Ask Paradox Development Studio anything!

[Johan]

Hi people,

Here's a thread where you get to ask us (almost) whatever you want. I write almost as some of you might want to ask questions you know we cant answer. Like: "Whats the next game you are making" etc etc. These are not the type of questions you should be asking. Focus on other aspects of Paradox instead and we promise to be forthcoming.

Keep your questions sensible and we'll keep answering. Fail to do so and you'll end up talking to yourselves

If you want to ask any question that is related to publishing, then go here

Specific questions about specific games that have their own forums should be asked in those forums, This thread is for more general questions.

[Tongera]

Is it possible in Paradox games to make so it that instead of armies from moving from one province chunk to another province chunk, to make it so that armies on the map walk on the land in the map? Total War is the best example i think.

[Balor]

Is it possible in Paradox games to make so it that instead of armies from moving from one province chunk to another province chunk, to make it so that armies on the map walk on the land in the map? Total War is the best example i think.

Won't happen any time soon, as that would involve a lot of possible locations, making it impossible to do a decent strategic AI.

[zmarcos]

People who think that Paradox Development Studio make all games published by Paradox Interactive, do you expect this to end someday?
Did you thought about getting another name for the studio? (like Develox = Developer + Paradox )

[Naselus]

People who think that Paradox Development Studio make all games published by Paradox Interactive, do you expect this to end someday?
Did you thought about getting another name for the studio? (like Develox = Developer + Paradox )

I've always worried about that sort of thing too - the number of 'I will never buy anything made by Paradox again!!!!' posts that you get from a 3rd party balls-up (like a certain 4X space game) must be pretty annoying when you know that you didn't make the thing which has them dribbling with rage.

[RedRalphWiggum]

Until recently, the general output was one base game per year - has this been officially changed to 18 months?

[Tycat]

Do you guys play the games you make for fun?

[LeeDub]

Do you see yourselves making a non-grand-strategy game in the future?

[happyman40]

Who / what provides the driving force and the in depth knowledge to takle the historic detail you put into the games?

[Balor]

People who think that Paradox Development Studio make all games published by Paradox Interactive, do you expect this to end someday?
Did you thought about getting another name for the studio? (like Develox = Developer + Paradox )

People still call us Paradox Entertainment and thats 8 years since that was a fact.

[Balor]

Until recently, the general output was one base game per year - has this been officially changed to 18 months?

Not really.. every game has its own schedule, but ideally we want 18 months cycles if possible.

[Balor]

Do you guys play the games you make for fun?

Yeah.. there are very often emails on weekends from team members writing "I played X in game Y now, and this was my experience.. should we do Z?"

Do you see yourselves making a non-grand-strategy game in the future?

I don't think CK is a grand strategy game.

Who / what provides the driving force and the in depth knowledge to takle the historic detail you put into the games?

I think the atmosphere and the history of the studio creates it.. but we got ALOT of people who love talking history and processes, and when you get guys like King, Doomdark & the others talking over lunch or beer you get alot of history information.

[happyman40]

So you've got programmers with a keen interest in history or History Buffs that have become programmers? Do have researchers that go and reaserch all the detail or do the programmers do all that or is it the lead designer that provides all the in depth stuff?

[Kallocain]

So you've got programmers with a keen interest in history or History Buffs that have become programmers? Do have researchers that go and reaserch all the detail or do the programmers do all that or is it the lead designer that provides all the in depth stuff?

I would say it is a mix. A lot of the staff is already into history when they start here, if if not, it is quite easy to become interested after hearing all the interesting discussions we have!

[RedRalphWiggum]

Is there a big rivalry with PI now? Brawls ever break out? Poison eachothers' water supply, stuff like that?

[Balor]

Is there a big rivalry with PI now? Brawls ever break out? Poison eachothers' water supply, stuff like that?

We let our CEO's fight it out in a deathmatch every day!.

(Fred is ceo of both companies)

[n000b]

What Paradox game is in your opinion the best?

[JimThePocket]

A potentially sticky question:

After poking around the forums for a bit I've noticed there's quite a few people who'd like to see Paradox cover the dark ages, either as DLC for CK2 or a similar game in its own right.

It's been pointed out, however, that such a hypothetical game would need to include the Muslim Conquests, and that brings up the thorny issue of depicting Muhammad, which is prohibited by Sunni Muslims and frowned upon by most Shia.

So what would be Paradox's stance on this? Avoid the time period? Cover the period, but keep Muhammad's face covered? Cover the period, but leave him 'off camera'? Include everything, nothing censored?

Apologies if this isn't a question that you can answer, I appreciate it's a controversial subject.

[Enokmik]

I'm a huge fan of all your Grand Strategic games(CK, EU, VIC & HoI, and all follow ups of those games).. But I have, for some time, wondered if its possible to make a Grand-Grand-Grand-Grand- Strategic game where elements of all 4 games is combined into one.

So, my question is: How "similar" is the 4 games: CK2, EUIII, Vic 2 and HoI 3, seen from a developers point of view?
And would it be possible to, is some way, combine them into one Grand Game..? Going from 1066 and all the way up to 19xx ...

The systems I have been thinking about to get into one of game could be some of the key elements from all 4 games, for instance:
CK2: The Character System(used as Advisor system or minister system), Plot System, Crusader system.
EU3: CoTs, Royal Marriage/Personal Union, Trust System(economical system), Crusader system.
Vic2: Resource/factory and Pop system.
HoI3: Unit and Tactic/strategic system, Tech system,

But I don't know if its even possible and if some of the system is so complex that they cant be combined anyway.
It will of cause be a VERY complex game with a HUGE amount of informations and options. And some systems will be used in one way at a certain period of time f.x. the CoT system could be used as CoTs in the first period of time, and later on, when some one in the game hit a certain time & tech, it will chance to a Stock Exchange, where the Trust System could be used, if its to low ppl, or nations, wouldn't loan you any money(if the trust is very high, you can loan money with a low interest etc).
And a some of the systems will of cause lose its value or importance over time, like the Crusader System and the Royal Marriage system. And some systems will first get into the game later on, like the factory, certain resources and the Theater System(from HoI3).

[unc15]

I know this has probably been asked millions of times:

So what's the story behind naming you studio "paradox?" Also, who came up with the idea of the current logo being used and why?