OOC Thread and Chatroom

[Askthepizzaguy]

As intended, Deguerra. Your coat of arms is the only reason I'm not an Asteri anymore!

[flyd]

So, who wants to take the last save from 1104, take the fog of war off, hit end turn and watch all the AI moves, and (if he should get notified of the state of war between us and the Germans at the end like I did), explain just how the Germans managed to declare that war?

I mean, I can see the why, it works fine IC since we were blocking their way, I'm just totally perplexed by the how.

[ULC]

The AI is psychic...



Really though, I've had this happen to me, and I don't know how the computer did it either. I have noted it has done this only in SS with me...

[deguerra]

often the AI will do it by blockading a port. did you check those?

[flyd]

They have no ships...

Might be a script in SS. Something we did not see coming when we blockaded that crusade...

[Ibn-Khaldun]

War with the Germans!!!

Perhaps TC can look into it and find out how this happened?

EDIT: Looked the Megas reports. If the crusade disappeared then perhaps they were excommunicated??

[flyd]

The crusade only "disappeared" out of our field of view. It has gone the long way around because Tagaris and Savvas blocked its path.

[AussieGiant]

The plot thickens...

Time to call in Dr Watson I believe.

[TheFlax]

War with the Germans!!!

Perhaps TC can look into it and find out how this happened?

EDIT: Looked the Megas reports. If the crusade disappeared then perhaps they were excommunicated??

Excommunicated? For declaring war on us filthy Orthodoxes? I highly doubt it.

That didn't even happen in 1204 when the Crusaders sacks Constantinople.

I think more likely the AI moved the Crusade in an odd place or something like that. The ways of the AI are often inscrutable or just plain stupid.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

No, I was thinking that they were excommed by other reasons.. Let's face it.. HRE is never liked by the Pope..

But like FLYdude said .. they took the long way..

So this can't be it.

[Privateerkev]

Well, I've suddenly decided to try drawing some visualizations of the house structures. The first one shows the rank ladder, and the second actual oath hierarchy. Let me know if there are any mistakes, and if you have any ideas on how to better visualize the houses.

Ituralde's character is only a strator at the moment. He lost Sinop and I haven't seen the Caesar give it back to him. (If he did it through PM, then my apologies.)

As for Germany, I blame it on that crazy old Kaiser Heinrich. No telling what he might do. He's so crazy, I bet he'd even attack the Pope himself. ;)

[Ituralde]

Ignoramus already gave it back to me in a PM, although I guess he would have to make a note of it in some public thread. *hint* *hint*

[TinCow]

Please don't event me!

I'm tempted to put that in my sig.

[OverKnight]

Gah! Those crazy Germans.

I think we might have been burned by playing like we're dealing with the vanilla game and being reminded we're playing SS, again. The supply system and loyalty systems were a bit of a change, but this. . .this is unexpected.

Despite some severe short term consequences, I welcome this sort of surprise. The less predictable the AI, the less likely we are to meta-game.

Of course short term, a massive Crusade army is out there somewhere while most of our troops are on the other side of the Empire, our western and northern borders are bare and Aleksios is a bit isolated. I can almost hear the theme from Jaws playing.

[Ramses II CP]

Bah, we have Jedi generals! We can defeat anything!

I sincerely hope that no one is offended by my latest addition to the story thread. The opportunity to work a somewhat legendary figure into the story (Aliya) in such a way was not to be resisted.

[TheFlax]

Offended? Amazed would be a better descriptive in my case. Great writing Ramses, I sincerely loved it, especially the descriptions and some of the details you put in there.

[Cecil XIX]

Gah! Those crazy Germans.

Just imagine if the Crusading Army was commanded by Otto von Kassel, and Aleksios had to fight him. What a story that would be! I'm so dissappointed it's just some nobody we've never heard of named Athalwolf von Prag.

...Of course, since he's from Prague I wish him the best of luck.

[Privateerkev]

I'm tempted to put that in my sig.

"Don't event me, bro!"

[Prince Cobra]

Observer comment:

I've just read the story of the megas logothetes. And I could not stop laughing. This declaration of war was really hilarious. It will certainly enter in history.

I only hope we will not cry after that. These stupid heretics on Danube! :sweat:



OOC: I am not a partcipant but I hope I can post from time to time. However, I'll try to be more discrete. :p

I'll try to find more time for further reading.

[Privateerkev]

Hi Stephen!

Glad your enjoying our wacky adventures.

[OverKnight]

Just imagine if the Crusading Army was commanded by Otto von Kassel, and Aleksios had to fight him. What a story that would be!

Otto von Kassel gets morphed into Otto von Tirol in SS I think, based on my recollection from trying out an earlier version. Part of the mod is to make the names more "authentic", though that is up to debate.

I'm assuming Athalwolf von Prag is an adoptee, as his name bears no resemblance to any of the beginning German characters.

This game is already weird enough for me as I'm playing the leader of the "hated Greeks" from Matt's point of view. Fighting the Germans just adds to this.

@ Stephen Asen: Feel free to comment in the OOC thread, that's what its here for. Believe me, you'd be elevating the usual discourse.

[Privateerkev]

Believe me, you'd be elevating the usual discourse.

You mean debates on "strutting" versus "stalking" are not deep and nuanced enough?

[TinCow]

Ok, I've done a quick run through the trait list and here are my initial proposals for traits we can alter in the University. Some of these have very nice bonuses, but they would take several 'Uni' terms to get to high levels. Maxing out a single high level trait or erasing a bad trait that is at it's worst level would talk half a person's life, which seems pretty balanced to me. Another option would be to limit the number of people who can be in the 'University' each year. Perhaps let the 'Dean' select a small group of 5 or 6 or something.

Skills that can be modified up or down, to any level:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Trait GoodAdministrator
Level Budding_Bureaucrat
Effect Trading 3
Effect Law 1

Level Skilled_Bureaucrat
Effect Trading 5
Effect Law 2

Level Superb_Administrator
Effect Trading 10
Effect Law 3



;------------------------------------------
Trait BadAdministrator
Level Poor_Administrator
Effect Trading -3

Level Inefficient_Administrator
Effect Trading -5

Level Total_Incompetence
Effect Trading -10

;------------------------------------------
Trait InspiringSpeaker
Level Can_Tell_a_Tale
Effect Law 1

Level Great_Speaker
Effect Law 1

Level Inspirational_Speaker
Effect Law 2


;------------------------------------------
Trait BoringSpeaker
Level Poor_Speaker
Effect Law -1

Level Awkward_Speaker
Effect Law -1
Effect TroopMorale -1

Level Incredibly_Boring
Effect Law -2
Effect TroopMorale -2
Effect Command -1

;------------------------------------------

Trait AcademyTrained
Level Academy_Trained
Effect Command 1

Level Officer_Training
Effect Command 2

;------------------------------------------

Trait ForcedReligious
Level Conforming
Effect Piety 1

Level Reverant
Effect Piety 2

Level Godfearing
Effect Piety 3
Effect TroopMorale -1


;------------------------------------------


Trait Superstitious
Level Silly_Beliefs
Effect Piety -1

Level Superstitious
Effect Piety -1
Effect TroopMorale -1

Level Slave_to_Superstition
Effect Piety -2
Effect Authority -1
Effect TroopMorale -2



;------------------------------------------
Trait Pragmatic
Level Mostly_Rational
Effect Authority 1

Level No_Nonsense
Effect Authority 2
Effect TroopMorale 1

Level Utterly_Pragmatic
Effect Authority 3
Effect TroopMorale 2

;------------------------------------------


Trait GoodTaxman
Level Good_with_Taxes
Effect TaxCollection 10

Level Thorough_Taxman
Effect TaxCollection 20
Effect Unrest 1

Level Cruelly_Exacting_Taxman
Effect TaxCollection 30
Effect Unrest 2


;------------------------------------------
Trait BadTaxman
Level Poor_with_Taxes
Effect TaxCollection -5

Level Sloppy_Taxman
Effect TaxCollection -10

Level Tax_Farmer
Effect TaxCollection -15



;------------------------------------------

Trait Scout
Level Adopts_Scouting
Effect LineOfSight 1

Level Adept_Scout
Effect LineOfSight 2

Level Reconnaissance_Expert
Effect LineOfSight 3

;------------------------------------------


Trait GoodFarmer
Level Farming_Knowledge
Effect Farming 1

Level Rural_Expert
Effect Farming 2

Level Agriculturalist
Effect Farming 3



;------------------------------------------
Trait GoodMiner
Level Mining_Knowledge
Effect Mining 10

Level Mining_Expert
Effect Mining 20

Level Geologist
Effect Mining 30



;------------------------------------------
Trait GoodEngineer
Level Admires_Technology
Effect SiegeEngineering 20

Level Mechanically_Minded
Effect SiegeAttack 1
Effect SiegeEngineering 40

Level Engineer
Effect SiegeAttack 2
Effect SiegeEngineering 60



;------------------------------------------
Trait BadEngineer
Level Questions_Technology
Effect SiegeAttack -1

Level Befuddled_by_Machines
Effect SiegeAttack -2

Level Distrusts_Evil_Machinery!
Effect SiegeAttack -3



;------------------------------------------
Trait GoodTrader
Level Understands_Trade
Effect Trading 10

Level Trader
Effect Trading 20

Level Master_Trader
Effect Trading 30



;------------------------------------------
Trait BadTrader
Level Fiscally_Challenged
Effect Trading -10

Level Incompetent_Trader
Effect Trading -20

Level Trading_Liability
Effect Trading -30



;------------------------------------------
Trait Just
Level A_Sense_of_Justice
Effect Chivalry 1
Effect Law 1

Level Just
Effect Chivalry 2
Effect Law 2

Level Serves_Justice
Effect Chivalry 3
Effect Law 3



;------------------------------------------
Trait Unjust
Level Swift_to_Judge
Effect Unrest 1

Level Lacks_Justice
Effect Chivalry -1
Effect Unrest 2

Level Unjust
Effect Chivalry -3
Effect Unrest 3



;------------------------------------------
Trait HarshJustice
Level Hard_Justice
Effect Unrest 1
Effect Law 2

Level Harsh_Justice
Effect Unrest 2
Effect Law 4

Level Severe_Justice
Effect Chivalry -1
Effect Unrest 3
Effect Law 6



;------------------------------------------
Trait LenientJustice
Level Soft_Judge
Effect Chivalry 1
Effect Law -1

Level Merciful_Judge
Effect Chivalry 2
Effect Law -2

Level Kind_Judge
Effect Chivalry 1
Effect Law -3



;------------------------------------------
Trait HarshRuler
Level Iron_Fisted
Effect Chivalry -1
Effect Law 1

Level Harsh_Ruler
Effect Chivalry -2
Effect PersonalSecurity -1
Effect Squalor 1
Effect Law 2

Level Cruel_Ruler
Effect Chivalry -3
Effect PersonalSecurity -2
Effect Squalor 2
Effect Law 3



;------------------------------------------
Trait KindRuler

Level Reasonable_Ruler
Effect Chivalry 1
Effect Squalor -1

Level Kind_Ruler
Effect Chivalry 2
Effect Squalor -2

Level Benevolent_Ruler
Effect Chivalry 3
Effect Squalor -3



;------------------------------------------
Trait GoodBuilder
Level Active_Builder
Effect Construction 5
Effect Squalor -1

Level Urban_Planner
Effect Construction 10
Effect Squalor -2

Level Great_Builder
Effect Construction 15
Effect Squalor -3



;------------------------------------------
Trait BadBuilder
Level Not_Constructive
Effect Construction -5
Effect Squalor 1

Level Sloppy_Builder
Effect Construction -10
Effect Squalor 2

Level Abhors_Construction
Effect Construction -15
Effect Squalor 3


;------------------------------------------
Trait Generous
Level Generous
Effect TaxCollection -2

Level Openly_Giving
Effect Trading -2
Effect TaxCollection -5

Level Overly_Generous
Effect Trading -5
Effect TaxCollection -10



;------------------------------------------
Trait Miserly
Level Mean_with_Money
Effect TaxCollection 2
Effect Squalor 1

Level Hoarder_of_Wealth
Effect Trading 2
Effect TaxCollection 5
Effect Squalor 2

Level Miserly
Effect Trading 5
Effect TaxCollection 10
Effect Squalor 3


Trait Disloyal
Level Speaks_of_Loyalty
Effect Loyalty -1

Level Mixed_Loyalties
Effect Chivalry -1
Effect Loyalty -2

Level Disloyal
Effect Chivalry -2
Effect Loyalty -3

Level Actively_Disloyal
Effect Chivalry -3
Effect Loyalty -4

;------------------------------------------
Trait Loyal
Level Generally_Loyal
Effect Loyalty 1

Level Loyal
Effect Chivalry 1
Effect Loyalty 2

Level Very_Loyal
Effect Chivalry 2
Effect Loyalty 3

Level Loyal_Beyond_Question
Effect Chivalry 3
Effect Loyalty 4


;------------------------------------------

Trait Authoritarian
Level 1 Firm_Ruler
Effect Unrest 1
Effect Law 2

Level 2 Strict_Ruler
Effect Authority 1
Effect Unrest 2
Effect Law 4

Level 3 Total_Authoritarian
Effect Authority 2
Effect Unrest 3
Effect Law 6


;------------------------------------------

Trait NonAuthoritarian
Level 1 Fair_Ruler
Effect Unrest -2
Effect Law -1

Level 2 Understanding_Ruler
Effect Authority -1
Effect Unrest -4
Effect Law -2

Level 3 Liberal_Leader
Effect Authority -2
Effect Unrest -6
Effect Law -3


;------------------------------------------

Trait Cultured
Level 1 Cultured
Effect LocalPopularity 1

Level 2 Very_Cultured
Effect Authority 1
Effect LocalPopularity 2


;------------------------------------------

Trait Rabblerouser
Level 1 Instigator
Effect LocalPopularity 1

Level 2 Agitator
Effect LocalPopularity 2

Level 3 Provoker
Effect Authority 1
Effect LocalPopularity 3
Effect Unrest 1

Level 4 Leader_of_the_Mob
Effect Authority 2
Effect LocalPopularity 4
Effect Unrest 2


;------------------------------------------

Trait Gambling
Level 1 Enjoys_a_Wager
Effect Trading -5
Effect BribeResistance -1

Level 2 Gambler
Effect Trading -10
Effect BribeResistance -2

Level 3 Problem_Gambler
Effect Trading -15
Effect BribeResistance -3

Level 4 Slave_to_Luck
Effect Trading -20
Effect BribeResistance -4


;------------------------------------------

Trait Ignorance
Level 1 Ignorant
Effect Authority -1
Effect Trading -2
Effect TaxCollection -2

Level 2 Sadly_Ignorant
Effect Authority -1
Effect Trading -5
Effect TaxCollection -5

Level 3 Blissfully_Ignorant
Effect Authority -2
Effect Trading -10
Effect TaxCollection -10



;------------------------------------------


Trait HaleAndHearty:
Level 1 DeathlyUnhealthy
Effect HitPoints -3
Effect Fertility -1

Level 2 SeverelyUnhealthy
Effect HitPoints -2

Level 3 Unhealthy
Effect HitPoints -1

Level 4 NormalHealth

Level 5 Healthy
Effect HitPoints 1

Level 6 FairlyHealthy
Effect HitPoints 2

Level 7 BastionHealth
Effect HitPoints 3
Effect Fertility 1

Skills which can be taken, but only to level 1:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

RhetoricSkill
Level 1 Well_Spoken
Effect Authority 1

StrategicSkill
Level 1 Promising_Strategist
Effect Command 1

TacticalSkill
Level 1 Promising_Tactician
Effect Ambush 2
Effect LineOfSight 1

MathematicsSkill
Level 1 Talent_with_Numbers
Effect SiegeEngineering 10
Effect Trading 5

PoliticsSkill
Level 1 Political_Promise
Effect Authority 1

LogisticalSkill
Level 1 Understands_Logistics
Effect TroopMorale 1
Effect MovementPoints 1

Trait HorseRacer
Level Good_Racer
Effect MovementPoints 1

The SS ‘Coming of Age’ Education Traits:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Religious Education (Clergy_Edu)
Level 1 Novice
Effect Piety 1

Level 2 Ordination
Effect Piety 2
Effect Loyalty -1
Effect TroopMorale 1
Effect Law 1

Castle Education (Castle_Edu)
Level 1 – Squire
Effect MovementPoints 10

Level 2 Knighted
Effect Command 1
Effect Loyalty 1
Effect MovementPoints 10
Effect Chivalry 1

Capital Education (Cap_Edu)
Level 1 Paige
Effect Law 1

Level 2 Enobled
Effect Law 2
Effect Authority 1
Effect TaxCollection 5

[Ignoramus]

A son? It looks like the Komneni are here to stay.

[deguerra]

Its another Ioannis. Brilliant! Ioannis' ftw!

[Privateerkev]

I think this game has far too many Ioannisises's in it.

[Ignoramus]

Ioannis? Really? I'm stoked!! Who wants to bet that we'll have 2 Ioannis' as Basileus?

[deguerra]

I was wondering actually. Presuming that Kosmas dies before you, does the position of heir go to your son or to Tristan's character?

[Ignoramus]

I have no idea. Knowing MTWII, anything could happen. There may be some general rule at the start, but I've seen cases where it's straightforward but still do something crazy.

[flyd]

I was wondering actually. Presuming that Kosmas dies before you, does the position of heir go to your son or to Tristan's character?

It either goes to one of them or to some half-cousin seven times removed.