Crusader Kings II out

[Arnir]

I just downloaded my pre-order from Gamersgate.  For once the download speeds were decent.  I'm teaching all day, so it will be a while before I can try it out.
BTW, if you pre-ordered DLC, it is redeemed from the in-game store.  You can also buy DLC there using GG's blue coins.  Just FYI.

[Elmo]

Surprised there isn't more chatter on this.  There is a demo for those who are interested.

[Doopri]

Do give a bit more info, as I'm new (again) to PC games, but I like the title of this one.  I'm guessing strategic management?  On a grand scale?

[rittchard]

Not really my thing, but I did like this line in the review I read:

Crusader Kings II is a grand-strategy game with a twist. Starting in 1066 and lasting for 400 years in real-time

You can play this game for 400 YEARS in real time, that alone is awesome lol.

[Elmo]

Do give a bit more info, as I'm new (again) to PC games, but I like the title of this one.  I'm guessing strategic management?  On a grand scale?

Check out the review here:  http://www.outofeight.info/2012/02/crusader-kings-ii-review.html

[Canuck]

Not really my thing, but I did like this line in the review I read:

Crusader Kings II is a grand-strategy game with a twist. Starting in 1066 and lasting for 400 years in real-time

You can play this game for 400 YEARS in real time, that alone is awesome lol.

Just make sure not to step away from the computer after 200 years as you'll instantly disintegrate into a pile of dust.

[Hrothgar]

I always get Crusader Kings mixed up with the King's Crusade.  Rather different though.

[kronovan]

I just noticed this game the other day, so I dug up some info on it and it  looks very good. It sort of sounds like Medieval 2 TW, but grand-strategic only as opposed to grand strategic+tactical. Interesting that it lets you start at the Norman conquest and conclude at the closing year of the 100 Years War.

That review in this thread describes it as having RPG features, but I didn't get that impression from anything else I read? Can anyone here that has it confirm whether or not it does?

[Soulchilde]

I am actually considering get this off Steam

[Elmo]

The 1.03b patch is out now.

[Qantaga]

That review in this thread describes it as having RPG features, but I didn't get that impression from anything else I read? Can anyone here that has it confirm whether or not it does?

   
It doesn't have RPG features in the traditional sense. What it has are events that can change your character's traits. For example, you might get an event that pops up asking if you'd like to lead a hunt for a giant boar. Depending on your choice of whether or not to go on the hunt and whether or not you are successful on the hunt, your character could earn the trait Brave, or Coward, or Timid, or ...
   
The traits that your character earns effect your realm, but they aren't traditional level-ups or abilities that you choose deliberately. They come through the course of the game.
   
I've got the game and can't wait to spend time with it. I loved the original. In the few minutes I've had to jump in and look around, it looks and feels great.

[Morgul]

That review in this thread describes it as having RPG features, but I didn't get that impression from anything else I read? Can anyone here that has it confirm whether or not it does?

   
It doesn't have RPG features in the traditional sense. What it has are events that can change your character's traits. For example, you might get an event that pops up asking if you'd like to lead a hunt for a giant boar. Depending on your choice of whether or not to go on the hunt and whether or not you are successful on the hunt, your character could earn the trait Brave, or Coward, or Timid, or ...
   
The traits that your character earns effect your realm, but they aren't traditional level-ups or abilities that you choose deliberately. They come through the course of the game.
   
I've got the game and can't wait to spend time with it. I loved the original. In the few minutes I've had to jump in and look around, it looks and feels great.

Let us know how it goes.   I love games like Civ, nabanBLAHs ambition, etc.   I am sort of in game overload at the moment however.

[Soulchilde]

I took the plunge on Steam and after reading the thread OO I am sold.  Leaning curve be damned

[kronovan]

That review in this thread describes it as having RPG features, but I didn't get that impression from anything else I read? Can anyone here that has it confirm whether or not it does?

   
It doesn't have RPG features in the traditional sense. What it has are events that can change your character's traits. For example, you might get an event that pops up asking if you'd like to lead a hunt for a giant boar. Depending on your choice of whether or not to go on the hunt and whether or not you are successful on the hunt, your character could earn the trait Brave, or Coward, or Timid, or ...
   
The traits that your character earns effect your realm, but they aren't traditional level-ups or abilities that you choose deliberately. They come through the course of the game.

Wow, that sounds very cool.

I've noticed this is getting excellent reviews from some sites. I'm getting it for sure.

[Elmo]

Link to a guide at the forums:  http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?588062-GUIDE-An-in-depth-guide-to-CKII&p=13463062#post13463062

[Sarkus]

I've also been playing this.  Best Paradox game in some time.

[onnel]

Agreed..I really wish they'd finally update their technical work (the multiplayer setup is horrific - straight from the 80s), but the actual game play is oh so sweet.

[Soulchilde]

yeah, I am enjoying myself

[Qantaga]

I finally got the chance to play some today.
 
It's a blast. In my first four years in Scotland, I have imprisoned my brother (for plotting to kill my heir) and my marshall (for plotting to overthrow me), re-married (I was a widow at game's launch), have a new child on the way, and have to decide if I want to press a claim against a vassal of Norway.
 
So much fun.

[Shkspr]

Is a fifteen minute wait from launch to main menu normal, or an indication the game isn't playing nicely with my system?

[Razgon]

Defintely not normal..I think I wait 2-3 minutes or somesuch, but nowhere near 15 minutes.

[Soulchilde]

yeah, doesn't take the long for me.. Actually, it noticed it takes longer to boot up on my laptop versus my desktop.  My desktop is for gaming

[Lee]

RPS's Wot I think.

Be warned, even if you only have a slight interest in this game, this review will probably push you over the top. Adam Smith makes it sound like the game I have always dreamed of playing as I was reading a history book. I bought it, but haven't had a chance to play it, can't wait to dive in.

This alone will appeal to a lot of people:

Heck, do you like A Game of Thrones? This is the best Game of Thrones game you will probably ever play, unless you really need the fantasy element and if you do, then for God’s sake just pretend that pagans are riding wolves and French people have six eyes or whatever it is you need to do, but play this game. There’s incest and intrigue aplenty and isn’t that what GRRARGH Martin is really all about?

[onnel]

Is a fifteen minute wait from launch to main menu normal, or an indication the game isn't playing nicely with my system?

On my laptop, I find I have to set the affinity of the program to a single CPU and then it is *much* happier.

To do this, right click the ck2.exe process in Task Manager or use the windows "start" app - http://blog.tune-up.com/windows-insights/assign-processor-affinity-to-improve-performance/.  Not sure how well "start" plays with steam shortcuts, however.

[Morgul]

Anyone playing this?   Is it really good?

[onnel]

Yes and yes.  May just be my favorite paradox game.  If you enjoyed the original, get this.  The family stuff is such a nice addition and really adds a great roleplaying/storytelling element to the game.  My brother and i have also been having great luck with pretty much rock solid 2 player multiplayer (both on broadband) which is fantastic.  4 thumbs up (2 being my brother's).

[Isgrimnur]

There's also a demo available.

[Morgul]

Played through a couple of the tutorials in the demo.  I love the maps, but, I really don't understand wtf is going on..

Looks to be allot of topics in the tutorial though.  Not sure I have the will to figure it all out.

[jztemple2]

If anyone is still interested in this game, it's on sale on Amazon for $9.99, USA residents only.

[jztemple2]

Just a heads up to folks that might still be interested in this game, or maybe got the base game and not all the DLC. Steam has had CKII and most of the DLC on sale this week, 75% off. The sale ends in 37 or so hours. I picked up the main DLC packages Legacy of Rome, Sword of Islam and The Republic, although I opted out of the Aztec invasion one as that just sounds a bit too, well, odd for my tastes.

[kronovan]

My son saw it in the Steam sale and he knew I'd been meaning to get it for the past year. He bought it, along with The Republic expansion, for me as one of my birthday gifts.  I'm looking forward to exploring it later this evening.

[jztemple2]

My son saw it in the Steam sale and he knew I'd been meaning to get it for the past year. He bought it, along with The Republic expansion, for me as one of my birthday gifts.  I'm looking forward to exploring it later this evening.

I hadn't played it in several months, but getting the DLC motivated me to try again. This time I quit worrying about studying the manual and the user's guide and all the numbers and nuances and just play for fun. I ended up staying up half the night ruling my little duchy, marrying off my children to lock me into some bigger kingdoms, overthrowing my neighbors, and (oops) having to throw my son into prison when he refused to return the title to me that I gave him when he was two years old. Well, he got to enjoy it for four years, what is he complaining about?? 

[kronovan]

I hadn't played it in several months, but getting the DLC motivated me to try again. This time I quit worrying about studying the manual and the user's guide and all the numbers and nuances and just play for fun. I ended up staying up half the night ruling my little duchy, marrying off my children to lock me into some bigger kingdoms, overthrowing my neighbors, and (oops) having to throw my son into prison when he refused to return the title to me that I gave him when he was two years old. Well, he got to enjoy it for four years, what is he complaining about??  

Wow, that sounds like 1 awesome gaming session! I doubt I'll get anywhere near that far into it tonight  - I'm one of those gamers that has to read the manual for strategy games to avoid feeling completely lost in the first 15 minutes.    I noticed a few fans have created some video tutorials and posted them on the Steam community guides site, so I'll probably will check out 1 of those.

[jztemple2]

I hadn't played it in several months, but getting the DLC motivated me to try again.  I noticed a few fans have created some video tutorials and posted them on the Steam community guides site, so I'll probably will check out 1 of those.

Here's a video series I found useful.

[kronovan]

Good God this game is deep. In my 1st game I'm playing the Abyssinians with their Miaphysite flavor of Christianity. At one point I attempted to exploit some possibilities by marrying my daughter into a Sunni Islam family. Before I knew it my daughter's new husband was in prison, my daughter was back in my kingdom and shortly after a screen popped up with a portrait of her husband with an agonized look and a scream of pain - he was dead. I swear I didn't make any careless clicks on dialog boxes. From what I can make of it my daughter had a nasty streak in her character (think it was an Intrigue thing) and just plotted his demise.   Being new to the game, I wasn't being too careful about who educated her, so maybe she learned a bad trait. I had time accelerated at 1 point without many pauses, so I guess maybe I may have made a bad click or 2, but for those who've played this game a lot - can nasty shit like that go down?

Needless to say I haven't married any of my children into an Islamic family since.