RE: the request for interpretation made in the submissions thread...
The first few sentences of Norrefeldt's post #64 sums up my impression as I read through idontlikeforms' posts. I must say that most of idontlikeforms' work seems great! Having said that, I don't think the Arguin event is truly capturing a situation that seems to be able to be represented in a better way, as Norrefedlt has suggested. Furthermore, I havn't read any real justification for the command lines in the A and B choices.
From what I'd read from idontlikeforms, it sounds like Elmina could be a colony, but that Arguin should definately not be. The 'big picture' of Arguin should be handled seperately and I don't even know if its possible to do that in-depth in the game. It'd be nice if we could somehow replicate the effects on trade it had though
My answer to the question;
Norrefeldt said:
Should a historical trading fort be regarded a fortified colony in game terms since it's fortifications cannot be implemented in the game?
is a solid 'no'. My own reasons are as follows; although trading posts were oftentimes fortified, there is no solid tendency to withstand determined European, and even native assaults on them. Besides the fact that the provinces they occupy in-game are vast swathes of land and territory, and the TP in-game, IMO, is to represent a few isolated trading outsposts, whereun their destruction and the subsequent undermining of that country's 'controlership' and 'ownership' of the province at the hands of an enemy army or determined native assault is much easier to accomplish due to the fact of the TPs relative isolation and low population when compared to the 'colony' route, hence the ability to simply burn a TP in-game; burn whatever scattered (if more than one) fortifications and outposts that occupy the province obecause there're relatively few of them!
As for the second question;
Norrefeldt said:
Should important historical colonies recieve free population/tax/manpower boosts as a help to the AI (and player)?
the answer to this one is more debatable, IMO, and I think should be handled in a responsible and appropriate fashion, primarily taking into consideration relative comparisons to the rest of the region. The population of the Virginia colonies exploded throughout the mid 1600s due to the interaction of three main factors; the Virginia company's implementation of the 'Head Write System' (i.e. introduction of private property ownership) shortly before its bankruptsy, large increases the price of tabacco in European markets, and falling wages in Great Britain. Can EU2 popualtion engine handle these booms? Not really. Thus IMO, in this example, a series of events - provided the requirements were met - should probably help such colonies out.
It appears my opinion on this mirrors Isaac's somewhat; basically Protugual should be considered
somewhat of a unique case.
When it comes to colonization, the comments and conclusions about adding AI helper events are way too premature. AI tweaking via their files is the first line of reform, not the last. Getting the AI to perform as close as posible via tweaking the AI files, and
then adding appropriate historical events (i.e. for both player and AI) is the most logical way to handle AI shortcomes. You can even have the two processes occuring at the same time. But I think it'd be a farce to make the goal of your event to help the AI first, without even acknowledging the role of the AI file itself.
EDIT: the Sao Thome event I think is easier to accept, but not in its present form, IMO, based on Idontlikeorms' rationale as posted in post #57. Who or what organization or Royal Charter, or stipulation was responsible for creating such a lucrative slave trade in Sao Thome? As slave trading was becoming a major commodity in those days, surely the events goals (population increases, tax bonuses) should have an event description that discusses this, while the event itself should have any appropriate triggers based on a historical analyses of circumstance for Portugual. No?
Should also mention that in no way do I mean to sound too harsh, the majority of the work in this thread is definately good!