that would be interesting to see how random it really is.
Gaming 1836 - The Europa Universalis 4 Experiment (Hands-off) - Map & stats in second post - Final Map and Stats update - Timelapse video
- Thread starter nimic
- Start date
that would be interesting to see how random it really is.
you try to though you nanny state socdem
a huge amount can be determined by simply the initial rivalries and alliances (which are normally weighted, when it’s actual historical countries - eg France and England will almost always rival each other, whilst Aragon and Castile are “historical friends” and so likely to ally). Many guides for more difficult nations will suggest restarting the game until you have certain rivalries/alliances at the start.
In our case, because it’s not historical nations, it would likely be really random. The web of alliances in Iberia and GB would probably be different, leading to someone else gaining the ascendancy. The RNG of who becomes the holy Roman emperor would be a factor, as would which idea groups each country picks first, and where the institutions spawn.
So yeah, there is a fair bit of RNG in the first 50-100 years. After that point the larger nations tend to be well established and begin to snowball. Also, the differing regional tech groups and unit types means the Europeans will naturally have significant advantages over everyone else as time goes on, as will the colonisers.
Following the above, in my case I knew I would be strong in the early game, but progressively weaker as the game went on as I wouldn’t be able to colonise, and using the Muslim units rather than Western ones. Really my only chance to get strong was to weaken Hobbers early on, and then push East into Persia and India as fast as I could. In practice though, it’s a low probability chance of success, whereas anyone towards the Atlantic is likely to be able to set up some colonies and boost themselves, almost guaranteed.
This is true for sure. But there were also 9 players who didn't make it to the end at all, and several of those were on the Atlantic. You had a pretty good chance, but your AI did the thing that crashed a lot of empires this game, and got involved in wars on behalf of small allies. You probably only needed one war where you fought hobbers with the Timurids for it to be very different.
I thought I'd try to run it to 1836 again, just to see how different it will be. BD immediately allied RedSky and Solius, while Crackers allied Shakesey. The Italians also allied each other again. I ran a quick test game with this setup before running the full thing (to test whether I needed to add colonists or not), and I think Solius and BD were allied there too. I wonder if there's something more going on than just random chance.
I'll get it to 1836 over the next few days and post the alternate universe map (no updates or anything, I'm not a psychopath). And just to be clear, our run was the only true run. This is just a mere imitation.
This was a fun thing to read, my best performance in a game ever. Thanks for the effort and color commentary. I know it’s Europa but picking Cairo didn’t seem to make my nation really be involved with the grind of history, kind of like real life. Makes me wonder if the game has parameters it can’t go beyond, such as, why didn’t any African nations try to invade Europe? It would be fun to see a “game” that follows exactly what did happen in Europe, to see how alliances and marriages and holy wars altered the map. I wonder, too, if the game could take everything as happened up to a certain year, say 1666, and then make small modifications to see how the world would be different today. Like if London did t burn down in 1666 etc. This game looks fun but too dangerous, like you could disappear into it with all the machinations. Thanks again for running and reporting it!
It's less Europe-centric than the previous games in the series (it's called Europa Universalis after all), but no AI African nation (excepting perhaps the Mameluks in Egypt, who you basically replaced) is ever going to be able to invade Europe still. Asian countries often do better than historically, though.
You were definitely the least connected to wider European affairs of everyone. You were mostly just content to do your own thing, and until close to the end the others were content to let you.
This description fits for me in many ways.
@nimic, as you know, i consider you to be socdem scum and an accommodator. however, digitalnirvana wants me to tell you that he watched the game and you did a great job. he also wants me to post this
Tell digitalnirvana he's a gentleman and a scholar who I've never said an unkind word about, unless the reason he's no longer around is that he said or did something terrible, I can't remember.
Great job @nimic. Enjoyed this.
Timelapse video (Europe + World)
I did a thing. It's nothing big, just a timelapse video. Don't ask me how long it took me to get the years in.
Okay I'll tell you, it took a long time. I haven't tried to make or edit a video since I was making CS frag-movies with my pirated Sony Vegas when I was 14.
Okay I'll tell you, it took a long time. I haven't tried to make or edit a video since I was making CS frag-movies with my pirated Sony Vegas when I was 14.
Last edited:
It's so... beautiful
Thread of the year contender
Cool!
That's so cool
Awesome work @nimic . The 18th century was not kind to my Irish pseudo-Spanish empire.
If you look on the bright side, you did spread the Irish culture all over the world.
If we can just stop watching at about 1600 then that’s great
If we'd kept going I would definitely have taken over Europe and South America
I'm running the "was this predetermined?" run, just to see if... well, things had to happen the way they did. It's up to 1694 and some things are similar (Stobzilla and Grib were first to go), but it's surprisingly different. I'll post the final map when it's in 1836, so you guys can imagine what could have been.
Is anybody planning on running another paradox game experiment?
I was thinking (hopefully with nimics blessing!) of running a historical nations EU4 run, mainly as I think it would be pretty cool to play out the events/missions, but I hadn't planned on starting it until late July when I've got some time off.
I could start it before then if nobody else had anything in mind, but the pacing would likely be slower than nimics due to work.
I was thinking (hopefully with nimics blessing!) of running a historical nations EU4 run, mainly as I think it would be pretty cool to play out the events/missions, but I hadn't planned on starting it until late July when I've got some time off.
I could start it before then if nobody else had anything in mind, but the pacing would likely be slower than nimics due to work.
In before the inevitable swarm
You are a hero for this thread.
Look at those two nations in western Canada dance to the music from 3:20. Wow. Then @BD comes along and gobbles them up.
Im a big Paradox and EU4 fan so count me in for anything. How exactly what a historical nations run work though? Just each of us pick a country?
I was thinking randomise, otherwise we would end up with the early sign ups picking good nations like the Ottomans and the stragglers left with the Norways.
Open for suggestions though.
I ran a few CKIII test runs which went pretty smoothly so think that would work.
Posting it again on this page, since as usual I post Experiment things near the end of pages.
Last edited:
Of course, but if you upstage me I will never forgive you.
I'm already vaguely thinking about another one, but there's no rush. I'm not trying to flood the market or anything, let @Phil Jones Face get his going. Maybe sometime this summer, unless everyone is tired of them by then.
I think next time I might let you guys design your countries a bit more. It'll be a hassle, but I might just write a list of all the possible national ideas you can pick and let you actually pick them. We'll see.
Edit: oh yeah, and I already did all of the work in getting the years ready for video editing, so now I might as well use them for future timelapse videos.
I think next time I might let you guys design your countries a bit more. It'll be a hassle, but I might just write a list of all the possible national ideas you can pick and let you actually pick them. We'll see.
Edit: oh yeah, and I already did all of the work in getting the years ready for video editing, so now I might as well use them for future timelapse videos.
Putting in a pre-order for the next one.
I'd recommend taking a look at the government types too for your next one. You can get some quirky ones. I did a multiplayer playing as a pirates republic, just raiding everybody for shits and giggles.
I take that to mean you'll be doing the CK3 experiment first?
I'd like to at least be in Europe this time.I might let all the people who didn't make it to the end have dibs on a spot
Yeah definitely.
Also dibs on a spot for the next one! A good spot as well, none of this silly Anatolia crap
Hey, I did another run just for me, and... well you died. But hobbers died too, so no complaining.
I have some time at the start of July where i am alone in the house so can kickstart it I think.
Will run a few more tests over the end of this month so I’m sure I can take it on.