PDX Games IX: Western Pre-Turkic Empire

[Purpelia]

Out of curiosity what Paradox game would you say Stelaris is closest to? I am asking because I love some, deeply dislike others and find others yet to vary between the two from patch to patch. So a comparison to them would let me see if its worth getting into.

[Lunas Legion]

Am I the only one who wishes people could inherit baronies in other counties in CK3? It's one feature I actually like in ck2 rip.

Why the hell would you want that most annoying of features to return? It's just... Urgh. I hate it when I can't form something because there's one fucking barony I don't control.

[Valrifell]

Am I the only one who wishes people could inherit baronies in other counties in CK3? It's one feature I actually like in ck2 rip.

Why the hell would you want that most annoying of features to return? It's just... Urgh. I hate it when I can't form something because there's one fucking barony I don't control.

"You want to reform the Roman Empire? Hahaha! You absolute mongrel, you don't have the barony of bumfuck, France. How can you claim to be the Roman Empire without the barony of bumfuck! Nobody will take you seriously!

Hahahaha!"

[Bralia]

Are you going to be listening to the opinions of others, who could be lying, slandering and otherwise misrepresenting the game in all shapes and forms?

Probably one or two yeah, probably skim some others too. And they could also be telling the truth and being honest with the game? Why does everything have to be part of some plot or scheme?

And how would you know honesty and truth from the lies? You don't. That's what firsthand experience gets you. Your own eyes tell you all you need to know. And that's a much more doable ask than most things in this world considering there are so many things to have opinions on in this world where you CAN'T have an informed decision. Games are cheap and easy experiences compared to things like politics.

We have ALREADY HAD this kind of scum crop up in our community over the whole Deus Vult bullshit. Never, ever, EVER listen to these people. Make up your OWN damn mind about whether you're going to buy the game based on your OWN interests.

And that is exactly what i am doing, i am making up my own mind, which is to look more into the game and see what THE CONSENSUS is as Paradox's latest releases (both dlc and full games) have not as far as i am concerned, been up to the quality level they have been before.

So in other words, you're not making up your own mind. This is literally my entire point, dude. Who gives a shit what a consensus thinks? Who's quality are you really talking about here? Yours or the consensus? If you're interested in something, why do other people matter so much to you? Who are they to tell you something is wrong or bad? Why do you set your standards upon a consensus? Am I the only one who's found enjoyment in things that "the consensus" doesn't like around here?

I hope you understand that I'm not trying to bash you over your skull here, these are questions that I have for pretty much anyone and everyone here because I legitimately don't understand this kind of behaviour.

And if you feel like your purchase was not worth it, at least you can say with conviction that you made your own choices. Never, ever let any amount of people stop you from getting to something you're interested in just because there might be a "problem".

Yeah thats... not what im doing.. at all really. I am, once again, making my own decision to see what the game will actually be like at release before i buy it. There are plenty of games where i go "Yup im buying that" because it looks good from the get go, or i have confidence in the game (recently Ghost of Tsushima is an example of this) but sometimes i will be more cautious, as i am here with CK3, because i feel caution is needed frankly.

What do you know really, though? Dude and [arbitrary number] say game is buggy. How buggy is it, tho? Is it distinctly problematic? Is it trivial balance issues? If you know the bugs, can you play around them? Avoid them entirely? People whine so damn much about "issues" that it's hard to have perspective about what the state of a game is really like. Plenty of people use the word "unplayable" when that's just completely not true at all. Some people have nationalistic shit-fits, to use your own phrase, properly applied in the "correct" way. Others take issue with over-/under-powered strategies. It's all ultimately quite requires a subjective perspective, because some thing may matter more to your experience than others. You don't really know that until you're actually playing.

I hope this point came across coherently enough.

And maybe if you're actually supposedly chill with people pre-ordering, maybe don't get on a platform and preach to people like your some sermon on the mount reminding people of their faithful duty.

I made a fucking joke referencing a line from cod modern warfare 1

Not going to lie, this part is where my brain started to break, because I don't understand how I'm supposed to possibly expect and respond to this.

Absolutely fed-up with you Jim Sterling types of people.

And im fed up with fangirls who take any semblance of negativity or cautiousness regarding paradox games as a personal attack. Every single time someone posts anything negative on here about Paradox (be it simply saying a game didnt live up to their standards and they were not happy with it, to something even more serious such as negative reviews by former workers about their studio culture and how things are run) you get mad and immediately start complaining about it and basically tell people to shut up.

This part is where my brain completely succeeded in breaking because this is exactly the kind of slander I would expect from a common gamer. Like . . . you've been paying enough attention to me enough to know that I support Paradox far more often than not (because nobody else in the toxic gaming culture is going to), but have you ignored the point when I cracked and started railing against the EUIV Devs? And the only distinct memory I have of telling someone to shut up is Purpelia. So if you're going to accuse me of doing that habitually, you're going to have to cite some sources for that one.

[Juristonia]

Probably one or two yeah, probably skim some others too. And they could also be telling the truth and being honest with the game? Why does everything have to be part of some plot or scheme?

And how would you know honesty and truth from the lies? You don't. That's what firsthand experience gets you. Your own eyes tell you all you need to know. And that's a much more doable ask than most things in this world considering there are so many things to have opinions on in this world where you CAN'T have an informed decision. Games are cheap and easy experiences compared to things like politics.

And that is exactly what i am doing, i am making up my own mind, which is to look more into the game and see what THE CONSENSUS is as Paradox's latest releases (both dlc and full games) have not as far as i am concerned, been up to the quality level they have been before.

So in other words, you're not making up your own mind. This is literally my entire point, dude. Who gives a shit what a consensus thinks? Who's quality are you really talking about here? Yours or the consensus? If you're interested in something, why do other people matter so much to you? Who are they to tell you something is wrong or bad? Why do you set your standards upon a consensus? Am I the only one who's found enjoyment in things that "the consensus" doesn't like around here?

I hope you understand that I'm not trying to bash you over your skull here, these are questions that I have for pretty much anyone and everyone here because I legitimately don't understand this kind of behaviour.

Yeah thats... not what im doing.. at all really. I am, once again, making my own decision to see what the game will actually be like at release before i buy it. There are plenty of games where i go "Yup im buying that" because it looks good from the get go, or i have confidence in the game (recently Ghost of Tsushima is an example of this) but sometimes i will be more cautious, as i am here with CK3, because i feel caution is needed frankly.

What do you know really, though? Dude and [arbitrary number] say game is buggy. How buggy is it, tho? Is it distinctly problematic? Is it trivial balance issues? If you know the bugs, can you play around them? Avoid them entirely? People whine so damn much about "issues" that it's hard to have perspective about what the state of a game is really like. Plenty of people use the word "unplayable" when that's just completely not true at all. Some people have nationalistic shit-fits, to use your own phrase, properly applied in the "correct" way. Others take issue with over-/under-powered strategies. It's all ultimately quite requires a subjective perspective, because some thing may matter more to your experience than others. You don't really know that until you're actually playing.

I hope this point came across coherently enough.

I made a fucking joke referencing a line from cod modern warfare 1

Not going to lie, this part is where my brain started to break, because I don't understand how I'm supposed to possibly expect and respond to this.

And im fed up with fangirls who take any semblance of negativity or cautiousness regarding paradox games as a personal attack. Every single time someone posts anything negative on here about Paradox (be it simply saying a game didnt live up to their standards and they were not happy with it, to something even more serious such as negative reviews by former workers about their studio culture and how things are run) you get mad and immediately start complaining about it and basically tell people to shut up.

This part is where my brain completely succeeded in breaking because this is exactly the kind of slander I would expect from a common gamer. Like . . . you've been paying enough attention to me enough to know that I support Paradox far more often than not (because nobody else in the toxic gaming culture is going to), but have you ignored the point when I cracked and started railing against the EUIV Devs? And the only distinct memory I have of telling someone to shut up is Purpelia. So if you're going to accuse me of doing that habitually, you're going to have to cite some sources for that one.

Have you considered maybe calming the fuck down for a second?
Maybe have some tea. Stroll through a park. Watch some birds. Anything along those lines.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Im at work till 10pm today so I don’t have the time nor capability for a proper post. All I have to say is you are acting ridiculously defensive over this, which you started by the way over a simple joke, so you accusing anyone of slander with how you acted in response is honestly hilarious.

Knock it in the head and wise up will ya, I’m not doing this utterly stupid spat over preorder opinions of all things because you don’t like that I have a different opinion on them

What a load of unnecessary bollocks this was

[The New California Republic]

Now excuse me if I dash; my species has recently left behind its frail biological form in favour of immortal synthetic bodies, has now assimilated the other species in the empire, and has a titan to launch.

...that's actually the route I always take, but in the context of a flourishing democracy, which seems paradoxical.

[Juristonia]

You would say that, you toxic gamer you.

[Twilight Imperium]

What do you know really, though? Dude and [arbitrary number] say game is buggy. How buggy is it, tho? Is it distinctly problematic? Is it trivial balance issues? If you know the bugs, can you play around them? Avoid them entirely? People whine so damn much about "issues" that it's hard to have perspective about what the state of a game is really like. Plenty of people use the word "unplayable" when that's just completely not true at all. Some people have nationalistic shit-fits, to use your own phrase, properly applied in the "correct" way. Others take issue with over-/under-powered strategies. It's all ultimately quite requires a subjective perspective, because some thing may matter more to your experience than others. You don't really know that until you're actually playing.

I hope this point came across coherently enough.

I mean, there's a distinct difference between "watching a bunch of angry YouTube videos and getting your mad on" and "seeing things about the game before you buy it". If the game contains bugs which are alleged to be unplayable, you can try and find out what they are. If people say it's wildly unbalanced, you can try to get details. If it's flavor you're concerned about there's trailers and gameplay videos and such too. You don't usually just watch a "reviewer" rant frothily about it and then internalize their rage uncritically.

Do you really never do any kind of research before buying a game? It's true that you can't get the same knowledge you'd have before buying, but you can get a clue at least.

tl;dr "did other people like thing" and "did thing work when other people tried it" are not unknowable irrelevant mysteries

[The Batavia]

Question: How am I even supposed to fight Ming as Manchuria? They outnumber me by like a ton, I dunno how to continue.

[Bralia]

What do you know really, though? Dude and [arbitrary number] say game is buggy. How buggy is it, tho? Is it distinctly problematic? Is it trivial balance issues? If you know the bugs, can you play around them? Avoid them entirely? People whine so damn much about "issues" that it's hard to have perspective about what the state of a game is really like. Plenty of people use the word "unplayable" when that's just completely not true at all. Some people have nationalistic shit-fits, to use your own phrase, properly applied in the "correct" way. Others take issue with over-/under-powered strategies. It's all ultimately quite requires a subjective perspective, because some thing may matter more to your experience than others. You don't really know that until you're actually playing.

I hope this point came across coherently enough.

I mean, there's a distinct difference between "watching a bunch of angry YouTube videos and getting your mad on" and "seeing things about the game before you buy it". If the game contains bugs which are alleged to be unplayable, you can try and find out what they are. If people say it's wildly unbalanced, you can try to get details. If it's flavor you're concerned about there's trailers and gameplay videos and such too. You don't usually just watch a "reviewer" rant frothily about it and then internalize their rage uncritically.

Do you really never do any kind of research before buying a game? It's true that you can't get the same knowledge you'd have before buying, but you can get a clue at least.

tl;dr "did other people like thing" and "did thing work when other people tried it" are not unknowable irrelevant mysteries

First off, thank you for engaging in the argument.

Secondly, there are so many people out there that do exactly those things. I've seen so many people just blindly accept another's word. People who just turn on a dime and start condemning thing like it's suddenly the Plague. I'm just so unbelievably tired of seeing it.

Who would even be there to report legitimate anomalies if not for people like me, who dive in deep, day 1? I'm tired of being treated like shit because I'm committed to being one of those people. I'm realizing as I type this that this answers Luna's question in the post where I said the "pre-order" word. I should've gotten back to that post, but I kinda popped off and forgot about it.

[Twilight Imperium]

First off, thank you for engaging in the argument.

Secondly, there are so many people out there that do exactly those things. I've seen so many people just blindly accept another's word. People who just turn on a dime and start condemning thing like it's suddenly the Plague. I'm just so unbelievably tired of seeing it.

Yes, those salt of the earth folks. The common clay of the video game fandom. You know, morons.

No cure for stupid, sadly, but reversed stupidity isn't intelligence. There's a middle ground here.

Who would even be there to report legitimate anomalies if not for people like me, who dive in deep, day 1? I'm tired of being treated like shit because I'm committed to being one of those people. I'm realizing as I type this that this answers Luna's question in the post where I said the "pre-order" word. I should've gotten back to that post, but I kinda popped off and forgot about it.

In an ideal world, this is the role gaming journalism would play. In this world, I'll wait a moment for you to stop laughing.

More practically, there's no problem in buying things on Day 1 - as you said, someone has to do it. Not everyone feels like doing the kind of research I (and presumably Huskar) prefer to do before dropping a big chunk of change and time, and that's okay. Being excited is okay, wanting to form your own opinion first is okay. Pre-ordering things gets into an iffier area, which others have covered in more detail than I have. Something something perverse incentives, something paying for something that doesn't exist, something something unpleasant trends and launching live betas. That's a separate conversation that I'm willing to go to bat on but not immediately relevant. I'm definitely not going to call anyone names over it.

Lastly, I'm sorry the morass of shrieking eels that is modern games discourse has used you sorely and I always try to make my own part of it better. Games are supposed to be fun!

(e: yay post 2500!)

[Bralia]

First off, thank you for engaging in the argument.

Secondly, there are so many people out there that do exactly those things. I've seen so many people just blindly accept another's word. People who just turn on a dime and start condemning thing like it's suddenly the Plague. I'm just so unbelievably tired of seeing it.

Yes, those salt of the earth folks. The common clay of the video game fandom. You know, morons.

No cure for stupid, sadly, but reversed stupidity isn't intelligence. There's a middle ground here.

Who would even be there to report legitimate anomalies if not for people like me, who dive in deep, day 1? I'm tired of being treated like shit because I'm committed to being one of those people. I'm realizing as I type this that this answers Luna's question in the post where I said the "pre-order" word. I should've gotten back to that post, but I kinda popped off and forgot about it.

In an ideal world, this is the role gaming journalism would play. In this world, I'll wait a moment for you to stop laughing.

More practically, there's no problem in buying things on Day 1 - as you said, someone has to do it. Not everyone feels like doing the kind of research I (and presumably Huskar) prefer to do before dropping a big chunk of change and time, and that's okay. Being excited is okay, wanting to form your own opinion first is okay. Pre-ordering things gets into an iffier area, which others have covered in more detail than I have. Something something perverse incentives, something paying for something that doesn't exist, something something unpleasant trends and launching live betas. That's a separate conversation that I'm willing to go to bat on but not immediately relevant. I'm definitely not going to call anyone names over it.

Lastly, I'm sorry the morass of shrieking eels that is modern games discourse has used you sorely and I always try to make my own part of it better. Games are supposed to be fun!

(e: yay post 2500!)

Words cannot adequately express how overwhelmingly I support everything you've said and the positive feelings I'm gaining from it. I definitely needed this, here at the end of my day.

[The Huskar Social Union]

First off, thank you for engaging in the argument.

Secondly, there are so many people out there that do exactly those things. I've seen so many people just blindly accept another's word. People who just turn on a dime and start condemning thing like it's suddenly the Plague. I'm just so unbelievably tired of seeing it.

Yes, those salt of the earth folks. The common clay of the video game fandom. You know, morons.

No cure for stupid, sadly, but reversed stupidity isn't intelligence. There's a middle ground here.

Who would even be there to report legitimate anomalies if not for people like me, who dive in deep, day 1? I'm tired of being treated like shit because I'm committed to being one of those people. I'm realizing as I type this that this answers Luna's question in the post where I said the "pre-order" word. I should've gotten back to that post, but I kinda popped off and forgot about it.

In an ideal world, this is the role gaming journalism would play. In this world, I'll wait a moment for you to stop laughing.

More practically, there's no problem in buying things on Day 1 - as you said, someone has to do it. Not everyone feels like doing the kind of research I (and presumably Huskar) prefer to do before dropping a big chunk of change and time, and that's okay. Being excited is okay, wanting to form your own opinion first is okay. Pre-ordering things gets into an iffier area, which others have covered in more detail than I have. Something something perverse incentives, something paying for something that doesn't exist, something something unpleasant trends and launching live betas. That's a separate conversation that I'm willing to go to bat on but not immediately relevant. I'm definitely not going to call anyone names over it.

Lastly, I'm sorry the morass of shrieking eels that is modern games discourse has used you sorely and I always try to make my own part of it better. Games are supposed to be fun!

(e: yay post 2500!)

I have bought games day one, games I was dead set on getting and liked the look of immediately. Ghost of Tsushima, Horizon Zero Dawn, Xcom 2 and many more.

Other games though which I am more cautious about, for whatever reason,I like to look more into at release and research a bit more before I buy them. CK 3 is Gona be one of those games for me as I am a bit wary of paradox as of late and have found some of their more recent releases less than the quality they usually have.

Preordering imo is a load of balls and I’ve not done it in years. Nothing I have said should have been even remotely controversial or provoked this reaction. And I have also never shamed or hounded anyone for preordering

[Twilight Imperium]

I have bought games day one, games I was dead set on getting and liked the look of immediately. Ghost of Tsushima, Horizon Zero Dawn, Xcom 2 and many more.

Other games though which I am more cautious about, for whatever reason,I like to look more into at release and research a bit more before I buy them. CK 3 is Gona be one of those games for me as I am a bit wary of paradox as of late and have found some of their more recent releases less than the quality they usually have.

Preordering imo is a load of balls and I’ve not done it in years. Nothing I have said should have been even remotely controversial or provoked this reaction. And I have also never shamed or hounded anyone for preordering

XCOM 2 has aged like a fine wine imo - it's better now than it ever was. Stellaris expansions have been hit or glancing hit for me, no real "misses". My fave is the one that adds space archaeology.

[Serrus]

Personally, I'll probably "pre-order" in late august just because
a) I have not had a bad PDX experience apart from Austria going berserk in the early Emperor patches (Yes, I liked Golden Century).
b) I am forgetful and just want to auto-install it the second it drops, because otherwise I will forget to buy it. That's why, for instance, I "pre-order" 2-3 days before DLC drops. It's not for the sake of pre-ordering, it's for the sake of not forgetting to buy it.

[The Archregimancy]

My fave is the one that adds space archaeology.

You can never have too much xenoarchaeology.



Some of you will appreciate why I approve more than others.

[Lunas Legion]

Question: How am I even supposed to fight Ming as Manchuria? They outnumber me by like a ton, I dunno how to continue.

Did Ming explode?

If not, make Ming explode. If Ming will not explode, you're screwed.

[Heloin]

So the Emperor died when I wasn't paying attention, not like I cared anyways. Well turns out the Germans liked me so uh...

God Save Emperor Patrick III of Ireland and the Holy Roman Empire.

[Valrifell]

So the Emperor died when I wasn't paying attention, not like I cared anyways. Well turns out the Germans liked me so uh...

(Image)

God Save Emperor Patrick III of Ireland and the Holy Roman Empire.

Blursed.

[Heloin]

So the Emperor died when I wasn't paying attention, not like I cared anyways. Well turns out the Germans liked me so uh...

(Image)

God Save Emperor Patrick III of Ireland and the Holy Roman Empire.

Blursed.

Once I actually finish this game you'll see my favourite cursed bit down in South America. There's also the fact that the Mamluk's live in Fiji now but that's mostly just stupid.

[The Batavia]

Question: How am I even supposed to fight Ming as Manchuria? They outnumber me by like a ton, I dunno how to continue.

Did Ming explode?

If not, make Ming explode. If Ming will not explode, you're screwed.

Its still like what, around 1460?

[Heloin]

Did Ming explode?

If not, make Ming explode. If Ming will not explode, you're screwed.

Its still like what, around 1460?

Well historically the Ming didn't fall till 1644 so you have some time.

[Lunas Legion]

Its still like what, around 1460?

Well historically the Ming didn't fall till 1644 so you have some time.

Yeah just wait. They'll explode. Hopefully.

On another note, TNO appears to have decided to go for the most ambitious Paradox crossover ever by having Romans appear in HoI IV.

[Atheris]

Well historically the Ming didn't fall till 1644 so you have some time.

Yeah just wait. They'll explode. Hopefully.

On another note, TNO appears to have decided to go for the most ambitious Paradox crossover ever by having Romans appear in HoI IV.

Tried playing a game as England earlier. It's very slow, at least on my PC.

That being said, that's based as fuck.