Developer Diary #8
I've been awaiting a while to write this one, with quite a bit of content, from Aladra, Sylvis, Kalros, Economy, Technology Tree, and the planned evolution of warfare to discuss.
Aladra
Aladra has undergone some minor, but major in terms of gameplay, changes. I've slightly changed how the Aladran Civil War starts because I've realized now how very dumb it is to have the system load the Order of Battles (Units) for the seceding states right when they secede, so now they have units before they secede, which will hopefully make it easier for them to win the civil war in comparison to Aladra, who always won the civil war if you leave out the extreme cases.
Another change I've developed is the addition of the Aladran Civil War and Reconstruction focus branches, while (currently WIP) expanding the Aladran Armed Forces Branch, which will focus heavily on what they bring to warfare, which will be discussed later on in the Diary. Aladran Reconstruction will also introduce a post-launch idea I want to launch, that being Economic Orders, which will be for now, between the Trident Powers & Aladra. However this can be discussed when I actually add them.
Sylvis
I should first iterate this as Lower Sylvis, as Upper Sylvis is currently fine in where it is located within the development, Lower Sylvis has been shown to the sharks in terms of development despite needing it the most. The main concern is that the focus tree for Upper Sylvis, its main adversary is outdated. Upper Sylvis in some games manages to match Lower Sylvis's industrial output, which shouldn't be possible.
So for the first update, my goal is to give Upper Sylvis a short advantage by forcing Lower Sylvis to do 5 industrial build-up focuses before it can begin to target. I will also be adding to the Lower Sylvis Focus Tree several focuses that will increase or decrease the dictator levels of Lower Sylvis, for if the nation completes, let's say 3/5, they will be couped, and a new regime will take control of the nation. Note in the next image I'm still working on the tree
Kalros
I'm actually kind of shocked I haven't mentioned the Kalros content yet, but I guess I just underestimated how much effort I've put in. For now, Kalros will be a battle between two forces, Vinovia and Stromgarde. Stromgardes Focus tree is half complete, as I don't have content for one path yet, but it will be easy enough to build into the line that it shouldn't take me more than 2 days if I put effort into it.
For now, Stromgarde will have two different branches, the Pre-Crisis, and the 2 separate Post-Crisis paths. Currently, only the so far (at least according to me) historical path is done, minus the GFX and Localization, which is not that big of a deal in terms of doing as I can pump that stuff out in one day. However at the end of both trees Stromgarde will go to war with Vinovia and by essence the Trident, it is also meant to be the quickest war to get into besides the two major civil wars.
Also on Kalros is Vinovia's content, which will not be fully released by release, for I have plans for a Titans of Industry update which will take me wayyyyy too long to develop. Vinovia will attempt to usurp the position that Aladra held after the beginning of their civil war to rebuild the global market. They will also have an event chain where they will have a practical military coup that will need to be solved if anything is to get done militarily, which will be made even more troubling considering Sylvis can easily go to war with Vinovia early on.
Technology Tree
One of my most annoying add ons ever, as in the content isn't that bad IMO, just totally fun to implement, and didn't have to restart my game 65 times (yes i counted) because I can't follow instructions. But I've finally updated the Technology Tree, and added a Mechanization Folder, with plans to update the Industry folder after I finish adding most of the other content.
Economic Blocs & Economic Orders
One of my most favorite add ons, is the addition of the Economic Block, which is a system in which joining different factions provides different economic benefits. Economic Orders will also be the overall economy, the reserve currency essentially. For now Economic Orders won't be implemented.
Evolution of Warfare
Hearts of Iron IV is not a politics, economics, or diplomacy simulator, it does have all those features in it, and I will be attempting to make each system stand out as I continue to work further into my mod, but the one system that will essentially be staying, is how wars work. However, I will be changing how they will evolve, as they do evolve differently in this mod than in real life. For instance, you are not allowed to research tanks until late in 2036 by the earliest, and by then, most war is done. This is intentional, as I do have plans for tanks to be used in a later version of the mod, however in this part, it isn't necessary. Instead, they'll be replaced by a worse equivalent, the Armored Car.
End Times
Finally, as you've seen in the posts above, I'm starting to work on the end times of the mod, which will end the decade known as the Resourceless Age. I do intend to have an end date for this mod. If you somehow continue a war into the "New Times, New Era" time period, I'm sorry to say, but you're just bad, and that the war will be very hard to fight after this as your manpower, industrial, and political power pool will drop immensely.
The Global War is simply turning the war global after the start of the Tartooine adventures into Sandsete & Southern Valyria.
Steam Workshop Preparations
It's getting closer, I can feel it, and now I'm beginning to write the description for the Steam Workshop stuff. Here's a little sneakpeak.
The date is January 1st, 2025, and the world of Char is about to change forever. Over the past year, starting in October of 2023, a series of events would eventually catch up with the world. Back on that fateful day, October 13th, 2023, a simple, relaxing Friday morning, turned chaotic, with the failure of the resource isles. All three resource isles have dried up, causing an economic crisis to quietly grow in the background, as many towns still had access to deep reserves of Power Shards & Material that they could use to continue the movement of the economy despite the failure of the expansionary global economic policy set by Dhanri, the Mayor of Aladra, which is the center of global trade.
The year ended, and the new year began, growing concerns across the continents over the scarcity of resources began to force towns to put strict limits on their own to prevent the useless damage and loss of military equipment, helping to build up military stockpiles of armor and small arms. The lead-up through March would continue to break the faith in the global currency, with many viewing it as a possible fracture of global tensions. April 2nd, 2024, Black Tuesday, would see the economy shatter, as the Artifact, the item of interest that sees the existence of life by resurrecting all who died, would implode, which would ignite a wave of permanent death unseen in the days before.
Across the world of Char, Ascalon would see violent revolutions in Eldritch and Wastia that would attempt to fix the economic and political issues present. Kalros would witness brutal winters that harmed all in the north while opening up an unknown divide between the two halves of the continent. Garama would attempt to unify under the heel of a Garaman Confederation whose stability is greatly questioned by the start of the next year. Three nations that survived relatively unscathed from the crisis would attempt to take advantage of the situation with the formation of the Trident Powers. All the while, Aladra brews closer to a major crisis that can’t be solved by talking.
And that is it folks for this Dev Diary, I don't think I really have anything else in mind besides more developing, and more diaring. See yall later, and have a great day/night!
I've been awaiting a while to write this one, with quite a bit of content, from Aladra, Sylvis, Kalros, Economy, Technology Tree, and the planned evolution of warfare to discuss.
Aladra
Aladra has undergone some minor, but major in terms of gameplay, changes. I've slightly changed how the Aladran Civil War starts because I've realized now how very dumb it is to have the system load the Order of Battles (Units) for the seceding states right when they secede, so now they have units before they secede, which will hopefully make it easier for them to win the civil war in comparison to Aladra, who always won the civil war if you leave out the extreme cases.
Another change I've developed is the addition of the Aladran Civil War and Reconstruction focus branches, while (currently WIP) expanding the Aladran Armed Forces Branch, which will focus heavily on what they bring to warfare, which will be discussed later on in the Diary. Aladran Reconstruction will also introduce a post-launch idea I want to launch, that being Economic Orders, which will be for now, between the Trident Powers & Aladra. However this can be discussed when I actually add them.
Sylvis
I should first iterate this as Lower Sylvis, as Upper Sylvis is currently fine in where it is located within the development, Lower Sylvis has been shown to the sharks in terms of development despite needing it the most. The main concern is that the focus tree for Upper Sylvis, its main adversary is outdated. Upper Sylvis in some games manages to match Lower Sylvis's industrial output, which shouldn't be possible.
So for the first update, my goal is to give Upper Sylvis a short advantage by forcing Lower Sylvis to do 5 industrial build-up focuses before it can begin to target. I will also be adding to the Lower Sylvis Focus Tree several focuses that will increase or decrease the dictator levels of Lower Sylvis, for if the nation completes, let's say 3/5, they will be couped, and a new regime will take control of the nation. Note in the next image I'm still working on the tree
Kalros
I'm actually kind of shocked I haven't mentioned the Kalros content yet, but I guess I just underestimated how much effort I've put in. For now, Kalros will be a battle between two forces, Vinovia and Stromgarde. Stromgardes Focus tree is half complete, as I don't have content for one path yet, but it will be easy enough to build into the line that it shouldn't take me more than 2 days if I put effort into it.
For now, Stromgarde will have two different branches, the Pre-Crisis, and the 2 separate Post-Crisis paths. Currently, only the so far (at least according to me) historical path is done, minus the GFX and Localization, which is not that big of a deal in terms of doing as I can pump that stuff out in one day. However at the end of both trees Stromgarde will go to war with Vinovia and by essence the Trident, it is also meant to be the quickest war to get into besides the two major civil wars.
Also on Kalros is Vinovia's content, which will not be fully released by release, for I have plans for a Titans of Industry update which will take me wayyyyy too long to develop. Vinovia will attempt to usurp the position that Aladra held after the beginning of their civil war to rebuild the global market. They will also have an event chain where they will have a practical military coup that will need to be solved if anything is to get done militarily, which will be made even more troubling considering Sylvis can easily go to war with Vinovia early on.
Technology Tree
One of my most annoying add ons ever, as in the content isn't that bad IMO, just totally fun to implement, and didn't have to restart my game 65 times (yes i counted) because I can't follow instructions. But I've finally updated the Technology Tree, and added a Mechanization Folder, with plans to update the Industry folder after I finish adding most of the other content.
Economic Blocs & Economic Orders
One of my most favorite add ons, is the addition of the Economic Block, which is a system in which joining different factions provides different economic benefits. Economic Orders will also be the overall economy, the reserve currency essentially. For now Economic Orders won't be implemented.
Evolution of Warfare
Hearts of Iron IV is not a politics, economics, or diplomacy simulator, it does have all those features in it, and I will be attempting to make each system stand out as I continue to work further into my mod, but the one system that will essentially be staying, is how wars work. However, I will be changing how they will evolve, as they do evolve differently in this mod than in real life. For instance, you are not allowed to research tanks until late in 2036 by the earliest, and by then, most war is done. This is intentional, as I do have plans for tanks to be used in a later version of the mod, however in this part, it isn't necessary. Instead, they'll be replaced by a worse equivalent, the Armored Car.
End Times
Finally, as you've seen in the posts above, I'm starting to work on the end times of the mod, which will end the decade known as the Resourceless Age. I do intend to have an end date for this mod. If you somehow continue a war into the "New Times, New Era" time period, I'm sorry to say, but you're just bad, and that the war will be very hard to fight after this as your manpower, industrial, and political power pool will drop immensely.
The Global War is simply turning the war global after the start of the Tartooine adventures into Sandsete & Southern Valyria.
Steam Workshop Preparations
It's getting closer, I can feel it, and now I'm beginning to write the description for the Steam Workshop stuff. Here's a little sneakpeak.
The date is January 1st, 2025, and the world of Char is about to change forever. Over the past year, starting in October of 2023, a series of events would eventually catch up with the world. Back on that fateful day, October 13th, 2023, a simple, relaxing Friday morning, turned chaotic, with the failure of the resource isles. All three resource isles have dried up, causing an economic crisis to quietly grow in the background, as many towns still had access to deep reserves of Power Shards & Material that they could use to continue the movement of the economy despite the failure of the expansionary global economic policy set by Dhanri, the Mayor of Aladra, which is the center of global trade.
The year ended, and the new year began, growing concerns across the continents over the scarcity of resources began to force towns to put strict limits on their own to prevent the useless damage and loss of military equipment, helping to build up military stockpiles of armor and small arms. The lead-up through March would continue to break the faith in the global currency, with many viewing it as a possible fracture of global tensions. April 2nd, 2024, Black Tuesday, would see the economy shatter, as the Artifact, the item of interest that sees the existence of life by resurrecting all who died, would implode, which would ignite a wave of permanent death unseen in the days before.
Across the world of Char, Ascalon would see violent revolutions in Eldritch and Wastia that would attempt to fix the economic and political issues present. Kalros would witness brutal winters that harmed all in the north while opening up an unknown divide between the two halves of the continent. Garama would attempt to unify under the heel of a Garaman Confederation whose stability is greatly questioned by the start of the next year. Three nations that survived relatively unscathed from the crisis would attempt to take advantage of the situation with the formation of the Trident Powers. All the while, Aladra brews closer to a major crisis that can’t be solved by talking.
And that is it folks for this Dev Diary, I don't think I really have anything else in mind besides more developing, and more diaring. See yall later, and have a great day/night!