Does it seem like AI characters just don't have enough kids?

[swagmeister]

I've been dipping my toes into the game. I decided against learning the game as an Irish count and started a full blown Old gods Byzantium run. The thing I noticed though is it really seems like the AI just doesn't get busy enough. I've averaged between 7-15 kids with Basil I even without having some fun outside of the legitimate marriages every attempt but my kids only have like one or two by the time Basil turns 70+ and finally dies.

 

[mrinku]

There's a few factors probably at play here.

Firstly, and probably most importantly, is your court limit. All those kids were likely sired before Basil hit whatever limit is in place for his court. One of the effects of an oversize court is a brake on fertility. By the time your children married, your own courtiers would have been breeding, and it does not take long to hit a typical cap of 30-40 (depending on tech and some other effects).

Secondly, have a look at their traits. They may have ended up with education traits that reduce fertility (basically the learning ones), Chaste, Homosexual etc. Also check their spouses as it takes two to tango.

And lastly, the focus you've chosen may also be having an effect to boost Basil's fertility to higher levels than they have. Unlanded characters don't get any chance to choose one; a ruler that selects Family or Seduction (even without actually seducing) gets a fertility bonus and may get events that help.

Your best way to encourage grandkids is to hand out a County to your child. That will put them in their own court and allow focus selection and ruler events.

Note that Court Limit is a game rule that can be turned off, but it applies to ALL rulers, so does have the effect of rapidly increasing the character count in the world and may cause performance issues after a generation or two (avoiding this is the reason it exists at all).

 

[swagmeister]

There's a few factors probably at play here.

Firstly, and probably most importantly, is your court limit. All those kids were likely sired before Basil hit whatever limit is in place for his court. One of the effects of an oversize court is a brake on fertility. By the time your children married, your own courtiers would have been breeding, and it does not take long to hit a typical cap of 30-40 (depending on tech and some other effects).

Secondly, have a look at their traits. They may have ended up with education traits that reduce fertility (basically the learning ones), Chaste, Homosexual etc. Also check their spouses as it takes two to tango.

And lastly, the focus you've chosen may also be having an effect to boost Basil's fertility to higher levels than they have. Unlanded characters don't get any chance to choose one; a ruler that selects Family or Seduction (even without actually seducing) gets a fertility bonus and may get events that help.

Your best way to encourage grandkids is to hand out a County to your child. That will put them in their own court and allow focus selection and ruler events.

Note that Court Limit is a game rule that can be turned off, but it applies to ALL rulers, so does have the effect of rapidly increasing the character count in the world and may cause performance issues after a generation or two (avoiding this is the reason it exists at all).

I've been generally starting with a war focus since Basil seems like a bad ass and the old god start has you start in a defensive war right away so using carousing focus seems like a waste. I did switch to a family focus for a few years before ending with a learning focus. I've also been using ironman friendly rules to learn.

 

[DB42]

That's good stuff, I've played almost a thousand hours and only recently started ... I'm tired and can't find the word I want, "juggling" focuses for the wide array of bonuses. I used to leave it at Theology for all the virtues you get, now that's my last stop, with some Hunting in my 50s for +1 HP doggy. I'm such a lazy player.

EDIT: ROTATING was the word I was looking for, my addled brain was thinking "circling."

 

[Lewa263]

It's probably related to these lines in the defines.lua file:

    BASE_NR_OF_CHILDREN_PER_COUPLE = 2,
    EXTRA_NR_OF_CHILDREN_FOR_PLAYERS = 2,

I'm not sure what they do exactly, but it implies that players are intended to have more children than AI.

 

[Ashlantean]

I think this was something that was pared back a few years ago specifically to address performance issues. Previously everyone had more children and now the AI is much more restrained. At the same time the game got a lot more ruthless at dispensing with 'useless' characters cluttering up courts.

It is a pity in some ways as the present system does make the whole world seem a little less lively. On the other hand, the salutary effect on performance was substantial. I do miss the old days a bit though. Much easier to find good marriages for all the kids and important dynasties were much more resilient to dying out!

 

[Pollux26]

I think this was something that was pared back a few years ago specifically to address performance issues.

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. Fuck the AI having as much children as I do, the game would have twice or three times more characters to account for. It would lag the game insanely. I'm content with my brothers having 2 kids each at best while I have 5 or 6.

 

[mrinku]

Well, one way of looking at it is that in order to conserve resources, the game is omitting a lot of the dead babies that were a normal part of pre-industrial societies.

Properly speaking, most couples would be having a pregnancy every year or two, with a lot of the kids dead with a year, and a further amount not making age 10.

 

[Thrake]

You also get fertility bonus on easy-ish difficulty levels.

 

[Lossmar]

You should see AGOT mod.. There its normal for great houses to die off because healthy people married for 20 years dont have any kids.
Vanilla CK2 is small potatoes.

 

[jwalche]

You should take responsibility of birth rate within your over populated court. Choose seduction focus, get court tomcat, and keep seducing the wives who you want to have babies. Pay special attention to your unlanded sons' wives for a strong dynasty. Make the ladies all your lovers before you land their husbands.

 

[mrinku]

You can switch off court size in game rules, as well. Does not affect Ironman.

 

[DB42]

You can switch off court size in game rules, as well. Does not affect Ironman.

Any chance you can make no court size player only? Best of both worlds.