Playing EU III before move on CK II and EU IV

DroP90 · Jun 27, 2014

Hi guys, im new to the forum and to be honest im also new to the paradox grand strategy games.

But since i enjoy history a lot, and also strategy games (RTS, TBS, etc) i always keep my eyes on this games.

I got EU III on a HB last year, never take the necessary time to get onto it, but since a lot of people say great things about CK 2 and EU 4 i bought them too in past sales.

Recently i tried to play EU III but i was very confused (as i expected), so i searched about some tutorials and found a very good one where the guy explain a lot about the game, but he made the tutorial based on Chronicles version with Heir to the Throne and Divine Wind DLCs, which i dont have. The interface is different and i heard that this 2 dlcs improves the game a lot.

My doubt is, this 2 DLCs are on sale, $2.50 each, you guys recommend me to get this DLCs and learn and try to play EU III before or its better i save my money and move on CK 2 since i already have it? (im gonna play EU IV after CK 2) Also, in the tutorial the guy says that if i learn how to play EU III i'll have a base to play any other paradox title, this is true?

Basically that's it, i'm sorry if my english is not the best and i've made some grammatical or concordance errors.

sebas379 · Jun 27, 2014

Welcome to the forums!

Right, I'm hardly the best person to answer because I haven't played EU IV or CK II, but I believe HTTT and DW do add quite a bit to EU III.

I think it's true that it is probably easier to pick up other Paradox titles once you learned how one works. That said, it's only a base because every game does work different in a lot of ways. But the basics are the same of course, you lead a country through a period of time in which you manage it, build it up, engage in diplomacy and warfare etc. It's just that every game does it in a little bit different way.

However, I cannot comment on wether to go for the expansions or EU IV. I would think EU IV since that one is newer and has some improvements over EU III.

Oh and don't worry about your english, it's fine.

PanzerCorps · Jun 27, 2014

EU3 is a great game, that's for sure, but EU4 is better in every single way. Basically, it has everything EU3 has but is a lot smoother, more polished and much easier to pick up, in addition to quite a few new features.

It is true that knowing EU3 will help you understand CK2 and EU4 more easily, but EU4 is a lot easier to understand than EU3 is anyway, and it will also give you a base to understand CK2.

So no reason to buy any more EU3-related stuff, really. There's quite a bit of controversy around EU4 at the moment and people saying it's a bad game and getting worse with every patch but... Just ignore those. EU4 is a really fun game when you finally understand it. Plus, you can get Multiplayer working without being a computer expert.

DroP90 · Jun 27, 2014

sebas379 said:
Welcome to the forums!

Right, I'm hardly the best person to answer because I haven't played EU IV or CK II, but I believe HTTT and DW do add quite a bit to EU III.

I think it's true that it is probably easier to pick up other Paradox titles once you learned how one works. That said, it's only a base because every game does work different in a lot of ways. But the basics are the same of course, you lead a country through a period of time in which you manage it, build it up, engage in diplomacy and warfare etc. It's just that every game does it in a little bit different way.

However, I cannot comment on wether to go for the expansions or EU IV. I would think EU IV since that one is newer and has some improvements over EU III.

Oh and don't worry about your english, it's fine.

Panzer Commader said:
EU3 is a great game, that's for sure, but EU4 is better in every single way. Basically, it has everything EU3 has but is a lot smoother, more polished and much easier to pick up, in addition to quite a few new features.

It is true that knowing EU3 will help you understand CK2 and EU4 more easily, but EU4 is a lot easier to understand than EU3 is anyway, and it will also give you a base to understand CK2.

So no reason to buy any more EU3-related stuff, really. There's quite a bit of controversy around EU4 at the moment and people saying it's a bad game and getting worse with every patch but... Just ignore those. EU4 is a really fun game when you finally understand it. Plus, you can get Multiplayer working without being a computer expert.

Thank you guys. I will skip EU 3 and try CK 2, i was think about playing it before because of the tutorial that is really complete and cover practically all aspects of the game.

Is there any tutorial that you guys would recommend to watch in order to learn better about Crusader Kings 2?

PanzerCorps · Jun 28, 2014

DroP90 said:
Thank you guys. I will skip EU 3 and try CK 2, i was think about playing it before because of the tutorial that is really complete and cover practically all aspects of the game.

Is there any tutorial that you guys would recommend to watch in order to learn better about Crusader Kings 2?

Personally I love watching Arumba's videos, especially the multiplayer series, but those are more entertaining than actually helpful.

Otherwise, I learnt my way through trial-and-error, and you can feel free to do the same. Start in Ireland, it is generally considered "Newbie Island" because it is really isolated and thus pretty forgiving.

There's also this AAR which I've found to be pretty helpful when starting up.

Jango40 · Jun 28, 2014

Panzer Commader said:
EU3 is a great game, that's for sure, but EU4 is better in every single way. Basically, it has everything EU3 has but is a lot smoother, more polished and much easier to pick up, in addition to quite a few new features.

It is true that knowing EU3 will help you understand CK2 and EU4 more easily, but EU4 is a lot easier to understand than EU3 is anyway, and it will also give you a base to understand CK2.

So no reason to buy any more EU3-related stuff, really. There's quite a bit of controversy around EU4 at the moment and people saying it's a bad game and getting worse with every patch but... Just ignore those. EU4 is a really fun game when you finally understand it. Plus, you can get Multiplayer working without being a computer expert.

Are you kidding me? No, it's NOT. It's so restrictive, it's full of pointless blood-boiling mechanics, argh. Just to restrict players from doing WC's... because that's just so bad.

RobRoy3 · Jun 28, 2014

DroP90 said:
Thank you guys. I will skip EU 3 and try CK 2, i was think about playing it before because of the tutorial that is really complete and cover practically all aspects of the game.

Is there any tutorial that you guys would recommend to watch in order to learn better about Crusader Kings 2?

CK2 first would be my recommendation, too. It's mechanics are much more accessible, even easier and it's far more forgiving of mistakes. Just start your first game as an Irish count and play. Make sure you're always married and have an heir and it's tough to "lose" completely; just learn as you play. Second and subsequent games, play someone a bit more interesting...

As for EU3 vs EU4, I also prefer EU4, but I'm one of those who thinks it's had one or two unfortunate DLCs that have made the game ... not exactly worse ... but a bit more frustrating. There is no sign that the newly introduced issues will be addressed before the next patch/DLC, and the fear is that they'll introduce more issues instead of resolving old. But things should be resolved one way or another by the time CK2 starts to bore you. If it looks like people are happy with 1.7, I'd go with EU4, if not, EU3 is still perfectly acceptable.

The thing EU3 has going for it over EU4 is that it IS a completed, finished game, whose rules won't be changing dramatically every few months. It is still a very good game, just a bit dated and a bit too easy. But for someone new to the genre, it will still be quite fun (assuming you find this genre compelling - it's not everyone's cup of tea).

fulic1 · Jun 30, 2014

Panzer Commader said:
EU3 is a great game, that's for sure, but EU4 is better in every single way. Basically, it has everything EU3 has but is a lot smoother, more polished and much easier to pick up, in addition to quite a few new features.

It is true that knowing EU3 will help you understand CK2 and EU4 more easily, but EU4 is a lot easier to understand than EU3 is anyway, and it will also give you a base to understand CK2.

So no reason to buy any more EU3-related stuff, really. There's quite a bit of controversy around EU4 at the moment and people saying it's a bad game and getting worse with every patch but... Just ignore those. EU4 is a really fun game when you finally understand it. Plus, you can get Multiplayer working without being a computer expert.

Ï disagree with everything but the bolded part.

unmerged(84239) · Jun 30, 2014

I enjoy EU3 better then EU4.

Reason: EU3 is a game where you colonize and conquer. Unlike Victoria, there is not much else to do really. This is not a problem, this is the reason why EU3 is entertaining. It is fine until Napoleon's ambition + In Nomine. With Heir to the throne and Divine Wind, lots of mechanics were added to make conquest harder, because it is more "realistic" this way. But this is wrong. What happened is that in a game, which is about conquest, they made conquest harder to achieve.

I have HttT and DW, but ultimately play Napoleon's ambition+ In Nomine. This is, in my opinion the most fun "state" of the game.

Since EU4 builds on DW, it is more restrictive then EU3 In Nomine.

DroP90 · Jul 2, 2014

Thank you guys, I have to confess, i couldn't hold and bought the pack with all the DLCs for EU3. I had already seen half of the tutorial and felt a great desire to play the 3 before going for the new ones. Im also acquired the game on a humble bundle, so i paid just a little bit for the game, and thought that buying the pack is a way of giving the devs some support.

Thank you all for your help!

Panzer Commader said:
Personally I love watching Arumba's videos, especially the multiplayer series, but those are more entertaining than actually helpful.

Otherwise, I learnt my way through trial-and-error, and you can feel free to do the same. Start in Ireland, it is generally considered "Newbie Island" because it is really isolated and thus pretty forgiving.

There's also this AAR which I've found to be pretty helpful when starting up.

Thanks for the tips, i already have the Arumbas chanel subscribed, along with others that make the same type of lets play. I also saved the AAR for reading in the future.

RobRoy3 said:
CK2 first would be my recommendation, too. It's mechanics are much more accessible, even easier and it's far more forgiving of mistakes. Just start your first game as an Irish count and play. Make sure you're always married and have an heir and it's tough to "lose" completely; just learn as you play. Second and subsequent games, play someone a bit more interesting...

As for EU3 vs EU4, I also prefer EU4, but I'm one of those who thinks it's had one or two unfortunate DLCs that have made the game ... not exactly worse ... but a bit more frustrating. There is no sign that the newly introduced issues will be addressed before the next patch/DLC, and the fear is that they'll introduce more issues instead of resolving old. But things should be resolved one way or another by the time CK2 starts to bore you. If it looks like people are happy with 1.7, I'd go with EU4, if not, EU3 is still perfectly acceptable.

The thing EU3 has going for it over EU4 is that it IS a completed, finished game, whose rules won't be changing dramatically every few months. It is still a very good game, just a bit dated and a bit too easy. But for someone new to the genre, it will still be quite fun (assuming you find this genre compelling - it's not everyone's cup of tea).

Thank you pal, I read about this issue with the EU4 updates, so i dont intend to play it right now, im also want to play in chronological order.

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Playing EU III before move on CK II and EU IV

DroP90

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sebas379

Marshal of the Soviet Union

PanzerCorps

Total War Programmer

DroP90

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PanzerCorps

Total War Programmer

Jango40

Saruhan Stronk

RobRoy3

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fulic1

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unmerged(84239)

Major

DroP90

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