To the dev : What books have you been reading to "source" EU ?

[tompalmer]

The question is interesting, as Europa Universalis is a game but also an historical production that needed sources.

So I ask for a bibliography, I'd be interested knowing what you read to create CK as well, but here is the subforum of modern era

I have wild guesses about some books in my head :happy:

 

[gorillacakes]

Yes please. I'm intrigued as to what their library looks like.

 

[tompalmer]

You mean the fake background ? haha

 

[Captain Gars]

The question is interesting, as Europa Universalis is a game but also an historical production that needed sources.

So I ask for a bibliography, I'd be interested knowing what you read to create CK as well, but here is the subforum of modern era

I have wild guesses about some books in my head :happy:

Wikipedia & Google.

 

[bleakie]

Surely Google translate is used (for the Russian version of Wikipedia about Russia, for instance)?

 

[Captain Gars]

Surely Google translate is used (for the Russian version of Wikipedia about Russia, for instance)?

Not that much. Translating sentences, sure, but not entire pages, as the translation usually is of so poor quality that it's not worth it.

 

[TheKaspa]

I'd like to know where the Sino-Russia info came out. I googled it, but didn't find much more than the Event description.

 

[Thracian]

johan answered that years ago.
all i remember is one of the sources is eric hobwbawm and he added "he is a bit commie though"

i have no idea how i recall this :happy:

 

[chatnoir17]

I'd like to know where the Sino-Russia info came out. I googled it, but didn't find much more than the Event description.

I am not the developer, but the wiki page about the Treaty of Nerchinsk has another links about that relationship, so they might have used it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Nerchinsk

 

[unmerged(652342)]

Wikipedia & Google.

- errr... Are you telling that company that specializes in historical games dont have a historical consultant in their team?

 

[jac.birke]

Tate Britain in London is currently has an exhibition called "Art under Attack: Histories of British Iconoclasm" which earlier part is really interesting regarding religion and how people behaved. I can highly recommend Paradox story devs to attend or any other person interested in history. When I went there I couldn't help thinking on how much further they could take the religious aspect of EU4 with events that can actually change your whole nation. Today the game just scratches the surface of what's really there!

PS: The Turner paintings are awesome which is another reason for why to go there!

 

[No idea]

Wikipedia & Google.

Google is a wilcard, you can find good things. Or horrible ones, and wiki... Is wiki, although i dont consider it as badly as some people. Anyway, it would be interesting to know, in which idiom do you consult wiki? Because i am sure you are aware that many times, depending on the language, you get more or less info, and sometimes, you even get contradictory info

 

[Captain Gars]

- errr... Are you telling that company that specializes in historical games dont have a historical consultant in their team?

Yes. But a number of developers are interested in and fairly well-read in history.

 

[kierun]

To name but a few non-fiction works: The pursuit of Glory: Europe 1648-1815 by Tim Blanning and Reformation : Europe's House Divided 1490-1700 by Diarmaid MacCulloch are well worth reading if you are interested in the period. Europe: A History by Norman Davies has quiet a few chapters on the time period.

 

[tompalmer]

Pretty weird, I feel like Paradox is always getting the right feeling in their games.

The major flaw is Legacy of Rome : retinues.

Well also EUIV could have started around 1480, 1444 is a tad bit early

 

[tompalmer]

To name but a few non-fiction works: The pursuit of Glory: Europe 1648-1815 by Tim Blanning and Reformation : Europe's House Divided 1490-1700 by Diarmaid MacCulloch are well worth reading if you are interested in the period. Europe: A History by Norman Davies has quiet a few chapters on the time period.

Geoffrey Parker seems quite unavoidable for the military part

 

[Tristers]

Civilization in the West is a great encyclopedia of the period is is highly recommended for any that wants to quickly learn the workings of the timeperiod

 

[mcmanusaur]

- errr... Are you telling that company that specializes in historical games dont have a historical consultant in their team?

Well, that explains a lot... just kidding, sorta. Paradox has obviously done a great job adding in a lot of historically accurate content and flavor, but their modeling/simulation of historical processes is less impressive, though admittedly this could be for either game design/balance or lack-of-historical-knowledge reasons...

 

[grisamentum]

- errr... Are you telling that company that specializes in historical games dont have a historical consultant in their team?

It was pretty obvious there was no history person on the team, both from this game and in CK2.

That said, whatever. It's still fun. People who think it's somehow "historical" are only talking relative to Civ 5 or Starcraft. There are so many historical errors and bugs that they don't both fixing because they don't affect the games. Which is fine.

 

[Schleisen]

How do you guys decide which provinces(their borders and name) to add then if you have no history expert working with you?