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EU4 - Development Diary - 12th of January 2021

After a few weeks without Dev Diaries, I am happy to present you a new one. I hope you all had a great time during them!

When I joined Paradox in October, Polynesia was not included in this Expansion. Considering it was the last part of the Earth without representation, I thought it would be nice to have some work done on it, so I proposed some ideas that I am happy to share with you all.

But, before I start, I would like to thank @Meka66 for his help and work that has greatly inspired me for this project.

THE MAP
The map has been slightly changed, since the basic needed setup was already there. However, in order to go a bit deeper, a few provinces have been added here and there. Do note that the flags are still a placeholder and not the final result.

Starting with Fiji, the archipelago has been divided in three provinces: one for each big island (Viti Levu and Vanua Levu) and a third one for the Lau archipelago that had a great influence from Tonga. Each province has a country inhabiting it, which is an abstraction of the many clans that populated each island. Should you unite them all under your banner, you will be able to form Viti.

Fiji Archipelago.png

[Fiji Archipelago and TAGs]​

In New Zealand a new province has been added in North Island which has the most populated one by the Maori people. The number of countries, though, goes up to 7. Six of them (Mataatua, Tainui, Takitimu, Taranaki, Te Arawa and Te Tai Tokerau) are in the Northern Island and Waitaha is in the Southern One. As in the case of Fiji, a Maori country that manages to unite the area is able to form Aotearoa.

New Zealand Archipelago.png

[New Zealand Archipelago and TAGs]​

Finally, the greatest transformation has been done in the Hawaiian Archipelago, that has gone from one province to four. Each province has their own country attached (Hawai’i, Kaua’i, Maui and O’ahu). As in the other cases, there is a formable for the unifiers of the islands.

Hawaii Archipelago.png

[Hawaii Archipelago and TAGs]​

A Polynesian rework could not let the two most important countries out: Samoa and Tonga.

Samoa & Tonga Archipelago.png

[Samoan and Tongan Archipelagos and TAGs]​

THE MISSIONS
As in the case of the Americas, the mission tree consists of a general common mission tree for every country and some specific missions for each country or group of them.

Tongan Mission Tree.png

[Tonga Mission Tree]
(Notice that all icons are still placeholders)​

Tonga is probably the most important TAG during this period. Despite the fact that the Tongan Empire is no more, a skillful player could rebuild it, bringing not only the neighboring islands under the control of Tongatapu, but go even further.

Some highlights of this tree include:
  • Bringing both Fiji and Samoa under your control again.
  • Recovering the Tongan Empire.
  • Expand even further.

Samoan Mission Tree.png

[Samoan Mission Tree]
(Notice that all icons are still placeholders).​

If Tonga was the political power during the period, Samoa was the cultural one. Most of the Pacific was colonized from there and from there were most of the traditions that ruled the lives of the Polynesians.

Some highlights of this tree include:
  • Recover the place as the cultural center.
  • Challenge Tonga.
  • Replace Tonga as the main power in the Pacific.

In order to not spoil the surprise, I will let you discover what the missions for the Maori the Fijian and the Hawaiian countries consist of.

THE NATIONAL IDEAS
Adding new TAGs would not be the same if they were not accompanied by their National Ideas.

Starting with the Fijians TAGs, their warring nature brought them a reputation of ruthless combatants, feared by everyone. But Fijians were also deeply religious people and famous shipbuilding artisans. All these things are represented in their National Ideas, making them a rather expansionist set.

Code:
fijian_ideas = {
    start = {
        light_ship_power = 0.1
        naval_attrition = -0.1
    }
  
    bonus = {
        ae_impact = -0.2
    }
  
    trigger = {
        OR = {
            tag = LAI
            tag = VIL
            #TODO: tag = VIT
            tag = VNL
        }
    }
    free = yes
  
    fijian_crossroad = {
        num_accepted_cultures = 2
    }
    fijian_degel = {
        range = 0.1
        global_ship_trade_power = 0.1
    }
    fijian_conjoined = {
        global_missionary_strength = 0.02
    }
    fijian_waqa = {
        prestige_from_naval = 0.4
    }
    fijian_cannibal = {
        army_tradition_from_battle = 0.25
        prestige_from_land = 0.4
    }
    fijian_kai = {
        land_attrition = -0.25
    }
    fijian_confederacy = {
        global_tax_modifier = 0.05
        production_efficiency = 0.05
    }
}
[Fijian National Ideas]​

As in the case of the Fijians, the Maori are famed for their bravery and constant warfare. Their set of ideas is focused on land combat, without disregarding ways to keep the land around a strong leader.

Code:
maori_ideas = {
    start = {
        global_regiment_recruit_speed = -0.10
        harsh_treatment_cost = -0.20
    }
  
    bonus = {
        prestige = 1
    }
  
    trigger = {
        primary_culture = maori
    }
    free = yes
  
    sons_of_kupe = {
        global_sailors_modifier = 0.10
        range = 0.10
    }
    kaikiakitanga = {
        tolerance_own = 1
    }
    kaumatua = {
        stability_cost_modifier = -0.20
    }
    kapa_haka = {
        land_morale = 0.10
    }
    pa_defence = {
        fort_maintenance_modifier = -0.10
    }
    te_moko = {
        leader_land_shock = 1
    }
    maori_king = {
        core_creation = -0.10
        legitimacy = 1
    }
}
[Maori National Ideas]​

As with the missions, we’d better not spoil the surprise by showing everything, am I right? I have a challenge for those that love them: try a world conquest with a Polynesian TAG! There are a couple of things in this area that could help you in that adventure. ;)

THE EVENTS
Events are one of the parts I like the most. While not as much time as I would have liked has been available, I have added more than 40 events to the area, including general events, specific Country events and even a few Easter eggs that I hope you can find and enjoy!

Fiji Event.png

Practice is what makes you a good warrior, after all.
(Notice that all pictures are still placeholders).

Hawaii Event.png

This event can be very nasty if you are in a very bad shape.
(Notice that all pictures are still placeholders).

Samoan Event.png

As Samoa, you will be given the choice to reform your society a bit or go on with the traditions with every ruler.
(Notice that all pictures are still placeholders).​

THE EXTRAS
There are a few things that have been added in order to create a bigger sense of immersion.

Maori culture has been created, separated from the main Polynesian branch. By the start of the game, the Maori were abandoning the Archaic Maori Period and entering a transformation one. The Iwi became more sedentary and their once pacific nature became more warlike as competition for resources becomes more central. New traditions had evolved by this time that justifies separating them from their islander cousins.

A new Polynesian technology group has been created. This technology group is between that of the Mesoamericans and the North Americans in penalty, but starts at tech 2.

Most Estates have been renamed to their proper versions to increase the flavor.

And some extra surprises here and there.

For now this is all. We still have lots of things to show, so just be patient and enjoy the time in between, everything will come!
 
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Also as I think it's been explained in the Arthrodira's post and afterwards about 5 times, this was never just about any person who doesn't like this DD. People just get extremely touchy and defensive when the question of biases is brought up even when it's about as explicitly not directed at them as possible.
Also everyone has bisses. I have aswell. People need to first accept that they aren't perfect before they can become better. But that step often hurts. This is not meant to be a sub-post against anyone poster here.
 
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Also everyone has bisses. I have aswell. People need to first accept that they aren't perfect before they can become better. But that step often hurts. This is not meant to be a sub-post against anyone poster here.
I knew Arthrodira's original post was worded too strongly and would make people defensive by specifically saying racism and xenophobia. Should have just left it at Eurocentric imo. Shame since it basically amounted to "think about what your biases are before you inject them into your take".
 
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Would amend to Eurocentrism rather than Anglo-centrism
How many movies, videogames, books, T.V shows, toys whatever have you ever seen about say for example Medieval Lithuania or Bulgaria?
And now compare it with Medieval England.
It's undeniably Anglo-centrism, the rest of Europe comes along because you cannot portray English history without portraying those they were involved with (which is why France and "the Vikings" are also well portrayed).

and you also have to remember Paradox has a large fanbase in Europe itself and not just the Anglosphere.
I am not talking about Paradox (although i could say the same about Paradox, example: just take a look at how the British Islands have twice as much province density as the Iberian peninsula in CK games, despite actually being sparser populated, more centralised and experiencing far less warfare) I was talking about about how media in general makes all of us place inherently more value in certain parts of the world than others. Which is why in the last couple of DD's people have complained about their lack of concern over these areas.
 
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And because these tags are so isolated from the rest of the world, I don't see how this is exciting apart from the early game.
Gameplay quality of these tags is one thing that we will known only after test the new patch.
Early game you have 15 other tags to interact and defeat in land and sea battles, after adm tech 5 you must decide between go to SEA or Mesoamerica/Andes.
Worst case scenario you conquer everyone fast and spend some decades in speed 5 waiting for adm tech 5 and colonial range; best case scenario you finish conquering your home area only after adm 5 and at same time yor colonies gain colonial range to Americas or Indonesia, in this case there is no period of gameplay spent doing nothing.
The more probable outcome is a middle ground between worst and best case scenario but this is a thing that is only possible to known testing the game.

There is a mod for 1.30 in steam Workshop named Oceania Expanded, I tested it and my personal experiance is that Oceania gameplay in this mod is fun if you like hard games, early wars like a OPM island nation are very expansive for your economy because you must have enough armies, enough ships and enough transports to defeteat other islands that will probably have 1-2 allies while you are fighting alone, the time spent doing nothing in speed 5 was low. Of course the official Oceania game and the Oceania mod will be different and have different gameplays and game pacing, but there is some potential if made right.
 
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Hoe does this argument square with those who want to see more content for states that already exist, like say Ethiopia? There are large tags in Africa that have generic mission trees and have a lot more import on the game’s outcome (within and without Africa). Instead this new DLC is adding tags in an area of the world that had no demands on the game’s content before.
Africa can't be made right without a full DLC of content, the current DLC have a focus in SEA, Oceania logically should be updated like a small part of this DLC because SEA tags in Indonesia will probably interact with Oceania in the majority of their games.
 
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Africa can't be made right without a full DLC of content, the current DLC have a focus in SEA, Oceania logically should be updated like a small part of this DLC because SEA tags in Indonesia will probably interact with Oceania in the majority of their games.

This is actually a VERY good argument on why the inclusion of these tags will enrich the game, more gameplay options for SEA tags (the core of this DLC) justifies their inclusion already in my opinion.
 
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I'm really convinced by @Sapa Inca and @reivaj89 's argument that Polynesia actually is relevant to the scope of the patch as players in SEA are very likely to interact with it, especially because of the trade route through Polynesia and to Australia added in Emperor.
 
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"The early European explorers who first encountered the Polynesians could not believe that a stone age people, with only simple sailing canoes and no navigational instruments, could themselves have discovered and settled the mid-Pacific islands. "
Source: https://www.pbs.org/wayfinders/polynesian3.html

I could not find the National Geographic showing the displeasure of the European accepting that stone age people who don't know how to read or write had better sailing abilities Hahaha.
I think that is the entire problem of some people here.
 
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A paradox, also known as an antinomy, is a logically self-contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to one's expectation.It is a statement that, despite apparently valid reasoning from true premises, leads to a seemingly self-contradictory or a logically unacceptable conclusion. A paradox usually involves contradictory-yet-interrelated elements that exist simultaneously and persist over time.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox

I think that now is more clearly.
 
a bit of flavor for that part of the world...
seven difefrent tags for new zealand , isn't that a bit too much?
 
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How many time does it have to be explained, exactly, that content designers (and unpaid volunteer researchers) are NOT developers or programers, and that time they spend on new content is NOT time they might have otherwise spent on improving the game coding?

Judging by the number of "You should be fixing bugs instead" posts in this thread, apparently however many time it is, it's not enough.
 
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a bit of flavor for that part of the world...
seven difefrent tags for new zealand , isn't that a bit too much?
Oceania Expanded has twice the tags in New Zealand and I don't think that's too bad imo. Adds Iwis but also gives them something to do. Too few and you get "there's nothing to do but sit around until admin 5". This is a nice middle ground.
 
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So, we know what tech group the Polynesians will have, but what about units? Will they have their own land unit progression or will they recycle another group's?
 
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How many time does it have to be explained, exactly, that content designers (and unpaid volunteer researchers) are NOT developers or programers, and that time they spend on new content is NOT time they might have otherwise spent on improving the game coding?

Judging by the number of "You should be fixing bugs instead" posts in this thread, apparently however many time it is, it's not enough.
Ad Infinitum apparently as directly telling people doesn't seem to prevent them from repeating the same line. They interpret the argument as if we're saying there's no opportunity cost decisions in regard to development when really it's just "hey this person you're talking to and what they're working on aren't preventing anything you're talking about from being done".
 
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Was not expecting this. In the past I probably would have opposed something like this, seeing it as just adding a bunch of OPM tags in the middle of nowhere that will never grow or develop or do anything. This DD indicates that the devs are actually going to put serious effort into making Polynesian countries not only playable, but also fun and unique. Optimistic.
 
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I play a lot of tags outside Europe, I think the issue with the new tags is this idea that we must empower every nation in the same way, one of the issues are the Ideas.. In my recent run with Kongo I felt like I was playing any other tag.. The same with Ryukyu, the same with Bengal.. Besides the initial technological gap, there is nothing differentiating one play from another.

The Ideas are all the same, for every tag, you just paint a map in a different color from a diferent start.
 
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I personally am glad to see this region of the world actually being given some character. Sure these tags will probably not expand and have an influence on the rest of the map, but having playable tags with unique missions and challenges of being a remote island nation is more exciting than a load of empty islands in the pacific for Europeans to all colonise and then have no further interaction with other than it giving them colonial range. I'm looking forward to forming at least one of these tags and playing an expansive naval and island game personally; it'll be more unique than many mainland campaigns to me at least.
 
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