effect · show_ideas_tooltip

Hands-On Usage

show_ideas_tooltip is commonly used within option blocks in national focuses or decisions to preview an idea's specific effects in a tooltip before the player acquires it, helping them make informed decisions. The typical scenario is during political events or focus completion, allowing players to see the idea's content directly in the option interface rather than having to look it up separately.

option = {
    name = my_event.1.a
    show_ideas_tooltip = my_special_idea
    add_ideas = my_special_idea
}

Synergy

• [add_ideas](/wiki/effect/add_ideas) — The most direct companion: use show_ideas_tooltip first to display idea details in the option, then use add_ideas to actually grant it, logically forming a "preview → activate" pairing.
• [add_timed_idea](/wiki/effect/add_timed_idea) — When adding a timed idea, you can similarly insert show_ideas_tooltip beforehand to let players see the duration effect, avoiding blind choices.
• [has_idea](/wiki/trigger/has_idea) (note: use the closest trigger from the whitelist) — combined with [amount_taken_ideas](/wiki/trigger/amount_taken_ideas) allows you to check in trigger conditions whether the player already possesses the idea, preventing duplicate display or duplicate addition.
• [activate_advisor](/wiki/effect/activate_advisor) — before activating an advisor-type idea, use show_ideas_tooltip to inform players of the advisor effect in advance, maintaining UI information consistency.

Common Pitfalls

1. Mistaking it for an actual execution command: show_ideas_tooltip only displays the idea's description in the interface and does not actually add or activate any idea; beginners often think writing it means the idea has already been "given", forgetting to write add_ideas at the same time, resulting in players seeing the tooltip but receiving nothing.
2. Incorrect scope: this command only works under COUNTRY scope; if placed in script blocks at state scope (such as inside every_owned_state), the game will report a scope error or silently fail, so you must ensure the execution block is at country scope.