more of economical advancement and social/politics, but that is not to say combat is not in the game. You have to expand some how right? lol You play as the country.
The map is of the world, you can play as any nation in the game. Even the Republic of Texas if you like, but good luck trying to survive without cheating. The game can't simulate Santa Anna being captured, so Mexico often runs all over Texas, unless the USA intervenes. The American civil war is scripted to happen, though usually not in historical fashion. You'll get a lot of event pop up dealing with it, and it will happen. I don't think you can avoid it.
As for the economical part, it's fairly good actually. Besides the normal stuff like taxing your people like crazy, Industry becomes important and building factories. also each province produces a resource, from cattle, to wheat, to dyes. There are many types(and many more if you get into using mods that expand it even further). The market is global as well. you export what you get in surplus, import what you can't make enough of, a lot of it is handled automatically, but you can get into it and handle it manually as well.
Alliances, like in EU, are made by diplomatic option. In the game, there are 8 "Great Powers" at a given time, based on a scoring system which is modified by industry, prestige, and military strength. Then there are 8 "Secondary nations", follow by "Civilized" and finally "Uncivilized". Great Powers and Secondary nations are the only nation that can colonize. Great Powers have the ability to enter any war to help out another nation. like in the example I made above. The Republic of Texas starts at war with Mexico in the Texan Revolution. The USA starts as a great Power, so they have the ability to enter the war and try to save Texas from being wiped out, or they can join Mexico and wipe out Texas.
The political system is pretty in depth, more so than CK or EU. Democracies have elections every 4 years, there are several decisions and Policies that can be made or changed that give different effects. Different Parties have different stance on things like military, industry, Residency, Religion, etc... which can affect what you can or can't do. So you may have to keep an eye out so a party doesn't get into power that would make it hard for you to do some things(some parties don't allow you to build factories and so only capitalist can build them).
Which brings up a point on Victoria 2. The are "people" in the game, or POPs that represent different classes of people. Farmers, Military soldiers, Military Officers, and so on. They have their needs and wants, and they can get unhappy if they are not met or if you tax them too much.
Unfortunately, I don't see a demo on steam for this game. They might have it on their website though. Victoria 2 came out in 2010, and has 2 main DLCs or they still call them expansion packs for Victoria. To be honest, I haven't played them that much, so I can't really say how much it has changed and if anything I stated above even still counts.
It's also been a while since I played Victoria 2, so I know I'm missing a ton. It's a pretty in depth game that goes way beyond taking over the world by military.
Hearts of Iron
This is the series I'm least familiar with, so I'm not sure what to really say about it. It starts in 1936 and last until 1948. The other games I listed above go by days, but Hearts of Iron I believe goes by Hours(since it covers a much smaller time frame). To me, this was the more complicated game in these series and I never really got into it like I did the other games. Maybe someone else here has more experience with this series can explain it better.
Hearts of Iron III released in 2009 and I believe 3 expansion pack were made. Steam doesn't seem to have a demo, but I'm sure one can be found at their site.Comment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
Paradox sometimes also likes to have fun with their trailers, like these for Leviathan Warships
Spoiler
Spoiler
trailer for an update of the game
SpoilerComment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
So I assume Crusader Kings has a Game of Thrones mod?Comment
-
Really great summary Solidice very informative. I agree with you on hearts of iron that game is crazily complicated.
Cryos, as solidice said the games have a steep leaning curve (once you get to know one game the others more or less the same with some twists). If your thinking about picking one up I'd say Ck2 is probably the easiest to get into. It's more popular so there are tons of guides out there to help also. I know YouTube has a few good ones (how I learned the game). I'm also sure steam community page will have good guides as well. But don't get discouraged if its a lot to handle at first because once your know what your doing and you send that assassin to your wife's father who has no male heir so your son can inherit your kingdom and his you will know it was worth it.New York Yankees
Chicago Bears
Chicago Bulls
Rutgers Scarlet KnightsComment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
Ah hah, a Giant Bomb quick look of incompetence!
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i_u31Rf8jxY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Comment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
yes, there is. I haven't tried it yet though, so I can't comment on it. I would link you to their page, but you have to have a registered copy of the game on Paradox's forum to access the mod forums I believe, but it does look kind of nice. It's probably in a updating phase right now though, as the game has been recently had a large patch update and it usually "breaks" mods and game saves because of all the changes that happens with their updates at times.
Which is something else to think about with Paradox games in general. It's not like most game out there, where only minor things are changed here and there. Paradox really goes out there and make some big changes, as long as it's possible with their engine. And steam forces patch update when you start a game from steam. However, you can avoid having an unwanted patch ruining your game by launching the game from the EXE file in the steam folder. The game doesn't require steam to actually run, it just uses steam as a way to download and active the game(you can actually move the files out of steam directory altogether, some people do to make back-up copies of the CKII folders). This way you can keep playing the game save and/or mod until the mod makers update the mod to be compatible to the patch.
side note, Paradox developed games typically have awesome music tracks that fit the era the game takes place too.Last edited by Solidice; 06-16-2013, 10:55 PM.Comment
-
Re: OS Steam and Computer Gaming Thread
that'll be good for a starting point to learn the game or to see what it's about. the game has changed since then, but the basics remain roughly the same. with one of the DLCs, you can actually create your own character now. although I typically now just start as one of the rulers at the start instead of creating guy.
One big change is with technology. before it wasn't really interactive and you didn't have any real control of it. with the latest patch, it's now in your hands. you generate research points over time based on your character's attributes and you can choose what to "upgrade" in different areas. so before you never really paid any attention to it at all, but now it's useful.Last edited by Solidice; 06-16-2013, 11:14 PM.Comment
Comment