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Enigma wrote:No, it is like buying a chess set but only gives you a king and pawns. You want a queen? You need to buy it. Knight? Bishop? Rook? Sold separately. Sure, you still play the game with just a king and the pawns, but it isn't as fun.

It wasn't like that before. Previous games (don't know about CK1), every nation is open to you, you are not "region locked" so to speak. I'm not going to buy the DLCs until there's a deep discount on them.

You really sound like you're just looking for something to complain about here Enigma because Paradox is more than fair when it comes to their DLC model. They don't ask exceptionally high prices for what they're giving you in terms of new content and much of the DLC is purely cosmetic or offers minor things like new songs or a few events for a specific nation. When they do release an expansion they also update the base game to include the new features and continue to listen to community feedback and tweak the game for a long time after launch to get any lingering bugs or imbalances taken care of.

Looking at the content you get when you add all the DLC for a game together, do you really think it would be possible for them to launch a game at a fair price and with a reasonable release schedule if they tried to include everything and the kitchen sink in their game at launch? Or would you rather they go the console route and just release a CK2016 next year and then make what used to be an expansion and whole new iterative game that retails at full price?

I've been accustomed to be able to choose any of the nations available without having to buy a DLC. It has been true for every Paradox game I bought until CK2. I want to play as Tibet, fight my way to the nearest body of water and wage war with either an African nation or a Mid East nation. In EU, Victoria, HoI series, that is available to the player. Can't do that in CK2 unless I purchase a couple of DLCs. It just irks me. I would like to be able to do what I've done with every Paradox game previously.

Your analogy of a chess set minus some of the necessary pieces doesn't actually fit when you consider the history of the Crusader Kings series. The limt has always been part of CK. The entire idea of the game is based around playing Christian feudal lords, not just any country on the map. The first CK had the same restriction and even its one expansion pack, Deus Vult, never expanded the playable groups. You had to play a Christian noble ruler (no republics). Period. That was the basic premise of the game. With CK2 they listened to player demand by offering the DLCs as ways for players to expand upon their playing experience by having other choices.

I can understand if you don't like the idea of the restriction period, compared to the other games letting you play anything, but this isn't a "Ha, we'll make them pay money for full functionality" scheme, it's "The game is meant to be played one way, but since some players want it we'll add new functions to the game so it can be played differently".

Enigma has a point though - the most interesting nations are not Christian nations, at least not for me. For me it goes:
1. Byzantines (because Rome)
2. Pagans (because challenge)
3. Christians (meh)
4. Islam (only because OP, otherwise I would rate them higher)
5. India (doesn't feel like CK)

Enigma wrote:I've been accustomed to be able to choose any of the nations available without having to buy a DLC. It has been true for every Paradox game I bought until CK2. I want to play as Tibet, fight my way to the nearest body of water and wage war with either an African nation or a Mid East nation. In EU, Victoria, HoI series, that is available to the player. Can't do that in CK2 unless I purchase a couple of DLCs. It just irks me. I would like to be able to do what I've done with every Paradox game previously.

I think the idea of expanding CK2 towards including every single major kingdom was not seriously considered until much later. Most of the DLC do not feel like removed features.

That's where subjectivity comes in - I have only played fuedal Christian lords beyond a generation.

Uh... Byzantium isn't a CHristian nation?

Or do you mean feudal Christian?

Because I'm pretty sure they were in vanilla, LoR just expanded on them. And let them reform the Roman Empire, of course.

Summer sale is not here yet, but EU IV just went on sale 75% off. I just got it for $9.99. Several DLC packs are from 25% - 75% off too. Going to see which ones are worth getting.

It's because the new expansion pack got released, at which time there is usually a sale for previous DLC.

The first three expansions are also 75% off so I picked them up. El Dorado is only 25% off and Common Sense is still full price, of course. So I'll wait on them.

Been playing EU 4 for awhile...it's massively addicting. I probably should have picked a large European nation for my first time. Picking a Native American tribe that is hopelessly underdeveloped with a massive technology penalty compared to Europe was probably a rough one to cut my teeth on...but the Iroquois are expanding to take over most of New England so I must be doing SOMETHING right.

Time to change the title to Steam Summer Sale now ongoing. Lots of interesting deals this time around. For example GTA5 + a bunch of ingame money is on sale for 60$ So 20$ of in game cash (About 11-12 hours of grinding) plus the base game for the same 60$ Base game does not seem to be on sale.

In the vein of real sales, Metro series 80% off, Xcom series 80% off EU4 for 50% off and a ton and I do mean a ton of independent games on sale for less than a dollar. Like in the for twelve cents area.

Age of Empires 3 is 66% off, Civ beyond Earth is half off, classic games like Dungeon Siege or Doom are only a buck and a half!

Remember: If it's not a daily deal, flash sale, or one of the deals unlocked from the monster game, don't buy the game until the last day because it might get a deeper discount before the end of the sale.

Crusader Kings 2 on sale for $7.99 for the next 40 hours. 80% off.

"Lisa" was just available for 70% off. I really recommend it, amazing RPG and soundtrack.
"Dishonored" is available for 5$ , I'd really recommend it if you like action/stealth games. (And even if you don't like them - I hate stealth games, and loved it).

Scored several good games this year. Wife got Age of Empires 3 and Banished, I picked up EU 4, CK 2, most of the expansions for both, and a few other games I wanted at 80% off. What did you guys score?

Crypt of the Necrodancer. It's a turn-based roguelike, but your turns are done to the beat of the music. It works a bit like the combat in the Arkham games, where you have to plot a course through a melee where each individual opponent is easy to understand and counter, but the challenge comes from understanding and countering half a dozen enemies at the same time without losing your combo meter.

Got Civilization:BE and Sid Meier's Starships for a little over $22.

My purchases, copied and pasted from my store transaction history found within the Steam client:

20 JunNZ$ 11.99 Purchase
Saints Row: Gat out of Hell Released

19 JunNZ$ 4.49 Purchase
The Stanley Parable

18 JunNZ$ 0.85 Purchase
Freedom Planet - Official Soundtrack

18 JunNZ$ 1.19 Purchase
Pitiri 1977

18 JunNZ$ 5.39 Purchase
Freedom Planet

15 JunNZ$ 3.19 Purchase
A Story About My Uncle

14 JunNZ$ 2.99 Purchase
Transistor Soundtrack

12 JunNZ$ 18.49 Purchase
Wolfenstein: The New Order ROW

Pitiri was not part of the summer sale. It just suddenly went to 80% off in the middle of the day (sales normally show up early morning for me) and remains on sale till the 30th. Which looks like Valve experimenting to see how their customers react.

Enigma wrote:Got Civilization:BE and Sid Meier's Starships for a little over $22.

You got BE for more than half off? I wonder if I missed that particular special or something...how is it? I heard it was really quite good.

Borgholio wrote:

Enigma wrote:Got Civilization:BE and Sid Meier's Starships for a little over $22.

You got BE for more than half off? I wonder if I missed that particular special or something...how is it? I heard it was really quite good.

63% off both games combined. I like it. I've only played the game for three hours and it is a mash of Alpha Centauri and Civ 5. The downside (at least for me) is that there is no unit customization ( at least no real one).

But to me Firaxis could have made a total conversion DLC Alpha Centauri mod for Civ 5 instead of being a stand alone.

Nevertheless, I'd give it a 4 out of 5 since I am basically a Civ fan.

This is what I snagged.

Fallout 3 - Game of the Year
Total War Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy III
Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition
FINAL FANTASY IV Bundle
PAYDAY 2 + Humble Mask Pack 4
Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box
Magic 2015 Expansion - Garuk's Revenge
South Park: The Stick of Truth
Magic 2015: Special Edition
METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES
Valkyria Chronicles™

It was a bit hard on the wallet even with the sales, but overall it wasn't a terrible haul.