Paradox Studio Thread

[millais]

Is there any DLC absolutely necessary to buy for an enjoyable Stellaris experience? I didn't follow the post-release developments at all and just recently got the base game.

 

[Zaragoza]

I know how to play CK2 but for some reason I cannot play EU4 even if my life depended on it.

Also, I bought HOI4 vanilla on a cheap price on humble bundle not a while back and was surprised to see the discount on the DLC on Steam, I bought them all minus the stupid ass soundtrack so I'm not sure what I'm in for, I do know how to play CK2 but I don't know if my knowledge for CK2 will apply to HOI4.

 

[millais]

I know how to play CK2 but for some reason I cannot play EU4 even if my life depended on it.

Also, I bought HOI4 vanilla on a cheap price on humble bundle not a while back and was surprised to see the discount on the DLC on Steam, I bought them all minus the stupid ass soundtrack so I'm not sure what I'm in for, I do know how to play CK2 but I don't know if my knowledge for CK2 will apply to HOI4.

HOI is much more "casual friendly" than CK or EU series. The economy element is heavily simplified to the point of not even existing outside of war-related industries. Similar with politics, everything in the political dimension unrelated to warfare or territorial acquisition is pared down to the bare minimum. And of course, there is no knowledge at all required of the religion and dynasty building elements of CK.

HOI is less a nation/national leader simulator, and more of a Chief of the General Staff simulator.

 

[gobbogobb]

If you really want to learn vanilla euiv, start as sweeden and play very slowly.

Arumba's a older playthroughs on YouTube would help too. Just stay away from the new stuff, since he plays with every dlc turned on.

 

[ZeCommissar]

Is there any DLC absolutely necessary to buy for an enjoyable Stellaris experience? I didn't follow the post-release developments at all and just recently got the base game.

I have every DLC right now, and will probably get Distant Stars as soon as it's released.

Since it's on sale on Steam you need to buy Utopia before the 21st. Utopia is the only one I would say is currently "required" however I think all of them except for Apocalypse are worth the price tags.

In Utopia you can build Ringworlds, Dyson spheres, and be literal Tyranids. It also adds more government types for you and the AI. You might as well grab Synthetic Dawn too since Machine Empires are OP in the early game, especially Determined Exterminators.

The leviathans story pack is pretty cool, and adds up some much-needed spice to the early and mid-game experience. The species portrait packs are purely cosmetic and don't affect the gameplay at all, so don't get them if you don't care about species portraits. Although giant floating talking space plants are pretty cool.

The apocalypse DLC has good content, it's not worth $20 however, all it adds are planet destroying weapons, titans, and marauder empires. It doesn't really affect game play besides that, it should honestly have the same price as Synthetic Dawn, so don't buy Apocalypse unless you have money to spare, or it's on sale.

 

[Slap47]

This has alot of potential. EU Rome wasn't so great for quite a few reasons. Civil wars were sparked too randomly, some mechanics felt arbitrary and it was hard to keep track of everything. However, it also felt like you were really holding together an Empire when you played it.

Paradox games have alot of problems properly representing the difficulties of managing empire and expansion and to make this game not shit they'll have to remedy that.

 

[Guest69]

Imperator Another filler that isnt Vicky 3

 

[Zaragoza]

Imperator Another filler that isnt Vicky 3

Installing Vicky 2 right now. Good starter nation?

 

[Guest69]

Installing Vicky 2 right now. Good starter nation?

Vicy is less about conquest and mappainting and more about economy, spheres, power projection and muh flags.
UK is present on every continent, has lots of events and India thus you can easily be #1 for the whole game if you dont let a certain somebody snowball.
US has an entire continent for themselves and can expand into the pacific, they get millions of immigrants from all over the world and can watch Europe implode, easy to become #1 but you have to overcome initial problems like the small starting population.
Russia is easy as well, your only weakness is that you are a backward hellhole, but you dont face collapse like the Ottomans or Austria and you are huge with tons of resources.
Japan is rather easy to form and is usually a solid great power with lots of room for expansion.
Spain is usually left alone and you can choose between an absolute and constitutional Monarchy at the beginning, but they are harder to turn into a solid world power and have a shitty army. The Philippines are a pain in the ass.

 

[gobbogobb]

Sweeden is easymode in every paradox game tbh, if you're learning the ropes.

Wonder why?

 

[Agent of Z.O.G.]

Is there any DLC absolutely necessary to buy for an enjoyable Stellaris experience? I didn't follow the post-release developments at all and just recently got the base game.

The espionage, diplomacy and "make combat not a huge pile of shit" DLCs that will be out around 2025.

 

[Slap47]

Installing Vicky 2 right now. Good starter nation?

Play as USA. You can hand the economy over to the free market and the western hemisphere is your playground.

Just be sure to research cultural techs to increase your research first and romanticism to get cores on Mexico. Encourage bureaucrats and upgrade your territories to states and encourage capitalists to help your economy.

Also, keep the military up to date and increase your relations with all of the European powers.


I always conquer Haiti in the early game and turn it into a prosperous island by the end game.

 

[RP 520]

This has alot of potential. EU Rome wasn't so great for quite a few reasons. Civil wars were sparked too randomly, some mechanics felt arbitrary and it was hard to keep track of everything. However, it also felt like you were really holding together an Empire when you played it.

Paradox games have alot of problems properly representing the difficulties of managing empire and expansion and to make this game not shit they'll have to remedy that.

Another issue with EU Rome was it came out back when Paradox was still relatively an indie company and didn't have a lot of money to push around. If the game didn't sell well they'd abandon it quick and sweep it under the rug, leaving you with a mangled, unfinished mess in most cases. They did that to a lot of their older games, the first Crusader Kings, Sengoku, March of Eagles, almost all the 3rd party games they lended their engines to (the ones that didn't get cancelled anyways) and a few more I'm probably missing.

Ever since around Crusader Kings II and EU IV when they started their nickle and dime DLC policies they've been able to start taking some risk and we've got Stellaris and they brought on some teams to do things like Cities Skylines and Surviving Mars.

 

[Zaragoza]

Play as USA. You can hand the economy over to the free market and the western hemisphere is your playground.

Just be sure to research cultural techs to increase your research first and romanticism to get cores on Mexico. Encourage bureaucrats and upgrade your territories to states and encourage capitalists to help your economy.

Also, keep the military up to date and increase your relations with all of the European powers.


I always conquer Haiti in the early game and turn it into a prosperous island by the end game.

US has an entire continent for themselves and can expand into the pacific, they get millions of immigrants from all over the world and can watch Europe implode, easy to become #1 but you have to overcome initial problems like the small starting population.

I'm gonna go ahead and play as the US. Fiddle around with expeditions, are these easier ways of getting the gray parts on the map?

 

[Slap47]

I'm gonna go ahead and play as the US. Fiddle around with expeditions, are these easier ways of getting the gray parts on the map?

Colonize near the Canadian border quickly to avoid conflict with the UK.

I recommend getting a mod like PDM or HPM. Objective improvements to the game.

 

[Zaragoza]

Colonize near the Canadian border quickly to avoid conflict with the UK.

I recommend getting a mod like PDM or HPM. Objective improvements to the game.

Already doing a playthrough of USA vanilla. What's the best political party, for expansionist? I managed to win a war against Mexico for New Mexico (funny enough) while they went to war with Texas, Texas didn't win enough to get the complete state but they became part of my territory, got all the northern west coast thanks to colonisation but now I'm in a stalemate with Mexico and the people from all over the slave states are beginning to get riled up.

Don't know what to do. Also how do I board my infantry in the boats? It's not like CK2 where I can just fit them all in.

 

[Slap47]

Already doing a playthrough of USA vanilla. What's the best political party, for expansionist? I managed to win a war against Mexico for New Mexico (funny enough) while they went to war with Texas, Texas didn't win enough to get the complete state but they became part of my territory, got all the northern west coast thanks to colonisation but now I'm in a stalemate with Mexico and the people from all over the slave states are beginning to get riled up.

Don't know what to do. Also how do I board my infantry in the boats? It's not like CK2 where I can just fit them all in.

You walk them onto the ships from an ajacent province.

Both parties are pretty expansionist but Jingoism is better than Pro-War for making claims.

I recommend destroying Mexico in one big war to get all of the historical territory. A few techs such as professionalism should be enough to win without any serious losses. Just add war goals by going to the diplomacy screen.

 

[Jinmen]

I want to play these games so badly but I'm utter trash at strategy games despite them being the most fascinating game genre to me. I'm practicing with Civ 5 since it seems the most accessible and I've had it in my library for a long time.

 

[Zaragoza]

I want to play these games so badly but I'm utter trash at strategy games despite them being the most fascinating game genre to me. I'm practicing with Civ 5 since it seems the most accessible and I've had it in my library for a long time.

If you ever do consider picking up a Paradox game, go for CK2.

 

[millais]

I want to play these games so badly but I'm utter trash at strategy games despite them being the most fascinating game genre to me. I'm practicing with Civ 5 since it seems the most accessible and I've had it in my library for a long time.

If you ever do consider picking up a Paradox game, go for CK2.

It's definitely the one that is best value for the money, but imo the most casual and easy to pick up is any title from the Hearts of Iron series. They introduce the most basic rudiments of Paradox-style mechanics without too much in the way of information overload.