Current Events > Should I buy Europa Universalis IV with all the DLC

(+) Yeah! (+)

CK2 is the only Paradox game I've played
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and/or hearts of iron 4
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Thanks CE I did it
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euiv is a good game but it's not for everyone
idk about hoi4, probably a similar deal

CK2 is my favorite. It's a classic and no other game I can think of is very much like it outside of Paradox.

EUIV is great. The scope is more global and I honestly miss the depth of the characters from CK2, but the game makes up for it by giving most of the major nations some serious unique flair and giving you the ability to shape an empire how you want. It does, however, limit you slightly more on how hard you can stray from history.

HOI4 is an excellent game with excellent polish, but will really only appeal to people who are fans of the time period and the conflict. Its combat system is one of the deepest and interesting and the ability to customize your units down to the soldier is going to appeal to hardcore grand strategy wargamers. That being said, it's my least favorite simply because I feel that the short time span and focus on an inevitable world war takes away a lot of replay value and limits the amount of alternate history you can create.

V2 is a really cool game. I only have about 80 hours with it, though. The population mechanics and some of the ideas are really cool, but it's dated now and is well in need of a new sequel to take it out of the box, brush it off, and give it a shiny new coat of paint.

Stellaris is becoming my second favorite. While it initially lacked the depth of the other games, it's been getting steadily better and better since release. The amount of customization is just insane. I also particularly like how they have fleshed out factions and ideas; races evolve to the point where you can begin with a pacifist materialist faction and end with warmongering spiritualists. The sci-fi setting is expertly done and you can tell that they really put a lot of effort into creating new story elements and adding in classic sci-fi scenarios along the way. The ground combat and the fleet design aspects need work (as currently, doomstacks are the status quo), but the new update is likely going to take care of all that.

Dash_Harber posted...

V2 is a really cool game. I only have about 80 hours with it, though. The population mechanics and some of the ideas are really cool, but it's dated now and is well in need of a new sequel to take it out of the box, brush it off, and give it a shiny new coat of paint.

Gotta be honest, if the eventual Vicky 3 gets the same treatment that HoI4 did, I'll probably just stick with Vicky 2
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Oh yeah Stellaris is some fun shit
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I just recently bought Victoria 2, but I haven't learned how to play it yet.
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I bought it 3 months ago and shit is addicting.

Hardest part is once I finish one game, getting motivated to start another though. As soon as I do, and get started, I can't stop.

Any basic tips for it?
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UnholyMudcrab posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

V2 is a really cool game. I only have about 80 hours with it, though. The population mechanics and some of the ideas are really cool, but it's dated now and is well in need of a new sequel to take it out of the box, brush it off, and give it a shiny new coat of paint.

Gotta be honest, if the eventual Vicky 3 gets the same treatment that HoI4 did, I'll probably just stick with Vicky 2

Which HoI game do you think was best? I have HoI 2 and HoI 4, I can't really play 2 though because it kept crashing, also I think some of the diplomatic options and AI weren't as good as in 4.
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I wouldn't have recommended getting ALL the DLC, personally.
As far as getting into EUIV, the Ottomans are a great start. Great start position, powerful ideas, lots of avenues for expansion. You're the top dog, more or less, and just have to make sure you don't end up fighting 2 of Muscovy/Russia, Poland-Lithuania, Austria, and the Mamluks at once(and even then you could win, but probably not in your first game ever). If coalitions start forming, expand away from them until things cool down.

Sativa_Rose posted...

I just recently bought Victoria 2, but I haven't learned how to play it yet.

Victoria 2 is awesome. It was my favorite before I played Crusader Kings II, but I still play it sometimes. I especially like that one mod that changes the time period to the Cold War. I can't think of the name off the top of my head, though.
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UnholyMudcrab posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

V2 is a really cool game. I only have about 80 hours with it, though. The population mechanics and some of the ideas are really cool, but it's dated now and is well in need of a new sequel to take it out of the box, brush it off, and give it a shiny new coat of paint.

Gotta be honest, if the eventual Vicky 3 gets the same treatment that HoI4 did, I'll probably just stick with Vicky 2

By that do you mean getting streamlined?
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Vicky could desperately use some streamlining though. Vicky 1's idea of interactivity was pop-splitting, which was much more tedious than it sounds. Vicky 2's economy is some kind of black box and your capitalists are terminally stupid, but going communist means manually clicking every single one of your provinces to upgrade railroads. Also, the economy breaks if China civilizes. If India successfully rebels, the world starves. It's utter nonsense.

ElatedVenusaur posted...

I wouldn't have recommended getting ALL the DLC, personally.
As far as getting into EUIV, the Ottomans are a great start. Great start position, powerful ideas, lots of avenues for expansion. You're the top dog, more or less, and just have to make sure you don't end up fighting 2 of Muscovy/Russia, Poland-Lithuania, Austria, and the Mamluks at once(and even then you could win, but probably not in your first game ever). If coalitions start forming, expand away from them until things cool down.

Eh, oh well. I had it all for CK2 so I figured I may as well. I'm sure I'll get the playtime out of it to justify it.
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Sativa_Rose posted...

UnholyMudcrab posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

V2 is a really cool game. I only have about 80 hours with it, though. The population mechanics and some of the ideas are really cool, but it's dated now and is well in need of a new sequel to take it out of the box, brush it off, and give it a shiny new coat of paint.

Gotta be honest, if the eventual Vicky 3 gets the same treatment that HoI4 did, I'll probably just stick with Vicky 2

Which HoI game do you think was best? I have HoI 2 and HoI 4, I can't really play 2 though because it kept crashing, also I think some of the diplomatic options and AI weren't as good as in 4.

Definitely HoI3. It has a 90 degree learning curve, but once you get over it I'd say it's my second favorite PDS game after Vicky 2.
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EU4 is great
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I was really disappointed going from CK2 to EU4. Felt like it lost a lot of the depth just from making it less micro and personal

HoI4 was fun until I figured out the mechanics
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josifrees posted...

I was really disappointed going from CK2 to EU4. Felt like it lost a lot of the depth just from making it less micro and personal

I'd say it's probably as deep, but in a completely different way. It's fitting, though, because the middle ages were about individual rulers, whereas the late middle ages/colonial era was about empires and early national identity. The game is really improved when the DLCs attempt to add some more depth an unique gameplay to individual cultures/nations.

Stellaris is a blast and the mods for it make it even better.
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DarthAragorn posted...

Any basic tips for it?

Make some kind of goal for you to work towards. It doesn't have to be a strict goal but make up something to aim for to keep it interesting for yourself.

I don't know CK2 because I tried it and bounced off if it but EU4 is my most played game ever and they probably have many mechanics in common. You need a cause belli to declare war on somebody, too much aggressive expansion in an area will turn everybody against you so spread out wars in different areas and/or different religious groups to minimize it when possible, learn how trade works, institutions and technologies, and a million other mechanics.

It's a crazy learning curve but when it starts clicking it's awesome. Some good streamers to check out some let's plays from are Aruba, Quil18, and the god DDRJake.

Two of the best countries to start with are Ottomans and Portugal. Ottomans gives you a strong start with many different directions to expand and lots of potential allies due to your strength. Cycling between expansion into Europe, Africa, and Asia can keep your aggressive expansion down in any one area. Have they biggest and most powerful army in the world with the largest land empire.

Portugal gives you a great way to learn colonization as you can stay cool with Castile and focus on expanding into West Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. Trade will make you very rich when it gets rolling and colonial nations will send you money once they get big enough. Have the largest navy in the world and a trade empire greater than any with money flowing in from the old and new worlds.

I love HOI IV. HOI III is good but it's kinda dull graphically and UI wise. Doesn't really feel WWII to me.
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I don't know if it's good to start with all DLC.
That's a lot of extra mechanics to learn all at once
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UncleBourbon33 posted...

I love HOI IV. HOI III is good but it's kinda dull graphically and UI wise. Doesn't really feel WWII to me.

That's a point in the game's favor, I think. The utilitarian UI evokes the bleakness of the war.
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ScazarMeltex posted...

Stellaris is a blast and the mods for it make it even better.

Much like Crusader Kings 'Game of Thrones' mod, the Star Trek mod is the best Star Trek game ever produced.