Thank you CK2 devs

[joos]

Nope. No sarcasm here.

As is my pattern, I have been playing EU4 the past couple of months. And taking part in the forum discussions there. And coming here to the CK2 forum feels like reaching the land of liberty after living in a war-torn landscape. What with the new launcher release along with a patch, the forum is filled with everything from butchering the devs to bringing attention to timeless bugs that have never been fixed. People are clamouring about their right to WC, and others flying rebel pennants for tall play. Government reform changes have led to mass rebellions all across the EU4 landscape, with some wanting to return to the good ol' days of Prussian Shia Monarchy while others bay for harsher penalties for map painting.

And then I come over here. Immediately, the harsh wind is gone, replaced by a gentle breeze. I hear wind chimes softly in the distance. I hear someone ask "How do I seduce my homosexual daughter?" I smile.

Yes, CK2 has bugs. It has minor to major annoyances. It resembles history the same way a crumpled paper resembles the Declaration of Independence. But it has heart.

There is a reason I voted for CK2 as a Labour of Love on Steam awards. Thank you, devs, for all your good work.

PS: I may be under the influence of products that make me more benevolent towards humanity, but that's no reason to discount my truly heartfelt praise for CK2.

 

[Wade Aznable]

I completely agree. I already thanked pdx once, for CK2, but your thread gives me the occasion to thank them again.
Them, and the community in here, always helpful, charming and kind.

 

[Thrake]

I came back after staying away from the game a very long time. Playing with the new mechanics felt really great. Also noticed some great AI updates: very few lowborn marriages so now vassals can and will ally, but also dynamic creation of merchant republics so they are still a thing 2 centuries in the game. I've even spotted some Muslim MR so the AI can actually be more competitive.

I've noticed a chunk of new events, though I would have enjoyed some extra diversity, it looks like corronations have very few possible outcomes, just like societies quickly run out of new events.

Still a great (renewed) experience. So yeah, good job guys

 

[Rockphed]

I think a large part of why CKII is more peaceful is the well developed game rules. If the devs had made either shattered or regular retreats standard and the other required modding, I think there would be constant bickering. But, because I can play with shattered retreats on while someone else can play with it off according to our will and pleasure, we don't harangue the team with requests to change which one is officially supported. I think the only game-rule gated features that still get complained about are defensive coalitions and nomad instability, and they get griped about because there aren't enough gradations of the rule.

 

[Leyrann]

I think a large part of why CKII is more peaceful is the well developed game rules. If the devs had made either shattered or regular retreats standard and the other required modding, I think there would be constant bickering. But, because I can play with shattered retreats on while someone else can play with it off according to our will and pleasure, we don't harangue the team with requests to change which one is officially supported. I think the only game-rule gated features that still get complained about are defensive coalitions and nomad instability, and they get griped about because there aren't enough gradations of the rule.

Wow, you actually play with that abomination? I've restarted games several years in because I realized shattered retreat was accidentally on...

 

[Rockphed]

Wow, you actually play with that abomination? I've restarted games several years in because I realized shattered retreat was accidentally on...

While it makes it a little harder to crush enemy armies, it generally helps prevent stack-wipes when I make a bad choice.

 

[Blobhemian]

Wow, you actually play with that abomination? I've restarted games several years in because I realized shattered retreat was accidentally on...

Maybe it's that I started playing CK2 only after becoming profficient in EU4, but turning shattered retreat off feels like massive cheese against the AI. I'd feel like a cheater if I played without it, the AI simply isn't capable of consolidating before getting wiped out.

 

[Rockphed]

Maybe it's that I started playing CK2 only after becoming profficient in EU4, but turning shattered retreat off feels like massive cheese against the AI. I'd feel like a cheater if I played without it, the AI simply isn't capable of consolidating before getting wiped out.

I have won so many civil wars as Byzantium because I used vassal fleets to swiftly move my armies between theatres. I think I once defeated a revolt that had 4 times my troops by being able to get my army into and out of battle before they could consolidate.

 

[Dragatus]

I like shattered retreat because without it wars turn into a game of whack-a-mole. You defeat the enemy once, then chase them from province to province until they get completely wiped out. Or if you lose your retreating army gets chased down instead. With shattered retreat on you have fewer but more meaningful engagements. And you can always do a bit of siegeing while you wait for the enemy army to return for a second go.

Anyway, I too am thankful to the devs for making such a great game and taking good care of it. Holy Fury was absolutely brilliant and I am looking forward to whatever exciting CK2 related announcement they have planned for PDXCON.

 

[vandevere]

Nope. No sarcasm here.

As is my pattern, I have been playing EU4 the past couple of months. And taking part in the forum discussions there. And coming here to the CK2 forum feels like reaching the land of liberty after living in a war-torn landscape. What with the new launcher release along with a patch, the forum is filled with everything from butchering the devs to bringing attention to timeless bugs that have never been fixed. People are clamouring about their right to WC, and others flying rebel pennants for tall play. Government reform changes have led to mass rebellions all across the EU4 landscape, with some wanting to return to the good ol' days of Prussian Shia Monarchy while others bay for harsher penalties for map painting.

And then I come over here. Immediately, the harsh wind is gone, replaced by a gentle breeze. I hear wind chimes softly in the distance. I hear someone ask "How do I seduce my homosexual daughter?" I smile.

Yes, CK2 has bugs. It has minor to major annoyances. It resembles history the same way a crumpled paper resembles the Declaration of Independence. But it has heart.

There is a reason I voted for CK2 as a Labour of Love on Steam awards. Thank you, devs, for all your good work.

PS: I may be under the influence of products that make me more benevolent towards humanity, but that's no reason to discount my truly heartfelt praise for CK2.

It's most likely because of CK2's Game Rules, which allow one to play as hard, or easy, a game as they want. Before the Game Rules were installed, it was every bit as bad as the situation you just described.

They still bitch about the bugs and devs, though...

Can't have it all, I suppose...

 

[Leyrann]

It's most likely because of CK2's Game Rules, which allow one to play as hard, or easy, a game as they want. Before the Game Rules were installed, it was every bit as bad as the situation you just described.

They still bitch about the bugs and devs, though...

Can't have it all, I suppose...

Hey, what's a good forum without some bitching?

 

[Rockphed]

Hey, what's a good forum without some bitching?

A great forum? Dead? Oh, I know, "off."

 

[Azhcristokos]

The community calmed down a lot after Reaper's Due was released because that patch brought in game rules and a massive boost to performance. People were suddenly able to dodge many restrictions they hated and mods were able to handle customized rules in a much more streamlined fashion.

I wasn't around when Jade Dragon dropped (there was some flak IIRC) but as far as I know, things here have never since reached the horror that swept the EU IV and Stellaris communities. I haven't spent much time on the HoI4 forums so I have no idea what it's like there.

 

[Dragatus]

I don't remember any particular flak when JD came out. It was one of the more low profile DLC releases. The worst I witnessed was when Conclave came out and forced shattered retreat and defensive pacts on everyone playing vanilla. But RD with it's game rules and improved performance was a big reversal and the forum has been a pleasant place ever since.

 

[Azhcristokos]

I don't remember any particular flak when JD came out.

I just have vague memories of people whining up and down about China but it wasn't as bad as the periodic posts arguing over whether China should be added in as a playable region (I am glad it wasn't). I didn't really start browsing the forums semi-regularly again until Holy Fury.

I am glad I missed the initial release of Conclave and came back just before Reaper's Due dropped. It was clear by then that the forum had been stewing in fury for a while.

 

[mrinku]

I think the main griping about JD was just that they'd spent a whole DLC on an area of the map a lot of people weren't interested in. I'm not one of those, but it is still the only DLC I've not yet bought.

And worth noting it was the RD patch that added game rules. Not having to pay for that major quality of life improvement definitely sweetened the pot.

 

[Azhcristokos]

I think the main griping about JD was just that they'd spent a whole DLC on an area of the map a lot of people weren't interested in. I'm not one of those, but it is still the only DLC I've not yet bought.

And worth noting it was the RD patch that added game rules. Not having to pay for that major quality of life improvement definitely sweetened the pot.

At least it (mostly?) put an end to the "add China" threads, which always devolved into bitter spats.

 

[Leyrann]

I think the main griping about JD was just that they'd spent a whole DLC on an area of the map a lot of people weren't interested in. I'm not one of those, but it is still the only DLC I've not yet bought.

And worth noting it was the RD patch that added game rules. Not having to pay for that major quality of life improvement definitely sweetened the pot.

It's one of the last DLCs I bought, but I find myself using the new casus belli quite a bit, they're very useful to expand faster, in particular the vassalization CB which only costs prestige.

 

[Dragatus]

Horse Lords and Jade Dragon, while still most relevant to the eastern half of the map, are both more universal than they get credit for because they both add the silk road, the trans-Saharan trade route, and 1 or more CBs for everyone to use.

 

[Heiliges Thüringens Reich]

I think a large part of why CKII is more peaceful is the well developed game rules. If the devs had made either shattered or regular retreats standard and the other required modding, I think there would be constant bickering. But, because I can play with shattered retreats on while someone else can play with it off according to our will and pleasure, we don't harangue the team with requests to change which one is officially supported. I think the only game-rule gated features that still get complained about are defensive coalitions and nomad instability, and they get griped about because there aren't enough gradations of the rule.

This is a good point. The 'Rules Chooser' (for lack of a better term) was an outstanding idea and, when I asked about that for Eu4, got a lot of Respectfully Disagrees.
Those EU4ers are crazy!