[MOD] Simple I:R Timeline Extender

[TinWiz]

March 14, 2023

Latest Update (version 1.1): https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/mod-simple-i-r-timeline-extender.1175609/post-28825036

Available for download from the Paradox Mods website: https://mods.paradoxplaza.com/mods/31816/Any
Also now available on the Steam Workshop: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2729500336

As this mod is now a fully playable version, I've updated the thread title from [WIP] to [MOD]. It's been a fun journey learning how to make this, and I hope anyone who wants to extend their I:R timeline gives it a try and enjoys the historically inspired additions, especially if they want to use either of the fantastic Imperator: Rome → Crusader Kings II / III converters.

Any ideas or suggestions for further updates or submods are welcome.


Does this mod have Islam or plans to add it?
No, this timeline extender aims to end in 1229 AUC / 476 CE, and then convert to Crusader Kings II or III, so there is no Islam. That would need a CK2 or CK3 mod, such as When the World Stopped Making Sense (WtWSMS).

WtWSMS has some rise of Islam events in the original CK2 version; the CK3 version is in development.

I think that both @Dr. Dudelsack for the I:R→CK2 converter and @IlikeTrains who develops the I:R→CK3 converter, plan for some integration or compatibility with WtWSMS eventually.

---

So I've decided to try learning how to mod. I want to extend the Imperator timeline into late antiquity with a very basic addition of 1. Christianity and 2. barbarian invasions.

I'd also like to make a decision (eventually) for a Roman Empire player with a huge sprawling blob facing unrelenting hordes of wildlings to "retreat" into the Byzantine Empire borders, if they at least own Byzantion (province ID 1453, nice touch, Paradox), and "vacate" part of the map. That would be based on triggering events that spawn hordes ("horde [<province>]") of barbarians, sort of simulating the historical invasions (sort of). The reward for this would be ending these invasions events and increasing stability.

So far I just outlined a rough plan on a blog page. Right now I'm kind of stuck on v0.1 because the 00_defines file doesn't load properly. There is a workaround in the meantime so I can experiment beyond the end date and I figured I should try learning the next step: adding an event that starts converting pops in Palestine to a new religion (Christianity).

If anyone with modding experience could lend a minute of their time to suggest how I can approach this that would be much appreciated.

EDIT: I'm troubleshooting how to get an initial version to run until the end of the fourth century CE. Let's call it v0.05 (halfway to 0.1).

 

[Idhrendur]

You've got a solid top level plan, which is impressive for a novice modder.

I've not modded Imp (IR? I:R? Has the community started settling on an acronym?) but I've modded many other games. I'd suggest just plain playing around with events to get a feel for how they work and their limits. That'd probably make the rest more clear.

 

[Idhrendur]

You also might want to communicate with @Radu, who has ideas regarding extending the timeline and converting to CK2.

 

[TinWiz]

Thanks Idhrendur, I'm looking forward to Radu's mod, although I think he wants to extend the I:R (I like this acronym best ) timeline with no additions and then move into CK2 with Christianity starting there. I think the migration period can be handled in either game, but I wanted to experiment to see how it would work in I:R because it actually has the mechanics for it.

Spawning barbarian hordes could simulate the invasions because they significantly lower the civilization levels for land they conquer, and when they settle in an area, they adopt the religion and culture where they spawned from (the trigger event would be separate and not connected to barbarian strongholds, but originating in those locations). So barbarians spawning in a Roman Christian province would "convert" when they settle conquered land, kind of simultaneously simulating the political changes and sweeping religious conversion of Europe. Of course by CK2 the political map would be very different from history, and depending on player choices, Christianity could reach its historic boundaries or beyond, or be extremely limited.

There is some awkwardness playing past the end date, like most of the technologies usually are already researched by the end of the I:R timeline (auc727 / 27BC) and probably would run out soon after that. Then again, that does kind of allude to the "dark ages" idea of halting technological progress.

 

[mellester1]

My vote goes to I:R too.
There is allot of modding potential. Like the "War of the heavenly horses" can be simulated with a "baberian horde" arriving from beyond tibet and making a beeline to a horse pronvence bacteria.
There are discord server dedicated to modding I:R best place for quick question or sharing snippets for code.

 

[TinWiz]

I'm trying to get an event triggered to kickstart the Christian conversion process. I got all the code (with their permission) from A Christianity Mod. For some reason it's not triggering in-game (without using the console). It looks like this:

namespace = l6_christian

#Conversion of the 3000
l6_christian.1 = {
    type = country_event
    title= "l6_christian.1.t"
    desc = "l6_christian.1.desc"
    picture = crucifixion
 
    #left_portrait = current_ruler
 
    fire_only_once = yes
 
    #
 
    trigger = {
        current_date >= 784.5.20 #30AD (should it be 33AD?) just over 40 days after passover
    }
 
    immediate = {
    }
 
    option = {
        name = "l6_christian.1.a"
        p:687 = {
            random_pops_in_province = {
                set_pop_religion = christianity
            }
            random_pops_in_province = {
                set_pop_religion = christianity
            }
            random_pops_in_province = {
                set_pop_religion = christianity
            }
         }
         set_global_variable = {
                name = christianity_spreads_locally
          }      
    }
}

When the in-game date ticks over May 20, auc784, nothing happens.

 

[mellester1]

you need to check somewhere if it triggered.
depending on where you put this event it wont fire on it own. I think not sure but your gone have to find a pulse event that fires this event say every year.
the trigger block will then disable your event and not have it fire at all

 

[qweyt]

One person in my mod's community had a similar mod idea. I'm also helping with it and you could say I have some experience with extending timelines. You can join the discord server here. https://discord.gg/kgJZQfN We have not really started yet, as we are waiting for 1.1

 

[TinWiz]

you need to check somewhere if it triggered.
depending on where you put this event it wont fire on it own. I think not sure but your gone have to find a pulse event that fires this event say every year.
the trigger block will then disable your event and not have it fire at all

While editing the code I removed the trigger p:687 = { owner = root } and that's what broke it I think (rookie mistake); replacing it made it fire again.

Now I'm trying to add hidden events that work without a pop-up, tracing the spread of Christianity around the Mediterranean (constant pop-ups would get really annoying). But they don't work (no surprise there, I guess). This is the first one:

namespace = te_christianity


#Early spread of Christianity

#Early churches
#Tarsus
te_christianity.1 = {
    type = country_event
    hidden = yes

    fire_only_once = yes

    trigger = {
        current_date >= 792.5.21 #AD 39
        current_date <= 793.4.30 #AD 40
        p:1883 = {
            has_owner = yes
        }  
    }

    immediate = {
        hidden_effect = {
            p:1883 = {
                random_pops_in_province = {
                    set_pop_religion = christianity
                }
                random_pops_in_province = {
                    set_pop_religion = christianity
                }
                random_pops_in_province = {
                    set_pop_religion = christianity
                }
                set_local_variable = {
                    name = early_christian_church
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

I also tried it without the "hidden" commands but it doesn't trigger. Can anyone point out what's wrong with it?

 

[TinWiz]

After running the timeline ahead into the second century CE I've noticed that population sizes have really ballooned in some cities. The Antonine Plague took place right about the middle of the second century and I think it would be both an interesting aspect of history to add as well as a way of reducing population (to be crude, but it's just virtual here), and offering a challenge to a player somewhat, if they aren't already a massive blob by that point (the AI hasn't managed it, although there are clearly a handful of great powers with Rome in the lead).

What would be the best way to add simple, but effective plague events? I thought of firing off one event to set a global variable (e.g. Antonine Plague), and then adding pulse events that would affect random owned provinces, killing pops, reducing manpower, reducing stability, affecting character health, and reducing civilization levels. Can I add all of these things in some simple province and character modifiers (with an end date and a chance to alleviate)? Are there any game events already or mods that do something like this?

 

[TinWiz]

I think I've kind of figured how to do a plague event, thought it's simplistic and crude (just stacking negative growth modifiers on all the provinces).

As for the barbarian invasions, I'm wondering if there is a way to script console commands into event files (or the same effects)? Do they translate or is there any connection? Specifically, the console command "horde [<province id>]" would be really useful.

 

[SOSHaruhi101]

So I've decided to try learning how to mod. I want to extend the Imperator timeline into the dark ages with a very basic addition of 1. Christianity and 2. barbarian invasions.

I'd also like to make a decision (eventually) for a Roman Empire player with a huge sprawling blob facing unrelenting hordes of wildlings to "retreat" into the Byzantine Empire borders, if they at least own Byzantion (province ID 1453, nice touch, Paradox), and "vacate" part of the map. That would be based on triggering events that spawn hordes ("horde [<province>]") of barbarians, sort of simulating the historical invasions (sort of). The reward for this would be ending these invasions events and increasing stability.

So far I just outlined a rough plan on a blog page. Right now I'm kind of stuck on v0.1 because the 00_defines file doesn't load properly. There is a workaround in the meantime so I can experiment beyond the end date and I figured I should try learning the next step: adding an event that starts converting pops in Palestine to a new religion (Christianity).

If anyone with modding experience could lend a minute of their time to suggest how I can approach this that would be much appreciated.

Have you ever thought of converting your mod to WTWSMS As that Ck2 mod starts in 476 and is already compatible with the converter series, meaning you could probably laser focus your efforts on nailing the period before that, while still having a workable converter

 

[TinWiz]

Have you ever thought of converting your mod to WTWSMS As that Ck2 mod starts in 476 and is already compatible with the converter series, meaning you could probably laser focus your efforts on nailing the period before that, while still having a workable converter

That is a fine idea. I really should play that mod — is it based on a very particular historical setup? I:R would make a mess of that. Also as @qweyt mentioned he is going to be working on an extended timeline for I:R and I think that would be worth checking out (to say the least).

 

[SOSHaruhi101]

That is a fine idea. I really should play that mod — is it based on a very particular historical setup? I:R would make a mess of that. Also as @qweyt mentioned he is going to be working on an extended timeline for I:R and I think that would be worth checking out (to say the least).

Its a dark ages mod thats sort of based on a particular setup, but being that its Ck2, its fairly malleable and really not THAT dependent. Probably just have to tweak some of the features. It would save you time on porting religions as well as it has a buttload of them.

Only issue is that it’s not up to date with HF yet.

 

[Siegfriedfr]

Nice WIP you got there. Keep it up !

 

[TinWiz]

Nice WIP you got there. Keep it up !

Thanks for the encouragement. It was fun learning how to add events. Now I'm trying to figure out why they keep crashing the game, which is not quite as much fun.

 

[TinWiz]

So the game eventually crashes after four or five centuries (sometimes earlier), even without any mod loaded and just the 00_defines file edited to extend the timeline, always on a particular date. Not sure how to fix this, but maybe it will be addressed for the 1.1 patch.

 

[SAS]

So the game eventually crashes after four or five centuries (sometimes earlier), even without any mod loaded and just the 00_defines file edited to extend the timeline, always on a particular date. Not sure how to fix this, but maybe it will be addressed for the 1.1 patch.

since 1.1 have you confirmed the end date change (extending) works?

 

[TinWiz]

since 1.1 have you confirmed the end date change (extending) works?

As of v1.1 we can mod the 00_defines file now, changing the start date and end dates, without having to alter the game files.

 

[SAS]

As of v1.1 we can mod the 00_defines file now, changing the start date and end dates, without having to alter the game files.

Do you just put the new defines file in the mod in the same file path and it overwrites it or does it have to be in a "replace' folder.