Europa Universalis IV News

Hey!

We are happy to announce the integration of FOUR essential DLCs into the Europa Universalis IV base game: "Rights of Man", "Art of War", “Digital Extreme Upgrade” and "Common Sense". That’s right - all current and future EUIV players will receive these four DLCs absolutely free of charge! And you won’t even need to do anything to receive them!

So far, the first three of these DLCs were a part of the "Starter Edition" - but we decided to add the fourth one to the mix to enrich the core experience of EUIV even more. Once this initiative is launched on October 17, all of these DLCs will be automatically included with the base game purchase, enhancing your gameplay experience right from the start.

In order to celebrate and honour constant support from our community, everyone buying the base game before October 17 or already having it in their library will receive these four DLCs for free once they are integrated. In this way we want to reward our fans for their ongoing engagement with Europa Universalis IV.



Are you a new player, wanting to give EUIV a try? Then don’t waste time and take advantage of our ongoing Steam sale and get Europa Universalis IV for just $9,99 to benefit from additional DLCs after October 17, when they will be automatically unlocked.

And what if you are a seasoned veteran, who already has the base game plus the 4 DLCs mentioned above? Well, we are preparing a special treat for you - on October 17 we will lower the price of the Ultimate Bundle and introduce a brand new Starter Edition. Keep in mind that DLCs you already own will reduce the price of the Ultimate Bundle even more, making it the best way to finally complete your collection!

[h2]FAQ[/h2]
[expand]

1. Why are we doing this?
Europa Universalis IV has been with us for over a decade now (time flies!) - and during this time we continuously supported it with hundreds of free updates and dozens of DLCs. Over the years, it has become apparent that "Rights of Man", "Art of War", “Digital Extreme Upgrade” and "Common Sense" are the go-to choice for new players, while most veterans consider these DLCs to be an integral part of EUIV experience. It’s about time for us to recognize that officially - and make sure that both newcomers and experienced leaders can enjoy Europa Universalis IV equally from the get go. And is there a better way to do that than giving out these DLCs for free?

2. Why have you decided to make 4 DLCs permanently free?
For many years, "Rights of Man", "Art of War", “Digital Extreme Upgrade” and "Common Sense" were considered to be a quintessential set of DLCs that every Europa Universalis IV player should get. We now want to recognize this officially - so even more players can enjoy the features included in these expansions from the start.

3. I already own the base game. How does this affect me?
If you own the basic Europa Universalis IV game, but not all of the expansions now being bundled with it, additional content will be unlocked for you for free. If you own all of the content included in the new base game, nothing will change for you.

4. Does this even apply if I buy the base game at the current lower sale price?
Yes! You can take advantage of any lower price between now and October 17 to buy the base game and then download the free expansions when they become available.

5. Is this change going to be rolled out on all platforms?
Yes! We are planning to update the base game to include all four DLCs listed above regardless of which platform you are playing on: Steam, Epic, GOG or Microsoft Store.

6. Will there be any refunds or rebates for people who already bought these games at full price?
No, there will be no refunds, rebates or credits towards future purchases based on previous purchases of Europa Universalis IV or its additional content. This being said, if you bought one of the listed DLCs recently, make sure to double-check the refund policy of the platform you are playing on (for example, Steam has a 14-days refund policy).

7. How does this change to the Base Game affect the Starter Edition and Ultimate Bundles?
The content of the Starter Edition will be adjusted to include different expansion packs, as some of the starter expansions are now free. The Ultimate Bundle will see a decrease in price.

8. Will my base game save files break after this change?
If you currently don’t own one or more of the DLCs to be included in the new base game, it’s likely that your current save game will break once this change is made on October 17. That’s one of the reasons for which we are letting you know about free unlocks more than a month in advance - so you can finish your ongoing campaign just in time.

9. What if I don’t want these DLCs? DLC content can be disabled through the game launcher before clicking "Play", under the section "DLC". Alternatively, if you're launching the game through Steam, you can also disable DLC via Steam's in-built DLC manager.

^ Edit regarding FAQ #9. The above statement is no longer accurate, after deliberation and testing the 4 DLC added on October 17th will be "baked" into the basegame and as such cannot be disabled. This is due to potential issues regarding the game's checksum and crossplay. Note: Players on Steam will still have the option to rollback to the previous patch, prior to the baked in DLC content coming on October 17th.

Have a question that isn't answered here? Feel free to post here or over on our forum post and we'll try and get back with you!
[/expand]

Hello Europa Universalis music enjoyers (Presumably most of you?). Ryagi back to wrap up our anniversary week with another mod spotlight. And yes that also included wrapping up what have been almost daily announcements here on steam ;D Anniversaries are a busy time!

For this spotlight, we are covering an entire collection of mods, rather than just one mod. The name "Utopia Music" is ubiquitous within the EU4 modding scene for good reason, and he may not even need an introduction to some of you. But incase you haven't heard of Utopia or the work they've done, we're going to introduce them anyway.

Take it away Runite/Utopia.

------------------------

Hello everyone!
Do you like free stuff? Do you like headbanging and playing in ironman mode? Do you like the EU4 soundtrack and wish there was more of it? I have just the solution for you!

[h2]M u s i c[/h2]

Some of you may know me as Utopia, and I compose music for all of your favourite EU4 mods. My work has ranged from Ante Bellum’s Original Soundtrack, to Anbennar’s iconic main theme, to an epic Third Odyssey Christmas ballad. And not to mention: two official music packs for Europa Universalis IV! (Tenth Anniv. & HRE Music Pack)

I am also the creator of the Music Mod Creation Tool, which is an online tool that can generate a basic music mod for most mainline Paradox Interactive Games.

So, let’s take a look at some of the music I’ve made. And then I’ll give you a little look behind the scenes of the music-making process, using my Roman-themed Christmas song, We’re Going Back, to demonstrate.


[h2]The Collection[/h2]
Original Music Mods is a collection of music mods (surprise!) that together add nearly 100 original orchestral music tracks to the game. Every single one of these tracks has been composed by me specifically for Europa Universalis 4 or one of the Community’s modding projects. And, each track is painstakingly contextualised to the game, to maximise your audio immersion.

There is music to drive the marching drums of war and power your grandest conquests, and there is music to soothe the troubled soul and inspire the quiet harmony of peace. Under the glory of music Kings, Queens and Emperors will rise; Warlords and Chieftains will reign supreme; and decadence will set your enemies adrift. Such are the stories that my music can tell as you play the game.

So, let’s have a look at some of the music available!

[h3]Themes of the Old World[/h3]

The premier European music mod. Adds 24 new tracks. Each major culture group in Europe receives a peace theme and a war theme. The themes will only play when you interact with a culture (i.e. if you are at war with France you will hear France’s war music). Also includes a bonus theme for Rome if you can keep Byzantium alive.

Steam | Paradox Mods

[h3]Scandinavia Music Pack[/h3]

Music for Viking enjoyers. Adds 8 music tracks inspired by and focused on the Nordic countries. You will hear this music if you are active in, and around, Scandinavia. A highlight is the jubilant and celebratory “Coronation of Gustavus Adolphus”.

Steam | Paradox Mods

[h3]Ante Bellum Original Soundtrack[/h3]

Composed for the Ante Bellum mod. Adds 16 music tracks to the game. Explores the tension and conflicts between the Christian and Islamic religions in the 1400’s, as well as internal strife and decadence. In vanilla EU4 the music is contextualised primarily around region and religion. The main theme is powerful and sets a dark tone for the world, whilst the epic “Legacy of Seljuk” adds a layer of menacing foreboding to the artillery of the Ottomans.

Steam | Paradox Mods

[h3]Serenades Music Pack[/h3]

Piano-based peacetime music. Adds 10 music tracks to the game that are relaxed and calming in nature. Plenty of piano and lightweight strings, in comparison to my usual brass-heavy scores. This music is generally contextualised in-game to peacetime.

Steam | Paradox Mods

[h3]Themes of EU4[/h3]

The ultimate collection of miscellaneous music tracks and main themes from across various EU4 mods. Currently adds 27 music tracks to the game and is continually updated whenever new music is released. Includes various music tracks from Anbennar, Third Odyssey and Ante Bellum, as well as main themes for mods such as Extended Timeline and Imperium Universalis, plus a couple of Christmas-themed music tracks! The music is all contextualised depending on the theme of the piece.

Steam | Paradox Mods

[h2]The Music-Making Process at a Glance[/h2]
By now you might be thinking: all of that music is pretty cool, but how did you make it?
The journey from idea to published music is a long and slow one, and whilst I won’t bore you with the woes of everyday musician life, I thought it could be interesting to take a little look at some of the key parts of the process.
For this demonstration I will be using one of my recent releases “We’re Going Back”, which is an epic-style Christmas song about Byzantium, sung by vocalists Ian Martyn and Nagisa.

[h2]We're Going Back ft. Ian Martyn & Nagisa (Third Odyssey - Christmas Theme)[/h2]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Ideas[/h2]
One of the first steps in the composing process is to find inspiration and come up with some ideas. This can be a simple melody or riff, a rhythmic beat or special harmony, or occasionally something more nuanced and complex. The right idea can set the tone and pace of the overall piece, so it’s important to spend time thinking about what the music represents and the story it’s trying to tell.

For We’re Going Back the scope was clear from the beginning: I wanted to write a Christmas song based on the Third Odyssey mod. This meant I was able to draw upon the musical themes and ideas of the existing main theme, Back to the Motherland. What an epic foundation to build from!
[h2](Back to the Motherland Music Video)[/h2]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

There’s no such thing as a good idea or a bad idea, nor too many or too few. Generally, I sit at my piano for hours recording ideas until I strike something that I feel really resonates with what I’m trying to achieve. Most of the time I’m creating background music, so things need to be somewhat mellow, even when intense, and should blend in well with the game’s existing music. In the case of a main theme I take much more liberty to explore ideas that will make the music stand out on its own. For a Christmas song it’s all about making something more lighthearted.

Now, have a listen to the first idea I came up with when I first started working on We’re Going Back. Do you notice any similarities to the Third Odyssey theme? Any differences?


[h3](WGB: #1 - First Idea)[/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

I’ve simplified the main fanfare at the end of Back to the Motherland, shifted into a different timing and… added lyrics?! Yes! It’s a Christmas song and when I thought about what the Elysians of Third Odyssey might wish for, a longing “Constantinople” came to mind. This then quickly gave rise to the idea of writing a Michael Bublé style Christmas love ballad about Byzantium.

Usually, I spend a lot of time in this exploratory phase, where some ideas will grow and others will falter. But from the beginning I’m vibing with the concept I’ve come up with for We’re Going Back. It’s unique, catchy and to the point: demonstrating the melody, harmony and rhythm that can then be developed into a much larger orchestral arrangement later. It will also be fun to write some lyrics and vocals!

[h3]Development [/h3]
Great! We’ve found an idea that we like. But we need to turn it into a proper song. Now the real work begins!

There’s a few ways to go about this, but generally I find myself taking one of two approaches:

• Plan out the entire song, defining different melodies and rhythms through different sections, all on one or two instruments (often piano). Then start working through to orchestrate it and bring in the other instruments where needed.
  
• Orchestrate the current ideas and then see where the music feels naturally inclined to go next. A “make-it-up-as-you-go” approach.
  

For We’re Going Back, I mostly followed approach 1. It’s going to be a “pop” song and those generally have a clearly defined structure (verse, chorus, bridge etc). Melodies are also simpler and more repetitive, which makes it easy to quickly map out the main segments of the song. I can leave some gaps to dream up some instrumental sections later. But alas, lyrics! This is a new challenge. Let’s take a look at the first outline I made for a verse and chorus.


[h3](WGB: #2 - Melodies and Lyrics)[/h3]
[previewyoutube][MEDIA]oBBHpPlsJqw[/MEDIA][/previewyoutube]

A new key signature! The melody and harmony are fairly close to the final version. The rhythm is basic and the lyrics are something. Now we just repeat this a few times and we’re done right? Well… it is just a piano, so that’s a bit bland. There’s not even a vocal line yet. I don’t think Michael Bublé would be impressed. It’s time to orchestrate.

I do all of my composing and orchestrating in music notation software (Sibelius 8). This allows me to accurately transcribe note-by-note exactly what I want each instrument to do, and can play it all back to me at will. If that sounds laborious, it is! I usually allow 8 hours to compose 1 minute worth of music.
I spend a lot of time listening to this virtual orchestra and adjusting sounds and melodies and ideas to maintain a smooth flow of music and balance out different sections of music. After all, it would be a bit overwhelming if the entire piece was an over-the-top punchy orchestra from start to finish. Adding variation to the tone, pace and theme of the music can keep things interesting and allow opportunities to advance the musical story that’s being told. In the case of We’re Going Back that also means development of the vocals and what the lyrics are conveying.

Next is an excerpt from the full 3 minute orchestrated draft that I went on to create from the ideas we’ve explored.

[h3](WGB: #3 - Orchestration)[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Christmas songs are fun to write because I can use instruments that would typically lie outside the scope of EU4’s music. I managed to sneak some synths into the 10th Anniversary Music Pack, but in We’re Going Back I’ve kept it modest with some saxophones and guitars. Together they provide a smooth jazz feel to back the vocals in the verse, bringing my original “romantic ballad” idea to life. The orchestra then picks up in the chorus, bringing the epic triumph of the Third Odyssey music in to underscore just how momentous the idea “bringing Rome back” would be. The result is a pretty awesome mashup of genres!

But we also have the vocals. And we can see now there are two vocal lines: one female and one male. Duets tend to make great love songs, but where did this idea come from? Well, a bunch of men thinking about Rome would be a meme. So by turning the song into a duet I could frame it as representative of the people, rather than an individual. That also opened up the opportunity to use more musical techniques on the vocal lines. For the lyrics I had one aim: to guide the music from the inklings of an exiled Elysian dream into an epic Roman reality, in true Third Odyssey fashion.

But even through this there is still experimentation to be had. Ideas come and go. As I build out the full piece, in all of its orchestral glory, sometimes hard decisions have to be made. Or sometimes I get stuck at a point and try a couple different options. The end of a piece is often one of those things. Here’s the original ending I wrote for We’re Going Back:


[h3](WGB: #4 - Alternative Endings)[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Okay. Cool. Sounds moody, I guess. Maybe a little melodramatic? Quite a sudden ending really. Let’s be real, it’s not great. They’re going back to reclaim Constantinople, where’s the epic Third Odyssey fanfare?! Alright, alright, I understand… time for another revision.

[h2]Production[/h2]
So, the revisions are done and the orchestration is complete. The music is finished, right? Not yet! Once the composition of the entire piece has been completed it’s time to move into the production phase. This is where the mixing and mastering magic happens to give the music more depth and realism. Besides, we haven’t done any singing yet!

If you thought writing every note one-by-one was tedious, let me introduce you to a whole new level of suffering. In the production process I introduce an entire second layer of the orchestra using a much more vibrant and diverse set of orchestral sounds. But increased flexibility means more work is required to configure each and every note the way I want. That’s right, track-by-track, note-by-note, I crawl through the entire piece again, this time focusing on sound balance, special effects (e.g. synths or niche instruments), and adding more presence to the sound.

Let’s do an audio comparison shall we?

[h3](WGB: #5 - Production)[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We’re Going Back was the first project I mixed in Logic Pro! Here’s what it looks like:


Notice how there’s more lines of trumpets compared to what we’ve previously seen? Every instrument can be played in many different ways, and each one I need manifests itself as a new line in the software. This can easily balloon larger pieces to over 100 lines of instruments - that’s a lot to keep track of and balance all at once!

Now we also need to get the vocals in there. I can’t sing very well, but fortunately I have access to people who can. A massive shout out to Ian Martyn and Nagisa for taking on the challenge! I sent them sheet music, audio files, lyrics and various other resources, and they did a perfect job creating audio recordings for both the male and female lines. The eagle-eyed among you will notice that the vocal lines are completely flipped from the original orchestration in the final version of the song; that switch happened after I received the recordings and decided where things worked best.



Once I’ve worked through the entire piece, and gotten lost countless times in all the tools that Logic Pro has to offer, it’s time to do the final mixing. This is generally a bunch of final adjustments applied globally to the entirety of the music piece, to prepare it for release and general listening. Volumes are equalised, reverb is added, and anything outlying is squashed by the compressor.
And once that final mix is bounced and ready to go… well then I can finally kick back, relax and enjoy my new piece of music, right? I wish! By the time the music is complete I’ve heard it at least a hundred times already. So instead I get to enjoy it vicariously through the community once I have released it to the world. And don’t even get me started on artwork, social media and marketing…

[h2]The End[/h2]
Wow! I hope that was some interesting insight for you. If you’ve enjoyed any of the music, or are curious to discover more, feel free to check out my YouTube channel, explore my Spotify or pop in and say hi on my Discord server.
And, of course, don’t forget to jump over to Steam or Paradox Mods and add all of this music to your Europa Universalis IV experience!

Thanks for having me.
See you in Utopia!

- Runite Drill



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Thank you Runite! Europa Universalis wouldn't be what it is without the music behind it. We're all lucky to have Runite bringing high quality soundtracks to our favorite mods. That about rounds out our spotlight this time around. But if you want to hear more from Runite be sure to check out the music collection on Steam and his other channels linked above.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2240429843

We also recently released an amazingly silly collaboration with Runite and many content creators. It's available over on our newly launched Europa Universalis Youtube Channel, Hunting Accident!

Be sure to check it out if you haven't already:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCQQP0ZW42M

Until next time o/

In celebration of the game's 11th Anniversary, we are finally launching a dedicated Official Europa Universalis YouTube channel!

[h3]What content will be on the EU channel?[/h3]

We have a plethora of EU content planned for the main channel. When it comes to main channel content, our priority will be focusing on quality over quantity. Some examples of main channel content we have planned:

• Dev talks
  
• Trailers and gameplay
  
• Podcasts
  
• Historical themed Documentaries
  
• And more!
  

For more regularly scheduled content on the channel, we also have our YouTube shorts which might include:

• Gameplay tips and mini tutorials
  
• Short dives into community made events or content
  
• Mini nation spotlights
  
• Fun miscellaneous EU themed content
  

We invite you to check out some of the content we already have posted over on the channel, be that our Grandest Lan Documentary, our YouTube shorts, and of course our Channel trailer which you can view below:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Be sure to subscribe and stay tuned there for any and all EU video content! If you have any suggestions for what sort of content you'd like to see on the channel also feel free let us know in the comments below.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Who can you count on to protect your most treasured possessions? Who will dependably arrive in the nick of time to save your other plushies from danger?

You can always count on this plushy platypus musketeer to protect your national honor, as well as add a little élan, panache and other fancy French words to your collection.

Equipped with a musket, a sword and a dashing hat, this official Platypus Musketeer Plushie for Europa Universalis adds some historical color to your shelf, with a fierce look befitting his enigmatic - even paradoxical - species.

Brought to you in collaboration with Makeship. We are very excited to get this dapper little guy into your hands. And just in time for the the 11th anniversary of the game's launch! 🎊
[h2]Get yours today![/h2]

[h2]What is the Grandest Lan?
[/h2]
Grandest Lan is a 100 player, 3-Day Multiplayer Campaign with custom rules to encourage role-playing with the backdrop of gripping EU4 gameplay. Grandest Lan is suitable for players of all skill levels, managed by game masters, tech specialists and a veteran events crew.

Hosted and run by TurboLarp, and covered by Paradox, players organize themselves into teams of 3, and take control of a single nation. This team will work together utilizing cunning strategy, including a great deal of real time, real life diplomacy with other teams. The entire building is reserved for our use, so everyone you meet will be a part of the experience. Enjoy the historic location as well as the very modern kilometers of cables and dozens of computers.

Thanks in part to the roleplay focus of the event, no EU4 multiplayer experience is required to participate in Grandest Lan. Although strategy does play a role, teams can "respawn" as another nation upon death or request, and this allows for some unique roleplay to occur. Want to come back as a one province minor who collects heirlooms from other teams? Go for it! TurboLarps Game masters have ensured the lan is focused on a fun roleplay experience and is not intended to be a competitive environment.

The event also features various miscellaneous activities within the castle itself! Some of the previous years activities included blacksmithing lessons, archery, and a fan favorite... firing muskets!

[h2]Looking back on Grandest Lan 2023[/h2]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

And for those of you who love stats and maps... (You are reading an EU4 announcement after all)
Here is a rundown of how the actual gameplay for Lan 2023 went:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8FydODBpTk

[h2]Looking forward to Lan 2024[/h2]
Grandest Lan is of course returning for 2024! Whether you are looking to spectate... or maybe even join the Lan itself, Grandest Lan 2024 takes place from October 31st - November 2nd.

Below are the pickable nations for Lan 2024, the nation selection process has not yet begun which means all of these are still up for grabs for this years teams:



Naturally, such a large scale multiplayer event requires some tweaks and balance changes. You can see some of these below. Keep in mind these are subject to change between now and the Lan itself, as game masters continue to craft a quality exprience.



[h2]Can I join Grandest Lan 2024?[/h2]
Tickets are limited, but still available as of posting! Grandest Lan is a once in a lifetime experience, and definitely something worth considering for those of you who have the opportunity.

We understand travelling to Poland for this sort of the experience is out of the question for many. So as with previous years, for those that are interested but won't be attending, we will be covering the event as it runs from October 31st - November 2nd through various means.