New EUIV Expansion - Common Sense - Due 9 Jun 2015

[OJsDad]

https://www.paradoxplaza.com/news/Paradox-Brings-Some-Common-Sense-to-Europa-Universalis-IV-on-June-9th/

STOCKHOLM – May 8, 2015 – Thomas Paine's Common Sense was the best selling pamphlet of Revolutionary America. Paradox's Common Sense won't tear down the pretensions of monarchy like Paine's did, but it will give Europa Universalis IV new tools so players can manage the growth of their domains. With a focus on the art of ruling and national improvement, Common Sense adds depth to domestic rule and adds a number of major changes to diplomacy.

The most significant modification in Common Sense is the new provincial development system. Building space in a province is now limited by its terrain and Development Value. The more developed a province is, the greater wealth and power you can squeeze out of it. By spending monarch points, you can now customize your trading hubs or make great recruiting centers. Fewer, more powerful buildings means that every decision about construction has greater importance – if you want a manufactory and have no building slots in Champagne, what will you destroy?

This teaser video highlights another important feature: parliamentary rule.

Other major features include:

Parliaments: The English crown and other constitutional systems of government can now use their flexible system to pass laws through parliaments

National Churches: Protestant kingdoms can customize their new faith and make it a true partner to the throne.

New Religious Systems: Buddhism and Protestantism both get fresh coats of faith-based paint

New Options For Subject States: Once just tiny money faucets, recent expansions have made vassals and colonial nations more useful. Common Sense gives you new tools to exploit them or keep them in line

Government Ranks: As you invest in the development of your nation, you can climb from a small duchy to a major empire, unlocking new benefits.

New Government mechanics: Theocracies will have new actions and mechanics to highlight their unique character, and the Holy Roman Empire can create Free Cities

As always, Common Sense will be accompanied by a host of free updates and improvements - including some significant changes to the map of Europe.

Common Sense will be available on major digital platforms on June 9, 2015

[Nefaro]

Other than the Theocracies getting some more mechanics, I'm rather MEH about much of that. 

Maybe it'll be more interesting after I've seen the details but this expansion doesn't rouse any excitement. 

I am also hoping that the mechanics creep doesn't revive some of the more annoying number-chasing facets that was eliminated in between EU3 and EU4. 

[Philippe]

I'm still munching on sour grapes because it's impossible to reduplicate Columbus's first crossing of the Atlantic. 

When basic history becomes impossible I start to lose interest and confidence in the system.

[glen55]

Developing provinces is probably my favorite part of the game, so in theory I am very interested in this idea of province development values and development limits.  But we shall see:  the devil is in the details.   >:D

[Nefaro]

Developing provinces is probably my favorite part of the game, so in theory I am very interested in this idea of province development values and development limits.  But we shall see:  the devil is in the details.   >:D

That did pique my interest, but it sounded more like they were just limiting how many improvements you can make in each.  Not sure how much will actually be added from the short description. 

Need more details.  ;)

[Kushan]

Developing provinces is probably my favorite part of the game, so in theory I am very interested in this idea of province development values and development limits.  But we shall see:  the devil is in the details.   >:D

That did pique my interest, but it sounded more like they were just limiting how many improvements you can make in each.  Not sure how much will actually be added from the short description. 

Need more details.  ;)

This could be one of the greatest changes seen so far in EUIV. See Developer Diary 4. What it means in terms of game play is that you don't have to go on a world conquest in order to grow. Instead you can invest your monarch points into increasing a provinces base tax, man power, or production.

I plan to take a one or two province minor, only expand into a 2-3 province radius from my starting provinces, then expend points into growing upward rather then out.

[glen55]

I can definitely see the attraction of growing up.  There's a lot to be said, gameplay-wise, for keeping your attention local.  When you're aggressively expanding and colonizing, eventually you will have you have multiple fronts all over the world, and fighting a global war gets to be a bit of a drag.  You can slow the game down as much as you need to deal with it, but because of the way units disappear when you zoom out too far, you have to stop zooming out before you can see an area the size of the United States.  With that limitation, world war means you'll have to click all over the map pretty constantly to shift your view to manage the different fronts, because you could drop a bunch of United Stateses down in the world.

[Nefaro]

Developing provinces is probably my favorite part of the game, so in theory I am very interested in this idea of province development values and development limits.  But we shall see:  the devil is in the details.   >:D

That did pique my interest, but it sounded more like they were just limiting how many improvements you can make in each.  Not sure how much will actually be added from the short description. 

Need more details.  ;)

This could be one of the greatest changes seen so far in EUIV. See Developer Diary 4. What it means in terms of game play is that you don't have to go on a world conquest in order to grow. Instead you can invest your monarch points into increasing a provinces base tax, man power, or production.

I plan to take a one or two province minor, only expand into a 2-3 province radius from my starting provinces, then expend points into growing upward rather then out.

That's good news.  But couldn't you already do that to some extent?  I'm guessing they're making it more pronounced?

Another issue I've seen with province improvements is that the AI still didn't want to use them.  That was a big issue in EU3, and from what I've seen it's still a problem in EU4.  Hopefully this will address it, otherwise the AI may be further disadvantaged in that area.

[OJsDad]

I wonder is this will make some of the minor countries more playable. 

[Barthheart]

I'm still munching on sour grapes because it's impossible to reduplicate Columbus's first crossing of the Atlantic. 

When basic history becomes impossible I start to lose interest and confidence in the system.

This is why I gave up on EUIV early.  >:(

[Nefaro]

I'm still munching on sour grapes because it's impossible to reduplicate Columbus's first crossing of the Atlantic. 

When basic history becomes impossible I start to lose interest and confidence in the system.

This is why I gave up on EUIV early.  >:(

Are you guys using the randomized New World option?  I could understand not getting across due to the randomization which, IMO, is a nice change.  Otherwise you know, beforehand, where it's easiest for you to cross depending on which nation you're playing. 

I've crossed over to Greenland or Brazil earlier than Columbus' voyage in games without the randomized map, but that's something I thought was far too cheesy.  Far more than not hitting 1492 in the Caribbean right on the head.

Another issue with the initial discovery is that landing somewhere and/or sailing around the coasts will allow you to explore quite a sizable area.  Much more than Columbus' first journey.  So maybe it's not trying to emulate that one due to the amount of discovery possible on the first journey?  Something to think about.

[Barthheart]

I'm still munching on sour grapes because it's impossible to reduplicate Columbus's first crossing of the Atlantic. 

When basic history becomes impossible I start to lose interest and confidence in the system.

This is why I gave up on EUIV early.  >:(

Are you guys using the randomized New World option?  I could understand not getting across due to the randomization which, IMO, is a nice change.  Otherwise you know, beforehand, where it's easiest for you to cross depending on which nation you're playing. 

I've crossed over to Greenland or Brazil earlier than Columbus' voyage in games without the randomized map, but that's something I thought was far too cheesy.  Far more than not hitting 1492 in the Caribbean right on the head.

Another issue with the initial discovery is that landing somewhere and/or sailing around the coasts will allow you to explore quite a sizable area.  Much more than Columbus' first journey.  So maybe it's not trying to emulate that one due to the amount of discovery possible on the first journey?  Something to think about.

Yeah... it's more me wanting to be able to reconstruct CC's first crossing in 1492 by going more or less strait across to the Caribbean without all your ships dissolving before you get there....  :P

[bbmike]

Yeah... it's more me wanting to be able to reconstruct CC's first crossing in 1492 by going more or less strait across to the Caribbean without all your ships dissolving before you get there....  :P

But Chris did start out with 9 ships. 6 of them actually dissolved en route.  ;D

[Philippe]

Under the old system I never had significant problems getting three ships to the Bahamas, eastern Cuba, northern Hispaniola, and back.  But you had to be very judicious about how often you attempted to explore, and had to keep your eye on the attrition counters to be sure to know when to turn back.  And in real life you're supposed to lose a ship or two anyway.

Under the new system you can't pick your route.  It usually takes two trips to get Columbus across the Atlantic, and on that second trip when he will actually hit land, you can him send just about anywhere EXCEPT the place he actually went.  Gulf of St. Lawrence, Chesapeake Bay, Lesser Antilles, Guyana, Brazil, no problem.  Bahamas ?  Never.

It's really a shame, because with proper handling the new system could make the exploration happen in a more realistic way on a more realistic timeframe.  I haven't tried this in a while, but last time I played as Portugal I think I ran through about three hundred years of exploration in less than three decades.

If they ever get their scripts written correctly the scrambled geography will become completely unnecessary.  Besides, most people don't know where those places are supposed to be anyway.

[Barthheart]

....
  Besides, most people don't know where those places are supposed to be anyway.

;D