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Other Games, Development, & Campaigns => Other Games => Topic started by: JongWK on November 22, 2007, 09:29:00 AM

Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: JongWK on November 22, 2007, 09:29:00 AM
If you like strategy games, give this one a chance. It's like a toolkit for Alt-History wargaming, and f***ing addictive. Did I mention it rocks?
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on November 22, 2007, 10:20:47 AM
I´m still a EU2 person.
No Byzantine Empire in EU3, I´m still sceptical.

Add to that: After years of ultra intensive EU2 play, I´ve STILL not plumbed it´s depths!

How are the graphics? They looked pretty sucky.
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: One Horse Town on November 22, 2007, 10:46:51 AM
I've had EU 2 on my PC for a couple of years now. Every time i decide to start a game, i get lost within half an hour and give up. It's not like some other strategy games where it's relatively easy to pick it up as you go along. That's what i did with all the Civ games and Alpha Centauri, but EU i just can't pick up. Oh well...
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on November 22, 2007, 11:11:33 AM
Comparing Civ and EU is like comparing American Football and Baseball.

EU is a pastime.
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Salar on November 23, 2007, 12:40:29 PM
Nope,
Like One Horse Town, I just couldn't get my head around it.
John
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on November 24, 2007, 02:20:36 AM
Maybe EU3 is more beginner friendly?
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: JongWK on November 24, 2007, 09:18:00 AM
The graphics engine is good, though obviously not as spectacular as, say, a FPS like Halo.

Something to consider is that the game is straight alt-history. It´s accurate until you start playing, but there are no longer forced events for every country (like Spain going bankrupt even if it doesn't have an American empire).

In the game I'm playing right now, my Tuscany reunited all of Italy, conquered the Aztecs, and is slowly colonizing part of Indonesia. We also have Hawaii. :haw:
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: estar on November 24, 2007, 06:31:57 PM
There are maniacs that combined Crusaders Kings->EU2/3->Victoria-> Hearts of Iron.

One of the better ones revolved around the Ynglings of Scandinavian. Basically in Crusader Kings you manage a dynasty as well as territory. This guy manages to co-opt every single noble in Norway and make them all Ynglings (not as easy as it sounds) later Norway unites Scandinavia. It finally winds up several hundred years later in Hearts of Iron (ww2) where the Ynglings Union is a major fascist power based on the ideology that if you don't have the blood of the Ynglings in you, you are not one of the master race.

That writeup was interesting to read. His major problem through the run was population as Scandinavia has a low density population.
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: riprock on November 25, 2007, 10:48:56 AM
I've tried all the games in that series.

My favorite is Victoria.

I like factories and commodities and complicated economies.

If I can't get that from EU3, I'll seek it elsewhere.
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on November 25, 2007, 12:36:25 PM
Vicky, I´ll have to seek you out one day.

The thing that really sucked about CK was there is no way to have nice Baronial Vendettas. If you declare war on any baron, his King will declare wr on you! Sucks pretty bad if you are both part of the same realm.
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Haffrung on November 26, 2007, 09:08:40 AM
I wanted to like Europa Universalis. But I found the micromanagement grew tedious. I also didn't like the scripted historical trends. My Poles weren't ever going to be as technologically advanced as the neighbouring Germans, so those Prussians could go on rampages where they cut through my lands like a knife through butter. I was destined to have a big and dumb nation no matter how much I fiddled with all the levers.
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on November 26, 2007, 11:45:01 AM
Haffrung,

you can pull off all kinds of stuff. You can conquer the whole world with about any nation in the game. It takes patience and a lot of time invested in understanding the models involved.

Out-teching Germany with Poland should not be that big of a problem for a seasoned player. The learning curve is veeery flat, that´s definitely correct.

General tips for outteching everyone with the poles:

- sliders (I assume you mastered them)
- taxation
- trade
- culture! very important! Your technology costs are a function of the number of provinces and how the provinces culture and religion are in relation to your nation
- inflation. You won´t be succesful in that game if you don´t understand and actually master the concept of inflation as it is modelled in the game

Needless to say, all those factors heavily interellate with each other.

I´d really like to see a savegame from you, I could then talk way more specifically about tips & tricks & general strategy.
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Haffrung on November 26, 2007, 01:00:10 PM
The game is uninstalled. And I was playing EU I, so the later versions of the game may have smoothed out some of the rough spots.

I won't say I'll never play EU again. It's certainly an engrossing game, and I appreciate the historical fidelity. I'd just prefer to spend more time on meaningful decisions and less on buying yet another merchant in Paris, or sending yet another colonist to Yakutsk.
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on November 26, 2007, 01:14:21 PM
Ahhh!
But those ARE meaningful decisions!

Sending the Traders to the right spot is a science unto itself, and not an easy one. Often, the best traders are those, that you never sent! Especially early in the game.
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: JongWK on March 11, 2008, 12:07:43 AM
Has anyone seen the screenshots (http://media.pc.ign.com/media/570/5707290/imgs_1.html) of the new Europa Universalis: Rome?
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on March 11, 2008, 01:55:21 AM
IT MUST BE MINE!
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Pierce Inverarity on March 11, 2008, 02:47:11 AM
How TF do you guys manage to find the time to play these awesome games?
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on March 11, 2008, 02:54:17 AM
I don´t.

The last time I played EU2 in a meaningful way was one year ago. I´m still waiting for the weekend where I can delve into EiA.

RPGs are eating up my free time...
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Pierce Inverarity on March 11, 2008, 03:01:54 AM
Be glad, my free time gets eaten up by work!
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: JongWK on April 05, 2008, 03:15:16 PM
Would you guys be interested in a "Let's play" EU thread?
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on April 07, 2008, 02:57:46 PM
Whoa, Online EU is a serious commitment. Not for the faint of heart!
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: JongWK on April 07, 2008, 06:01:16 PM
Quote from: SettembriniWhoa, Online EU is a serious commitment. Not for the faint of heart!

I'm not talking about a multiplayer game, but a "I report, You decide" game. Basically, the audience (that'd be you) gets to choose country, a goal, and a starting date. I play a bit, post a report, and let you choose major decisions (like wars of choice, national ideas, advisors, etc). An interactive actual play report, if you like, complete with screenshots.
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: JongWK on April 09, 2008, 09:50:58 AM
*bump*

No interest? Ok...
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on April 09, 2008, 10:42:15 AM
No, I´m interested!

AAR FTW!
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: JongWK on April 09, 2008, 11:45:14 AM
Very well... :)

I have the basic game (v1.3), but I intend to upgrade to Napoleon's Ambition (v2.2) this night, if possible.

So, countries are you interested in? There are some very interesting minors in Europe (Mecklemburg, Brandenburg, Tuscany, Brittany), not to mention a lot of possibilities in the East. Of course, we can also pick a middle-sized country, or even a heavy hitter...
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: Settembrini on April 09, 2008, 06:40:29 PM
Brandenburg, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uellmynA34U&feature=related) FTW! (Must click for Pierce!)

Märkische Heide!
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: JongWK on April 09, 2008, 08:11:15 PM
Quote from: SettembriniBrandenburg, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uellmynA34U&feature=related) FTW! (Must click for Pierce!)

Märkische Heide!

What.the.hell.is.that?

Ok, that crazy video decides it: Brandenburg it is. Say, how about achieving German reunification and becoming Holy Roman Emperor?

(I understand that you can also dismantle the Empire in Napoleon's Ambition)


"Brandenburg.. ♫ ♪ ♫ Brandenburg... ♪ ♫ ♪ Brandenburg..." :haw:
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: JongWK on April 09, 2008, 08:45:34 PM
EDIT: Well, what do you know? PayPal isn't that hard to figure out! :haw:
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: JongWK on April 09, 2008, 09:17:27 PM
I'm downloading NA as I post this. Once it's up and running, I will be posting some screenshots with Brandenburg's initial situation. I assume 1453 AD?
Title: Europa Universalis 3 rocks
Post by: One Horse Town on April 13, 2008, 09:03:14 PM
So as not to get another EU thread going, i thought i'd post to this one.

I got going on my third attempt to get into EU1 today. I chose the grand campaign, as i always do when i give it a bash.

I chose Portugal.

Within 8 years, i was ranked No. 3, had a nice economy, some colonies and my people kept giving me money for running things so well.

Then i started taking the missions seriously...and that loused up my whole country within a few years. Who thought it was a good idea to annex Morrocco? They had an army of 40,000, so i sent in 50 led by a conquistador (bit of a waste, i guess, but never mind). In the battle window, i was doing them good and they had about 3k troops left and i had about 27k. Then all of a sudden, their troop numbers went back up to 40k again and i got a right royal kicking. ??

They tromped Tangiers, i lost loads of trade, my whole army (which i took out a loan to replace - big mistake) and my stability. It was a downward spiral from there, so that when protastanism started, i had little choice but to convert for the cash injection, so i could pay off my loans. I quoshed some rebellions in the provinces, then got home to find 70k rebels in my home cities!

Luckily i saved the game just before declaring war on Morrocco, so i'll take the hit to my victory points for not achieving it rather than fuck up my whole country. Seems like lots of the missions can result in fucking things up.

Not sure if i'll return to it, because i basically lost 6 hours of my life for advancing the game 10 years out of 300. We'll see if i feel the urge again...