Expeditions and prestigious discoveries

[unmerged(51662)]

I proposed a feature similar to this a while back, but I think it was far too complex, and the thread somehow just devolved into discussing the concept of 'civilised' for some reason.

I think exploration and discovery were important aspects of this era, and those I find most exciting. It makes no sense that a nation would colonise an area without first scouting out the potential benefits and hazards. So I think for a fee, and with no guaranteed chance of success, a country must first send an expedition to a province. This could have varying levels of success, with more information that can be gained through repeated expeditions. For example:

- The local tribe or 'natives', opening up diplomatic relations.
- Resources
- Landscape and attrition
- Chance of colony/mission success
- Prestigious discoveries

These prestigious discoveries would be the most exciting element of expeditions. Many remote provinces, but not all, would have some kind of natural or cultural wonder that so far has remained unknown to the western world. For example, the source of the Nile, mountain gorillas, ayers rock etc. I think it would greatly enhance the experience if the discovery event came with a small illustration, and of course a prestige bonus.

Just because a colony has been established, or the province belongs to another faction, it wouldn't mean that discoveries can't be made- for example, the British surveyed the Himalayas to find the highest mountain (ie Everest) in the mid 1800s, but were not allowed to enter Nepal due to bad relations. Therefore an expedition would have a much greater success rate if permission from the nation involved was first granted.

I also think these wonders should give a passive but small bonus to prestige for as long as they are held, much like Jerusalem and Mecca in EU3. Not only that, but wonders that had been discovered before the starting date should also be present and give these small bonuses.

 

[unmerged(91061)]

I like the idea. Would you model the expedition as a Provincial/regional option (Click on "Northern Australia, select "send expedition") or as a unit thing like EU3? I myself think selecting a region (State sized grouping of provinces) and sending an expedition just there would be ideal.
How would one send an Arctic/Antarctic expedition when I'm fairly sure Paradox won't put them on the map? (Perhaps click on the sea zones at the very top/bottom of the map?)

 

[Kaiserschmarrn]

It should also be able to emulate the expeditions of Hedin, although they where into another country.

Maby if they had some explorer unit, like a conquistador but without the need of an army.

Edith: oh, and if we could please have if not the north-west then at least the north-east passage?

 

[unmerged(51662)]

I like the idea. Would you model the expedition as a Provincial/regional option (Click on "Northern Australia, select "send expedition") or as a unit thing like EU3? I myself think selecting a region (State sized grouping of provinces) and sending an expedition just there would be ideal.

Yes I agree, I think it should be 'send expedition' (though am more inclined to provincial, as it means more exploring ). The time it takes could be relative to your nearest core.

 

[Orinsul]

I think that Provincal Decisions that spark event chains would be the best way to represent the expeditions. Into the depths of the jungle, mountains or fronteers and National Decisions for the Poles and Source of the Nile, South Seas, Scientific [see the eclipse from points all over the world etc] and like expeditions.
No terra incognita and definetly no explorers. It was not an age of empty spaces on the map but rather deeper detail to places already coloured in.

 

[HMS Enterprize]

Also do something with the North & South Pole events- they are fricking useless in vanilla....spend £100,000 for 50 prestige...big woop.

 

[unmerged(91061)]

I disagree with it being a provincial decision because that entails a lot of tedious micro-management clicking on each and every province every few months. Unless you were to start an expedition in one province then it guides itself at random in the direction of the greatest mystery. It's not like they would've been given constant orders from London to head south by south west.

 

[unmerged(51662)]

I disagree with it being a provincial decision because that entails a lot of tedious micro-management clicking on each and every province every few months. Unless you were to start an expedition in one province then it guides itself at random in the direction of the greatest mystery. It's not like they would've been given constant orders from London to head south by south west.

Yeh you could set a start and end point for an expedition. Obviously the chance of succeeding would decrease with every province crossed, as attrition kicks in.

 

[Orinsul]

The vgue or Great expeditions would be National or capital city decisions, provincial decisions would be for a minor expedition into the jungles of That province only. A great number of expeditions should be events, started by private interest rather than government or the royal society.

As to the complaints about the cost>benefit, thats how it should be. It should cost a lot and have a quite large chance to come back with nothing, abut if it succeeds it should bring you prestige and renewed interest in scientific exploration [giving colonial and research benefits]. Possibly an opening up of provinces for economic use from provincial expeditions. The Poles were a race that set cost the coffers alot and gave only boasting rights to the victor.

And why would the provincial expeditions be tedious, give a government charter to fund expeditions into the jungles of Provincename which then provokes events which are the individual expeditions, even a directly player intitiated and run expedition would only take a single click and last a good number years.
Expeditions involving regions would be national or capital, not a direct pointing, the words event chain were used for a purpose. The decision is where the expedition sets out from, luck and chance take care of the rest and should the expedition never return then no benefits are to come from it.
If it was a conquistador as in EU even should the entire expedition die in the heart of africa you would still have opened it up, this is madness, the expedition would go and set flags in provinces which then when they returned to london would be translated into prestige and possibly provincal Resource changes [discovery of gold, oil, rare woods etc]. Not as it goes, but when its over.

 

[OHgamer]

No terra incognita and definetly no explorers. It was not an age of empty spaces on the map but rather deeper detail to places already coloured in.

Not quite, much of the interior of Africa, Asia, the larger islands of Indonesia and the South Pacific, Australia and the Americas was still unmapped by Westerners as of 1836, so having events that allow "discovery" of these interior regions and then spread of knowledge to the rest of the West as in EU3 would be something to consider, and make actually having "discovering the source of the Nile/Niger/Congo/Zambezi" river events have actual gameplay value in terms of later colonization and colonial development.

 

[unmerged(71032)]

Definetly interesting idea, especially if made in simple way - decision (provincial in capital or national) + chain of events, ending in success/failure of the expedition.

It would add a nice touch to otherwise rather serious and sombre game. Come to think about it, various prestigous events present in Vicky 1 can be very well converted to the decision (provincial or national) with some events showing result after apropriate period of time (think Magna Mundi mod event chains). Various things like sponsoring national fairs, scientists and such would be great.

 

[unmerged(91061)]

Perhaps if a nation were to discover the source of the Nile/Niger/etc.. it would lower the life sustainability rating of provinces on that river, for that nation.

 

[Kaiserschmarrn]

I think that Provincal Decisions that spark event chains would be the best way to represent the expeditions. Into the depths of the jungle, mountains or fronteers and National Decisions for the Poles and Source of the Nile, South Seas, Scientific [see the eclipse from points all over the world etc] and like expeditions.
No terra incognita and definetly no explorers. It was not an age of empty spaces on the map but rather deeper detail to places already coloured in.

I can get terra incognita (although I am more inclined to agree with the people who disagree with you on that point) but why no explorers? expeditions didn't just go to one place at a time, they explored stretches of land, and it is the paths they mapped that I see as the big draw of this idea.

Or
What if they could become lost, and you could send rescue expeditions!