As usual, when we do a major expansion, and have a large free accompanying update, there are quite a lot of changes to how you play the game. We’re hoping that this little guide makes it easier for you to transition to the greater experience of EU4 1.20 “Ming” with Mandate of Heaven.

Sieges
Quite a lot regarding sieges have changed, giving the player greater control over the sieges through the years, if you get the Mandate of Heaven expansion.

First of all, you always have the option to do an Artillery Barrage, which allows you to do create a breach in the fortress for 50 Military Power. This breach increases the siege-progress by +3, and also allows you to do an assault

During the Age of Reformation, you can get an ability that increases the impact from blockades while sieging by +1.

Finally, during the Age of Revolutions, you can unlock the Napoleonic Warfare ability, which increases the maximum bonus from artillery to +3.


Devastation
We talked about devastation in one of the earliest development diaries about 1.20, and its seen quite a lot of tweaks since then. Now it’s time to give a detailed information about how it will work.

Provinces that are being looted, occupied or under siege will slowly see their devastation tick up. Control of your own province will slowly see it tick down again, while being in the zone of control of a friendly fortress decreases it far quicker.

If you want to reduce the devastation quicker, manually developing the province will reduce it as well.

We also changed scorched earth, so that while it gives a modest impact (+5) to the devastation in the province, it also reduces movement for hostile units by 50% for 5 years.

Devastation have an impact on quite a lot of things, with 100% devastation giving the following to a province.

• trade_goods_size_modifier = -1
  
• supply_limit_modifier = -0.5
  
• local_institution_spread = -1.0
  
• local_development_cost = 0.1
  
• local_manpower_modifier = -1.0
  
• local_sailors_modifier = -1.0
  
• local_hostile_movement_speed = -0.25
  
• local_friendly_movement_speed = -0.25

Subjects
We’ve done quite a lot of things to subjects in the Ming update, most important among them probably exposing most of it to modders, but for you right now there are a few important things to know.

Non-tributary subjects are now exempt from most disasters, making both managing them, and playing them less of a hassle.

We merged protectorates and vassals into vassals. You can do divert trade & seize territory from vassals & send officers to marches.

Subjects occupying a province for you will now automatically discover that province for you.

Subject types that allow Embargo Rivals interaction no longer allow Subject to make their own embargoes.

We reduced Liberty desire from development in vassals, and its now 100% liberty desire at 500 development.

Daimyos are now their unique subject type, with lots of added mechanics mentioned in earlier development diaries. They no longer count towards diplomatic relations, but they will no longer increase your force limit either as a Shogunate.

Colonial Nations can now start war with neighbours of another religion group. Which allows them to attack native americans even if they have technological parity.

Colonial Nations also lost heir penalty to settler chance and colony growth.


Trade companies
We have done some rather big changed to Trade Companies, making them no longer count as territory when it comes to autonomy. This makes it much preferable and beneficial for empires to create trade companies of their overseas territories where possible.

Removing a a province manually from a trade company now makes it not produce any goods for 5 years.


Spynetworks
In an effort to reduce tedious micromanagement, we’ve done a major change of convenience. Spies are no longer sent home when discovered, but instead have decay while being discovered for a year.


Golden Age
The Golden Era is probably the most powerful ability you can give your country. Once a game, when you have at least 3 age objectives fulfilled, you can start your golden era. This era will last you 50 years, and during this time, you get the following benefits.

• all_power_cost = -0.1
  
• global_trade_goods_size_modifier = 0.1
  
• land_morale = 0.1
  
• naval_morale = 0.1
  
• max_absolutism = 5

States
State Maintenance is no longer free in Capital Areas, but is reduced in price by 50% to prevent free edicts. Capital States have been “reimbursed” for this by gaining +5% institution spread.

The late-game States buffet from government and Technology levels have been reduced dramatically, as previously almost all areas would be stated, removing strategic choice from the system.

War & Peace
Stabhitting peace offers have been restored to 50% of the warscore, when warscore is at least 50%, as we felt the new system wasn’t working so well.

You can no longer call in allies that have a truce with someone you are attacking, to add risk to truce breaking

We have removed the rule that you couldn’t make a separate peace with the holder of the wargoal province, as it caused bizarre outcomes in unlikely yet plausible situations.


Mercenaries
Mercenary costs have been raised across the board, to put more financial pressure on waging wars with endless waves of cannon fodder. They now cost 10 more in base price and reinforcement costs are doubled.

Your mercenaries now get priority when entering battle within their unit type. Eg: Mercenary Infantry will be deployed in the middle ahead of regulars.

Victory Cards
Victory Cards have been changed to make them more enticing to grab early, rather than leaving them until the very end of the game. They now also heavily disincentivize “trading” of them.

Victory Cards ticking up/down is now 10 years instead of 20 years.

You now get the final victory cards even if you haven't fulfilled previous ones.

A fully maxed victory card adds +1 score each month now.


Absolutism
The tech impact on Administrative Efficiency has been halved from 0-60% to 0-30%.An additional 0-40% of Administrative Efficiency can be gained from Absolutism in the 3rd and 4th ages to give an edge to more Authoritarian nations in the late game

The Absolutism Mechanic replaces the Absolute Monarchy government type, which is no longer present in the game.

Absolutism is used in decisions and events and can be influenced by Harsh treatment, raising stability, Strengthening government, lowering autonomy and more.


Nation Rebalancing
Prussian Militarisation has been balanced to be 50% harder to maintain and impacts less on maintenance cost and manpower. Its effects on troop quality remain unchanged.

Early Native American infantry units have had their pip count reduced from 6 to 4, as native teching has been made easier with institutions and they do not need early super soldiers. On this note, the Counting Coups idea has been reduced from 15% morale to 10%

Some of our more extravagant National Idea bonuses have been rebalanced. Japanese Traditions have been reduced from 10% discipline to a more sane 5% while Ottoman Millets are now 20% coring cost reduction instead of 33%.

Bankruptcy
A new button has been added to the economy tab allowing a nation to declare Bankruptcy if it has any loans. As such, the effects of bankruptcy have been rebalanced to be shorter and less of a kiss of death, but a viable alternative to crushing loan repayments

Bankruptcy now adds devastation to provinces, and clears recent uprising flag.

Bankruptcies now have less impact on morale, unrest and autonomy, and only last 5 years.

Going bankrupt now destroys all buildings built in the last 5 years to prevent building up your economy with borrowed money and intentionally going bankrupt.


Cavalry Ratio
The amount of cavalry you can have, relative to your infantry is no longer tied to the old inflexible tech groups, but is instead a base of 50% influenced by the following:

• Steppe Horde government now have +25% Cavalry Ratio.
  
• Winged Hussars Idea gives +10% Cavalry Ratio now.
  
• Happy Cossacks Estates give +10% Cavalry Ratio now.
  
• Sunni Religion lost tolerance own, but gained +10% Cavalry Ratio.
  
• Tengri lost 2 unrest, but gained +25% Cavalry Ratio.

Unconditional Surrender
Various changes have been made to stop unconditionally surrendering nations from being at the mercy of their enemies forcing them to break apart from economical and revolting damage:

Upon unconditionally surrendering, autonomy, War Exhaustion and Institution Spread act like being at peace

Devastation will slowly decline after unconditionally surrendering

Owned provinces will have 0 Unrest after Unconditionally surrendering

Nations that has unconditionally surrendered can not take loans, nor go below 0 in treasury, and will automatically dismiss all advisors each month.


Exploit Fixes
Rebel occupation gives the same modifier as regular occupation

A country is considered to be “in debt” for purposes of not being able to send gifts etc if it has more than 2 years of income to prevent “banking” money elsewhere.

Nations in debt and running a deficit can no longer buy ships, stopping an infinite money exploit.

Calculations for “in debt” are immediate, rather than judging the previous month’s finances, which lead to plenty of exploits

Misc
Spices’ trade good bonus has changed from the widely adored Hostile Core Creation Cost to a reduction in devastation.

Wool’s trade good bonus is now +10% Local Movement Speed, because you cannot build a boat in Zürich

Deus Vult is now the final idea in Religious Ideas, to make the Idea set less immediately amazing.

Sharing maps can now be done while at war, because inaccessible allied land in a crucial moment is silly.

Tengri now have 20% cheaper regiments, up from 10% cheaper regiments.

As usual, when we do a major expansion, and have a large free accompanying update, there are quite a lot of changes to how you play the game. We’re hoping that this little guide makes it easier for you to transition to the greater experience of EU4 1.20 “Ming” with Mandate of Heaven.

Sieges
Quite a lot regarding sieges have changed, giving the player greater control over the sieges through the years, if you get the Mandate of Heaven expansion.

First of all, you always have the option to do an Artillery Barrage, which allows you to do create a breach in the fortress for 50 Military Power. This breach increases the siege-progress by +3, and also allows you to do an assault

During the Age of Reformation, you can get an ability that increases the impact from blockades while sieging by +1.

Finally, during the Age of Revolutions, you can unlock the Napoleonic Warfare ability, which increases the maximum bonus from artillery to +3.


Devastation
We talked about devastation in one of the earliest development diaries about 1.20, and its seen quite a lot of tweaks since then. Now it’s time to give a detailed information about how it will work.

Provinces that are being looted, occupied or under siege will slowly see their devastation tick up. Control of your own province will slowly see it tick down again, while being in the zone of control of a friendly fortress decreases it far quicker.

If you want to reduce the devastation quicker, manually developing the province will reduce it as well.

We also changed scorched earth, so that while it gives a modest impact (+5) to the devastation in the province, it also reduces movement for hostile units by 50% for 5 years.

Devastation have an impact on quite a lot of things, with 100% devastation giving the following to a province.

• trade_goods_size_modifier = -1
  
• supply_limit_modifier = -0.5
  
• local_institution_spread = -1.0
  
• local_development_cost = 0.1
  
• local_manpower_modifier = -1.0
  
• local_sailors_modifier = -1.0
  
• local_hostile_movement_speed = -0.25
  
• local_friendly_movement_speed = -0.25

Subjects
We’ve done quite a lot of things to subjects in the Ming update, most important among them probably exposing most of it to modders, but for you right now there are a few important things to know.

Non-tributary subjects are now exempt from most disasters, making both managing them, and playing them less of a hassle.

We merged protectorates and vassals into vassals. You can do divert trade & seize territory from vassals & send officers to marches.

Subjects occupying a province for you will now automatically discover that province for you.

Subject types that allow Embargo Rivals interaction no longer allow Subject to make their own embargoes.

We reduced Liberty desire from development in vassals, and its now 100% liberty desire at 500 development.

Daimyos are now their unique subject type, with lots of added mechanics mentioned in earlier development diaries. They no longer count towards diplomatic relations, but they will no longer increase your force limit either as a Shogunate.

Colonial Nations can now start war with neighbours of another religion group. Which allows them to attack native americans even if they have technological parity.

Colonial Nations also lost heir penalty to settler chance and colony growth.


Trade companies
We have done some rather big changed to Trade Companies, making them no longer count as territory when it comes to autonomy. This makes it much preferable and beneficial for empires to create trade companies of their overseas territories where possible.

Removing a a province manually from a trade company now makes it not produce any goods for 5 years.


Spynetworks
In an effort to reduce tedious micromanagement, we’ve done a major change of convenience. Spies are no longer sent home when discovered, but instead have decay while being discovered for a year.


Golden Age
The Golden Era is probably the most powerful ability you can give your country. Once a game, when you have at least 3 age objectives fulfilled, you can start your golden era. This era will last you 50 years, and during this time, you get the following benefits.

• all_power_cost = -0.1
  
• global_trade_goods_size_modifier = 0.1
  
• land_morale = 0.1
  
• naval_morale = 0.1
  
• max_absolutism = 5

States
State Maintenance is no longer free in Capital Areas, but is reduced in price by 50% to prevent free edicts. Capital States have been “reimbursed” for this by gaining +5% institution spread.

The late-game States buffet from government and Technology levels have been reduced dramatically, as previously almost all areas would be stated, removing strategic choice from the system.

War & Peace
Stabhitting peace offers have been restored to 50% of the warscore, when warscore is at least 50%, as we felt the new system wasn’t working so well.

You can no longer call in allies that have a truce with someone you are attacking, to add risk to truce breaking

We have removed the rule that you couldn’t make a separate peace with the holder of the wargoal province, as it caused bizarre outcomes in unlikely yet plausible situations.


Mercenaries
Mercenary costs have been raised across the board, to put more financial pressure on waging wars with endless waves of cannon fodder. They now cost 10 more in base price and reinforcement costs are doubled.

Your mercenaries now get priority when entering battle within their unit type. Eg: Mercenary Infantry will be deployed in the middle ahead of regulars.

Victory Cards
Victory Cards have been changed to make them more enticing to grab early, rather than leaving them until the very end of the game. They now also heavily disincentivize “trading” of them.

Victory Cards ticking up/down is now 10 years instead of 20 years.

You now get the final victory cards even if you haven't fulfilled previous ones.

A fully maxed victory card adds +1 score each month now.


Absolutism
The tech impact on Administrative Efficiency has been halved from 0-60% to 0-30%.An additional 0-40% of Administrative Efficiency can be gained from Absolutism in the 3rd and 4th ages to give an edge to more Authoritarian nations in the late game

The Absolutism Mechanic replaces the Absolute Monarchy government type, which is no longer present in the game.

Absolutism is used in decisions and events and can be influenced by Harsh treatment, raising stability, Strengthening government, lowering autonomy and more.


Nation Rebalancing
Prussian Militarisation has been balanced to be 50% harder to maintain and impacts less on maintenance cost and manpower. Its effects on troop quality remain unchanged.

Early Native American infantry units have had their pip count reduced from 6 to 4, as native teching has been made easier with institutions and they do not need early super soldiers. On this note, the Counting Coups idea has been reduced from 15% morale to 10%

Some of our more extravagant National Idea bonuses have been rebalanced. Japanese Traditions have been reduced from 10% discipline to a more sane 5% while Ottoman Millets are now 20% coring cost reduction instead of 33%.

Bankruptcy
A new button has been added to the economy tab allowing a nation to declare Bankruptcy if it has any loans. As such, the effects of bankruptcy have been rebalanced to be shorter and less of a kiss of death, but a viable alternative to crushing loan repayments

Bankruptcy now adds devastation to provinces, and clears recent uprising flag.

Bankruptcies now have less impact on morale, unrest and autonomy, and only last 5 years.

Going bankrupt now destroys all buildings built in the last 5 years to prevent building up your economy with borrowed money and intentionally going bankrupt.


Cavalry Ratio
The amount of cavalry you can have, relative to your infantry is no longer tied to the old inflexible tech groups, but is instead a base of 50% influenced by the following:

• Steppe Horde government now have +25% Cavalry Ratio.
  
• Winged Hussars Idea gives +10% Cavalry Ratio now.
  
• Happy Cossacks Estates give +10% Cavalry Ratio now.
  
• Sunni Religion lost tolerance own, but gained +10% Cavalry Ratio.
  
• Tengri lost 2 unrest, but gained +25% Cavalry Ratio.

Unconditional Surrender
Various changes have been made to stop unconditionally surrendering nations from being at the mercy of their enemies forcing them to break apart from economical and revolting damage:

Upon unconditionally surrendering, autonomy, War Exhaustion and Institution Spread act like being at peace

Devastation will slowly decline after unconditionally surrendering

Owned provinces will have 0 Unrest after Unconditionally surrendering

Nations that has unconditionally surrendered can not take loans, nor go below 0 in treasury, and will automatically dismiss all advisors each month.


Exploit Fixes
Rebel occupation gives the same modifier as regular occupation

A country is considered to be “in debt” for purposes of not being able to send gifts etc if it has more than 2 years of income to prevent “banking” money elsewhere.

Nations in debt and running a deficit can no longer buy ships, stopping an infinite money exploit.

Calculations for “in debt” are immediate, rather than judging the previous month’s finances, which lead to plenty of exploits

Misc
Spices’ trade good bonus has changed from the widely adored Hostile Core Creation Cost to a reduction in devastation.

Wool’s trade good bonus is now +10% Local Movement Speed, because you cannot build a boat in Zürich

Deus Vult is now the final idea in Religious Ideas, to make the Idea set less immediately amazing.

Sharing maps can now be done while at war, because inaccessible allied land in a crucial moment is silly.

Tengri now have 20% cheaper regiments, up from 10% cheaper regiments.

In one week, on April 6th, we will release our next expansion: Mandate of Heaven. Let's join Jake as he takes us on a tour through new features and mechanics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KtSamZDUH4

In one week, on April 6th, we will release our next expansion: Mandate of Heaven. Let's join Jake as he takes us on a tour through new features and mechanics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KtSamZDUH4

Hello and welcome to another development diary for Europa Universalis IV. We’re about 9 days away from release of Mandate of Heaven on the 6th of April 2017. Next week we’ll go into the patchnotes in detail, but for now, let’s look at some of the features we’ve not got into detail yet.

First of all, we have added a new feature in the expansion when performing a siege.

Artillery Barrage is something you can order an army to do, when you have fullsized artillery regiments than the fortress have fort-levels. A barrage costs 50 MIL power, and creates a breach in the forts walls.



A new cool thing that is free in the patch is the ability to declare bankruptcy at will. Of course, this can only be done when you have a loan, and is not already in a bankruptcy. The effects of bankruptcy have changed as well, in that you lose 3 stability, get all your power set to -100, lose all advisors, mercenaries & current constructions. All loans are gone, but all your provinces suffer 10 devastation and lost the “recent uprising” modifier. You also lose all buildings you have built in the last 5 years. You gain a penalty for 5 years as well, which reduces morale by 50%, increases tech, idea & advisor costs by 50% and increases autonomy and decreases absolutism in your nation.


Another improvement to the 1.20 patch is the changes to the macrobuilder when it comes to buildings. Now, when you have selected a building, you will see a list of all provinces where it can be built, which can be sorted on cost, profit and other aspects, making it easier to optimise your economy.



For those of you that like the ledger, but find it hard to navigate with the large amount of nations, we have now added filter buttons so you can see just those nations that interest you for the moment. We’ve also colored the row of your own nation, so it is always easy to see. This is of course part of the free patch.


As you may have noticed, the military overview got a bit cramped with the previous layout. This have been changed now, allowing us to add other important values here, like the new cavalry to infantry ratio.



Stay tuned, its just a few days more…..

Read the original post

Useful links
Official Website
Europa Universalis IV Wiki
Europa Universalis IV Development Diary Archive

Hello and welcome to another development diary for Europa Universalis IV. We’re about 9 days away from release of Mandate of Heaven on the 6th of April 2017. Next week we’ll go into the patchnotes in detail, but for now, let’s look at some of the features we’ve not got into detail yet.

First of all, we have added a new feature in the expansion when performing a siege.

Artillery Barrage is something you can order an army to do, when you have fullsized artillery regiments than the fortress have fort-levels. A barrage costs 50 MIL power, and creates a breach in the forts walls.



A new cool thing that is free in the patch is the ability to declare bankruptcy at will. Of course, this can only be done when you have a loan, and is not already in a bankruptcy. The effects of bankruptcy have changed as well, in that you lose 3 stability, get all your power set to -100, lose all advisors, mercenaries & current constructions. All loans are gone, but all your provinces suffer 10 devastation and lost the “recent uprising” modifier. You also lose all buildings you have built in the last 5 years. You gain a penalty for 5 years as well, which reduces morale by 50%, increases tech, idea & advisor costs by 50% and increases autonomy and decreases absolutism in your nation.


Another improvement to the 1.20 patch is the changes to the macrobuilder when it comes to buildings. Now, when you have selected a building, you will see a list of all provinces where it can be built, which can be sorted on cost, profit and other aspects, making it easier to optimise your economy.



For those of you that like the ledger, but find it hard to navigate with the large amount of nations, we have now added filter buttons so you can see just those nations that interest you for the moment. We’ve also colored the row of your own nation, so it is always easy to see. This is of course part of the free patch.


As you may have noticed, the military overview got a bit cramped with the previous layout. This have been changed now, allowing us to add other important values here, like the new cavalry to infantry ratio.



Stay tuned, its just a few days more…..

Read the original post

Useful links
Official Website
Europa Universalis IV Wiki
Europa Universalis IV Development Diary Archive

Good day all, the time has come at last to talk in depth about the much-teased feature that has our players not wanting to go back to 1.19 for fear of playing without it. Today the spotlight is on Mandate of Heaven's new Diplomatic Macro Builder.
Owners of Mandate of Heaven will have access to a new Macro Builder designed to truly make your diplomats work for their meager salaries. The Diplo Macro will allow you to do almost all diplomatic actions from the Macro menu without having to click from nation to nation.



Nations who would accept your diplomatic offer are shown on the map in green. Those who would not accept are shown in red while those who are completely ineligible to be asked are in grey. Hovering over a nation will give you a breakdown of the reasons for and against agreeing to your offer. You can use either the map or the list on the Macro Builder to check this information and click on either to confirm the diplomatic action.



Diplo actions included are Alliance, Influence, Dynastic, Economic, Papal, Emperor and Great Power actions. Gone are the days of desperately searching for who will marry you or who you can kindly ask the Pope to excommunicate.

But we're overlooking one tab here. What's that on the far left?



Improve Relations is our Leftmost tab and allows for the automation of improving relations via your diplomats. There are 5 rules which you can assign diplomats to work themselves to the bone over.

• Target Neighbouring Countries
  
• Target your own Subjects
  
• Target nations who have Aggressive Expansion towards you
  
• Target Allies
  
• Target Threatening nations

Once assigned to a task, your diplomats will work to boost relations with relevant nations. Once they raise a nation to +100 improved relations, they will automatically move on to another. they won't return to improve relations with an already-improved nation unless it falls below +80 improved relations unless they have nothing better to do.

The automated diplomats also have some logic of their own for who they target. They will recognize "hopeless" attempts to improve relations with nations who already have irredeemably low opinion of your nation and will judge nations based on strength and distance from you when placating threatening nations.

Clicking on a diplomat will stop them from their improve relations mission while right clicking will simply cancel the automation and they will continue to improve relations with the nation they are already active in.

The Diplomatic Macro Builder will be part of the Mandate of Heaven Expansion, which releases for $19.99 on April 6th 2017. The day of release is fast approaching and in next week's diary we'll be covering a variety of miscellaneous additions and changes.

Until then though, it's time to get ready for the Dev Clash Multiplayer session. Chris and I must resist grabbing the blue paint and saltire. See you then!

Read the original post

Useful links
Official Website
Europa Universalis IV Wiki
Europa Universalis IV Development Diary Archive

Good day all, the time has come at last to talk in depth about the much-teased feature that has our players not wanting to go back to 1.19 for fear of playing without it. Today the spotlight is on Mandate of Heaven's new Diplomatic Macro Builder.
Owners of Mandate of Heaven will have access to a new Macro Builder designed to truly make your diplomats work for their meager salaries. The Diplo Macro will allow you to do almost all diplomatic actions from the Macro menu without having to click from nation to nation.



Nations who would accept your diplomatic offer are shown on the map in green. Those who would not accept are shown in red while those who are completely ineligible to be asked are in grey. Hovering over a nation will give you a breakdown of the reasons for and against agreeing to your offer. You can use either the map or the list on the Macro Builder to check this information and click on either to confirm the diplomatic action.



Diplo actions included are Alliance, Influence, Dynastic, Economic, Papal, Emperor and Great Power actions. Gone are the days of desperately searching for who will marry you or who you can kindly ask the Pope to excommunicate.

But we're overlooking one tab here. What's that on the far left?



Improve Relations is our Leftmost tab and allows for the automation of improving relations via your diplomats. There are 5 rules which you can assign diplomats to work themselves to the bone over.

• Target Neighbouring Countries
  
• Target your own Subjects
  
• Target nations who have Aggressive Expansion towards you
  
• Target Allies
  
• Target Threatening nations

Once assigned to a task, your diplomats will work to boost relations with relevant nations. Once they raise a nation to +100 improved relations, they will automatically move on to another. they won't return to improve relations with an already-improved nation unless it falls below +80 improved relations unless they have nothing better to do.

The automated diplomats also have some logic of their own for who they target. They will recognize "hopeless" attempts to improve relations with nations who already have irredeemably low opinion of your nation and will judge nations based on strength and distance from you when placating threatening nations.

Clicking on a diplomat will stop them from their improve relations mission while right clicking will simply cancel the automation and they will continue to improve relations with the nation they are already active in.

The Diplomatic Macro Builder will be part of the Mandate of Heaven Expansion, which releases for $19.99 on April 6th 2017. The day of release is fast approaching and in next week's diary we'll be covering a variety of miscellaneous additions and changes.

Until then though, it's time to get ready for the Dev Clash Multiplayer session. Chris and I must resist grabbing the blue paint and saltire. See you then!

Read the original post

Useful links
Official Website
Europa Universalis IV Wiki
Europa Universalis IV Development Diary Archive

Good day everyone, it's another bright and sunny day in glorious Stockholm, or rather, I wish it were. To distract from the grim grey reality of this cursed latitude let's delve into the second Religious overhaul present in Mandate of Heaven: Shintoism.
One month ago we got a Dev Diary covering changes to the Governance of Japan. As many of you I'm sure are aware, we model Japan with the strong but mechanically lacking Shinto religion. Shinto belongs in the Eastern religion group and are eligible to compete for the Celestial Throne and as part of Mandate of Heaven, Shinto nations will also have their own Isolationism mechanic.


Shinto nations will have an Isolationism level, 5 stages from Open Doors to Closed Doors each giving their own national effect. Japan starts in 1444 under the Ashikaga Shogunate before their Sakoku period of Isolation and as such is at an "adaptive" level. Periodically, this Isolationism level will be challenged by Incidents. Up to 8 of these Incidents can trigger throughout a campaign, depending on the situation in and around Japan.



Each incident can fire once per campaign and are spaced out by at least 30 years. They will spawn events giving choices on the issues they present in the vein of accepting new ideas, goods and people in Japan. Depending on how you react to these choices, your Isolationism level may draw closer towards open doors or closing off from the world as well as a 50-year modifier to your nation at the end of each Incident's event chain. Which path you wish to take is up to you and how you wish to shape your nation.

Isolationism level bonuses:

• Closed Doors: -0.03 War Exhaustion, -15% stability Cost
  
• Isolationism: -10% Stability Cost
  
• Selective Integration: -10% Ideas Cost
  
• Adaptive: +10% Institution Spread
  
• Open Doors: +20% Institution Spread, -10% embracement Cost

Each Shinto nation will face these Incidents independently but the mechanic does not exist in a vacuum for each nation. The Shogun will gain a bonus to prestige for each Daimyo who has the same level of Isolationism as they do and conversely, suffer for each who does not. The Shogun has the power to force their subjects closer towards their own Isolationism level but at a great cost to their Liberty Desire.

the 8 Incidents in the game are:

• Shushi-Gaku Neo-Confucianism
  
• Nanban Trade
  
• Proliferation of Firearms
  
• Spread of Christianity
  
• Rising Shogun Authority
  
• Ikko Ikki
  
• Wokou Pirates
  
• Urbanization

Since each have their own triggers, it's not a given you will see all 8 if, for example, you do not get a port for Wokou Pirates or Christianity is wiped clean off the map preventing its spread.

Exciting stuff, but I want to take this opportunity to look at Japan itself too. We have spiced up Japan with map changes, new provinces and many new nation tags in the Islands, as well as re-writing a lot of the old existing events for the Japanese. Additionally, we have given unique National Ideas to all starting 1444 Japanese nations to stand in line with our goal of revitalizing the region. I'd like to extend a thank-you to community members [USER=166646]chatnoir17[/user] and [USER=893563]Grand Historian[/user] for their extensive contributions towards these. Suggestions are always appreciated towards the development of our games.

I'll share just a few of these Idea Groups with you who enjoy reading our script files:


Map Changes, new nations and new National Ideas are all free parts of the 1.20 update, while all things Isolation related are paid feature of the upcoming Mandate of Heaven Expansion, which releases for $19.99 on April 6th 2017

That wraps up Japan and Shintoism nicely, and next week we will be talking about an extremely exciting feature which is going to truly make your Diplomats work for their non-existent salaries. See you then!

Read the original post

Useful links
Official Website
Europa Universalis IV Wiki
Europa Universalis IV Development Diary Archive

Good day everyone, it's another bright and sunny day in glorious Stockholm, or rather, I wish it were. To distract from the grim grey reality of this cursed latitude let's delve into the second Religious overhaul present in Mandate of Heaven: Shintoism.
One month ago we got a Dev Diary covering changes to the Governance of Japan. As many of you I'm sure are aware, we model Japan with the strong but mechanically lacking Shinto religion. Shinto belongs in the Eastern religion group and are eligible to compete for the Celestial Throne and as part of Mandate of Heaven, Shinto nations will also have their own Isolationism mechanic.


Shinto nations will have an Isolationism level, 5 stages from Open Doors to Closed Doors each giving their own national effect. Japan starts in 1444 under the Ashikaga Shogunate before their Sakoku period of Isolation and as such is at an "adaptive" level. Periodically, this Isolationism level will be challenged by Incidents. Up to 8 of these Incidents can trigger throughout a campaign, depending on the situation in and around Japan.



Each incident can fire once per campaign and are spaced out by at least 30 years. They will spawn events giving choices on the issues they present in the vein of accepting new ideas, goods and people in Japan. Depending on how you react to these choices, your Isolationism level may draw closer towards open doors or closing off from the world as well as a 50-year modifier to your nation at the end of each Incident's event chain. Which path you wish to take is up to you and how you wish to shape your nation.

Isolationism level bonuses:

• Closed Doors: -0.03 War Exhaustion, -15% stability Cost
  
• Isolationism: -10% Stability Cost
  
• Selective Integration: -10% Ideas Cost
  
• Adaptive: +10% Institution Spread
  
• Open Doors: +20% Institution Spread, -10% embracement Cost

Each Shinto nation will face these Incidents independently but the mechanic does not exist in a vacuum for each nation. The Shogun will gain a bonus to prestige for each Daimyo who has the same level of Isolationism as they do and conversely, suffer for each who does not. The Shogun has the power to force their subjects closer towards their own Isolationism level but at a great cost to their Liberty Desire.

the 8 Incidents in the game are:

• Shushi-Gaku Neo-Confucianism
  
• Nanban Trade
  
• Proliferation of Firearms
  
• Spread of Christianity
  
• Rising Shogun Authority
  
• Ikko Ikki
  
• Wokou Pirates
  
• Urbanization

Since each have their own triggers, it's not a given you will see all 8 if, for example, you do not get a port for Wokou Pirates or Christianity is wiped clean off the map preventing its spread.

Exciting stuff, but I want to take this opportunity to look at Japan itself too. We have spiced up Japan with map changes, new provinces and many new nation tags in the Islands, as well as re-writing a lot of the old existing events for the Japanese. Additionally, we have given unique National Ideas to all starting 1444 Japanese nations to stand in line with our goal of revitalizing the region. I'd like to extend a thank-you to community members [USER=166646]chatnoir17[/user] and [USER=893563]Grand Historian[/user] for their extensive contributions towards these. Suggestions are always appreciated towards the development of our games.

I'll share just a few of these Idea Groups with you who enjoy reading our script files:


Map Changes, new nations and new National Ideas are all free parts of the 1.20 update, while all things Isolation related are paid feature of the upcoming Mandate of Heaven Expansion, which releases for $19.99 on April 6th 2017

That wraps up Japan and Shintoism nicely, and next week we will be talking about an extremely exciting feature which is going to truly make your Diplomats work for their non-existent salaries. See you then!

Read the original post

Useful links
Official Website
Europa Universalis IV Wiki
Europa Universalis IV Development Diary Archive