Crusader Kings II

[spelk]

I went with Gamersgate. I'm hoping CKII is going to be the game that finally cracks open the Pandora's box that is Grand Strategy for me, with its cheeky RPG like qualities of familial succession. Plus I need an excuse to whiz my "wargaming interest" time machine back into the medieval era.

[Jarhead0331]

I don't understand why there is so much fuss about this game being "game of the year" already.  Wasn't PON hyped like that? VIC2? I've been burned one two many times by overzealous fans claiming this game is the next best thing since the invention of spam.

Really, what is so exciting about family relations anyway? I hate seeing my family on the holidays.  Why do I want to play a game about it?

[spelk]

I don't understand why there is so much fuss about this game being "game of the year" already.  Wasn't PON hyped like that? VIC2? I've been burned one two many times by overzealous fans claiming this game is the next best thing since the invention of spam.

I truly expect to be burnt by this title, it's Paradox, I'm always sucked in by the themed content, and I'm always left clueless and disappointed. But the demo did give me some hope that this one might actually cut the mustard.

Really, what is so exciting about family relations anyway? I hate seeing my family on the holidays.  Why do I want to play a game about it?

I think it's because it gives you a sense of connection with your character, and you can add into that mix personal relationships with international decisions about conflicts and war.

If we had a game where you can manipulate the inter-relationships between FDR, Eisenhower, Churchill, Stalin and Charles de Gaul in a way that affected the decisions about operational movement and the outcomes of battles it would be more intoxicating.

It's the connection of personalities/personas to the grander movements of conquest and defeat.

Ultimately, I won't understand any of it, be boggled by all the numbers, and will go play a simple chit shuffler to satisfy my lust for interactive history. :)

[Grim.Reaper]

Downloading full game from gg right now.... Too bad I can't play until I get home from work tonight:(

[Grim.Reaper]

So on day one, already four DLC packs available.  Two of them you could have gotten free if you pre-ordered and in addition there is now two additional music DLC.

Not saying good or bad since each person has a choice to buy or not, but will be interesting to see how much DLC content this game ends up with...might set a world record:)

[Bison]

So on day one, already four DLC packs available.  Two of them you could have gotten free if you pre-ordered and in addition there is now two additional music DLC.

Not saying good or bad since each person has a choice to buy or not, but will be interesting to see how much DLC content this game ends up with...might set a world record:)

Paradox loves to offer DLC.

[Greybriar]

I bought it from GamersGate. GamersGate is the only source for a non-Steam version of CK2. Since I'm getting damned tired of having games go Steam-only, I felt I ought to support the only non-Steam Crusader Kings II digital distributor out there.

[Bison]

Downloading now.  This better be good or SoM goes to the Rack!

[Slick Wilhelm]

^^ LOL!

I'm holding off for now. Instead, I'm going to purchase Jagged Alliance: Back in Action.

[son_of_montfort]

I don't understand why there is so much fuss about this game being "game of the year" already.  Wasn't PON hyped like that? VIC2? I've been burned one two many times by overzealous fans claiming this game is the next best thing since the invention of spam.

Really, what is so exciting about family relations anyway? I hate seeing my family on the holidays.  Why do I want to play a game about it?

Well, since it is only February, I think it is certainly the game of the year (so far).  ;)

For me, at least in my beta experience, CKII has been the best game released in the last few months. Will it beat those coming up in the future. Can't tell. It all depends on how much you like the EU-style games and how "into" you get with the dynasty planning.

Here is what I did yesterday:

Started up in 1266 as Charles d'Anjou, King of Sicily. Charles recently acquired his kingdom, having been granted authority over it by the pope (despite the crown already being held by Conradin Hohenstaugen of Germany. Charles had (before my game begun) executed Conradin in cold blood and officially taken the crown in 1266. Upon starting my game I was faced by a slew of vassals and courtiers who hated me - largely because of my short reign, the fact I ruled too many provinces directly (exceeded by demesne size score), and I claimed too many Duchy titles. So I set about rewarding my most faithful vassals with counties in Sicily and the lower part of Italy. To my son and heir, Charles the Lame (unfortunately a hunchback, but turning out to have excellent potential as a warrior), I granted the title of Duke of Sicily, giving him control over four counties on the island. To his brother, Phillippe, I granted by familial title, given to me by my brother Louis IX, King of France (later known as Saint Louis), of the Duchy of Anjou (in central-north France) - including the counties of Anjou and Maine. Now I had fewer duchies and under my demesne score, so my vassals seemed a tad happier.

I set my courtiers to improving troop training in Naples and researching techs. My Lord Chaplain was sent to butter up the pope a bit. My spy master would search for plots in Naples, my capital. All seemed well.

No sooner had I set back to rest than the french counts of the Venaissin and the neighboring county (which slips my mind ATM) decided they would become independent and fight for an independent Provence, declaring war on me). I would have none of that, so I levied my personal troops (around 6000-8000 troops, more than enough) and raised my fleets to send the Italian troops over to Provence. I crushed the forces of these two upstarts, but the sieges would take some time, so we waited under the walls of Avignon for the enemy troops to starve and surrender. This would be several months, and I would need to besiege multiple castles and cities within the counties before I could enforce my "peace" upon these rebels. So we waited.

While waiting, the nefarious Prince-Bishop of Benevento, a wealthy county next to Naples, decided to buck my authority and declare that I held no right to the throne and thus did not deserve his allegiance. I responded by levying my son's troops in Sicily, he would not want them gone long but was happy to oblige for a the course of crushing this rebellion. Thus we besieged Benevento.

By the turning of a year, both rebellions had been crushed and one count and two Bishop-Princes languished in my prison as traitors. I needed to decide what to do with them. I could ransom them for money, but this would return hated counts to their position with no punishment. I could let them go, out of mercy, improving their view of me and improving relations with all my vassals. Eschewing mercy, I could execute these traitors, but this would be a shock to all my vassals. Even more shocking, I could seize their counties for myself, banish the traitors, and take their personal assets - a most shocking act to all my vassals. Another option would be to take advantage of this as a pretense to up the crown's authority to low, upsetting my vassals, but giving me the power to revoke the titles of these rebels. My vassals would not like the raised royal authority, but would accept the revocation of titles because these men were traitors.

The count and the Prince-Bishop of Benevento were both old men... and languishing in my prison would reduce their health. If they died of "natural causes" while held in my dungeons, well... that would be God's will, right? So I let them rot for a while, no rush in deciding their fate. The other Prince-Bishop was a young man, but I happened to have the authority to appoint his successor. I choose a loyal courtier and then showed my mercy by releasing the imprisoned rebel. Unfortunately, when he returned to his county he fell under an assassin's blade. Pity. No... my spymaster was in Naples... I assure you... any resemblance to the man setting up a spy ring in the month prior to his release would be purely coincidence.

About this time, my brother Louis IX, had a crusade called against a sultanate in Egypt, the home of the Kraak de Chevaliers castle. While I was a bit depleted from war, Louis personally requested that I join, so I was unable to refuse. There is a reason he is called "Saint Louis" and it wasn't only his demeanor, but his dogged and persistent Crusading.

I'll cut off the story there... we did win the crusade, with the help of many European knights. I realized I had made a mistake by not having my sons betrothed before I granted them their duchies, once they became dukes I could no longer arrange suitable marriages for them and they ended up marrying lower born courtiers. Also, giving my second son the duchy of Anjou created problems and his older brother fomented a plot to have him murdered. I had to step in and intervene, but I could tell that wasn't the last I would see of that rivalry.

[Jarhead0331]

^For some reason, I think that sounds much more interesting to me as a tale I'm reading, then a a game I'm actually playing.

[Bison]

Just finished up the tutorials.  At first I thought that Paradox actually did something smart this time, three tiers of tutorials.  After I finished, I realized they were nothing more than a glossy varnish.  I nice varnish, but honestly not the depth of gameplay wisdom I was hoping for in a three tiered tutorial.  They were really just a UI quicky.  Paradox was Paradox on this one.

Anywhoo, I'm going to start out my first campaign as Brian of Cornwall.  It's the 14th of October 1066 A.D.  I picked Cornwall because I'm on an Arthur kick right now and I want to kick some Saxon butt.  And since as far as I can tell, Cornwall is the Welsh lands were Arthur may have pursued Saxon blood from 600 years earlier.  And no I don't want any academic babble about the true origins of Arthur or the lord of Cornwall at the time.  It's my story and I say Brian is the descendent heir to the legendary Arthur. 

[Grim.Reaper]

Have to agree Bison....I know everyone is praising the tutorials, but I found them lacking and needlessly separated by the three levels.  Each step seemed to only last a few actual game moves before moving on to the next lesson.  Much rather have seen them stringed together by entire levels.

[TheCommandTent]

^For some reason, I think that sounds much more interesting to me as a tale I'm reading, then a a game I'm actually playing.

After playing the demo I think I agree with this statement.  Lots of cool stuff to do but its much more interesting having someone tell the tale.

[Arctic Blast]

I don't understand why there is so much fuss about this game being "game of the year" already.  Wasn't PON hyped like that? VIC2? I've been burned one two many times by overzealous fans claiming this game is the next best thing since the invention of spam.

Really, what is so exciting about family relations anyway? I hate seeing my family on the holidays.  Why do I want to play a game about it?

But here, you can mercilessly slaughter your obnoxious uncle when he goes too far WITHOUT facing a lengthy prison sentence.