What's the point?

[Lord Freedom]

So I'm having a hard time getting hooked.

I can't seem to find any single moment that feels satisfying, like, "Wow that felt good, let me do it again"

It just feels like I'm right clicking a lot of stuff. Need alliance for new territory > marry into big realm > get new territory > rinse repeat? Is that pretty much it if I'm trying to expand my empire?

On paper this game should be appealing to me, but I just feel like I'm staring at a map and right clicking stuff at random when I feel like it.

Usually games will have some sort of threat or constant need to advance yourself as a player, taking you from one step to the next, but there doesn't seem to be anything like that here beyond simply having an heir and continuing the playthrough.

What gives? Why aren't I hooked?

[Godspeed]

You have to consider the approach Paradox took to CK3 differs from HOI4 and Stellaris, CK3 is more RP orientated, you have to engineer situations you would enjoy, yourself.

Power-gaming is going to make the game feel very easy because it wasn't designed around being challenging in the first place.

If you don't do things like seduce other kings wives, commit crimes, start as a kingdom / empire, etc. You never have to deal with the mechanics centred around them.

[Myth Alric]

You need a personal goals for yourself. Like becoming the king of England, creating a new religion, being the most holy person in the world, conquering Rome, installing family members as the leaders of neighboring kingdoms, taking over a large empire, becoming the strongest warrior and winning all the tournaments.

It is much better if you set yourself some goals, instead of just acting reactively to things that happen around you. Ask yourself, what sort of cool things do you want to do?

[Autumn]

It gets way more fun if you roleplay a bit. Also, try starting as a Byzantine vassal and play the game as a loyalist. The empire cannot hold itself together anymore, the Mediterranean is wracked with plagues and the moment civil wars start they never seem to end. It feels apocalyptic, and it's some of the most fun I've ever had playing this game.

[Bloodwyrm Wildheart]

Originally posted by Myth Alric:

You need a personal goals for yourself. Like becoming the king of England, creating a new religion, being the most holy person in the world, conquering Rome, installing family members as the leaders of neighboring kingdoms, taking over a large empire, becoming the strongest warrior and winning all the tournaments.

It is much better if you set yourself some goals, instead of just acting reactively to things that happen around you. Ask yourself, what sort of cool things do you want to do?

...So in other words, the same "goals" as every campaign.
The closest thing this game has to proper "goals" are the achievements, which is frankly pitiful.
It would benefit from something like EUIV's Mission Trees / HOI4's Focus Trees, or TW's "campaign victory" goals at the minimum.

[Jet]

thats what i felt like when i played eu4. but ck3 is far more rp heavy and thus more accessible. i really enjoy it when i get immersed into it

[VoiD]

Try CK2, base game is free, if you like it you can get all the major DLCs for a reasonable price during sales.

[Shemiroth]

My goals tend to be like try to make a kingdom with inverted gender laws. Which is quite tricky starting in 867 :D or like play tall as Armenia and then convert it to an EU4 game.

But yeah it's not quite the same as playing EU4, Stellaris or CK2.

[Shemiroth]

I would prefer more details on populations within a province. Like have population growth and my goal would then be to keep my people safe. So I avoid wars, use mercenaries when I am at war and stuff like that

[dbix11]

I enjoy the Tywin Lannister approach to it "We could establish a dynasty that would last a thousand years"

at some level i find myself having to identify with my player to get the most out of the experience. If i find myself playing at 5x speed and just min maxing i know i'm losing interest.

[QLIQ]

I agree that marrying into another realm should be way more involved.

[Angel]

Literally every Paradox game is just as you described. You have to make the fun and enjoyment/replayability yourself. But I mean if you're complaining about the fundamentals about how the game literally is, maybe you should have looked at some reviews or Videos first??

[Andersen]

Its the sudden events that are funny. Ie my Holy Roman Pope Emperor held a tournament. First round he died by having his throat slashed , totally suprised me

[Abacus]

You are building a dynasty and making is strong throughout the ages. Not so much a map painter.

Now there is not huge definite objective. I wouldn't mind a layer of objectives you can set and play on something like ironman, kinda like a rouge like.

[TsumaTek]

When i find myself losing interest (getting burned out) I look to YouTube with all the historical videos for inspiration and or look through a number of the historical characters in Wikipedia related to England/Ireland etc. "Bookmarks +" offers bookmarks going back as far as 1 AD at 5yr increments so the options for RP time periods and changing the path of historical cultures and religions is wide open. To help with religions in the earlier time periods I use "Polytheism Reborn" to manually adjust the religions of my worlds. I spend a considerable amount of time setting up my start time through mods and continue on from there. It sounds like a lot of work but I enjoy it....Cheers

[Thunder Bagel]

I'd also recommend looking at the achievements and finding one you want to go for. They can set some interesting goals to accomplish