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[umiman]

Development Diary #3: The DLC Bonsai Tree

We interrupt the regular program for this short broadcast from the Game Director. That is, me. I was planning to talk about something completely different (and admittedly of more substance), but we decided to hold on off on that for a bit. Instead, bear with me as I wax slightly philosophical and delve into the twin personalities of Crusader Kings. Now, that might sound like a diagnosis of mental illness, but it’s actually a beautiful thing that makes the game unique. I often think of Crusader Kings as a potted plant. The pot is the strategy game and the plant is the role-playing aspects, and every time you play the game, the plant grows differently, pruned by player actions… like a Bonsai Tree.

The pot and the soil cannot be neglected, for the roots of the plant - the “story engine” - need to be contained and nurtured by sound rules and balanced mechanics. Strategy games provide fertile soil indeed for captivating drama through their most defining features; freedom of action and conflict. Engaging conflict among a multitude of players and AI actors is really the key to the success of Crusader Kings II, for it causes such amusing stories to emerge and grow.

It should come as no surprise, though, that hybrid games like this tend to attract two rather different kinds of players; those who seek domination through mental acuity and those who are mostly in it for the ride (and everything in between, of course.) This poses an interesting challenge for us, the developers, because we have to expand on the game in ways that will suit both types. As you know, we have wavered back and forth between almost pure RPG expansions like Way of Life and strategic expansions, like Conclave, but we can never seem to please everyone (which is, of course, why we love mods and modders so much!)

Is there a point to all this? Not really, but perhaps you can guess what kind the next expansion will be…

Hmmm... yes....

[Grim Portent]

I'm actually kind of surprised no one has made a mod that lets you play as a bear yet.

[LordBrassroast]

Look up secret bear mod.

[Sirbug]

Well, looks like being only Christian in Iberia is not a feasible way of life. At least for my skill.

[Urist McScoopbeard]

So completing the map for this next DLC?

[Cruxador]

They're really scrambling to have dev diaries, aren't they?

[hector13]

Well I reformed the Tengri faith. I'm also sitting at ~80% threat with 0.21% decay.

*sigh*

I think I'm still the Caliph. At least I was before I reformed...

[PTTG??]

So completing the map for this next DLC?

That seems kind of reasonable. To be fair, it might just be that Bonsai trees are available. But adding the T'ang, Temujin, the Yaun, and the Ming would definitely be awesome.

[Kot]

Well, Game Of Thrones mod kinda has it with Essos, which stretches very far right and it does cause performance drops, but it is pretty much possible without murdering performance so much.

[Teneb]

Yeah, but kill performance outright.

It probably won't kill performance, though it will have an impact. The main thing about expanding east is that a new government will be needed to properly model how the chinese ran things.

They could also expand south into Africa, which would be really cool. It would also not require new governments, since feudal, iqta and tribal cover pretty much all the various realms that existed there. I doubt that will ever happen, though.

[hector13]

I'd quite like it to be East until Japan, but any more map is a good thing.

They did have the Sengoku game, kinda Crusader Kings in Japan, so they may not be willing to go back there.

[MrRoboto75]

I heard the argument that they wouldn't expand eastward because it would allow you to stop the mongol hordes before they begin their doomstackining.

[A Thing]

Well, Game Of Thrones mod kinda has it with Essos, which stretches very far right and it does cause performance drops, but it is pretty much possible without murdering performance so much.

A good bit of Essos is kinda empty and unplayable though. If China was like that I would be disappointed.

[Teneb]

I heard the argument that they wouldn't expand eastward because it would allow you to stop the mongol hordes before they begin their doomstackining.

Nah, they said they want to do China, just not when.

[Urist McScoopbeard]

Maybe it'll be like a... Seperate map kind of thing?