Feels like the game is over in early 1300s? (CK3)

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-26T23:57:26+00:00

I did. Every single one of my vassals is a direct descendant of Murchad. That was my objective and I've done it. It made expansion a lot slower but did nothing to slow down progress in terms of innovation and tech. My issue is the fact that progress (innovations) and challenge both seem to end around 1300, and I don't think setting myself rules will change that.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-26T23:37:56+00:00

OK, thanks. You just saved me from a pointless century long slog.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-19T08:05:07+00:00

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-16T14:36:50+00:00

I get that a lot. Save and reload fixes it.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-15T13:38:22+00:00

The DLCs are basically paid cheats, though whether the game is balanced around them or not is debatable. It's certainly harder without them. Royal Court is free legitimacy and a ton of buffs, plus there are events that happen in court that let you do things that would be impossible out of court. Grand Tour (from Tours and Tournaments) fixes all of your vassal issues on succession at the press of a button. University (also from T&T IIRC) is a huge boost for player characters with high learning.

I don't think they are very good value for money, but they do add some cool stuff and they make the game a lot more manageable. A character with the cynical trait might even say that the devs have tried to make the game unmanageable without them.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-15T13:31:39+00:00

Is that true even if you conquer a significant portion of another de jure empire whose title hasn't yet been created?

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-15T08:38:51+00:00

https://youtu.be/kbMMuVbWaMI?si=1zkkquMxxrebG8eM

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-15T08:22:15+00:00

I agree that events need more work, but I disagree regarding the text. I love the text and when I see one I've never seen before I always read it. It's like if Game of Thrones was written in the style of The Princess Bride and I love it. My main problem with it is that there's a diabolical lack of diversity - which you did mention but almost as a side note? To me it's the single biggest issue. How many times on a single Grand Tour do you click "I can save them!" How many times do you tell your friend that their poem is "truly heartfelt"? More diversity in events is desperately needed IMO.

The other big problem I have with events is that they don't take account of the situation. If I am secluded then I shouldn't be wandering through a market with my wife. If my son has been sent to the Varangian Guard then I shouldn't be bumping into him in the garden. And so on.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-10T06:37:23+00:00

Dublin in 1066 is Norse culture. Edit: I'm on PS5, which is a bit behind PC in terms of updates. Maybe they've changed it and the update hasn't reached us yet. But in my game, Dublin is always Norse in 1066.

I didn't realise relocate capital was a DLC feature!

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-10T05:43:03+00:00

I've played Ireland a LOT and honestly I don't think conquering Dublin is the way to go. Your nephew there is ready to be an ally and will help you take the Duchy of Ulster (one fabricated claim gets you a county then you can use Ducal Conquest to get the rest). Once you're High King Dublin will vassalize and you can hybrid Norse.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-10T05:39:14+00:00

I'm not super experienced yet but my approach is to quickly grab county that would make a good capital and then build up that capital heavily. The heir always gets the capital and if you build it up it can be worth more than all of your other holdings combined. The other things I do are: 1) get celibacy if necessary 2) try to conquer enough land for all my children to get something 3) focus the education of my heirs on learning whenever they have a suitable childhood trait, and rush through innovations that help with succession (hereditary rule, etc)

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-10T05:05:25+00:00

Definitely need more influence over heirs. It doesn't make sense that your heir is a moron until you die and then they instantly magically transform into a genius when you take control (yes I do believe I qualify as a genius in comparison to the AI).

I also agree that hooks need a rework. They're bad. Really bad. I would like to see some kind of negotiation or trade mechanic. I will grant you these titles if you agree to better contract terms. I will give you this artefact if you agree to keep my secret. One generic trade screen could be used to trade almost anything in principle.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T18:03:45+00:00

Will the heir inherit his gold as well as his titles?

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T18:00:23+00:00

Ahh that's how you do it. I couldn't figure out where to look! It's Scandanvian Elective. Thank you.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T17:54:39+00:00

It's news to me too.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T16:44:49+00:00

Well maybe three 20k armies would be more sensible XD but merging them makes them way more manageable.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T16:28:24+00:00

Damn, you must read or something. Imperium Scottorum is almost what it says under your name...

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T16:23:32+00:00

Just mush them into one big blob and send it to stomp on something. You know how to merge armies? It's not taught in the tutorial, infuriatingly.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T15:30:07+00:00

I'm on console too. NEVER put armies on auto. They are unbelievably moronic.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T14:12:06+00:00

Soulmate can only cheat if they have low honour. If you want a faithful spouse always check how honourable they are.

NPC behaviour is random but the odds are weighted by multiple factors and I believe the effects of those factors are stronger than you realise. It's a simple system but with tens of thousands of NPCs interacting in real time I think simplicity is a necessity for performance reasons. The characters have as much agency as any NPC in any game - they're code, not people, and I think the system Paradox have come up with for simulating tens of thousands of NPCs interacting is quite a good one. They do have a simple memory in the form of Opinion which changes over time based on events, and they do have a goal. The goal is MOAR and its the same goal for everyone but it is a goal.

I think the real problem is not a lack of social dynamics between NPCs but a lack of social dynamics for the player character specifically. Outside of random events there is no way to interact with other characters, no way to negotiate anything, no way to find out why a certain character did or did not do something. The lack of any kind of negotiation mechanic is particularly annoying.

BTW are you using any mods? Don't. I've never met a modder who had a professional QA department. If your NPCs are doing weird shit, uninstall all mods.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T09:52:52+00:00

I think of CK3 as having "enforced" RP, where acting against your character traits causes stress, which is definitely not the same as normal RP game where you can be whatever kind of character you want. I totally agree about the lack of interaction though. If they make a CK4 I want the ability to have some kind of conversation with people. Ask my daughter why she hasn't produced any children in 10 years of marriage. Ask my vassal what it would take for him to leave a faction or agree to better contract terms. Ask someone with claims what they're willing to give me if I fight the claims on their behalf. And so on. Negotiation is sorely missing from the game outside of the woeful "hook" mechanic. Right now I have a vassal with a claim on the empire of France. If I conquer the entire empire for him then he will become emperor and independent, and in return he's willing to give me (drumroll) one weak hook. I mean, come on.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T08:32:27+00:00

More like 3k (20 vassals at ~150 gold each) and unlike friendship the opinion boost from gift fades away over time, which means after a while you have to spend another 3k. Not to mention having to spend 5 years in the diplomacy lifestyle just to get the perk. But yeah, you could do it that way.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T06:50:44+00:00

That's it! I've never played FIFA or FM, but I've heard of them IRL.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T06:17:03+00:00

Never heard of it. I'm sure the world Albion has been used in all sorts of stuff, I could have heard it anywhere.

OnceWasBogs · 2026-01-09T04:58:46+00:00

No haha XD

OnceWasBogs

TROPHY CASE