These requirements are too easy to fulfill, especially in Multiplayer. This has a significant effect on the balance of the game, especially when strong nations like Ming, Japan, Timurids, etc westernize before Europeans/Muslims arrive in the same area.
How does an powerful Asian nation (from the Middle east, all the way to Japan) that has westernized early, effect the balance of the game?
Player distribution in multiplayer games is never quite balanced. Most players like to start in Europe thus there is more competition and greater difficulty to expand there. For an Asian western power however, there is little competition because of the lack of human players that start in Asia. The solo player can defeat the low tech AI and once westernized become a formidable threat to European forces once the two groups make contact. It is more likely then, that if the Asian nation can westernize early enough, they can become part of the western group that colonises land over seas, or annex land that is usually held by some other power. It does not thrill me to see Asians colonising America, or having the same land tech as European land powers like France before the 1600's.
Regarding the core:
What is stopping one player from trading provinces with another? Relations and distances have no effect, so long as you can see the nation on the map (capitals will reveal themselves when you first make contact). Selling provinces is no problem what so ever, if both players are able and willing.
What is stopping a low tech nation from creating a vassal out of said province, later annexing the vassal, thus potentially gaining a core next to a western nation? There is no limit to this kind of diplomatic action, all you need is positive relations (which isn't too hard to get) and to make sure you are not at war. It's possible some new players may not be aware of this and/or others are ok with this action, because they have a pact or deal with the westernizing nation.
Even by traditional means of spreading cores, reaching new land (around Africa), for a European nation it is not hard to reach Asia. It can be done relatively quickly and easily, even faster with co operation. Sometimes however it isn't so easy, if the colonial Europeans are often in conflict/different ideas/CB's/technology/Money on other resources. But this does not stop nations from trading provinces with each other, releasing a vassal and coring them.
Other requirements:
The stability requirement is trivial, since the nation in question will not be spending many ADM pp's on technology before westernizing. Being 8 tech levels behind is also not difficult either.
As a European, exploration is still a considerable challenge, due to the difficulty of attrition. However all that is required to solve this is fleet access->good relations.
In summary, westernization is way to easy to start. It is effecting MP games thus requiring a consensus about new rules. For some games this is already too late and players have already fallen victim to a rising power of the East, (because they were unaware of the consequences). That is not fun. I personally feel like this part of the game was tested (because it does work as designed) but they didn't test how fairly the mechanic would work. For instance, why is it harder for the Ottomans to westernise, but easier for some other Chines nation because the chines tech is lower? Isn't is more logical and realistic that the Ottoman Empire who trades and neighbors Europeans all over, would westernize earlier because their technology is higher?
PARADOX PLEASE FIX
If anyone would like to add more to this, I am happy to edit this post. Please feel free to comment.
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