The depth and ingenuity of regencies will surely quiet naysayers, and yet there is still something missing…

[Scrambles]

A lot has been said, much wailing and grinding of teeth has been expressed by the community regarding CK3’s development cycle. Though I was among the skeptical that Tours and Tournaments would be a deep enough expansion to assuage worries, so far I’ve been blown out of the water. The regency mechanic alone should be enough to quiet even the grouchiest internet whine-enthusiasts, but everything in tours and tournaments belies even bigger and more hidden truths that should put every CK fan’s worries to rest:

* Tours and Tournaments is about foundational changes: Unlike Royal Court whose biggest foundational change was the cultures overhaul, which although cool, did not much affect gameplay, T&T is flipping everything on its head. The cool and in-depth regency system aside, I don’t think the fanbase understands yet how important and all-encompassing map-character tracking is going to be for gameplay. Want an heir? No leading troops, going on hunts, or participating in schemes for you, you better make sure you’re at home banging your wife as often as convenient. Hunt-spammer? You better make sure your developing your hunting spots or risk danger and low yields. Outside of that, the changes made to holdings are EVERYTHING, I’m more excited for the difficulty this will provide and the need to assure you are developing each holding correctly than I am for regencies tbh.

* Building-blocks set: for those who worry about lack of regional flavor T&T should be a sigh of relief. Aside from economics and trade (which will probably be connected to republican or nomadic content), this feels like the last foundational DLC and everything in it feels like it’s laying the groundwork for amazing things to come. The character-map mechanic point squarely to crusade changes and everything that means, regencies should have Byzantine fans squealing with glee given the importance of these for the Imperial system.

* Persian content is coming out THIS YEAR. This should tell us that the doldrums of COVID are over, and development groove has been found after the Paradox employee burnout drama that preceded CK3 (many fans forget about that when they clamor for more content faster).


Thank you devs, you’ve made me hyped for the future as I was when CK3 was announced…except you glitterfiends have forgotten about the most important thing…adding a soundtrack like CK2’s

I know CK3’s ambient and minimalistic sound direction was a conscious decision, but I’m not going to lie to you, I really hate it. Even with all these awesome mechanics all I really need to enjoy your game is to vegetate while watching time fly by and listening to In Taberna.

I don’t even ask for you to spend the time and resources to make a new soundtrack as vast a CK2’s, but an importation of CK2’s soundtrack into CK3 would be nice so I have something to listen to other than the damn wind and declarations of war don’t blow out my unsuspecting eardrums.

 

[Tschobo]

I think that it also backs up more systems that were not that deep before in CK3 (Journeys, Pilgrimages and Hunts or Nicknames which will also be overhauled? in this or the next pack) and welcomes back systems of CK2 that where essentially broken or not really fun in that game (Regencies and Tournaments)

Espescially the Journey Mechanic could bring back a lot. For going on adventure yourself (like in CK2 with the Warrior Lodge or the Hermetics). Together with the regency it could add a lot. Focus on your realm or focus on your journey comes to my mind.

Royal Court had the issue that it added another system which was difficult to implement but didn't bring that much gameplay-wise. The Cultures were decent and the artifacts had a good base around it. But it still had the issue that the Court itself should have been introduced later.

I have bigger hopes for Tours and Tournaments than I ever had for Royal Court. But I also stated that Paradox averted the Crisis with Fate of Iberia and the year end patches that also included Friends and Foes (optional DLC but great Patch overall).

 

[Pendables]

The best CK3 updates always seem to be the ones that aren't out yet

 

[Oliverjack]

Stress -50

 

[Bootymcboots]

Cultures not effecting gameplay... I'm starting to wonder if I'm the only person who has a number one priority of perfecting my culture and enjoys switching characters to other parts of the map so I can build new cultures there.

Anyway yeah, this update is the single best DLC + Update combo I've ever seen for anything by all accounts. I'm really looking forward to sinking my teeth into it. May 11th is sooner then I expected and even then waiting those five weeks will be torture.

 

[kawamuratc]

Cultures not effecting gameplay... I'm starting to wonder if I'm the only person who has a number one priority of perfecting my culture and enjoys switching characters to other parts of the map so I can build new cultures there.

Oh, yeah. I really want the ability to convert counties to cultures that aren’t my own because growing a culture garden is my favorite thing.

The best CK3 updates always seem to be the ones that aren't out yet

Well, of course, you silly goose! Thats just kinda how life works: your anticipatory dream expac will always be different that what is released.

I’d say different not better because the expac that releases has a major thing going for it that the dream one lacks: it exists. Imperfect and not tailored to you, sure, but existent.

 

[DeanTheDull]

* Tours and Tournaments is about foundational changes: Unlike Royal Court whose biggest foundational change was the cultures overhaul, which although cool, did not much affect gameplay,

I really don't get when people say this.

The culture system rework affects many gameplay systems, from populist revolt and vassal stability of hetergenous empires (language and cultural acceptance modifiers), to dynastic legacy via renown generation, to military build strategy, to the economic viability of entire terrain categories, to inheritance management, to diplomatic dynamics and lifestyle synergies that support various different playstyles. It's not 'just character modifiers' either- cultures can unlock normally restricted or even exclusive character interactions, succession laws, men at arms, and even ways of war such as enabling conquest-cassus belli or even raiding. There certainly are modifiers available to, of practically every possible category be it diplomacy or military or economic or extra bonuses to previous beneficial things, but also heir-cultivation and religious-focused ones of increasing certain traits, which happen to also be potential virtue (or sin) traits, which in turn tie into religious systems. The system starts hard to influence, but allows player investments to synthesize, modify, or otherwise synergize their culture with their strategies.

This is fundamental build strategy in a game where gameplay is basically the execution of your build strategy. In the early game, your culture can be an enabling or restrictive function, and you're encouraged to adjust your gameplay to lean into the advantages, ie. impacting the gameplay. As the game goes on, you take control of your context, and begin to shift it to your will, ie. driving gameplay as you seek and use the prestige to make these changes. At the end, the tailored culture supports your desired gameplay strategy, ie. supporting your desired gameplay.

When people say that the culture system doesn't affect gameplay much, I always wonder what they think does. You can always be reductionist, but at full reductionism even in CK2 some of the most 'different' play styles of merchant-republics and nomads still reduced to the gameplay loop of 'go to war, kill people, go to war again.'

 

[Ekyman]

Thank you devs, you’ve made me hyped for the future as I was when CK3 was announced…except you glitterfiends have forgotten about the most important thing…adding a soundtrack like CK2’s

I know CK3’s ambient and minimalistic sound direction was a conscious decision, but I’m not going to lie to you, I really hate it. Even with all these awesome mechanics all I really need to enjoy your game is to vegetate while watching time fly by and listening to In Taberna.

I don’t even ask for you to spend the time and resources to make a new soundtrack as vast a CK2’s, but an importation of CK2’s soundtrack into CK3 would be nice so I have something to listen to other than the damn wind and declarations of war don’t blow out my unsuspecting eardrums.

CK3 actually has a decent amount of music. The problem is that there's a ton of ambient downtime and the music is constantly interrupting itself because a lot of songs are triggered by events and actions with no respect for what's currently playing. And a number of songs are rarely heard because they play only when triggered by something. I get what they were going for with the music scripting but it's kind of... messy, and makes it seem like there's less music than there actually is.

There are various mods on the workshop that put the CK2 soundtrack into CK3, and I have a personal mod I just uploaded ("Traditional Soundtrack Scripting") that's just CK3's soundtrack re-scripted to not pause and not interrupt. And most music mods are fully achievement-compatible if you care about that.

 

[johnty5]

I know CK3’s ambient and minimalistic sound direction was a conscious decision, but I’m not going to lie to you, I really hate it. Even with all these awesome mechanics all I really need to enjoy your game is to vegetate while watching time fly by and listening to In Taberna.

I don’t even ask for you to spend the time and resources to make a new soundtrack as vast a CK2’s, but an importation of CK2’s soundtrack into CK3 would be nice so I have something to listen to other than the damn wind and declarations of war don’t blow out my unsuspecting eardrums.

There’s one musical addition we can all get behind:

Songs of Yuletide 2, when? Join the campaign >>>

 

[IanReSc]

I'm gonna say this: I am pleasently surprised with what T&T brings to the table and I am very much looking forward to the other DLC's.

What I do agree most with is that the traveling system or map tracking seems like a major game changer indeed. Not so much, because you need to spend time with your wife at some point in order to get an heir, but more because of the potential that this very mechanic could have when talking about nomads.

Could this mean that we could actually see a major horde moving around the eastern part of the map? No real capital if you will, but a constantly moving pack of horses? That is what peaks my interest at this point. Same could be said about a potential trade DLC at some point with tracking caravans on the map, actually creating some form of trade routes.

I am all for it.

 

[Scrambles]

CK3 actually has a decent amount of music. The problem is that there's a ton of ambient downtime and the music is constantly interrupting itself because a lot of songs are triggered by events and actions with no respect for what's currently playing. And a number of songs are rarely heard because they play only when triggered by something. I get what they were going for with the music scripting but it's kind of... messy, and makes it seem like there's less music than there actually is.

There are various mods on the workshop that put the CK2 soundtrack into CK3, and I have a personal mod I just uploaded ("Traditional Soundtrack Scripting") that's just CK3's soundtrack re-scripted to not pause and not interrupt. And most music mods are fully achievement-compatible if you care about that.

Does it allow for ironman? I only play on Ironman.

 

[Ekyman]

Does it allow for ironman? I only play on Ironman.

Yes.

I'm pretty sure this is kind of a misnomer for mods, I think every mod allows ironman (which is just a setting restricting saving and loading). However most mods block achievements (which require ironman but also other stuff). But most music mods do also allow achievements.

 

[Scrambles]

Yes.

I'm pretty sure this is kind of a misnomer for mods, I think every mod allows ironman (which is just a setting restricting saving and loading). However most mods block achievements (which require ironman but also other stuff). But most music mods do also allow achievements.

That's what I meant haha.

I just forgot the term for "disrupting the cache" or whatever. Anyway, I'll gladly play your mod if I can still get achievements while playing it.

 

[399311]

I'm gonna say this: I am pleasently surprised with what T&T brings to the table and I am very much looking forward to the other DLC's.

What I do agree most with is that the traveling system or map tracking seems like a major game changer indeed. Not so much, because you need to spend time with your wife at some point in order to get an heir, but more because of the potential that this very mechanic could have when talking about nomads.

Could this mean that we could actually see a major horde moving around the eastern part of the map? No real capital if you will, but a constantly moving pack of horses? That is what peaks my interest at this point. Same could be said about a potential trade DLC at some point with tracking caravans on the map, actually creating some form of trade routes.

I am all for it.

I don't understand map tracking, is this any different from the current game? Don't the characters in the current game also have their own place?

 

[Scrambles]

I don't understand map tracking, is this any different from the current game? Don't the characters in the current game also have their own place?

Nominally, but the “tracking” is very lose. It’s possible to impregnate your wife while leading troops for instance. Or get certain events that make no sense for what you’re doing.

after T&T none of that will be possible. If you’re at a neighboring realm for a feast, you won’t be able to change laws, sign off on assassinations, hold court, etc. anymore

 

[Monalba]

Want an heir? No leading troops, going on hunts, or participating in schemes for you, you better make sure you’re at home banging your wife as often as convenient.

I meeean, you're gonna get heirs.

The requisite for your wife getting pregnant is not that YOU bang her, is that SOMEONE bangs her.

 

[IanReSc]

I don't understand map tracking, is this any different from the current game? Don't the characters in the current game also have their own place?

As far as I understand it, your character will no longer be stationary while you are undertaking hunts, tours and such. One of the devs (wokeg?) even mentioned that he likes watching his character move along the roads. So it seems like you are actually moving around rather than being a non entity that only exists as a supervising being.

That is why I believe it sets up caravans for a trade route or nomads who should always be on the move.

 

[WestuHal]

One of the devs (wokeg?) even mentioned that he likes watching his character move along the roads. So it seems like you are actually moving around rather than being a non entity that only exists as a supervising being.

In fact, if you go to the Steam page for ToTo you can see a gif of how this works on the map (an icon for the character following a set route around southern England).