Crusader Kings II

You can search their forum for guide. There are alot of good ones. Can't say I remember any of them though.

Quoting seanw3,

You can search their forum for guide. There are alot of good ones. Can't say I remember any of them though.

Sadly those guides are in the FAQ forum and you have to have bought and registered the game.

I made a Let's Play series geared toward new players (I'm one myself). There are a lot of good hints in the comments from experienced players.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL71983E0A94A47DA0

They don't let demo users into the forum?

Quoting seanw3,

reply 4

They don't let demo users into the forum?

Last time I checked, they did. They won't allow you into sub-forums without a game registration, though. That means you can't look at mods or get tech support without having registered a game, since those are always both sub-forums inside a main one.

ParadoxianLP has some good Let's Plays. Make sure you don't go too far back, as the ones he made some in the beta that might lead you astray.

Why wouldn't you want to register? Half the fun of the P'Dox forums is seeing how many shiny icons you can accumulate

Quoting Napean,

reply 7

Why wouldn't you want to register? Half the fun of the P'Dox forums is seeing how many shiny icons you can accumulate

Because I haven't bought the game yet, not convinced i'd buy it. As I said above, i'm trying out the demo.

Quoting TheBirthdayParty,

reply 8

Quoting Napean, reply 7Why wouldn't you want to register? Half the fun of the P'Dox forums is seeing how many shiny icons you can accumulate

Because I haven't bought the game yet, not convinced i'd buy it. As I said above, i'm trying out the demo.

You can still register. But whether you want to register or not, you're not kept from viewing each game's main forums, only the sub-forums. "Rewarding" folks with access to the sub-forums who buy the game seems a reasonable idea, but there's plenty of content in those main forums, as well.

Paradox forums are fucking nuts with their registration. And apparently they are happy with it. Shrug.

Ain't nobody got time for that.

This guy is very good. You essentially play the game and discover new things and strategies with him, like looking over his shoulder and listening to him think out loud. He's definitely no beginner and you find yourself asking the same questions that he has just asked himself. I've played the demo and followed his tutorials and "let's play" series with great interest.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TekkorGJC

Because RTS has never really been my cup of tea (much more a TBS kind of person), I have so far never purchased a Paradox product. This one, however, has caught my eye, and has been wondering if this might be worth the risk. I have downloaded the demo and so far been somewhat dumbfounded by the tutorials, which seem to hang a bit for me. While I like the idea that there are thousands of tiny little shiny things that may or may not have any sort of impact on the other bits of stuff floating around (much like Dominions, if you know what I mean), the UI for troop management seems incredibly offputting.

Particularly baffling to me is what appears to be a lack of clear goals, at least the lack of mention of them. I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do (other than have fun discovering stuff). Normally, most strategy games have some sort of victory conditions; I've spent about an hour with the demo and haven't discovered these yet.

While I don't really want to ask the nearly unanswerable question ("Is this game recommendable for a primarily TBS-strategy-type-buff?"), may I ask those familiar with Paradox products how good the company is in supporting the game and putting out patches and updates (e.g. non-DLC-add-ons) and how good the AI is in handling what appears to be a lot of fairly complex interrelations?

Thank you

Crusader Kings 2, like every other Paradox grand strategy, features an adjustable speed setting, even a pause button. It is a lot like a TBS in terms of flow. The troop management is honestly very simple, since you don't really do much with the armies, except making a formation, pointing them in the right direction and then being amazed at how they are slaughtered by the enemy. The AI is quite capable of handling itself and using everything at it's disposal, in combat and outside of it.

As for support, Paradox has a very good track record regarding that, especially for games they directly produced. CK2 just recieved another patch recently if I'm not mistaken, and it'll get an editor soon that will allow you to create your own leader, which you can then stick inside the game.

CK2 seems very complex on the surface, and it is, but playing it is more akin to The Sims (if that one actually had gameplay and it was good) than most other grand strategies they've made in the past.

As for a goal, world domination would be one. Failing that, expand your dinasty for as long as possible and have fun along the way. It's a sandbox game.

I'd recommend it if you want something different, where you'd consider what you're doing hours down the road, and especially if you like some degree of roleplaying in your games. You can go for a domination victory if you'd like . . .the actual stated goal is your line's total prestige at the end of the game, which is the added prestige from every ruler you've played as until the end of the game in the mid 1400s or when you retire/ everyone dies in your line. In actual gameplay, its more of a sandbox. Most of the feeling of accomplishment comes through seeing a long term plan work out.

The AI is pretty good with micro strategy, but once you figure out the gameplay elements that allow you to declare wars or join wars, and how to keep your own lands from revolting, most players can grow into a huge kingdom. Just depends on how gamey you as the player want to be, and how much you want to roleplay and do things that are seem realistic, but not always smart.

The recent patch needs a bit of hotfixing, but they're pretty good at it. Patches have a good amount of balance and actual gameplay improvements. The CK2 team seems like they pay a lot of attention to forum feedback on what they introduce /patch. Their DLC tends towards small elements that don't make you feel like you're missing much if you don't get them, but are nice if you play a lot. Which I like better than "mini expansions."

I enjoy it, but you definitely have to weave a bit of a story in your mind, and figure out whats happening in interrelations between characters to get some laughs or to appreciate the sneakyness of the AI.

Quoting onomastikon,

reply 12

Because RTS has never really been my cup of tea (much more a TBS kind of person), I have so far never purchased a Paradox product. This one, however, has caught my eye, and has been wondering if this might be worth the risk. I have downloaded the demo and so far been somewhat dumbfounded by the tutorials, which seem to hang a bit for me. While I like the idea that there are thousands of tiny little shiny things that may or may not have any sort of impact on the other bits of stuff floating around (much like Dominions, if you know what I mean), the UI for troop management seems incredibly offputting.

Particularly baffling to me is what appears to be a lack of clear goals, at least the lack of mention of them. I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do (other than have fun discovering stuff). Normally, most strategy games have some sort of victory conditions; I've spent about an hour with the demo and haven't discovered these yet.

While I don't really want to ask the nearly unanswerable question ("Is this game recommendable for a primarily TBS-strategy-type-buff?"), may I ask those familiar with Paradox products how good the company is in supporting the game and putting out patches and updates (e.g. non-DLC-add-ons) and how good the AI is in handling what appears to be a lot of fairly complex interrelations?

Thank you

You need to approach these sort of games very differently than other games. Dominions is a great game but if you do the wrong thing on one turn its game over. In that regard Dominions is a game where every move matters and you are in complete control of your destiny.

With games like Crusader Kings you need to shift your thinking. You are more a spectator than a player and the drama unfolds in all sorts of wonderful ways. You have the power to step in and affect choices as you wish, but underlying it all is the grand opera of the game itself that plays out to its own tune - and every time you play it the tune is different.

So throw away any game-given goals and simply make your own. Start as a Duke somewhere and make yourself a goal acquiring the kingdom. Will you use subterfuge, or will you use politics, or will you use force. The choice is entirely yours.

The fun really is in accepting that you are spectating as much as playing and accepting the drama of having an idiot inherit your seat as much as enjoying the grandeur of having a gifted ruler take charge. It's all fun. Just sit back and go along for the ride.

Alright, thanks much for these helpful replies!

I suppose a part of my worry was that I have not gotten past step 9 of the "war" tutorial, which seems to be the fourth tutorial or so; although I've tried it four times now, the script gets stuck when my little "army" attempts to disembark at an island. Just makes me a bit more apprehensive than I'd normally be.

Quoting particlewave,

reply 11

This guy is very good. You essentially play the game and discover new things and strategies with him, like looking over his shoulder and listening to him think out loud. He's definitely no beginner and you find yourself asking the same questions that he has just asked himself. I've played the demo and followed his tutorials and "let's play" series with great interest.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TekkorGJC

Thanks, started watching and i'll see how it goes.

Crusader Kings is one hell of a sleek, polished game with insane depth. I have made several attempts to play it, but the things I try never work out the way I presume they would To be clear, I don't blame the game for it. What is admirable is especially the interface which is incredibly well-design, packed with information and ergonomic at the same time.

As for the game being RTS - this is loses a bit of the original meaning of the term, because there is in fast clicking action with buffs and debuffs involved. You can slow and accelerate the flow of time, and you can pause it for as long as you please, while still being able to issue commands. Sins of the Solar Empire is technically a RTS too, but it plays very differently than for example warcraft 3.

Moreover, I like that Paradox games really take you to the grand, strategic level of managing an empire. The details are abstracted, you don't chase soldiers around in RTS battles, you don't decide how many barrels of salted fish have to be ordered or what goods should be sold where. Your minions do that for you, you decide the big things - who would be your ally, who shall marry who, whether to yield to the power of the Pope or not, if joining a crusade is benefitial, etc. Wonderful game.

CK2 is as much about vassal and dynastic management as it is about conquest. You need to know how to manage the shifting allegiances of those who serve you, the laws governing succession, and the traits that personalize so many people in and out of your realm. It's the only way to expand successfully.

Love the game, personally. It's quirky, but addicting, and has great replayability.

I have not hear about it before. I guess it will be a good game as I read the review of you all......

http://spongebob-squarepants.otavo.tv/ , http://downloadfridaynightlights.sequd.com/

So after playing the demo i'm definitely going to buy the game, anyone know the place to get the best deal for it? I mean i'm going to search online, but are there some places gives you more DLC than other places?

(I can't post to the CK2 forums to ask without having a registered game, grrr)

You most definitely can post to the CK2 general chat forum, you just have to register an account with their forums! You cannot access the sub forums (e.g. modding, tech support) until you register your game. Two different registrations processes that you are mixing up I think.

Oh, and it's a great game, your best choices are the Gamersgate version if you want full control, or if you are a fan of steam go with the steam version.

CK2 is a great game -- great concept, great execution. Well worth getting.

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