The Provinces and Modding Update

The new Provinces and Modding update is now live. It's the biggest update in the game by far, with roughly a third of the whole game's work gone into it. My goal with this update was to make the game moddable, more fun and more replayable, and fix up the main annoyances that players were having. To do so I took the step of entirely redoing the UI from scratch - literally every single screen and UI component has been done from scratch, which also makes it entirely moddable.

I've also added the ability to play as other provinces - this is something a lot of people have been asking for, so now you're able to play as any province in the Empire and work your way up to Emperor, playing your way up the power blocs from the other side and building up a force of allies to fight a civil war.

There have been a ton of other changes - such as a new battle screen with more control for the player, a redone tutorial, localisation fixes, visual improvements, bug fixes and a ton of new systems and interactions for you to work with.

I've released a new demo for the game as well, so that new potential players get the chance to see what they think of the game before buying it. With this you'll get to play 20 years in the game - only the Tutorial and as the Western Rebels in the main game - to see what you think of it.

I've also released the Lords of Sicily mod campaign (a sample to show off how the game can be modded), and activated the Steam workshop, so you'll be able to upload your own mods there and share them with others.

For the next week or so I'll probably and trying to fix up anything that pops up. From there I'll start work on the upcoming two DLCs - the one which allows you to play as a barbarian faction, and then the historically-based Majorian DLC, which will be a really major update.

A full list of the changes is shown below.

Hope you enjoy the update!

Joe

Highlights

• The game has been rebuilt around mod support. Content packs can extend gameplay scripts, data, assets, campaigns, localisation and the interface.

• Added the World Editor for creating complete campaigns, including factions, characters, settlements, terrain, rivers, roads and military routes.

• The campaign interface has been rebuilt in TypeScript, JavaScript, TSX and CSS, making it much easier for mods to add their own screens and interface elements.

• Added in-game Steam Workshop browsing and uploads.

• The campaign interface has been completely rebuilt, including every major screen, sidebar, menu, tooltip, notification and map label.

• The Tutorial has been extensively reworked. It now covers provincial government, rebellion, sieges, naval transport and the conquest of Kyrnos.

• Provincial rulers have new political options, including governor missions, Bureaucratic Throughput, imperial adoption, succession approval, Senate membership and preparations for rebellion.

• Battles now include melee, ranged and siege roles, terrain height, battlefield obstacles, formation withdrawal and dedicated siege ships.

• The campaign map has been rebuilt with new terrain, rivers, roads, forests, farmland, army routes and starting campaign data.

• Campaign loading is faster, and major sources of stuttering during simulation, military movement and AI decisions have been reduced.

• Steam achievements now have an in-game screen.

Modding, World Editor and Steam Workshop

• The game has been rebuilt around content packs, allowing mods to extend gameplay scripts, data, assets, campaigns, localisation and the interface.

• Rebuilt the campaign interface in TypeScript, JavaScript, TSX and CSS. Mods can use the same technologies to add their own interface elements.

• Mods can add complete campaign maps.

• Mods can add screens, sidebars, top-bar buttons, tooltips and labels over the campaign map.

• Mods can add encyclopedia entries and rules for character titles.

• Mods can add government types, diplomacy options, war goals, court positions and governor missions.

• Added an in-game Steam Workshop browser.

• Locally created mods can be uploaded to Steam Workshop from the game.

• Workshop downloads are kept separate from locally created mods.

• Mods are loaded from the Saved/Mods folder, where players have write access.

• The game detects content packs that use the same identifier.

• Saves now explain when a required content pack is missing.

• Rebuilt the World Editor around project-based campaign creation.

• The World Editor can edit factions, characters, settlements, geography, terrain, rivers, roads and placed campaign objects.

• The World Editor can export terrain, rivers, roads, army routes, sea routes, landing sites and faction-selection data.

• World Editor builds display the matching game version.

• The modding kit includes built-in AngelScript types and a summary of each exported content pack.

Interface Rebuild

• Replaced the old campaign interface with a completely new one.

• Rebuilt the main menu, pause menu, settings, save browser and campaign-selection screens.

• Rebuilt the campaign HUD, resource bar, speed controls, map modes, notifications and warnings.

• Rebuilt the faction, economy, diplomacy, military, character, religion, power-bloc, battle, ledger and encyclopedia screens.

• Rebuilt the settlement, military, character, faction and power-bloc sidebars.

• Rebuilt the construction queue and formation-template screens.

• Rebuilt the family tree and Previous Rulers screens.

• Rebuilt the victory, defeat and campaign-ending screens.

• Rebuilt the windows used to appoint courtiers, clergy, heirs, commanders, governors, diplomats and spies.

• Links now open the relevant character, faction, settlement, military or management screen directly.

• Replaced the old flat panels with painted frames, buttons, tabs, warnings and interaction cards.

• Reworked character portraits with cultural backgrounds, headgear, improved lighting and clearer relationship information.

• Added more unit portraits throughout the military and settlement interfaces.

• Added a Steam achievements screen showing requirements and progress.

• Existing achievements now unlock through Steam.

• Added faction heraldry to the ledger.

• Added map modes to the faction-selection screen.

• Added a separate setting for the size of labels and icons shown over the campaign map.

• Added confirmation before overwriting a save.

• Added keybind search.

• Candidate-selection windows can be dragged.

• Notification history is now available through the ledger.

Tutorial Overhaul

• Extensively reworked the existing Tutorial campaign.

• Reworked the opening in Histria and its political situation.

• Reworked the loyalist rebellion and Kyrnos storylines.

• Expanded the military campaign to cover army movement, sieges, settlement capture, naval transport, landings and further conquests.

• Expanded the Tutorial's court, council, governor and provincial-government objectives.

• Added clearer objectives, clickable event links, automatic map focus and interface highlights.

• Added new mission artwork.

• Updated the Tutorial map, factions, characters, settlements, army routes and starting forces.

• Extended several deadlines and streamlined the later stages of the campaign.

Provincial Government and Imperial Politics

• Added Bureaucratic Throughput. Edicts, interactions, appointments and provincial administration use Bureaucratic Capacity, and exceeding that capacity applies penalties.

• Administrative actions can be rushed, but doing so causes temporary Bureaucratic Overload.

• Added breakdowns showing Bureaucratic Capacity, current workload, overload and the cost of creating provinces.

• Added governor missions.

• Governors can be ordered to pacify a province, suppress unrest, root out corruption, stabilise revenue, rebuild the treasury, recruit staff or secure the provincial capital.

• Military governor missions can order a governor to capture a settlement, blockade a port or support a campaign.

• Added a Governors tab for managing regional governors.

• Added automatic governor assignment.

• AI factions now fill vacant governorships.

• Governors can be recalled from the Governors screen.

• Character sidebars list every region governed by that character.

• Political pressure can now affect governor recalls, court politics and preparations for rebellion.

• Added Invite to Rebellion. Governors and commanders can be recruited before a revolt and may bring their provinces, regions or forces with them.

• Added Join Rebellion, allowing a provincial ruler to enter an active civil war on the rebel side.

• Added Take Over Occupied Province. During a civil war, a fully occupied province can be brought under your control and given a new governor.

• Added Request Succession Approval for provincial rulers seeking imperial recognition of an heir.

• Added Request Adoption, allowing eligible provincial rulers to ask for adoption into the imperial family.

• Added Request Senate Seat.

• Added Undermine Rival, which can affect appointments, governor recalls, power-bloc disputes and rebellion negotiations.

• Added Study Statecraft, allowing a ruler to improve Governance through a character interaction.

• Newly created provinces can become player-controlled when the campaign allows it.

• Reworked government types and succession rules.

• Reworked the presentation of provincial and imperial governments.

• Appointment contests now update each day.

• Imperial appointment contests are available only to eligible provincial subjects.

• Regional actions now include settlements held by subjects.

• Provinces can no longer raise levies instantly.

• Fixed provinces being created or released while their territory was occupied.

• Fixed newly created provinces sometimes having no capital.

Battles and Military

• Formations now have melee, ranged or siege roles in battle.

• Added battlefield obstacles that affect movement and positioning.

• Added hills and slopes to battlefields, with effects on movement and combat.

• Formations can now withdraw across the battlefield.

• Added naval siege formations.

• Added the Artillery Galley, Bombard Trireme and Siege Quinquereme.

• Formation templates now receive names based on the units they contain.

• Added naval patrol orders and orders for forces to recover.

• Reworked the Military screen and chain of command.

• Reworked formation-template creation and editing.

• Reworked formation placement, movement, targeting, morale and retreat during battle.

• Reworked battle controls, formation statistics, attack lines and hover information.

• Reworked the appearance of land and naval formations.

• Reworked sieges and blockades.

• Reworked military movement around roads, hostile settlements, coastlines and mountains.

• Reworked army embarkation, docking, disembarkation and naval transport.

• Battle results now retain more detailed formation and unit losses.

• After-action reports now show clearer participants, locations and links.

• Saved battles now preserve formation morale, retreats, targets, waypoints, terrain height and obstacles.

• A battle runs in real time while its Battle screen is open.

• Battles that are not being watched follow the current campaign speed.

• Removed the old half-speed formation movement.

• Battles now end when one side successfully retreats.

• Siege formations must stop and deploy before firing.

• Moving siege equipment is now separate from firing it.

• Naval battles use smaller ship groups and larger battlefields.

• Battle stances are available only to suitable land formations.

• Improved formation movement through narrow gaps.

• Ranged formations now keep their distance from the full area occupied by an enemy formation.

• Manually selected formation targets remain selected until cleared.

• Replenishing a force requires the necessary gold and resources.

• Armies cannot cross mountains marked as impassable.

• Navies follow valid sea routes and avoid islands and shallow coastal terrain.

• Garrisoned armies can now receive AI orders.

• AI factions now use naval blockades and naval raiding expeditions.

• Armies make better use of roads and route around hostile settlements.

• Levy reserves are now included when comparing military strength.

• Updated ranged-unit attack ranges and naval unit artwork.

• Added clearer unit-type icons.

• Selected armies now display their faction's heraldry.

• Army and navy map labels now react when hovered.

• Hostile forces are more clearly marked.

• Formation templates with duplicate names are automatically numbered.

• Naval formation templates are hidden at settlements without ports.

• Military-unit tooltips now include culture and religion.

• Hovering over a battle formation now shows its statistics.

• Fixed armies failing to reinforce an active battle.

Campaign Map Rebuild

• Rebuilt the Grand Campaign's terrain, geography, factions, settlements and army routes.

• Campaigns can now provide their own terrain, rivers, roads, forests, farmland, snow, sand, rock and swamps.

• Reworked fog of war.

• Province colours and borders now follow the shape of the terrain.

• Reworked shoreline waves.

• Campaigns can now apply different colour and lighting effects to parts of the map.

• Updated settlement positions and regional geography throughout the Grand Campaign.

• Updated campaign previews and the faction-selection map.

• Updated faction rosters, leaders, governors, families, bishops and religious assignments.

• Corrected settlement ownership across the Grand Campaign.

• Added missing resource-producing settlements.

• Minor factions now take their colour from their home region.

• Expanded province, region, land and domain tooltips.

• Province tooltips now show political standing, threats and geographic information.

• Region, land and domain tooltips now show their subdivisions and population.

Map Labels

• Rebuilt the labels and icons shown over settlements, ports, armies, navies, battles and convoys.

• Map labels stay centred while the camera moves or zoom changes.

• Settlement labels now show ownership, occupation, sieges and construction progress more clearly.

• Army and navy labels show faction, strength and hostility more clearly.

• Convoy labels retain their cargo and route information.

• Added a separate setting for map-label size.

• Distant convoys travelling along the same route are grouped together.

Diplomacy and Power Blocs

• Rebuilt diplomacy and peace negotiations as full screens.

• Reworked settlement selection during peace negotiations.

• Diplomatic proposals are now divided into offers, requests and mutual agreements.

• Mutual treaties are shown and judged as agreements between both factions.

• Tribute treaties now last ten years.

• Direct participants in a war can negotiate peace.

• Active peace offers can be accepted from their notification.

• Foreign intrigue requires spies with enough Cunning.

• Spy candidates now come from the intended target faction.

• Independent courts can invite characters to join them.

• Patronage cannot be offered to a character who already has a patron.

• Rebuilt the Power Blocs screen and sidebar.

• Power-bloc demands now show their objective, deadline, member influence and possible escalation.

• Reworked power-bloc interactions and their results.

• Reworked internal affairs involving provinces, foederati and governors.

• Defeated rebellions now end sooner.

• The Rephsian Empire now survives correctly after a rebel victory.

• Rebel factions receive more varied names.

• Custom faction and rebel-leader names are preserved during uprisings.

• A power bloc now dissolves when its final member leaves.

• Fixed patronage interactions accepting invalid targets.

• Fixed destroyed factions remaining available for interactions.

Economy, Resources and Construction

• Added monthly resource histories showing production, consumption and changes to the stockpile.

• Added a detailed resource window showing current sources, uses, shortages and past values.

• Construction queues can now be reordered exactly.

• Buildings can now be downgraded directly.

• Settlement labels now show construction progress.

• Rebuilt the Economy screen.

• Reworked the presentation of the treasury, income, expenses, resources, food, trade and settlement economies.

• Reworked the existing controls for automatic resource buying and selling.

• Income and expense breakdowns now include military command, replenishment and construction costs.

• Reworked the realm-wide construction queue.

• Building, unit and formation tooltips now show their complete resource requirements.

• Dismantling, downgrading and queue actions are now directly available from settlement building lists.

• Settlement headers now show whether a settlement is a capital, occupied, under siege or blockaded.

• Reworked city layouts and the placement of visible buildings.

• Reworked convoy and trade-route information.

• Court luxury now appears as a faction expense.

• The faction sidebar now shows levy strength.

• Building tooltips distinguish the current level's effects from the next level's effects.

• The construction queue now distinguishes active work from waiting projects.

Characters, Court and Religion

• Added quick interaction menus to character portraits.

• Characters can now receive temporary bonuses and penalties to their statistics.

• Characters without an office or military command can now receive a title based on their circumstances.

• Rebuilt the character browser, character sidebar and family tree.

• Character lists now show titles, liege realms, current activity, family and faction information.

• Reworked court appointments and candidate suitability.

• Commander, governor, bishop, diplomat and spy appointments now use a shared candidate screen.

• Reworked heir selection and its political consequences.

• Reworked the way character-interaction results are shown.

• Rebuilt the clergy and religion screens.

• Religious conversion now shows its costs, benefits and unrest more clearly.

• Character and government titles now use forms appropriate to their culture.

• Character lists can be opened for foreign factions.

• Hovering over a character statistic now shows the effects that changed it.

• Trait tooltips now explain their effects.

• Improved the presentation of spouses and other relationships.

• Constitution now affects how likely a character is to die.

• Corrected several character birth dates, family relationships and starting appointments.

• Fixed rulers being killed when they were meant to be deposed.

Events and Campaign Presentation

• Rebuilt event windows with campaign artwork, effect icons and clearer choices.

• Unavailable event choices now explain why they cannot be selected.

• Event effects have expanded tooltips and concept icons.

• Event text can link directly to characters, factions, settlements and militaries.

• Event chains can show previous entries from the same story.

• Added different starting events for playable factions.

• Events can now include more context when a character dies or a ruler is succeeded.

• Improved ruler names, pronouns and grammar for faction and character names in events.

• Improved generated names and reduced repeated alliteration.

• Rare scripted events now occur less often.

• Events now perform better checks for eligibility and threats.

• Enemy at the Gates events now require a real, active threat.

• Improved the presentation of successful and failed interactions.

• Added clearer campaign victory and defeat summaries.

Performance

• Reduced stuttering while starting a new campaign or loading a save.

• Terrain and cities now load with fewer long pauses.

• Reduced daily and monthly simulation stuttering.

• Reduced stuttering from character updates, military routes, rebellions, power blocs, religion and disease.

• Reduced stuttering while AI factions review their military and political plans.

• Reduced the cost of Senate interactions.

• Reduced stuttering when changing map modes.

• Reduced pauses when opening formation templates, peace negotiations, military sidebars and construction queues.

• The map now updates only the provinces that have changed.

• Improved fog-of-war performance and reduced visual artefacts.

• Reduced foliage density on Medium quality.

• Improved interface performance and input responsiveness.

• Improved road-route calculations.

Localisation

• Localised the rebuilt menus, screens, sidebars, tooltips and shared controls.

• Localised the new government, building, achievement and interaction text.

• Government names can now change with culture.

• Campaign titles and descriptions now follow the selected language.

• Character names and scripted text now follow the selected language.

• Improved support for regional language variants.

• Added Traditional Chinese character-name data.

• Improved the display of Latin-script text in translated languages.

• Updated translated encyclopedia articles.

• Updated German, Polish, Russian, Turkish and Brazilian Portuguese text.