Ī special element of the game is the colonisation of uninhabited territories. Therefore, the stability system plays an important role in the game, which determines the risk of rebellion in the provinces, as well as the speed of city development and the amount of taxes collected. Rebels can even secede from the state and declare independence. Rebellions occur when there are differences between the state religion and the religion followed in a province (there are several different faiths and religions in the game), taxation of the population through the establishment of a tax collector's office, or as a result of game-activated events. Rebellions of the population can be a problem for internal development. It is also possible to increase spending to maintain stability in the state or to abandon all subsidies to increase the state treasury at the expense of rising inflation. With progressive development, the player gains new capabilities, such as improved units. Technological progress is linear and consists in reaching higher and higher levels of technology in four areas: army, navy, infrastructure and trade. The player can take care of technological development in his own country by allocating part of the budget to research. The game features a number of historical events, such as the Reformation, the Treaty of Tordesillas and the uprising in the Netherlands, which have a significant impact on the game. For example, John III Sobieski has high military skills in the game and Suleiman the Magnificent is a character with high administrative skills. They change over time according to historical realities and have different skills that translate into the development of the country. The player directs one of the eight European powers available in the scenario and represents the individual historical rulers. Part of the presented world is invisible for the player (terra incognita) – it is however possible to explore individual provinces. The player starts the game on a two-dimensional map, which is divided into provinces and sea zones. The game takes place on a map divided into 3,633 provinces, and proceeds in a pausable real time format. Gameplay Įuropa Universalis lets the player take control of one of seven European nations (others are available in different scenarios) from 1492 to 1801, expanding its power through military might, diplomacy, and colonial wealth.
To facilitate the new game, a new proprietary software engine, known as the Europa Engine, was developed. The game was originally based on a French board game of the same name by Philippe Thibaut that was released in 1993.