Hi all! Tuesday has crept up on us again and it's time for another Horse Lords dev diary. The topics of the week are the map extension, new modding features and probably some other tidbits that I think of as I go along... First off, we did not increase the size of the base map again as we did for Rajas of India, since the most interesting regions were already on the map due to our funky twisted map projection. In fact, even the Orkhon valley and the old khaganate capitals of Karabalgasun and Karakorum are on the existing map. So we simply added some more counties where there was previously only wasteland; 27 to be exact, spread over 8 de jure duchies and two new kingdoms. The addition of these areas required some new cultures as well: Uyghur, Khitan, Sogdian and Tocharian (and of course a lot of new characters in the database to cover the historical periods.)

It is a dynamic region where the hegemony of one nomadic tribe was soon overthrown by another, but it is actually possible to play as proper Mongols (Khalkha) even in 769, in the region of Ötüken (though they start out paying tribute to their Uyghur overlords.) In the 769 start, we represent the region as predominantly Manichean and Buddhist (though the reality was more complex.) The Tarim Basin is perhaps of special interest since the Silk Road passes through it. That's it for the map; on to modding!

Here are some items of particular interest:

• All scripts under the common folder now use a proper folder structure for easier modding (i.e. more than one file can contain data)
• You can now script your own triggers and effects (using existing ones) for easy reuse
• Consistent handling of modded classes; changes are now always added to the modded entity (e.g. a culture or an on_action field), rather than replacing it.
• The new government system allows you to override or add to the special gameplay rules of religions and cultures

The complete modding change log is a bit... obtuse, but I'm including it here anyway.

Spoiler

- Added geographical regions that can be checked in triggers if a title or province is contained in a region defined in map/geographical_region.txt. These regions are static throughout the game and are more reliable than using de-jure triggers for events that you want to affect specific places.
- Bookmarks now uses folder structure
- Combat tactics now uses folder structure
- Disease now uses folder structure
- Job actions now uses folder structure
- Job titles now uses folder structure
- Triggered modifiers now uses folder structure
- Added scripted triggers
- Added scripted effects
- Added create_tradepost effect
- Added folder structure to defines
- Added folder structure to modifier_definitions
- Added MAX_WARDS_PER_GUARDIAN to defines
- Added missing commandline argument "debug" to show debug logs
- Possible to append to cultures from several files
- Possible to append to on_actions from several files
- Added trigger technology_can_spread, checking whether technology can spread in the province.
- Added effects set_special_character_title, remove_special_character_title.
- Can now specify a CB to not be displayed in the diplomatic mapmode
- Culture can now decide if you are allowed to raid or not
- Added external province type in map definitions, will not generate a border or text and can be 1 pixel big
- Added global movement speed modifier
- Now can force contract on specific governments which will bypass the opinion limitations using new government system
- Now possible to disable courtiers from receiving MTTH events in defines
- Added effect set_government_type.
- Governments can be modded in the decisions folder.
- Geographical regions can be modded in the map folder.
- County-, duchy- and sub-region tags can now be used to define island- and geographical regions.
- Added region trigger.
- Added flags reinforcing [yes/no] and reinforce_rate_multiplier to the spawn unit effect.
- Added flag maintenance [yes/no] to the spawn unit effect.
- Added flag looting [yes/no] and can_toggle_looting [yes/no] to the spawn unit effect.
- Added trigger is_allowed_to_loot.
- Added on_action on_became_imprisoned_any_reason, that triggers whenever a character becomes imprisoned for any reason.
- Added flag adventurer [yes/no]. Adventure titles work just as temporary titles but do not get destroyed automatically when the holder is in peace. Instead, they are destroyed whenever the holder gains another title or when the holder dies.
- Added effect set_looting and set_can_toggle_looting for units.
- Added character text GetHusbandWifeOpp.
- Added triggers realm_levy_diff, reverse_realm_levy_diff, max_realm_levy_diff and reverse_max_realm_levy_diff.
- Renamed the realm_manpower trigger to realm_levies.
- The break effect now also properly affect tooltips.
- Added effects any_unit, any_army, any_fleet, random_unit, random_army and random_fleet.
- Added trigger any_unit, any_army and any_fleet.
- Added flag seafarer in culture and religion files, helping the AI to determine if coastal provinces is preferred when raiding.
- Added trigger is_seafarer, checking if either the culture or religion have the seafarer flag set.
- Added trigger is_island, checking if the province exists in island_region.txt.
- Added event target most_participating_crusader, used to get the most participating non-theocracy attacker in a war.
- Added on_action on_divorce, which fires whenever a character gets divorced regardless of the reason.
- Quick triggers are now properly checked when you fire an event from another event.
- Added triggers is_[law/government/decision/targetted_decision/title_decision/settlement_decision]_[valid/potential] with parameters key, character, title and settlement.
- Added effects and triggers any_dejure_liege and any_defacto_liege.
- Added event target defacto_liege_title.
- Added effect destroy_settlement.
- Added effect make_primary_settlement.
- Added match_settlement to the spawn unit effect.
- Added event trigger 'log'.
- Earmarked units can now also use the $CULTURE$ parameter.
- Added trigger completely_controls_region.
- Added any_title effect.
- Added effects make_capital_holding and revoke_capital_holding.
- Added trigger is_nomadic.
- Added government trigger.
- The Spawn Unit effect can now take saved event targets as parameters.
- Added nomad flag to the create_title effect.
- Added effect convert_to_nomad and convert_to_fort.
- Added flags ai_fabricate_claims to religion groups.
- Added flags attacking_same_religion_piety_loss and uses_decadence to religions. Decadence will be used if the religion AND government of a character is scripted to use decadece.
- Added flags hire_cost and maintenance_multiplier to retinue subunits.
- Added event scopes [strongest/weakest]_clan_vassal, [strongest/weakest]_clan, [strongest/weakest]_clan_vassal_except_me and [strongest/weakest]_clan_except_me, determined by the number of empty holdings they hold.
- Added event scopes [most/least]_prestigious_clan_vassal, [most/least]_prestigious_clan, [most/least]_prestigious_clan_vassal_except_me and [most/least]_prestigious_clan_except_me.
- Added event scopes [most/least]_populous_clan_vassal, [most/least]_populous_clan, [most/least]_populous_clan_vassal_except_me and [most/least]_populous_clan_except_me.
- Added triggers clan_satisfaction, total_manpower, unused_manpower, raised_manpower, max_manpower, manpower_growth, population, max_population, population_growth, population_and_manpower, max_population_and_manpower and population_and_manpower_growth.
- Added effects manpower and population.
- Added trigger uses_decadence.
- Added nand-trigger.
- Not-triggers will now do a script assert if it contains more than one trigger (where the use of nand- and nor-triggers are recommended to be used instead), but will work as previously.
- Added trade_post_has_building and trade_post_has_any_building triggers.
- Added trigger is_settlement_type_allowed.
- Added effects create_fort, destroy_fort, seize_fort, random_fort and any_fort.
- Added triggers any_fort, num_of_forts, num_of_forts_diff, has_fort, fort_has_building and fort_has_any_building.
- Added event scope trade_post_owner.
- Added trigger has_castle, has_temple, has_city and has_tribal.
- Added trigger has_settlement_construction.
- Added triggers is_[law/government/decision/targetted_decision/title_decision/settlement_decision/trade_post_decision/fort_decision]_[allowed/potential].
- Added triggers num_of_[subrealm/demesne]_[castles/cities/temples/tribes/empty_provinces].
- Added trigger holding_diff.
- Added effects set_title_landless, set_title_adventurer and set_title_nomad.
- Added forbidden_raid_target opinion modifier, which disallows looting against that character.
- Job action script can now properly use the various job title event scopes.
- Added triggers has_feud_with and any_feud_rival_clan.
- Added triggers clan_opinion, reverse_clan_opinion, their_clan_opinion, clan_opinion_diff and reverse_clan_opinion_diff.
- Added is_high_prio flag to minor titles, determining whether an alert should be shown or not if that title is available to grant.
- Added triggers num_of_king_titles_in_realm, num_of_duke_titles_in_realm, num_of_count_titles_in_realm, num_of_baron_titles_in_realm, num_of_titles_in_realm.
- Added effect unsafe_give_minor_title.
- Added modifiers clan_sentiment, max_manpower, max_manpower_mult, max_population, max_population_mult, manpower_growth and population_growth, currently applicable on characters and the capital.
- Added modifiers retinue_maintenence_cost and horde_maintenence_cost, currently applicable on characters, family palaces and the capital.
- Added is_active_trigger to buildings. Any modifier from buildings that are not considered active will not apply until the is_active_trigger is properly validated.
- Added modifier global_winter_supply, currently applicable on the capital.
- commander_limit can now be scripted in buildings for capital settlements, increasing the number of commanders a ruler can have.
- moved_capital_months_mult can now be scripted for capital buildings and modifies the delay for how often one can change capital, if their government allows for more frequent switching than once per lifetime.
- The set_defacto_liege effect now works on titles as well.
- Added on_actions on_battle_won_owner and on_battle_lost_owner.
- Added modifiers global_trade_route_wealth, global_trade_route_value, global_tradevalue and global_tradevalue_mult, applicable on the capital of holders of a trade post.
- Trade post buildings will now also have an effect in the capital settlement, not only the family palace.
- Fixed bug where the targetted decision filters realm and sub_realm did not properly check the court of the top liege or the current character.
- Added trigger religion_allows_female_temple_holders.
- The spawn_unit effect will now spawn units on any other unit if there is no other valid location (instead of not spawning the units at all).

So, modders delight! What else have I got for you? Well, here's a selection off the top of my head...

• You can now, at any time, move prisoners between the Oubliette, House Arrest and the Dungeon.
• Banishment of landed characters has been changed so that they are only forced to abdicate to their current heir. You no longer get to seize all of their titles.
• Tribal counties are now more viable targets for raiding (there is more loot there)
• The names of opinion modifiers are shown in effect tooltips (instead of just "Opinion Changes by -10", etc)

That is it for now... More to come next week!

 

[Gaen]

A lot of people on this forum and others have been complaining that ever since India was added, India hasn't affected their games at all. They then use this line of anecdotal reasoning to say that if China were added, it would have very little impact on gameplay in areas that aren't China.

With the addition of the Silk Road, Mongolian nomads, and Tributaries in this expansion, I find it near impossible to say for certain that China would have no effect on Medieval Europe.

Western Europe should be made into a game of its self, that way it can be given the attention it deserves ; )

 

[Ruwaard]

Even more people got their titles revoked and executed instead of exiled, and many stayed in the dungeons after those revocations. Full revocation being tied only to exiles is my problem here.

Another issue IMHO are situations were lieges can just keep all seized lands. Sure occasionally they did keep some of it. For instance after king of the Romans Rudolf of Habsburg defeated king Ottokar II of Bohemia, he controlled Bohemia, Moravia, Austria, Styria, Carinthia and Carniola. The kingdom of Bohemia and the margraviate of Moravia, ancestral Premyslid lands, passed to the legal heir of Ottokar. The other territories were seized during the reign of Ottokar; Rudolf managed to secure Austria & Styria for his dynasty, but he wasn't allowed to keep it all, so he granted Carinthia & Carniola to an ally.

 

[BFKelleher]

Western Europe should be made into a game of its self, that way it can be given the attention it deserves ; )

Yeah, every once in a while you join a crusade and throw your levies into a void for prestige and a gift from the Pope.

 

[Lemont Elwood]

As long as there's no horrible 20 Opinion malus to banishment, I'm happy about the change. Too often I've wanted to replace a vassal, but found myself in a position where I can only lose Opinion... execute him and just make his successor hate me, or banish him and upset all the lords to a lesser degree. This is a welcome change... but again, only if it doesn't have a penalty.

 

[DC123456789]

-20 isn't that bad unless you're already in a precarious situation, to be honest.

 

[Ruwaard]

As long as there's no horrible 20 Opinion malus to banishment, I'm happy about the change. Too often I've wanted to replace a vassal, but found myself in a position where I can only lose Opinion... execute him and just make his successor hate me, or banish him and upset all the lords to a lesser degree. This is a welcome change... but again, only if it doesn't have a penalty.

Surely relatives and in laws of the banished person should get a negative opinion, and depending on how often a ruler does this, others should at one point get worried too.

 

[Groogy]

Sorry. I was projecting someone else's words onto you. My point was that for a pro-China person to say that because they heard a stupid anti-China argument then all anti-China arguments are stupid. But you didn't actually say that, so I was wrong.

Well I wouldn't call them stupid but I would call them futile. If I or Doomdark want to do it, it will happen no matter what the argument is. We've already expressed our will to do it and in regards to optimizations, I got a lot of them in but I have a ton more I can improve yet even after 2.4

 

[Vokasak]

Plz I beg, culture/religion/dejure maps

 

[Groogy]

What does this mean? Non-marriage alliances, perhaps?

No it is regarding feudal contract, so nomads will get tax and levies even if their feudal vassals hate them

 

[BFKelleher]

Well I wouldn't call them stupid but I would call them futile. If I or Doomdark want to do it, it will happen no matter what the argument is. We've already expressed our will to do it and in regards to optimizations, I got a lot of them in but I have a ton more I can improve yet even after 2.4

Literally confirmed 10/10 let's get this hype train rolling early.

Also TWOW releasing in 2016 confirmed.

Edit:

 

[Groogy]

No ability to mod tributaries so they can be inherited?

I believe they can be modded so they are inherited. Long ago time I made the system but it shouldn't be that hard if my memory saves me right.

 

[DesNibelungen]

Well I wouldn't call them stupid but I would call them futile. If I or Doomdark want to do it, it will happen no matter what the argument is. We've already expressed our will to do it and in regards to optimizations, I got a lot of them in but I have a ton more I can improve yet even after 2.4

I love you Groogy. Not in a creepy way or anything though.

 

[Groogy]

i mean didn't the entire office just leave on vacation like today

I'm gonna be on the Paradox Fan Gathering at Gamescom so I'm not going on vacation any time soon.

 

[DC123456789]

I believe they can be modded so they are inherited. Long ago time I made the system but it shouldn't be that hard if my memory saves me right.

In the defines? Or is it handled through event?

 

[Groogy]

I didn't even know what /s was until I looked it up but I realised rather quickly that particular post was written with tongue lodged securely in cheek.

With regards to the Dev diary what I'd like to know is how likely it is that a tribal ruler will claim the title "ghengis khan". There was after all only one great Khan, so having 5 every 3 centuries would be rather jarring

No tribal rulers will claim that title.

 

[Lemont Elwood]

I guess this means that all of the territory (sans China) that was truly relevant to the Hordes is in. No need for events, or anything else.

Except... will it be possible to wage war on China through events? Like having a decision that costs a ridiculous amount of Manpower and wealth, but (depending on various factors) can give you a reliable and strong trickle due to a "Ruler of China" modifier?

 

[DesNibelungen]

Except... will it be possible to wage war on China through events? Like having a decision that costs a ridiculous amount of Manpower and wealth, but (depending on various factors) can give you a reliable and strong trickle due to a "Ruler of China" modifier?

My assumption would be that they wouldn't waste effort on anything like this if China is going in for real later.

 

[ogarrr]

No tribal rulers will claim that title.

Sorry that was written in a hurry. I meant nomadic! My bad!
And the question was phrased rather badly. I meant it in an inquisitive sense rather than a demanding sense! I'm being terribly British now so apologies.

 

[Galle]

Important modding question regarding government types: If I have a merchant republic that's a vassal of a feudal state, and then I turn the feudal state into a merchant republic using set_government_type, what happens? Will the game crash? Is there a safe way to handle this scenario WITHOUT causing the game to crash?

 

[SirRitter]

My assumption would be that they wouldn't waste effort on anything like this if China is going in for real later.

Yeah, Groogy just pretty much confirmed China is coming up next. Wouldn't make much sense for such a thing now.