HOI4 Dev Diary - PdxCon Recap and Team update

[BlueSpaceCanary]

Yeah you understood me correctly. Long term we wanna move away from more paid large mechanics because its getting more and more fragile as we grow

Just want to say that, speaking as a software engineer who's worked on big systems with lots of complicated moving parts before, I'm really really glad to hear this. Just looking at the DLC lists for the older games and thinking about testing & debugging them practically gave me heart palpitations, so I can only imagine how frustrating & time-consuming it must get for y'all when too many DLC-gated mechanics accumulate.

 

[Koba133]

Just want to say that, speaking as a software engineer who's worked on big systems with lots of complicated moving parts before, I'm really really glad to hear this. Just looking at the DLC lists for the older games and thinking about testing & debugging them practically gave me heart palpitations, so I can only imagine how frustrating & time-consuming it must get for y'all when too many DLC-gated mechanics accumulate.

it is a problem for paradox games but not really for Hoi4. It was released at the same time as Stellaris, but has had about half the number of DLCs/updates

 

[BlueSpaceCanary]

it is a problem for paradox games but not really for Hoi4. It was released at the same time as Stellaris, but has had about half the number of DLCs/updates

That's definitely true, but I'd bet it helps a lot even with a small number of expansions for a couple different reasons:

a) If mechanics aren't part of the base game, each expansion has to be somewhat siloed. If big mechanical changes are part of the free patches, DLCs can build on each other without having to worry as much about unintended interactions, so they have more freedom to do cool stuff.

b) It means mechanical changes can much more easily *alter* the base game rather than just *adding* to it, which keeps complexity a bit more under control. That then means fewer (and easier to track down) bugs, easier performance improvements, and at least potentially less work required to get the AI working well

It already seemed like they'd been taking this approach, it's just really good to hear it's been a conscious decision because it bodes well for the future, both on HoI4 and their other games

 

[Ketchup & friends]

(yes I know center is on the left. Trust me it makes sense. You are crazy I am not crazy!)

Most likely it makes sense (if there is a shared sub-branch for the opposition branches)

but it would be better to rename Centre to any other name else to avoid confusion.

 

[Volkskaiser]

Most likely it makes sense (if there is a shared sub-branch for the opposition branches)

but it would be better to rename Centre to any other name else to avoid confusion.

"Status Quo" would make more sense, than naming it "center" and putting it on the left

 

[Panchoraptor]

Is there a forum for additional Hoi4 game ideas?

 

[BeauNiddle]

Is there a forum for additional Hoi4 game ideas?

There is the suggestions forum

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/forums/hearts-of-iron-iv-suggestions.953/

 

[kimidf]

It should also be noted that even if the vast majority of ethnic Russians, which isn't quite true, supported the soviet government, according to the 1937 census, they constituted a little over 58% of all citizens of the USSR.

totally true remember that Yakov the eldest son Stalin when he was captured to the Germans. He commented on this the worst fear that his father and the Soviet leaders had, is that the Germans had actively promoted an anti-Soviet and deeply nationalist movement, which very probably would have caused a second civil war and the internal collapse of the Soviet regime.

since this was the main point of weakness of the Soviet regime and that many national identities that formed this regime and would have gladly joined the Germans in exchange for having some autonomy and national recognition

 

[safe-keeper]

Is there a forum for additional Hoi4 game ideas?

Yes, but you need to register your game to see it.

 

[skawer]

With changes comming to poland is there a chance we could get an expantion of the Czechoslovak focus tree?

 

[MrMcQue]

With changes comming to poland is there a chance we could get an expantion of the Czechoslovak focus tree?

Definetly not in this update.

However i am sure they will go over Czechoslovakia again in the future as they said that revisiting the old Together for Victoiry and Death or Dishonor trees is on their list.

 

[XselenS]

Awesome diary! Thanks for touching on the AMAZING new mechanics that are coming with NSB. I really appreciate the transparency regarding the plans for the future. I feel like the next major DLC after NSB was hinted at a peace Treaty mechanic Rework plus Italy. It makes sense really, seeing how Italy was tossed around between both sides during WW2. I cannot wait for more! Although the country packs are a meh to me (I don't care for the abstract alt-history) I know some people love it. So thank you for focusing dev time effectively on both aspects of the game!

 

[AzuraBalmooree]

CK3 had the best tutorial ive ever seen in a strategy game. Try copying it!

 

[velles]

Damn, I was hoping that Arheo will join V3 team, as it is probably the most similar game to Imperator and his experience would be invaluable.
Yet he was assigned to the one Paradox GSG game that couldn't be any further from Imperator/Victoria

 

[JJT3001]

What I wish you guys would add to the update is a communism path for Germany. As this Update focuses on a whole lot of communism in the east, a communism path for Germany would also make historically speaking a lot of sense. If that is planned for the future then I am more than happy to wait but please commie germany when?

 

[goodcigar]

I would like to request some things for the Tank Designer: spaced armor/armor skirts (iconic thing used on many German tanks), track spacing & large road wheels (my understanding is that this was a big deal), anti-personnel grenade/mine launchers (used on many German tanks), Zimmerit paste (used on many German tanks), early night vision Sperber FG 1250 "Sparrow Hawk" (used on some Panther tanks).

And more than 4 "special module" slots so we can actually build advanced historical tanks. The Ship Designer and Division Designer also have this same problem. 5 Support Company slots isn't enough to build historical Divisions. And the Ship Designer doesn't have enough slots for Submarines for example to build the advanced late war Submarines. Big pet peeve of mine.

 

[man0lo]

Although I m delighted and thankful for all the enhancements; improvements and the continuous support; I still feel a little bitterness. That is because for another time there is not even a single reference to any plan of improving the civilian aspect of the game. Imho civilian aspect is very limited in HOI IV especially in comparison with other Paradox strategy games like EU IV; Vic II ; CK II & III etc. For example civilian economy doesnt consume any resources unlike Darkest Hour where factories were consuming Energy which was depended on Rare Materials; you have no benefits of staying or turning back to a less mobilising economy in contrast with DH where you could interact with the population by adjusting the consumers goods etc. I was hyped when I read about the new train system because the train 3D model looked like it was carrying Coal... and I thought we gonna get a "civilian resource" but sadly I read below that it wasnt the case. Civilian factories could also use oil in order to be fully-fuctional.
HOI IV may is more a war game than a geopolitical one but I would love to have the possibility of managing the domestic affairs of my country more actively.

 

[Lord Hoosier]

All really good, but why is "The Left Opposition" on the right side of "The Centre"? Let's try to avoid a Spain Tree issue with the Right being on the left side and the Left being on the right one.

As for the ideas about country packs, I am pleased with this. I personally want to see Scandavia covered first, just to finally get Finland represented. My biggest let down at PDXCON was learning Finland will not be in the Eastern Front themed pack. I understand this is the only logical way to slot in the Baltics, but I really wish we could see Finland too, with a tree really well integrated with the Soviet one. I also hope with Scandavia that Denmark gets at least a small tree, maybe focused on resistance post annexation as its population was quite good at secretly working against the Germans. I hope Norway can have a branch where Quisling gets his wild fantasies achieved as opposed to merely being a marionette of Hitler. Sweden? I feel they should have a tree to support the Fins, as many volunteers went to fight in the Winter War. Maybe also a very big diplomatic/economic tree focused on its iron ore.

Also on the matter of country packs, I recall Belgium was considered for Man the Guns but then dropped. This means you think it is important enough for some sort of tree. However I fear with the regional focus moving forward, Belgium will be neglected as all of its neighbors except tiny Luxembourg (confirmed to have no tree plans) have trees at this point. Please do not forget about Belgium in the long run. If the Baltics are worthy, so is Belgium.

 

[goodcigar]

According to this video it sounds like the USSR had their own special rail gauge. But the rest of the Europeans used a different one. So it sounds like anyone trying to conquer Soviet territory and use their rail network should have to convert their rail gauge first. If the Soviets retake their territory they should also have to reconvert it back to their own rail gauge. Unless the rail has already been intentionally destroyed which both the Germans and Soviets did. If rail is intentionally destroyed then you should just have to rebuild it from scratch. Sabotaging infrastructure is something that the game needs to add in general. Scorched earth was a common tactic during the war.

Sabotaging rail should require time and effort and not be instant.

Devs need to look into this history to get it right.

I also read that Spain used their own special wide gauge like the Soviets. So same situation should apply to them if someone conquers their territory.

The small Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) used the standard European gauge.

What did Germany do in World War II about the different rail gauge in the Soviet Union?

One reason it was so hard for Germany to invade Russia/the Soviet Union in World War II (and I) was because the Russians had a different (wider) railroad gauge than that of most of the rest of Euro...

history.stackexchange.com

During WW2, did the USSR re-gauge railways in conquered areas?

Basically, Germany uses 1435 mm gauge train track while Russia used 1524 mm. I recently came across this question about the Germans re-gauging the track that they could during their invasion of Rus...

history.stackexchange.com

Is it true that during WWII train tracks in the Soviet Union were wider than those in Western Europe thus making things difficult for Ger...

Answer (1 of 8): There was, in fact, a difference between Russian railroad track gauge and Germany's, though it was coincidental and not done with any thought of military advantage. It makes for fascinating reading, if you are so inspired. Difference of gauge, in addition to railroad beds, bridge...

www.quora.com

 

[Mister Analyst]

According to this video it sounds like the USSR had their own special rail gauge.

I believe that the Soviet Union rail gauge was common with both the United States and the United Kingdom.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_gauge
Railways with a railway track gauge of 5 ft (1,524 mm) first appeared in the United Kingdom and the United States. This gauge became commonly known as Russian gauge because the government of the Russian Empire later chose it in 1843 — former areas of the Empire have inherited this standard.

Also consider that it wouldn't make sense for the USA or UK to send lend lease locomotives to the USSR if those locomotives wouldn't fit on the existing tracks.