Welcome to another development diary about Europa Universalis IV. This time we talk about something that will be in the next major patch we do.

One of the parts of the game that has not changed much since eu1 is the concept of technology groups and technological development around the world. We’ve added concepts like westernising, and tweaked that one, but in the end Europe has a huge advantage from day 1, and lots of fun gameplay options are limited the further away you are.

So this is what will happen in 1.18, when it is released this autumn..

A nation’s technology group no longer affect technology research.

There is now a concept called Institutions, which will affect your technology research. There are seven different institutions that appear over the game, and if you don’t get them to spread into your country and then get embraced by your government, your technology costs will slowly rise.

Each institution will appear in a province fullfilling certain factors, and then slowly spread around the world. The nation owning that province will gain prestige and monarch power.

Every year the penalty for not having embraced an institution will grow by 1%, so there is a gradual process.

When an institution has spread to at least 10% of your development, you can embrace it in your government, removing the penalty permanently, and also giving a bonus to your nation. The cost to embrace depends on the amount of development in your nation without the institution.

All institutions spread over borders (including 1 seazone away), if relations are positive, and the spread is based on development in the province getting it. There are also lots of other factors related to the spread.

So which are the the seven institutions then?

Feudalism
This is present from the start in almost all the world, except among the hordes, new world and sub-saharan africa. It will slowly spread into neighboring lands, but it is not quick.
Bonus: Gives 1 extra free leader.
Penalty: 50%


Renaissance
This appears in Italy after 1450, in either a capital or a 20+ development province. It will spread quickly through high development in europe, particularly through italy, but can only spread into provinces that have feudalism already.
Bonus: 5% Cheaper Development & 5% Cheaper Buildings
Penalty: 20%


Colonialism
Appears after 1500 in a port province in Europe, who’s owner has the Quest of the New World idea, and have discovered the new world. And will spread very quickly through any port in countries with colonies.
Bonus: +10% Provincial Trade Power
Penalty: 20%


Printing Press
This arrives after 1550, most likely in germany, but can happen in any protestant or reformed province. It will spread quickly in Protestant and Reformed territory, but also into capitals with dip tech 15.
Bonus: 5& Cheaper Stability
Penalty: 20%


Global Trade
This arrives after 1600, in a center of trade in the highest value trade node, and will spread quicker into provinces with trade buildings.
Bonus: +1 Merchant
Penalty: 20%

Manufactories
This arrives after 1650 in a province with 30 development and a manufactory, and will spread quicker into provinces with manufactories.
Bonus: +10% Goods Produced
Penalty: 20%

Enlightenment
Arrives after 1700 in a province that either is a seat of a parliament, or is a province in europe owned by a monarch with at least 5 in all stats. Universities & Parliament Seats spread this institution.
Bonus: 25% Cheaper Culture Conversion
Penalty: 30%
​

What does this mean?


The progress of Europe is not guaranteed, but most importantly, a nation in Asia or Africa is no longer crippled from day 1, and forced to avoid spending power on ideas and development.

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We’re constantly tweaking the spread factors, but here are some screenshots from mid 18th century in a hands-off game from this morning.

This is the institutions mapmode, where green are provinces that have all the enabled institutions, and yellow are don’t have them all.

And here is the technology mapmode, of the same game.

Some other aspects that has changed include the following
- New World Native Reforming will give you all institutions that the one you reform from has.
- Trade Companies are available to all technology groups.
- Lots and lots of triggers on western techgroups have been changed to check for specific relevant institutions.

 

[Jordedude1234]

This sounds like a big DLC. Hopefully not a bigger price to what we currently get charged

From what I have heard, it is 20 Euros.

(if I am wrong, please correct me)

 

[pphair]

This sounds like a big DLC. Hopefully not a bigger price to what we currently get charged

It's 20 EUR/USD.

 

[Danochy]

How will this work with CK2 transferred game? E.g the New World countries are much more powerful with sunset invasion enabled however with institutions, wouldn't they be significantly disadvantaged due to being very far away from where most of the institutions begin? This would be quite unrealistic considering they were technologically advanced enough to sail to the Europe in the 13th century. (This is, of course, assuming they have no land once the game has been transferred to EUIV).

Another possible problem could be with the printing press institution which appears in a protestant of reformed province. What if Catholicism doesn't exist after CK2, or at least is very minor. How will these religions appear after that?

I also imagine this will affect mods such as Extended Timeline quite significantly, as well as any situation that has no catholics(Of course this isn't Paradox's concern)

 

[TheDarkMaster]

How will this work with CK2 transferred game? E.g the New World countries are much more powerful with sunset invasion enabled however with institutions, wouldn't they be significantly disadvantaged due to being very far away from where most of the institutions begin? This would be quite unrealistic considering they were technologically advanced enough to sail to the Europe in the 13th century. (This is, of course, assuming they have no land once the game has been transferred to EUIV).

Another possible problem could be with the printing press institution which appears in a protestant of reformed province. What if Catholicism doesn't exist after CK2, or at least is very minor. How will these religions appear after that?

I also imagine this will affect mods such as Extended Timeline quite significantly, as well as any situation that has no catholics(Of course this isn't Paradox's concern)

Most likely any countries that use to have high american technology group will start with feudalism. They'll probably also be able to more easilly adopt other institutions as the game progresses, though they will have the disadvantage of being single large states with few or no smaller neighbors.

 

[thingol]

This was most likely asked already but will technology groups still exist?
Because i fear it could break a lot of mods if they wont.

 

[I'm gaming]

This was most likely asked already but will technology groups still exist?
Because i fear it could break a lot of mods if they wont.

They will remain. Things like land units will still be affected.

 

[Arkton]

Is there an info what will happen with the now unneeded monarch points ? I couldn't figure it out here.

 

[Colonel.EXE]

Anyone who hasn't got ideas guy should probably do it now if they plan to play outside of Bornholm

 

[Vroobel]

This was most likely asked already but will technology groups still exist?
Because i fear it could break a lot of mods if they wont.

They do but they don't affect tech cost.

 

[ashmizen]

I am confused - is that England yellow, out-teched by Korea, Japan, Ottomans, India, and a tiny country in Africa?

While it's nice that ROTW has a chance to have "western" level technology without having to conquer next to Europe, hopefully it would be rare that ROTW can out tech England or other European Great Powers.

Like, if a few AI countries every game, not the huge list of both Korea and Japan, Ottomans, India, and Indian substates.

 

[Guardian54]

I think it's time I leave 13.2 behind then, after I finish getting my first WC (and the badge).

Because going for Three Mountains without this would be immensely stupid.

 

[Canute VII]

Watching the feature stream, I asked myself: if we adopt an institution, then will the tech cost penalty that was building up to that point from not having adopted that particular institution be canceled immidiately and drop to 0?

Or will it drop slowly off (say with the speed it built up in the first place i.e. 1% per year or double that, 2%)?

My impression is the second option would be more plausible and give some incentive to adopt early. Also tech advantages and, yeah, disadvantages as well wouldnt be lost as quickly. Cant judge of course from the few things I have seen, but those institutions seemed to spread rather quickly into india and china... (I kind of fear a levelized EU4 world )

 

[Vercinger]

Excellent. The fixed tech penalty groups are the single most dumb feature in all the PDS games. Ahead of even the rank-based market access priority in Victoria 2. So much so that it's very the first thing I modded out of both EU3 and EU4. Maybe now ironman/achievements won't be pointless.

 

[indalecio248]

This doesn't seem like it was answered by the devs, but how will this interact with Native Ideas to reform their government? Or will it interact at all?

 

[Dakka]

This doesn't seem like it was answered by the devs, but how will this interact with Native Ideas to reform their government? Or will it interact at all?

I think somewhere they mentioned that upon reforming your government, you get all the institutions of who you reformed off of

 

[Palorius]

China had a number of technological inventions that europeans had to get from there, gunpowder was a done deal by game start, but printing was invented in china, also the compass, sealed bulkheads, banknotes, etc.

I think china should have its own institution at game start to represent the fact it was more advanced than europe at that time.

While I agree with your historical accuracy, I must say you are leaving out the fact that the Chinese also slid backward in technology; forgetting many of their inventions. The clock comes to mind. From what I gather reading all the Admin posts, the point of an institution is to note the spread of a change in thinking, not an invention itself.

I like the idea, but the actual institutions themselves are pretty nonsensical. I mean, what is "enlightenment" -- How exactly is "global trade" an institution? How is colonialism a distinct institution when we've been doing it for thousands of years?

In a way, I agree with you. The word 'Colonialism' didn't exist until 1850. It's a 19th century euphemism for subjugation under the pretense of racial, moral or religious superiority; something happening since the beginning of man. The problem with this kind of pedantism is the usage of concepts that didn't exist at the time in question but have since become ubiquitous; making debate and arguments moot due to the difficulty of accurately describing situations that are the result of long deceased ruminations.

 

[Romaoplays]

there is no westernisation

If there is no westernization, what happens with some the arquivements like No Trail of Tears Turning the Tide and, A Sun God and with whoever had them??

 

[seriousgigi]

How important embracing institues for AI? What priority they have? For example they usually take 3-4 loans for meanless wars but what if they need a cash for embracing institues, they go to war instead waiting in peace for saving ducats? Or do they take loans for embracing institues?

 

[grommile]

If there is no westernization, what happens with some the arquivements like No Trail of Tears Turning the Tide and, A Sun God and with whoever had them??

They will be based on embracing a certain set of institutions (since being up to date on institutions fulfils the role previously held by Westernization).

 

[seriousgigi]

Colonialism
Appears after 1500 in a port province in Europe, who’s owner has the Quest of the New World idea, and have discovered the new world. And will spread very quickly through any port in countries with colonies.
Bonus: +10% Provincial Trade Power
Penalty: 20%​

@Johan

How muscovy got colonialism in your mp?