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This Development Diary, the last one before the release of The Old Gods, will elaborate a bit on the new technology system we are introducing to the game. We are including it for free in a patch, so you'll be able to make use of it even if you don't own TOG.

The original technology system in CK2 was not very rewarding or interactive, and thus the majority of people mostly or completely ignored it.

So since for The Old Gods we would need 200 more years of technological development we figured instead of trying to shoehorn that into the old system we could just as well throw most of it out and build something more interesting from the ground up.

View attachment CKII_ToG_DD_07_Technology_Spread.jpg

Now all rulers of duke rank and above generate technology points in three categories based on their stats: martial gives military, stewardship gives economic and diplomacy gives cultural technology points. The ruler can then spend these to increase the technologies of their choosing in their capital. In addition to the stats, combat gives military points, universities give economy points and religious schools cultural points.

This means however that technology will only grow in the capitals of dukes and above, and for the rest of the world it will spread as usual.

View attachment CKII_ToG_DD_07_Steppe_Buildings.jpg

The Old Gods and its accompanying patch has a few new buildings as well. Any holding by the coast can now build shipyards that produce galleys.

The horse lords of the Altaic and Magyar peoples will also have access to two special buildings in any castles they own in a Steppe province. This is a new terrain type that now covers most of the Eastern European plains. The Steppe Warrior Lodge and the Steppe Riding Grounds will take the place of the normal Barracks and Stables buildings in these holdings. They provide more cavalry at the expense of foot soldiers, to better reflect the tradition of mounted warfare the steppe cultures had mastered.

View attachment CKII_ToG_DD_07_Amalfi.jpg

There are two merchant republics active at the start of the new 867 bookmark. The first is Venice, which should be familiar to most of you, and the second is Amalfi, a growing trading hub on the western shores of Southern Italy ruled by a collection of Greek and Italian Patrician families. As you can see from the screenshot, we have added a new province for this republic. It has an interesting if somewhat challenging starting position, given its close proximity to the Karling realms of Western Europe, the Byzantine Empire which still maintains a tenuous hold on the southern tip of Italy, and the Muslim lords using Sicily as a springboard from which to carry their conquests further into Europe.

That should cover most of it. The rest you will have to see for yourselves when The Old Gods is released on May 28th! :)

Bonus: Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods Video Dev Diary 3 - Technology
[video=youtube;QngSrHke4u8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QngSrHke4u8[/video]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QngSrHke4u8
 
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Anyway i can't see any logical connection between diplomacy and the tech advance. only me maybe?..

Check out the list of cultural techs: noble, popular and religious customs; majesty; cultural flexibility; legalism. The last is the only one that doesn't seem to have much to do with diplomacy.
 
Check out the list of cultural techs: noble, popular and religious customs; majesty; cultural flexibility; legalism. The last is the only one that doesn't seem to have much to do with diplomacy.

Legalism hat do do with diplomacy. If you a good diplomat you can easy explain wyh you rule. This is was legalism is about.
 
At last the tech tab will be of some use - normally I spend there 30s for an entire game.
 
Check out the list of cultural techs: noble, popular and religious customs; majesty; cultural flexibility; legalism. The last is the only one that doesn't seem to have much to do with diplomacy.

something like this in my mind:
 
Yeah I thought of it but it'd be supposed to be only the province of Bari. It didn't go much beyond.

Maybe not in direct control, but at least according to Wikipedia the Duke of Benevento paid them tribute. Elsewhere in CK2 such relationships have been treated as vassalage (since there are no tribute mechanics), so the Emir probably has some Christian vassals to model the situation.
 
Legalism hat do do with diplomacy. If you a good diplomat you can easy explain wyh you rule. This is was legalism is about.

Then again, you could also argue you need some diplomacy to lead troops well... Anyway, my point was that diplomacy is not a bad match for cultural tech.
 
While I really like the features listed here I can't help but feel a bit dissapoined by the recent Dev diaries.

It feels more like a list of new features than a dev diary. I would like more about why choices were made, who came up with the idea, the potential other ways you could have gone, etc. Dev diaries are supposed to give an impression about how the development of the game is going. Most of these diaries read more like a news bulletin.
 
While I really like the features listed here I can't help but feel a bit dissapoined by the recent Dev diaries.

It feels more like a list of new features than a dev diary. I would like more about why choices were made, who came up with the idea, the potential other ways you could have gone, etc. Dev diaries are supposed to give an impression about how the development of the game is going. Most of these diaries read more like a news bulletin.

Dev diaries are supposed to be a drug - a small bump to get my through my craving for the game while also deepening that craving.
 
Why Amalfi not playable in 1066? While it was in decline it still dragged on for 20 or so years. You have added the province and the title, so...why?
 
Hey I think this may have been answered before somewhere but I couldn't find it. In a previous Dev Diary it was noted that the Norse pagans were stuck on Gavelkind, but if they converted to Christianity they could use others. What about if they just reform their religion, can they use other succession laws then?
 
Hey I think this may have been answered before somewhere but I couldn't find it. In a previous Dev Diary it was noted that the Norse pagans were stuck on Gavelkind, but if they converted to Christianity they could use others. What about if they just reform their religion, can they use other succession laws then?

They get the features of organized religions while losing the pagan-only stuff, so I guess they can change succession too :)

Edit: Hate ninjas, Imma pirate!
 
Okay, I'm asking this because I know there are some people biting at the bit about it on another forum thread, and maybe it will be of help to them to answer. Since you are doing a new patch to coincide with the DLC, will it include the fix for the retinue/ autosave crashes people have been experiencing? I myself have not gotten that problem yet, but I have just gotten the game so haven't gotten long enough into one to experience the crashes. But I know it is causing headaches, and I'm sure a word of assurance would help trust here. :)
 
I am so buying this.

It's gonna be awesome.

Can't wait for it.

Next week there isn't an episode of Game of Thrones, but Old Gods is gonna save the week.

Thank you for your awesome work !
 
No, Amalfi is not playable in 1066. There are no events for the rise of Genoa and Pisa as merchant republics, but it often tends to happen over the course of the game, especially in the case of Genoa.

Won't this then just lead to two major blobs as Merchant Republics, with no competition? Frankly the problem with the current 1066 start is that there isen't enough competition to challenge Pisa, won't having just two merchant republics, result in OP blobbing? Wouldn't it be better to have Genoese and Pisa rise in their historical dates all the time like the Hanseatic League?

And your right, the Amalfi are extinguished a couple decades before 1066 (1030's)
 
Won't this then just lead to two major blobs as Merchant Republics, with no competition? Frankly the problem with the current 1066 start is that there isen't enough competition to challenge Pisa, won't having just two merchant republics, result in OP blobbing? Wouldn't it be better to have Genoese and Pisa rise in their historical dates all the time like the Hanseatic League?

The situation in Genoa in 867 is likely similar to Ancona in 1066. Both are two-county duchies so with a coastal grand mayor they will often become a republic. The only games where I *haven't* seen Ancona from 1066 have been those where HRE has revoked the county after a rebellion before the republic could form.