Europa Universalis IV Benefits from Feature Removal, Says Project Lead

Thomas Johansson, the project lead for Europa Universalis IV, lays out the philosophy that the Paradox Interactive team is using in the creation of the next installment in the grand strategy series and how it forced designers to cut a number of features.

In an editorial for GamingBolt the developer states, “The challenge in creating a sequel comes in keeping true to previous game and what it became, while giving all our fans enough that is new to make it feel that it is worth calling it a new game.”

The Europa Universalis series is a very complex one and fans have been asking the studio for even more gameplay mechanics.

Paradox instead went in the opposing direction and chose to actually take out a number of concepts out in order to make the available choices more interesting and to make sure that complexity stays at the same level.

Johansson also explains why spies have been eliminated from EU IV and how the player will continue to have most of the same options via the re-designed diplomacy system.

He says, “At the same time we kept and developed the best bits of it, if you want to support rebels in your neighbor’s realm you send a diplomat to do it, only now you can choose exactly which type of rebel to support and how much money to give them.”

Previously the team also explained that the entire trade system of Europa Universalis IV is remade from the ground up, focusing more on each factions ability to protect routes and compete with rivals on the high seas and in merchant hubs.

Technology and internal administration are also re-designed with a new point system that gives gamers more control over their country and its evolution.

Europa Universalis IV will use the same Clausewitz engine as Crusader Kings II and will be launched on the PC later during the year.