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Dev Diary: Polynesia

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After a few weeks without Dev Diaries, I am happy to present you a new one. I hope you all had a great time during them!

When I joined Paradox in October, Polynesia was not included in this Expansion. Considering it was the last part of the Earth without representation, I thought it would be nice to have some work done on it, so I proposed some ideas that I am happy to share with you all.

But, before I start, I would like to thank @Mechaffinity for his help and work that has greatly inspired me for this project.

THE MAP
The map has been slightly changed, since the basic needed setup was already there. However, in order to go a bit deeper, a few provinces have been added here and there. Do note that the flags are still a placeholder and not the final result.

Starting with Fiji, the archipelago has been divided in three provinces: one for each big island (Viti Levu and Vanua Levu) and a third one for the Lau archipelago that had a great influence from Tonga. Each province has a country inhabiting it, which is an abstraction of the many clans that populated each island. Should you unite them all under your banner, you will be able to form Viti.

In New Zealand a new province has been added in North Island which has the most populated one by the Maori people. The number of countries, though, goes up to 7. Six of them (Mataatua, Tainui, Takitimu, Taranaki, Te Arawa and Te Tai Tokerau) are in the Northern Island and Waitaha is in the Southern One. As in the case of Fiji, a Maori country that manages to unite the area is able to form Aotearoa.

Finally, the greatest transformation has been done in the Hawaiian Archipelago, that has gone from one province to four. Each province has their own country attached (Hawai’i, Kaua’i, Maui and O’ahu). As in the other cases, there is a formable for the unifiers of the islands.

A Polynesian rework could not let the two most important countries out: Samoa and Tonga.
THE MISSIONS
As in the case of the Americas, the mission tree consists of a general common mission tree for every country and some specific missions for each country or group of them.

[Tonga Mission Tree]
(Notice that all icons are still placeholders)​

Tonga is probably the most important TAG during this period. Despite the fact that the Tongan Empire is no more, a skillful player could rebuild it, bringing not only the neighboring islands under the control of Tongatapu, but go even further.

Some highlights of this tree include:
  • Bringing both Fiji and Samoa under your control again.
  • Recovering the Tongan Empire.
  • Expand even further.

[Samoan Mission Tree]
(Notice that all icons are still placeholders).​

If Tonga was the political power during the period, Samoa was the cultural one. Most of the Pacific was colonized from there and from there were most of the traditions that ruled the lives of the Polynesians.

Some highlights of this tree include:
  • Recover the place as the cultural center.
  • Challenge Tonga.
  • Replace Tonga as the main power in the Pacific.


In order to not spoil the surprise, I will let you discover what the missions for the Maori the Fijian and the Hawaiian countries consist of.

THE NATIONAL IDEAS
Adding new TAGs would not be the same if they were not accompanied by their National Ideas.

Starting with the Fijians TAGs, their warring nature brought them a reputation of ruthless combatants, feared by everyone. But Fijians were also deeply religious people and famous shipbuilding artisans. All these things are represented in their National Ideas, making them a rather expansionist set.

fijian_ideas = {
start = {
light_ship_power = 0.1
naval_attrition = -0.1
}

bonus = {
ae_impact = -0.2
}

trigger = {
OR = {
tag = LAI
tag = VIL
#TODO: tag = VIT
tag = VNL
}
}
free = yes

fijian_crossroad = {
num_accepted_cultures = 2
}
fijian_degel = {
range = 0.1
global_ship_trade_power = 0.1
}
fijian_conjoined = {
global_missionary_strength = 0.02
}
fijian_waqa = {
prestige_from_naval = 0.4
}
fijian_cannibal = {
army_tradition_from_battle = 0.25
prestige_from_land = 0.4
}
fijian_kai = {
land_attrition = -0.25
}
fijian_confederacy = {
global_tax_modifier = 0.05
production_efficiency = 0.05
}
}

[Fijian National Ideas]​

As in the case of the Fijians, the Maori are famed for their bravery and constant warfare. Their set of ideas is focused on land combat, without disregarding ways to keep the land around a strong leader.

maori_ideas = {
start = {
global_regiment_recruit_speed = -0.10
harsh_treatment_cost = -0.20
}

bonus = {
prestige = 1
}

trigger = {
primary_culture = maori
}
free = yes

sons_of_kupe = {
global_sailors_modifier = 0.10
range = 0.10
}
kaikiakitanga = {
tolerance_own = 1
}
kaumatua = {
stability_cost_modifier = -0.20
}
kapa_haka = {
land_morale = 0.10
}
pa_defence = {
fort_maintenance_modifier = -0.10
}
te_moko = {
leader_land_shock = 1
}
maori_king = {
core_creation = -0.10
legitimacy = 1
}
}

[Maori National Ideas]​

As with the missions, we’d better not spoil the surprise by showing everything, am I right? I have a challenge for those that love them: try a world conquest with a Polynesian TAG! There are a couple of things in this area that could help you in that adventure. ;)

THE EVENTS
Events are one of the parts I like the most. While not as much time as I would have liked has been available, I have added more than 40 events to the area, including general events, specific Country events and even a few Easter eggs that I hope you can find and enjoy!

Practice is what makes you a good warrior, after all.
(Notice that all pictures are still placeholders).

This event can be very nasty if you are in a very bad shape.
(Notice that all pictures are still placeholders).

As Samoa, you will be given the choice to reform your society a bit or go on with the traditions with every ruler.
(Notice that all pictures are still placeholders).​

THE EXTRAS
There are a few things that have been added in order to create a bigger sense of immersion.

Maori culture has been created, separated from the main Polynesian branch. By the start of the game, the Maori were abandoning the Archaic Maori Period and entering a transformation one. The Iwi became more sedentary and their once pacific nature became more warlike as competition for resources becomes more central. New traditions had evolved by this time that justifies separating them from their islander cousins.

A new Polynesian technology group has been created. This technology group is between that of the Mesoamericans and the North Americans in penalty, but starts at tech 2.

Most Estates have been renamed to their proper versions to increase the flavor.

And some extra surprises here and there.

For now this is all. We still have lots of things to show, so just be patient and enjoy the time in between, everything will come!

Dev Diary: The Philippines

Good morning, everyone! This week we’re going back to Southeast Asia to talk about some extra content that we’re making for some of the tags.

Starting with the Philippines, we have decided to focus on two specific tags instead of giving them all some generic missions. First, we have Tondo. Tondo is located in the island of Luzon, in the northern part of the archipelago. Philippine political organization consisted of a type of “city-states” called barangays, which formed groups of families ruled by a datu. Bigger barangays, as Tondo in this case, would integrate several smaller barangays governed by a paramount datu, whose title would vary in each region (lakan in the case of Tondo). This grand barangay was an important center of trade in all Nusantara, since the presence of Chinese migration resulted in Tondo becoming the main center of Chinese goods, trading all across Southeast Asia.

Some highlights from this mission tree include:
  • Growing Strong will reward the existence of level 2 forts in provinces Tondo, Laguna and Mindoro with +25% Defensiveness in each of them.
  • The Queen’s Channel is a reference to the channel that serves as a natural frontier with Manila, in the Pasig River delta. It was not only an important source of water for said barangay, but also its main opportunity of trading. Gaining control over it will give Tondo a huge +50 Trade Power in the Philippines trade node.
  • Both Befriend Majapahit and Abandon the Dragon refer to the importance of democratic relations in Tondo’s polity. The Majapahit Empire was a powerful ally of the Tondo people, so regaining their trust will result in some extra Diplomatic Power and +1 Diplomatic Reputation. At the start of the game, Tondo is a tributary of the Ming dynasty, so dissolving this union will grant Tondo Legitimacy, Administrative Power and some claims in the coast of China.

Next up, we have Madyas. After the Chola invasion of Srivijaya in the beginning of the 11th century, a group of dissident datus from Borneo and Sumatra fled their land and sought refuge in the Visayas islands, where they encountered the native population and, according to the legend, made a trade treaty with the Ati hero Marikudo and his wife, rightfully purchasing the land in Panay. Madyas thus became another grand barangay in the archipelago, with a special focus on maritime trade and warfare.

Some highlights from this mission tree include:
  • All the Ships of Aklan is a reference to the province of Aklan, seat of the first capital of the polity and center of the Confederation mentioned in the Book of Maragtas that we’ll address later. Because of the naval importance we have mentioned before, having an admiral, more than 8 galleys and building to the 90% of the naval Force Limit will be rewarded with a +5% Morale of Navies, -5% Heavy Ship Cost and -10% Light Ship Cost as our first mission.
  • Going Back Home implies the preparation for the return to their original land. Permanent claims on Borneo will be granted after making a show of force by owning at least 10 provinces in the Philippines.
  • The Book of Maragtas is the legendary book that gives an account of the history of the Madyas people and their arrival from Borneo. Owning the northern part of the island will result in 100 Diplomatic Power, 100 Administrative Power, 100 Military Power and +1 Stability.

In addition to these two mission trees, we have prepared 6 unique missions shared by both Tondo and Madyas in slot 2, regarding the conquest of all the archipelago. These missions will require the player to conquer the inhabited land of each of the three main regions: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, thus granting some morale bonuses and the possibility of immediately conquering unoccupied land in each of these areas, as long as there are two regiments present in each province.

Moving on, we have Palembang, one of the pirate nations that can be formed very early on in the game, so we wanted to reflect a bit of the pirate’s life in our missions too! But historically, Palembang was also one of the oldest cities in all Nusantara, once the capital of the powerful Srivijaya empire and main controller of all the maritime trade routes in Southeast Asia. A balance between this major historical moment and the more “modern” piracy was therefore necessary, all of it leading to the restoration of this ancient and powerful realm.

Some highlights from this mission tree include:
  • Where the Water Leaks is a reference to one possible etymological explanation for the name of this tag, always associated with water. This mission will require the player to build to 100% Naval Force Limit and will grant permanent claims on the Siak and Jambi controlled provinces, thus starting the recovery of their lost land.
  • Orang Laut, Arrival of the Dragonships and Pirate Kings all have the same objective of gaining the best possible allies to continue with the expansion plan. Having the state privilege Orang Laut Privileges and some owned provinces in the northern part will boost your Navy Tradition; dragonships were powerful ships of Chinese origin that will reward your conquests and maximum Navy Force Limit with a Ship Cost reduction and another boost to your Ship Combat Ability (all of them for both light and heavy ships); and having 2 powerful admirals and 4 more provinces in the East will allow access to the admiral Chen (3/3/4/3), a legendary Chinese pirate that ruled over Palembang.
  • Both King Under the Mountain and King’s Court in the second slot focus on the ancient splendor of the Srivijaya Empire, whose Shailendra dynasty came from the neighboring island of Java. Owning some provinces in said location will reduce National Unrest and add a general with 50 Tradition, as well as granting the final cores that will lead to our culminating mission.
  • Restore Srivijaya will require the player to own all of the Sumatra and Java islands, former possessions of the thalassocracy. With the recovered glory of the Empire, Palembang will be rewarded with a permanent Stability Cost Modifier of -10%, +1 Stability and more Diplomatic, Administrative and Military Power.

That’s all for today! Thank you for reading and have a nice week :)

"Dev Diary" Grandest LAN Post Mortem

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Hey everyone,

Pontus here, marketing lead on EU4. Sorry to inform you all that today’s "DD" has been delayed due to sick leave on the EUIV team, and we should be back to more normal next week.

Today we are here to talk a little bit about Grandest LAN. This year posed some additional challenges due to Covid. Obviously we couldn't bring dozens of people together in one place for days on end. Thankfully our partners at Parsec made this year's LAN party possible. Many of you have asked “How is this a LAN”? Simple! All the computers were here in Stockholm, in one great LAN (with minimal latency), and all the players used Parsec, which is a remote desktop app, to control the computers from the comfort of their homes. And it went off without a hitch! Thankfully. Thousands of you watched the events unfold live, and hundreds of thousands have already caught up by watching the VODs on Twitch.

We just want to give a warm and hearty thank you to everyone. TurboLARP for setting up the event, Parsec for making it possible. The players for taking time out of their lives to Role Play with us. Everyone on the back end making sure the game ran smoothly. The GMs, the casters, the devs, and you, the viewers, we do it all for you!

For those of you who missed the Grandest LAN live, the entire event is being uploaded to YouTube in easy to digest, 30ish minute episodes. We will compile the entire event into a playlist for ease of viewing as a series. We know it can be difficult to watch if simply presented, unedited, in two giant 12 hour chunks.

And one more thing we need to discuss... which team was your favorite to watch???
Was it the tag swapping Swiss?
The Dutch, whose cash made the world go round?
The brave Georgians, who fought off so many assaults on their mountain forts.
The Irish, Bretons, or Norwegians, who all fought for control over the New World...so the dutch could plunder the trade routes :D
The Serbs, who started more than a few global conflicts.
The Mighty Prussians! Who were always happy to upset the balance of someone else’s war.
Let us know who was the MVP...in your heart.

The first episode can be watched here: [previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

And the entire playlist is here: Playlist

Next week we will be back with a proper game related Dev Diary, with some very interesting and hotly requested new content that will be coming soon...

Europa Universalis IV DLC Guide

It's almost hard to believe that Europa Universalis IV is seven years old. The grand strategy game's many add-ons total well over $200 as full price just for the major expansions. Whether you're new to the game and you want to know what's what, or you're a vet looking to top up your collection and want to know what's worth the money, we've put together this handy guide to help you pick the best EU4 DLC.


Keep in mind that the listed prices are non-sale prices, and most older Paradox expansions are discounted anywhere from 25% to 75% off during special events such as holidays or a new DLC is release. Typically the longer something has been out, the bigger the discount. This list is in chronological order, so you can probably get the stuff at the top for a couple bucks if you wait for the right moment.


There are many expansions that are situational, although as a general rule they are (mostly) all worth getting eventually. Our best advice is to look at what specifically an expansion offers, and decide if its a part of the game you're going to be spending a lot of time in sooner rather than later. If not, it can wait a bit.


Read the rest of the story...


RELATED LINKS:

Europa Universalis 2 is free from GOG for the series' 20th anniversary

Europa Universalis IV: the best EU4 mods

Europa Universalis 4: Emperor arrives today - here's what it adds

Dev Diary: More Missions

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Welcome back to a new Dev Diary! I am Aldaron and I am the other new Content Designer in Paradox Tinto. Happy to be here with all of you, adding a bit more information to that which my colleague @skingrado shared last Tuesday.

During the last Dev Diary there were two questions that were repeated a few times and that hopefully I will be able to answer today:

What about Western America?
Well, we cannot just add everything we have done to a single dev diary, but do not worry, because today we’ll show you a bit more, this time devoted to this area of North America that you people asked for.

Will there be any work on the rest of America?
The focus of this expansion is not the rest of America, but as a matter of fact, we added a mission for those nations with the Religious Reforms feature.

So without much preambles, and before we start, I would like to remind everyone a last tiny thing. As my colleague said last Tuesday, we have divided North American Natives into 6 of the 9 cultural areas that are normally used in anthropology when studying these people. Dividing them in cultural areas has given us the opportunity to group several TAGs into a common core and at the same time add diversity to the area.

MISSIONS:

As you might know, one of the less fun things when playing natives was the mission tree. You had the general mission tree, but you could not fill it due to the limitation natives have! Well, no more. As part of the work on natives, we have created a new general mission tree adapted to Natives, with some interrelationships between several of the missions and the addition of some new ones to make them more engaging. This mission tree is available to every native nation, from the Northwestern Pass to Tierra del Fuego.
(Notice that all icons are still placeholders).​

Besides, as you can see in the previous image, we have added a small mission (Reform our Religion) for the three more advanced native groups (Aztec, Inca and Maya) to deal with their mechanics, despite them not being the focus of the expansion.

Continuing with last week’s trend, here we have the specific regional mission tree for those natives whose living developed in the Great Plains of North America. This group includes the several Sioux tribes (such as Lakota or Dakota [Sioux ingame]), the Shoshone or the Wichita. This group’s focus revolves around hunting bison and would evolve to a horse riding culture after contact with the Europeans. Without any doubt the most iconic Native American group of people.

Some highlights of this tree include:
  • Gathering all that available food from the wild that will improve your economic power.
  • Befriending those around you will help you with your federations.
  • Capturing those horses from the Europeans will greatly improve your capacity to combat over them.

If Plain Natives were a rather peaceful people before contact, Northwestern ones were pretty much the contrary. Raidings were a constant in the life of these people and would bring their canoes to capture slaves as south as California. But war and slavery were not the only thing Northwestern natives would focus on, they had a complex social culture that involved showing wealth of to their own people or to foreigners as a way to celebrate their power (the Potlach Ceremony) or showing respect to ancestors or shaming enemies with their elaborate totems.

Some highlights of this tree include:
  • Remembering the ancestors and their deeds to unite your people under your rule.
  • Boasting about your wealth to bring your allies closer to you.
  • Showing your strength and using that fear against your enemies.
NATIONAL IDEAS:

Pretty much as with Mission Trees, we have divided National Ideas into Regional National Ideas that will fire for TAGs belonging to certain regions.

In this DD I will present two of the six regional sets.

Since California was forgotten in the previous section, I will start with them.

California is the smallest cultural region in North America but with a very pronounced personality. Despite being mostly sedentary people, living in a very rich region, Californian Natives did not rely much on agriculture and despite their population density (it is estimated it was the biggest in NA) they were not very warfaring. Their NIs relate to their own development and diplomatic expansion.

california_native_ideas = {
start = {
autonomy_change_time = -0.25
same_culture_advisor_cost = -0.5
}

bonus = {
years_of_nationalism = -5
}

trigger = {
primary_culture = yokuts
}
free = yes

division_as_a_strength_cf = {
num_accepted_cultures = 1
promote_culture_cost = -0.25
}
basketweaving = {
production_efficiency = 0.05
}
tribelets = {
diplomatic_upkeep = 1
stability_cost_modifier = -0.10
}
forest_gardening = {
development_cost = -0.10
}
kuksu_cult = {
religious_unity = 0.5
}
rock_art = {
prestige_decay = -0.01
global_unrest = -2
}
medicine_men = {
land_attrition = -0.10
}
}

Back to the Northwest, these people had a different angle on how they saw life and their NIs are more devoted to warfare and expansion.

nw_native_ideas = {
start = {
development_cost = -0.10
heir_chance = 0.5
}

bonus = {
army_tradition_decay = -0.01
}

trigger = {
OR = {
primary_culture = athabascan
primary_culture = chinook
primary_culture = haida
primary_culture = salish
}
}
free = yes

raid_warfare_nw = {
infantry_shock = 0.5
rival_change_cost = -0.2
}
brother_salmon = {
tolerance_own = 1
}
potlatch = {
improve_relation_modifier = 0.2
global_unrest = -2
}
mother_and_father = {
female_advisor_chance = 0.1
}
totem_poles_nw = {
prestige_decay = -0.01
stability_cost_modifier = -0.1
}
canoe_people = {
leader_land_manuever = 1
}
division_as_a_strength_nw = {
num_accepted_cultures = 1
promote_culture_cost = -0.25
}
}

EVENTS:

Different regions will have access to different events, and some common ones. This week we will show a few of these regional events and we’ll call it a day for now.

Californian Natives had their own secret cults that should you pay the price for them would bring you some well being.

Diplomacy in the Plains is not always easy.

The Potlach was a massively important ceremony for the Northwestern Natives. Choosing to celebrate it or not could have consequences.

You might have noticed that both my colleague and me have shown a small selection of missions for you. After the release you will have the chance to discover the other two regional mission trees (SE and California) and several TAG/culture specific ones, find some Easter eggs here and there and several other goodies. Stay tuned and see you next week!