It's Wednesday, and time to answer some questions about the upcoming DLC for Crusader Kings II; Legacy of Rome. The focus of this mini-expansion is going to be the Byzantine Empire and the Orthodox church. First off, in order to clear up any confusion from the original announcement, it's a bit smaller in scope than the Sword of Islam so the price is set at $5.99. While I say it's smaller in scope, if you include all the stuff we're adding for free in the accompanying patch (v1.07) it's probably about the same size as SoI and v1.06.

So, let's take a look at what's in the DLC and what's in patch 1.07...

LEGACY OF ROME DLC

• Retinue system. If you don't have the DLC, you won't see the new interface and you cannot hire retinues (and neither will the AI.) The technology that controls the max size of your retinue and relative decrease of normal levy sizes simply does not have this effect without the DLC.
• Orthodox Councillor models
• Major Decisions for the Byzantine Empire
• Byzantine Events

Oh, and we're taking another tack with the DLC this around - if you don't own the DLC, the AI won't be using the new mechanics or events either. Also, from now on in multiplayer mode, the host will control which DLCs are active.

PATCH 1.07

• Faction system. Replaces many existing plots and normal revolt mechanics with factions.
• Personal Improvement Ambitions
• Orthodox Patriarch system
• Have both a Plot and an Ambition at the same time
• Revised levy raising. (You raise a single, large levy from each direct vassal. The opinions of vassals of vassals are irrelevant.)
• Leader Focus on Combat
• More Cultural Buildings
• Improved AI
• Bug fixes (of course)

I will talk about all these features in detail in upcoming dev diaries, but for now, that's all!

 

[Thure]

Nope

"If you don't have the DLC, you won't see the new interface"

Then... what is the new interface?

 

[Evilfisher]

this vent from dev dairy 1 to 0 ?

wat

 

[Doomdark]

"If you don't have the DLC, you won't see the new interface"

Then... what is the new interface?

There is a retinue tab in the Military View if you have the DLC.

 

[Doomdark]

this vent from dev dairy 1 to 0 ?

wat

Hehe, yeah, this is more of a prequel to coming dev diaries.

 

[Voy]

Yes, but it's a short list:

- All bugs

I suppose it's a matter of definition of a bug.

Dynasty errors is also bugs in my opinion and I doubt you've corrected all, but kudos to you if you have.

And not to speak of all vanilla events like this one: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?615413-Event-77004&highlight=

 

[DLFebin]

More Cultural Buildings? Oh, will they be for bishoprics and cities now too, I hope?

...
Also, from now on in multiplayer mode, the host will control which DLCs are active.
...

And cool, disabling Ruler Designer is a good option sometimes.

But anyway, still no cool purpure interface for Byzantines and other Orthodox realms?

 

[knuckey]

any chance of new mapmodes ? particularly defacto ones similar to the character selection screen mapmodes would make managing kingdoms like bohemia within an empire less of a nightmare ( and would greatly help the Agot mod )

 

[Silberkralle84]

Well, this is really great news. Especially the multiplayer handling. Not all of my frineds can afford to buy this, but this way the rest of us don't have to exclude them. A must buy for me.

 

[Phelan]

Do we already know how much dev diaries we get? The last DLC had 3, if I remember correctly.

 

[Torngasuk]

But anyway, still no cool purpure interface for Byzantines and other Orthodox realms?

I'd pay for this as its own DLC, gladly.

 

[Ciccillo Rre]

As a Romanophile, I will buy the DLC, but I am failing to see how the retinues system will improve gameplay. The DDs should really describe this in greater detail. I have the impression it is adding an additional layer to the recruitment / military system which is already micromanagement-demanding when it comes to raising armies. Yes I know that the old system gets streamlined, but as far as I understand we will still need to manage and direct vassals' armies when mobilizing, and on top of it there are the retinues. I wish I can have the Byzantine-specific stuff without the retinue system.

Also, I am quite sad that the initial DLC policy for multiplayer has been changed - the original model seemed ideal but allowed for a limited consistent set of DLCs to be released - but thinking about it that was inevitable in the long run. I hope that for the future games like EU4 the compromise will be the best possible one for players.

 

[Ciccillo Rre]

Well, this is really great news. Especially the multiplayer handling. Not all of my frineds can afford to buy this, but this way the rest of us don't have to exclude them. A must buy for me.

You wouldn't have had to exclude them either with the old system.

 

[Zoston]

To be honest I'm a bit disappointed. Yes the features themselves are great and all, but this is supposed to be the Byzantine DLC. As a fan of playing the Byzantines, I was hoping/expecting something that would make playing the Byzantines unique. That would capture in gameplay that though the Byzantine empire had feudal characteristics, they weren't a Feudal Monarchy like the West-European nations. I suppose this could be done through the events. But I'm sceptical, in the past whenever paradox has advertised "new unique XXX-specific events" it's always just been flavour events and minor stuff that didn't change the way you played (as opposed to what mods do with using events to create whole new gameplay systems).

 

[Unready]

Can we expect to see in the interface a button for bulk load all selected raised troops into the boats?
Mechanical loading troops one by one playing for large coastal empires is tediously.

 

[Ciccillo Rre]

LEGACY OF ROME DLC

• Major Decisions for the Byzantine Empire

Will there be "Restore the Roman Empire" kind of mechanism? Or a Trebizond/Epirus split-off -like one?

 

[Thure]

Will there be "Restore the Roman Empire" kind of mechanism?

Why should the Roman Empire restore the Roman Empire...?

 

[Dovahkiing]

The faction thing and combat improvements was what excited me in the LoR announcment, and it'll be free in the patch!
And it's only six bucks!
I LOVE YOU PARADOX!

 

[Ciccillo Rre]

Why should the Roman Empire restore the Roman Empire...?

Because in-game it's called (wrongly, but proper marketing-wise) Byzantine. I personally modded it as the "Empire of the Romans". But still it would be cool to have something that shows the in-game results for the end of the divide and the achieved reunification and such, like a new flag and culture and the like.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

I love the decoupling of plots and ambitions, but I really hope they'll add a few more ambitions, then. I know that some mods fix this problem, but I like my vanilla (mostly because of frequent multiplayer sessions with a friend), and all to often I end up with no feasible ambitions left (already being to rich, pious or prestige-laden) and only ridiculous "murder ALL the people" options... and that crown-symbol is really taunting after some time

 

[unmerged(28803)]

Looks sweet! A given purchase for me, like all things CK.