*rimshot*
But seriously, I think that character traits don't really mean anything as far as the game goes.
Characters gain almost all of their traits during childhood or during feasts, fairs, and hunts. Aside from these periods, there is little else to do that impacts your character. Sometimes your character gets events with only one option that makes them lose a trait, but I think this is a heavy-handed way of shaping characters. Why can't I decide to make my king combat his laziness in the event where he loses the diligent trait? Why doesn't the game give me a choice when he becomes a craven loser or a brave leader in the midst of battle? Why can't I say to not go on a diet when my king loses the gluttonous trait? If my diligent, brave, patient, and kind son becomes lazy, craven, and wroth; he should do it because something serious happened to him, and not because he simply held four hunts in two years.
I remember I got an event that had me choose between hedonism and celibacy. I chose the celibacy route and it gave me a number of follow up events where I had two choices. While I was admiring this event, I thought to myself why more traits could not follow a similar vein. If my king is diligent but feeling lazy, I should be able to tell him to push through at the cost of some health, money, vassal opinion, or whatever and have a chance to keep the trait. If he is arbitrary, he should be able to stay arbitrary even if someone tells him to stop.
I think that traits tack on too early and too frequently. I know that this post is a bit wanting. My idea sounded a lot better than I can write down, but I think that things should be more dynamic. Anyone agree? Thoughts? I know that Paradox already included an enormous amount of events in the game, and I don't mean to come across as whiny or greedy. I mostly find myself sitting as the time passes waiting for something to happen to my character, and because he has gained almost all of the traits he is going to get already, not much happens.
But seriously, I think that character traits don't really mean anything as far as the game goes.
Characters gain almost all of their traits during childhood or during feasts, fairs, and hunts. Aside from these periods, there is little else to do that impacts your character. Sometimes your character gets events with only one option that makes them lose a trait, but I think this is a heavy-handed way of shaping characters. Why can't I decide to make my king combat his laziness in the event where he loses the diligent trait? Why doesn't the game give me a choice when he becomes a craven loser or a brave leader in the midst of battle? Why can't I say to not go on a diet when my king loses the gluttonous trait? If my diligent, brave, patient, and kind son becomes lazy, craven, and wroth; he should do it because something serious happened to him, and not because he simply held four hunts in two years.
I remember I got an event that had me choose between hedonism and celibacy. I chose the celibacy route and it gave me a number of follow up events where I had two choices. While I was admiring this event, I thought to myself why more traits could not follow a similar vein. If my king is diligent but feeling lazy, I should be able to tell him to push through at the cost of some health, money, vassal opinion, or whatever and have a chance to keep the trait. If he is arbitrary, he should be able to stay arbitrary even if someone tells him to stop.
I think that traits tack on too early and too frequently. I know that this post is a bit wanting. My idea sounded a lot better than I can write down, but I think that things should be more dynamic. Anyone agree? Thoughts? I know that Paradox already included an enormous amount of events in the game, and I don't mean to come across as whiny or greedy. I mostly find myself sitting as the time passes waiting for something to happen to my character, and because he has gained almost all of the traits he is going to get already, not much happens.