Developer Diary 1

Welcome everyone, to the very first developer diary for the upcoming major version of MEIOU and Taxes. Last year saw the release of 2.50: Heresy with a greatly improved population system, yet we didn't want to stop just there. As we explored what was possible, we found our way forward: A focus on the transformative journey as nations and peoples change over time. We are proud to introduce M&T 3.0: Path to Modernity.

= Introduction =

3.0: Path to Modernity is a comprehensive revision of M&T. The goal of this rewrite is to build from our past experiences in developing the population system, while using the latest coding techniques, optimizations, designs and idioms. This empowers us to create something better while addressing current issues of stability and performance. 3.0 delivers long-desired features including freeholders, estate conflicts, and other features that many had thought forgotten. More importantly, however, 3.0 takes M&T to next level of EU4 modding, with more realistic and detailed models, providing more accurate simulations and systems, and paving the way for even greater gameplay.

= Our New Approach =

At the core of the population system in 2.0, there were many constraints and assumptions on what was thought possible in EU4. Most were valid at the time, but new techniques including meta-scripts, binary modifiers, slots and more have changed the paradigm of what is possible for EU4 modding. M&T lives at the edge of EU4 modding, as we strive to take maximum advantage of what the game engine allows. In this case, taking full advantage meant changing the way we design the very core of M&T.

The new core of M&T is a detailed base model consisting of entirely new population and economic systems. Our experience has shown that having more data in the base model means less duplication, overlap and wasted performance. When important data isn’t in the base model, it usually means an entire system is needed to simulate what should have been there in the first place. Rather than having separate simulations, a comprehensive model allows better simulation of the interactions between the social, political, and economic forces that led humanity towards modern times.

= Population =

Classes are the heart of 3.0’s new core. They serve as our base unit, providing the scale that is inherent in all subsequent systems. Rather than relying on a rural/urban/elite division, 3.0 instead imagines each of them as the sum of their parts and provides a representation of distinct socio-political units within them. Each class has population data, wealth, income, unique growth and more, existing as fully-realized entities within the world. Other systems are built on top of classes, using this new core to provide a detailed simulation with less code and calculation.



= Economy =

With our new core providing more data, and new coding techniques, we couldn’t settle for the limitations of the old economic model. We’d also found ourselves simulating economics for multiple resources, such as food and timber, with entirely separate systems. To reduce this overlap, a single, unified production-oriented and trade-aware economic model is at the core of 3.0. Within this new economic model, we are able to naturally simulate multiple goods in every province and simulate multiple types of goods within the same system. By bringing trade awareness down to the production level we can elegantly calculate supply and demand and simulate the market forces that drive economies forward.



= Politics =

While the estate model in 2.0 empowered the creation of real political actors in EU4, the lack of certain features such as estate conflict and freeholders prevented the system from reaching its full potential. We also wanted to tackle the problem of estates being nation-wide which made the simulation suffer in larger nations. 3.0 brings localized politics in the form of substates, enabling geographically limited political entities within nations.

By simulating systems as the sum of their parts, concepts like state corruption, estate conflict and more will be inherent in the design of the new system. In addition, we represent new concepts, like class-based power dynamics and taxation, at a provincial level. Class-based taxation simulates the inherent wealth flow between classes and the state and adds a sociopolitical dimension to the new economy.

Rather than fulfilling conditions, politics will be about risk and reward. With less constraints on actions, yet more cascading consequences, bending the nation to your will may take some compromises, trade-offs, and arm-twisting as groups with their own interests remind you, benevolent ruler, that you are not a god.



= Religion =

While Dei Gratia has shown its age in practice, the ideas behind it have not diminished over time. With the implementation of the clergy as a class and representation of minorities within the core model, we hope to recreate Dei Gratia from the ground up. This lets us utilize the latest techniques for a better interface and increased performance while maximizing synergy with the population system. Our hope is to both refurbish the old and deliver something distinctly new.

= Conclusion =

Hopefully this outlines our vision and approach for MEIOU and Taxes 3.0: Path to Modernity. In the weeks ahead you can look forward to more dev diaries showcasing new systems and content. We understand you are eager to play the new version as soon as possible, yet there still lies a considerable amount of work ahead of us. As such, everything we show is still subject to change. For those who desire a release date, we can't give you anything concrete right now, but we can give you a small hint: It'll either be released this year, 2025, never or when HL3 is finished.

Thank you for all your kind support and patience. We wish you the best for this new year!

The M&T Team