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[Jackrabbit]

If anyone was wondering what happened to the last thread, it got hit by a spambot and Toady deleted it by accident.

I hadn't perused the thread in a while, so I hope nothing much was lost - and I have to say that I'm glad my truely dreadful original post was - but I guess forum posts aren't irreplacable, so I'm sure nobody's gonna lose sleep over it. Anyway, I figured I'd make the thread again.

Europa Universalis III is the third game (sorta) in a line of strategy games by Paradox, who are well known for creating fiendishly complicated and historically accurate stratagy games that I love in theory but suck at when I try to play, Victoria and Europa Universalis being so far the only games I've been able to wrap my head around enough to not straight up die, all the time, forever. Europa Universalis specifically is about the period between the late 14th and early 19th century, essentially allowing you to command most any organized nation on earth from the end of the medieval ages right up to just before the industrial age and it's quite a lot of fun. Currently I'm playing as Castille, trying to unite Spain and get stuck into the Moors, and getting pissed off at France swiping territory every time I have a tiff with Morroco.

Actually, opening question: is there any way to prevent your allies from joining your wars and taking territory out from under your nose? It's rude is what it is.

[hexedmagica]

Actually, opening question: is there any way to prevent your allies from joining your wars and taking territory out from under your nose? It's rude is what it is.

I do believe in HTTT there's an option that when you declare war on somebody you don't call your allies in.

[NRDL]

How would this game compare to say, Victoria 2, or Hearts of Iron 2?  Better or worse, any particular differences other than the time period, etc. 

[Tarran]

I haven't tried Victoria yet, but I have done Arsenal of Democracy, which is a sort of mod for HoI2.

Compared to Arsenal of Democracy:

Much, much more complex reason-for-war system. Rather than just belligerence, you must have actual Casus Belli. That dude has some of your historical land that is still cored? Reconquest! That dude is embargoing you? Make him pay (literally) for that! Your ally is at war with some dude(s) but he's part of a different alliance? Well, how about an intervention?
A MUCH longer time period. Stretching several hundred years. From swords to guns. Start ANYWHERE ON THAT TIMELINE THAT YOU WANT TO START ON! Don't want to start on September X? How about starting on September X+1?
Units and combat are much less complex. They do not have attachments. Units have to be in the same place to help each-other. Supplies don't exist. Though there is Attrition.
Territories/Provinces are much more complex. Manpower, stability cost, population, trade goods and taxes...
Resources play no part in construction of units or buildings. Just cash.
Much more interesting diplomatic options. Royal marriages, claims on thrones, warnings, insults...
Actual colonization. Colonize North America with Naples! Or colonize Australia with China! Watch as all your colonies revolt in about 1750!
Generally more conflict-likely world. Kingdoms OFTEN get into fights.
Lack of historical things happening! While you may think this is bad in a way, it can be kinda funny when the USA revolts from a Sunni Morocco and ends up a One Province Minor in Mexico. Plus, this increases the "what if" factor A LOT.
Technology research in EU3 is a lot less complex. It's also linear.

So, this means that they play like this:
HoI2: Historical-ish complex combat simulator over WW2 and early Cold War only.
EU3: Flexible Kingdom simulator over hundreds of years.

Note, this review is a little biased towards EU3 since I love EU3 much more, but this is just my view of it.

If you still can't make up your mind, watch an LP or something.

[snelg]

Actually, opening question: is there any way to prevent your allies from joining your wars and taking territory out from under your nose? It's rude is what it is.

Unless you leave them out of the war they will try their best to snatch whatever they can get their hands on. I've ended up playing most games without allies lately, the only thing they do is drag you into wars you don't want anything to do with and if they lead the wars they peace out leaving you with nothing in return.
Basically, once in a war it's everyone for themselves since the peace mechanics are a bit weak for wars with alliances.
Vassals on the other hand. They're awesome and all land they occupy goes to you.

How would this game compare to say, Victoria 2, or Hearts of Iron 2?  Better or worse, any particular differences other than the time period, etc. 

Victoria has a much more interesting economy with stockpiles of resources and things like that. You have an actual population that can migrate around on the map. I haven't played victoria 2 very much but have put hundreds of hours on the first one. It is much harder for small countries compared to EU3 since the great powers are just so much larger and ahead in pretty much everything.

Hearts of iron 2 (and the third one as well) is much more focused on the military (world war 2). The economy is really simple and it's mostly about invading other countries as the axis or trying to not get invaded as the others. Once again the smaller countries will have big problems keeping up with the big ones, probably even more than in victoria since there's very little you can actually do to improve your position without invading something (and the superpowers are everywhere).

Edit: I forgot to mention that victoria and especially hearts of iron have much more interesting tech trees than EU3.

[Cheese]

How would this game compare to say, Victoria 2, or Hearts of Iron 2?  Better or worse, any particular differences other than the time period, etc.

I don't think hearts of iron should be compared to other Paradox games, it's focused around WW2 and sort of the early cold war, while the other games are more about forging a powerful nation/dynasty over a few centuries or so.

As for Victoria, it's focused more on the domestic side of managing a country than EU. It does have plenty of war, but the wars are fuelled by the goods such as ammunition and small arms produced by factories manned by the appropriate population and fed by mines. It also has more politics and diplomacy, the former being things as social/political reform within your country that might decide who gets to vote and how much money is put into pensions and political parties, the latter being spheres of influence, which great powers can use to stop other powers and nations being too expansionist and for their own gain.

[Videonfan]

I have divine wind and to stop allies just don't check call to arms allies.also if you are the leader of war you can control peace negiotanios

[Digital Hellhound]

Allies have a disturbing tendency to plant 0.1 armies on every enemy province, knowing you'll wipe out their real armies anyhow. So it's kinda annoying when you want to take those two cored provinces of yours but Polotsk has decided to sit its ass on the other one just to spite you.

In DW I usually don't call anyone immediately (if attacking), but Call To Arms manually with a diplomat if I need them. You just can't trust allies.

[Videonfan]

Allies have a disturbing tendency to plant 0.1 armies on every enemy province, knowing you'll wipe out their real armies anyhow. So it's kinda annoying when you want to take those two cored provinces of yours but Polotsk has decided to sit its ass on the other one just to spite you.

In DW I usually don't call anyone immediately (if attacking), but Call To Arms manually with a diplomat if I need them. You just can't trust allies.

True.Also know how to sig?i am still new

[Johnfalcon99977]

Out of curisoty, whatever happened to that EU III to Vicky 2 save conversion mod? Is it finished?

[snelg]

Out of curisoty, whatever happened to that EU III to Vicky 2 save conversion mod? Is it finished?

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?490709-EU3toVic2-Vic2toHoi3-Converter-Project
Not really finished yet, it works somewhat but there will be chunks missing all over the place. Among other things.

[Dr. Johbson]

Kinda EU3 related, since the gameplay is pretty much identical, another grand strategy game from Paradox is coming out "09/13/2011", apparently, its called Sengoku, which is basically most of EU3 splashed with Crusader Kings, which was another game from Paradox which was more about your family dynasty than your army, set in Japan. I watched a few preview build videos from a Letsplayer I watch every one in a while who specializes in Paradox games. If you want to watch it.

Anyway I really liked EU3 but I really really loved the personal feel of Crusader Kings and this seems like a great blend, plus Japanese themes are always my favourite.

Also, I'm terrible at all these kind of games but, oh well I'm sure I'll have fun with it.

[Videonfan]

Kinda EU3 related, since the gameplay is pretty much identical, another grand strategy game from Paradox is coming out "09/13/2011", apparently, its called Sengoku, which is basically most of EU3 splashed with Crusader Kings, which was another game from Paradox which was more about your family dynasty than your army, set in Japan. I watched a few preview build videos from a Letsplayer I watch every one in a while who specializes in Paradox games. If you want to watch it.

Anyway I really liked EU3 but I really really loved the personal feel of Crusader Kings and this seems like a great blend, plus Japanese themes are always my favourite.

Also, I'm terrible at all these kind of games but, oh well I'm sure I'll have fun with it.

I bet paradox did it in order for it to sell in asian stores like the reason they did asian stories or how its called expasion for eu 2

[freeformschooler]

Gah. Is there any way to reduce the preposterous amount of loading I'm getting in this game? My specs: 3ghz dual core CPU, 4GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD 4250, 5200 RPM HDD. What would every map to take well over two minutes to load? To be precise, it gets stuck at "Adapting History".

Wait nevermind, it was a patch problem.

But now after getting the 3.2 patch my game crashes randomly during loading.

[Dutchling]

I've downloaded the MEIOU mod and I don't think I'll ever go vanilla again :3
It makes the game actually historically accurate and it looks delicious.