Game-Changing Events (that don’t involve Aztecs)

[gja102]

So the rationale behind Sunset Invasion is that tumultuous, continent-shaking events on a par with the Mongol hordes are fun, and anything that helps to combat late-game complacency is a Good Thing. Which is fair enough.

Now obviously the pros and cons of the new fantasy DLC have been argued to death in other threads, so please don’t discuss that here, but my question is - as they’re popular, what other game-changing events could be included in CK?

Off the top of my head, you could throw in a few relatively plausible scenarios where the black death is even more virulent, and kills like 90% of the population, with the ruling dynasties having to take exceptional measures just to stay alive.

And / or an extreme version of the peasant’s revolt, where the lower classes start gathering momentum and lead a sustained attack on feudal interests, maybe leading to some French revolutionary war-style scenarios if the peasants manage to gain some form of control over a major monarchy.

Either of these would serve as an interesting, ‘end-game boss’ type of situation for a player to fight. And might just keep the main game a bit more plausible than a Mesoamerican invasion fleet. Anyone got any other similar ideas?

 

[Deaghaidh]

So we're going for ahistorical meta-events to hit and make things nice and interesting for the very successfull players who need new challenges, correct?

Here's one: an early, more severe Little Ice Age. Mass crop failures, starvation, peasant uprisings, generally hard times.

An even worse plague, something like what the New World experienced in the Columbian exchange

An early outbreak of the reformation, maybe? Farfetched without printing presses, but not unthinkable in the event of very low moral authority on the dominant religions plus high development of religious flexibility.

Similarly, a major peasant uprising that throws the whole fuedal system into disarray.

Some kind of messianic figure rising from the fringes, massing a huge following for some new religion, then starting a wave of conquests.

 

[Tsungun]

Any major changes like an even worse black plague, new religions cropping up or an asteroid striking the planet should be optional and chosen in the options menu before a new game to stop people moaning about ahistorical events in their sandbox game. Probably won't stop the whingers but it's a good thing to have.

 

[TAoD]

What if China invaded europe?

 

[Affenklaus]

Martian invasion.
It begins relatively harmless: Reports about comet sightings increase. One of you courtiers disappears without a trace on a hunting trip. A while later another courtier is suddenly gone just to reappear a few days later without memories about what happened. Nine months later this courtier gives birth to a green-skinned child with huge black eyes - of course you kill this hellish abomination. Your priest is losing his mind, rambling about an approaching invasion force of demons in flying chariots, shooting arrows of pure light.
Sure, strange things like that happened before but never so many of them at the same time, so you gather your twelve noblest knights around you, equip the sharpest blades and saddle the best horses a man can ride. If the Lord wants to test your faith, you are ready.

Oh, but at the end of the day you had to proof your courage, many fine women were weeping: The aliens landed with their flying saucers and shot you all with their lasers. You had no chance. Game over.

 

[dukeofmunster]

Reports about comet sightings increase.

And we all know what that means......

 

[Flamestalker]

What if China invaded europe?

China was way to busy with the Mongols to even care about Europe.

 

[nyah]

China was way to busy with the Mongols to even care about Europe.

In a world where the mongols are wiped out early on China might be strong enough to march west. You couldn't have both a Chinese and a Mongol invasion.

 

[Comradebot]

I think late game complacency could be combated with deeper internal affairs, and for larger realms to risk fracturing the larger they got. Sure, that last one would cause all kinds of rage from control freaks, but I dream of a game that's a tad more realistic than that. Factions have gone a long ways towards helping that, and I'm grateful for em'. But one of the game's biggest issues is, late game, unless you've very heavily restricted yourself, you're probably some disgusting blob with half a million troops. Of course its boring, because you've killed all the challenge.

The game should make it harder and harder to grow and stay larger and larger, and at the same time not make you feel like you're absolutely boned if your nation isn't the biggest dog in the yard. Playing a North African state shouldn't mean you're racing to blob as much as possible before the HRE declares a free holy war for all your everything. Playing the Fatimids shouldn't be "LOLOLOLsteamrollerLOLOLOL". Still, I love the Independence League Wars... just sad that many of the rebels instantly get re-absorbed by the strong claims of their leige within just a couple years. The potential for new nations to be born and survive is simply too low... makes me want to load up EUIII and watch an AI Ukraine bash its way through the Golden Horde.

 

[victimizer]

The Orcs invade!

 

[Pyriel]

An early outbreak of the reformation, maybe? Farfetched without printing presses, but not unthinkable in the event of very low moral authority on the dominant religions plus high development of religious flexibility.

Though in this reformation the Pope and the catholic church stomped the protestant and literally burned every single one as a heretic, solidifying the catholic church power for the next 1000 years. In this alternative scenario the renaissance never happened and kings rule with the absolute powers even to this day.

Heh, it's how I imagine it anyway.. there was a rather unknown game that dealt with this perticular scenario , tho it had magic.

 

[grumphie]

i'd liek some general historical things(i.e. reformation, printing press, discovery of america, small ice age ect.) that can or can not happen late game, and fires a series of events and all. i.e. cities gaining more and more control and power over the monarchy or a early discovery of america(by whatever country) which ignites a race to colonise it, and basicly mean s that you can have 10* someones army and still lose due to the limited amoutn of troops you can ferry

 

[FabiusBile]

Maybe a "new" Schism when a Pope decides that not only the souls must belong to the church, but also their land - i.E. a Pope trying to unify Europe by force under the Banner of God. Countries could then decide wether to join the Pope (thus becoming Vassals to the Pope and his new Theocracy) or try and fight of the influence of the church and restoring the rule of Feudalism. We could see many new Units, Crusade Forces and Events for this new Scenario . In this World, Feudalism would cease to exist when the Pope wins.

 

[unmerged(398932)]

China.

a) They could arrive before the Mongols.
b) They could potentially arrive instead of the Mongols, in an alternate history where the Mongols never got anywhere. The differing behaviour of the Chinese invaders could add an element of uncertainty, as you don't know whether it will be Mongols or Chinese.
c) They could arrive in the late-game, e.g. in an alternate history where Zheng He's maritime policies were taken to the next level.
d) As a land-based empire in the far east, they could arrive from the eastern side of the map like the Mongols, but as they were more than capable of creating an overseas empire as well, they could arrive from the Red Sea and/or even the Atlantic.

Extending the end date to include the discovery of America and the Reformation, and maybe having a chance for either to occur earlier on, would also be cool.