Welcome to the 31st Development Diary for Europa Universalis IV, and this week we talk about the nation of Japan and introduce the Scoring System we will be using in the game so that it is clear who has bragging rights once the game is over.

Japan
Japan itself has been dramatically overhauled. We designed a new unique system for Japan in the Divine Wind expansion for EU3, but it never really worked well. We also learned quite a lot about designing for Japan while making Sengoku, and the development of Japan in EU4 has been based on that knowledge and many of the same alpha researches as we had for that game.

Setup
We have also redone the map completely, with greater attention to the historical divisions of Japan. Japan is now about 28 provinces in EU4, with the provinces of Hokkaido and Sakhhalin uncolonized in the 1444 start date. These 28 provinces are divided among about twenty different Daimyos in Japan, including the famous ones like the Date, Tokugawa & Uesugi. ...

We called and you came!
Here are the highlights from the Call to Arms stream, enjoy

Europa Universalis IV - Call to Arms Stream Highlights Part I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB1GZwmUnAE
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Sign up for the Europa Universalis IV Tech Beta!
Fulfill Your Quest for Global Domination

Do you have what it takes to make our grand strategy game conquer the world?
Are you a person who excels at finding faults and is brilliant at reproducing bugs and writing detailed bug reports?
World conquerors, this is your time.

Paradox Development Studio is looking for Beta testers to test our upcoming empire building game, set to release in Q3 2013.
Apply now if you wish for a chance to take part in the closed Europa Universalis IV Tech Beta.

PLEASE NOTE:
This is a Tech Beta with very limited seats and demands A LOT from Beta testers. We need you to be passionate, dedicated, thorough and honest.
We also need you to tell us what needs to be improved in our game so that we can fulfill all our gamers’ dreams of leading a global empire this fall.
Only apply if you feel that you have the ability and time to contribute.
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Welcome to the 30th development diary of Europa Universalis IV. Today we take a look at four rather different countries in the middle east.
All of them are what we call tier3 nations, which means they have a unique set of ideas, and about a dozen historical events.


The Mamelukes
This state controls Egypt and Syria at the start of the game, but was historically conquered by the Ottomans in the 16th century. They are Sunni and has an Iqta government. The Mamelukes sit on the main tradenodes directing trade from India and China to Europe.

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Welcome to the 29th Developer’s Diary for Europa Universalis IV, and this week we talk about the province interface and the changes we made to everybody’s favorite group of nations – the hordes.

Province Interface
One of the goals we set for ourselves in Europa Universalis IV was to make the interface more sensible and the information easier to find. The Provincial interface is a good example of what we are trying to do throughout the game to make the experience smoother for both veterans of the series and rookies.

The main province tab has five different areas:
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Welcome to the 28th development diary for Europa Universalis IV and today we’ve got lots of variety for you - three different subjects. We look at two smaller European countries, each quite different from the other, and then we look into what’s changed with one of the most important events in the game - the Reformation.

Scotland
Scotland has an outsized importance in history considering its meager geography and wealth because of its location. After breaking free from English rule in the 14th century, Scotland was a constant thorn in the side of her larger southern neighbor, and, until the kingdoms were united again under the Stuart dynasty, the Scots were an essential ally for any continental power that wanted to threaten the English. Even after union, Scottish rebels and dissenters could be counted on to counter the throne in London.
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Recruit Friends & Receive Glory & In-Game Rewards!

Paradox Interactive and Paradox Development Studio are preparing to once again provide the global conquest gamers have hungrily desired with their upcoming empire-building game, Europa Universalis IV. Now, everyone at Paradox is sending out a Call to Arms to all our greatest fans, and asking for your help to win the world’s hearts and minds for the Europa Universalis army in an epic community-building campaign. Starting today, all you Europa Universalis fans all over the world can recruit your friends and receive exclusive rewards.

Sign up at the Europa Universalis IV: Call to Arms webpage here:
http://signup.europauniversalis4.com/

Hear the Call to Arms from the Europa Universalis IV developers firsthand:
​http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjPW6jRQAe4


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Welcome to the 27th development diary for Europa Universalis IV.* Today, we look into the shadier parts of diplomacy.*As we mentioned in one of earliest dev diaries, we’ve removed spies, but there are some actions that we still consider as “covert”, so we have spy actions, but no spies.
Now, we have diplomats perform these tasks, giving another option for this precious resource.* *

Spy Ideas
If you are really committed to the idea of espionage as an arm of national power, we have an idea group oriented around the spy activities. This group falls into the Administrative Power track of ideas, even though it uses diplomats.
The bonus for having all seven ideas is a +50% bonus to rebel support efficiency.

The seven ideas in the spy group are:
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Welcome to the 26th development diary for Europa Universalis IV, and this time we turn our attention to the Low Countries, specifically the medieval great power of Burgundy and the Renaissance mercantile giant the Netherlands. Two very different histories, dominating some very flat and wet territory.

Possibilities

Though its historic power base is in eastern France, by the early 15th century the Valois family and Duchy of Burgundy had purchased or inherited vast stretches of Flemish, Belgian and Dutch lands – what we now call Belgium and the Netherlands. Under a series of outstanding rulers with great sobriquets like “the Bold”, “the Fearless” and “the Good”, Burgundy used its great wealth and strategic position between a weak Holy Roman Empire and a crumbling France to become a major player for a few generations.

For you, the player, Burgundy starts with a ton of options. Do you intervene in the Hundred Year’s War to keep France down, at the risk of England and other powers claiming lands for themselves? Do you expand into the tiny German bishoprics and principalities that dot your northeastern border? ...

Welcome to another developer diary for Europa Universalis IV - the 25th one, in which we discuss the intricacies of the works of Lev Nikolajevitj Tolstoy.

Wargoals
Two concepts that have worked well in our recent games have been setting war goals and the ticking war score. The combination of the two has created a system where what you have to do to win a war is clear and easy to understand.

For newcomers, these systems work like this: war goals, introduced in Victoria II, are the targets you set for a war. These are tightly connected to the casus belli, so your war goal may be to take the core province that you are squabbling over. The “ticking war score”, which we introduced in Crusader Kings II, adds points to your war score as long as you have fulfilled the goals you have set. So if your goal is to take Berlin, your war score increases each day you occupy it.

However one of things that makes Europa Universalis peace system stand out, and that really shines in multiplayer, is its free flowing nature. How much you try to take and claim at the peace table depends very much on how the war is going at this current time. We wanted to preserve this fluid conception of war while still using elements of the war goal/ticking war score systems.
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Hey everyone!

Ok, so yes, we were pulling your leg with Europa Universalis: The Musical yesterday,
but that doesn´t mean that the songs aren´t real

Download the songs Empire Borders, Casus Belli & Prestige here!

Europa Universalis: The Musical - Behind the Scenes Video
​http://youtu.be/3H67FQX5ZLE

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Musical to Premiere This Fall, Behind the Scenes Footage Released

Paradox Interactive and Paradox Development Studio are rekindling your dreams of leading a global empire with the announcement of a brand new initiative. Europa Universalis: The Musical will bring the stories behind the games to life through the art of musical theatre and will allow players and musical aficionados alike to conquer the world with music.

The award-winning series that has sold over a million copies and redefined grand strategy gaming for a generation is back, bringing to the stage the same drama, unparalleled depth and unprecedented commitment to history that has made Europa Universalis the legendary franchise it is today.

View the documentary of the making of Europa Universalis: The Musical here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H67FQX5ZLE
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Crack the World Wide Open!
Happy Easter from everyone at Paradox Development Studio



Ps. You can also view it here!


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The live stream with Paradox Development Studio is now live on Twitch!
Prepare for a First Look at Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods AND Victoria II: Heart of Darkness AND a sneak peak at Europa Universalis IV!

Check out the live stream now at:
http://www.twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive
(If you missed it, be sure to subscribe to the channel for future live streams!)

Have a blast!

Cheers,
regina

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So, on March 27th Paradox Development Studio will host a MASSIVE live-stream,
showing off Crusader Kings II:The Olds Gods expansion, Victoria II: Hearts of Darkness expansion and giving you a sneak peak at Europa Universalis IV!

Read about it here: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/...vestream-Event

During the stream they'll answer your questions about the games, or anything Paradox Development Studio-related or heck, just ask them anything!
Submit your questions in this thread and we'll try and answer them live in the stream on Wednesday March 27th!

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March 27 Broadcast Includes First Looks at Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods and Victoria II: Heart of Darkness, PDS Titles 75% Off During Event

It has already been a great year for Paradox Development Studio, and we’re just getting started! Paradox Development Studio today announced that it will be holding a monumental live stream event on March 27, 2013, giving strategy fans never-before-seen looks at two upcoming titles—Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods and Victoria II: Heart of Darkness.
The online extravaganza, which will also play host to a special appearance by Europa Universalis IV, will be hosted by Studio Manager Johan Andersson and the rest of the developers in an all afternoon affair that will showcase this year’s portfolio of strategy titles.

What better way to celebrate the birth of spring than gorging in pagan rituals and political strife? Sounds like just a normal day in the office for us.
Join Paradox Development Studio at 12:00 p.m. GMT (8:00 a.m. EDT) on Wednesday March 27 by heading over to the official Paradox Interactive channel on TwitchTV at www.twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive

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Welcome to the 24th development diary for our empire building game Europa Universalis IV and today we turn our eyes to one of the most interesting nations and a favorite because of its location and variety – The Ottoman Empire.

Ottoman Possibilities

When your story begins in the Grand Campaign, the Empire prospers under the rule of a line of committed and effective Sultans. In fact, we take our starting date from the dramatic Ottoman victory over an alliance of Christian monarchs at Vama in November, 1444. The Ottomans have flourished economically due to their control of the major overland trade routes between Europe and Asia. The Ottoman Empire is one of the most powerful states in the world – a multinational, multilingual empire.
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Welcome to the 22nd development diary for Europa Universalis IV. The focus of this development diary is about the most glorious of nations, the Archduchy of Austria. This is the nation I've played the most in competetive multiplayer in EU2, EU3 and EU4, and they have a special place in my heart.

Austrian Possibilities
At the start of the Grand Campaign in 1444, we find the Habsburgs have added other provinces in the vicinity of the Duchy of Austria and accumulated lands far from their hereditary base. Austria’s biggest strategic problem is that it is surrounded. Many of its great power rivals only have one major border to secure, or one local problem at a time. Austria has a strong Venice to its south, a potential rival in Hungary to its east and both Bohemia and Bavaria to the north can be trouble if they co-operate.
On the plus side, this very multiplicity of potential enemies means that Austria also has a multiplicity of potential allies.
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Welcome to another development diary for Europa Universalis IV and today we focus on warfare. Yes, you knew this dev diary was coming, didn’t you? It’s really quite difficult to play the game without understanding how the armies work.

Warfare is one of the most important aspects of Europa Universalis IV, and over the almost 400 years of gameplay, armies and navies will be your prime instruments of power when you go to war. You need to be aware of the different units of your armies and their strengths and weaknesses.
So, it is time to build some armies and go to war! In times of war, you will have to raise and maintain armies and fleets, conquer nations and project your power onto the world. You see them standing, moving and fighting on the map. ...