[2023] Books Rework

...also known as "I'll wait until the movie comes out"

Hello! Long time I don't post any suggestions anywhere, so that sure will be interesting... (and pardon if my writing might be a bit boring, this one will be a longy). This one isn't, in no shape or form, a complete project with all variables calculated about how this should or could be implemented. It's really just a general idea.


Intro-ish
I admit this one is such a small part of the game's core and might be a bit niche and/or a bit complicated to implement, but that's an idea I've had for quite some time and I think could really enhance the feel of immersion, so let's get to it - and any modders out there who think this is possible, feel free to take inspiration too.

Since artifacts were added to the game in 1.8, one that I've always felt could do with some more depth was books. That was a problem also in CK2, where I would frequently enter the Hermetic society and basically write the same book over and over again, character after character - but that's another story. In CK3, I feel books are a bit "off" in relation to the other artifacts, which are basically weapons/furniture, and not really connected to other events in-game. So here's a couple of things I though could work.


1 - Expand book's info

It'd be great if each book had info like who wrote it, who comissioned it - if any - when it was written, original language and who translated it - if it's translated, ofc. If we were the ones who wrote/commisioned it, we would also be able to customize it's title.


2 - Expand translation events

Speaking of translation, it's already possible in the game to get an event chain where you're posed to translate a - nameless, I shall say - book. I know it's available if you pick the Learning path, don't remember if it triggers in other circunstances. Either way, it'd be great now if we could: a) have a decision to start translating books, if we meet the necessary requirements; b) know exactly which book we're translating; c) pick the language we'll translate it to, if we know more than one. An event chain would give me different scenarios which would modify the translation's quality - and also the appropriate stress's gain/loss. At the end, we could have our name in the book as a translator, which could give some personal prestige and renown - also faith if it's a book about the aspects of the ruler's religion. That'd be a great addition for playing as Muslim too imo.

You could also get some opinion boost from characters that speak the language you've translated the book to. Let's say I'm the Duke of Valois and speak French as primary language, but in my immense altruistic and humbleness conscience, I decide to translate Plato's Symposium to Serbo-Croatian, which I happen to know because my mother was a Serbian noblewoman. I could get some option to send copies to the realms in that region and then get a feedback if the translation was good or not. If I know the translation was crap and dedice not to send anything, I lose prestige; if I send and they like it, I get the prestige and an opinion boost from characters who speak that language.


3 - Expand Court's aspects related to books

Now, you might be thinking: "but all of that for something that only becomes available when I pick ONE of the FIVE focus?? Too specific for such a rework" - and I kind of agree. So let me introduce a new court position: court librarian. Your court librarian must speak your court language - or, if you don't have a court, they must speak the primary language of your culture - and another language necessarily. Now, when you take the decision to translate a book but don't really know any other languages, your court librarian will do the job. You'll be stuck to the languages they know, so not much free space to negotiate here tho.

Also - and probably the least "implementable" of my suggestions here, which'll hinder the whole thing but that's ok, I'm one of those who gives up on an idea halfway writing it, so I'm in a completely nihilist mindset at this point - the throne room would have a "bookcase". That's right, no more book artifacts as if they were a standalonce piece of furniture. Each throne room will have a bookcase that can hold a certain number of books (no idea how many tbh). Is there a book that's so special that you still want to make it a pedestal of sorts and give it the spotlight in your courtroom? Sure, ask your antiquarian to do it, no problem.


4 - Expand flavour about books

First of all, this would give some space to add more historical books, specially in the translation side of things. Can you imagine being able to translate Ancient Greek's philosophers to your language? Second of all, it'd be really something to get some events like my HoF asking me to destroy a certain book that my great-great-great-grandfather once wrote/translated and that I have in my library because Your Holiness thinks it no longer applies to the religion's values - it gives a feel of continuity along the game's timeframe.


5 - Conclusion (finally)

One of the things I love about CK3 is that, more than other PDS games, it allows some unique opportunities to "look back" or "revisite" the past and see the things you've already done through your campaign. The "Title History" tab is an example of it and also the Dynasty Tree. What I suggested here is more in that spirit of seeing a thing you've accomplished in 932 still being relevant-ish in 1265. That's the main source of immersion in those games imo - having the feel you're actually making an alternative history and that the beginning and the end of your campaign connect in more ways than just the size of your realm.

I hope I haven't bored anyone to death with my book-loving essay on a videogame  

You might like the Census mod - it gives a decision to pay for a census at any time in your realm and at the end it gives you a book artifact with your realm's data in it.