When's the next CK2 free weekend?

[scorch2]

When will I be able to play CK2 for free on Steam?

You see I really, REALLY want to get into this game, Crusader era, Kingdom of Jerusalem, Byzantium, Knights Templar but the demo on Steam isn't very good and I find myself very confused with the tutorials it offers, then there's the restricted game play because its a demo, and because of that, I'm reluctant to buy it. I don't want to end up buying the game and all the DLC's to find out I don't know how to play it. I own EU4 and that took a few good weeks to learn and now I love it, but CK2 looks alot more complicated than EU4, with it being older and less simpler.

I had some people suggest using illegal copies to try the game, to get used to it first, then buy it later, but I'd rather not do that, I don't want getting nicked and I'd rather support Paradox.

Thanks.

 

[Opus]

Doesn't Steam has some kind of refund-policy that states that you can get your money back if you don't like the game?

Edit: They do, but you can't play for more then 2 hours.

 

[Bernard95]

To be straight with you, a weekend isn't really going to cut it to learn the game though it will be a better learning experience then the demo. Just like with EU4, it definitely has a near vertical learning curve and it's most likely going to take something like 150-200hrs to be competent.

However, really the best way to learn is to watch Youtube videos that are from the release of Charlemagne or newer, then browse the Wiki and Forums if you ever need any clarifications or advice. It might also be worth just getting the base game during a Steam/Paradox sale, which does happen quite frequently and probably wouldn't cost you more than $5 or $8. Alternatively, you could also pick it up from a third-party site like G2A on the cheap right now.

And on a side note, when you do actually start playing you can pretty much skip the tutorial and either a) follow along with Arumba's old Irish tutorial or b) start with a Christian duke in 1066, preferably within the HRE.

 

[RagingJaws]

Some things to consider, based on your EU4 experience.

You can map paint in CKII, for sure, but the main draw of the game is (for most players) roleplaying and character development. A lot of the mechanics are simpler. No naval wars to worry about, tech is mostly centered around percentage improvements/building unlocks, and trade really only matters for Republics. Land combat is...more complicated in the sense that rather than dice rolls and width, you have unit composition, tactics, and traits. A bit more enjoyable than the dice rolls of EU4, being honest. Culture and Religion still have their place, just like in EU4, but changing them is not as simple as clicking a button when you have enough conversion power/diplo power.

There is more to be said but it would take forever and be just a wall of text. You can get a lot of value out of owning CKII seeing as you enjoy EU4 though. Converting save games can freshen up the experience or provide new challenges.

The last free weekend was last Feb, IIRC, so I assume there won't be one for some time.

 

[gianlucad]

Wait for the new DLC to be released, then everything will be on discount for 50-75% IIRC.