I think the changes concerned mainly fixing the existing mechanisms so that they actually work. I think the SSHIP has a great potential and great promises but generations of modders would introduce their changes that would make the former mechanisms not working. Easy to grasp is that case of Provincial Titles. They're perfectly working in the SS6.4 but later changes in the provinces or names of the settlements would break the triggers etc.
So the list of changes consists mostly of fixes, I think:
- Reputation mechanisms tweaked – many details changed or introduced (eg. Ecumenical patriarch for making reputation between orthodox factions better, or mechanisms to avoid punishing for waging a war that was started by the enemy).
- Loyalty mechanisms tweaked and to make civil wars less pervasive and their causes more relalistic. It based on the observations described in this thread. It also includes the Loyalty adjustments as partially described here.
- Starting generals, traits and family trees upadated (in the earlier SSHIP versions they reflected 1100, not 1132 – it was he inheritance of the SS6.4) - this was quite laborious, I think. (done by VineFynn).
- Princess spawning script so that after turn 60 the player has a chance to marry off heir / ruler. It's worthy to marry as each Royal relation provides (again) +1 popularity. Given the unrest mechanisms in the SSHIP, growing your family relations is crucial to keep those cities (eg. an Aragon general whose mother was French, grandmother Pisan, grandgrandmother English will have +4 popularity: crucial to keep eg a conquered Palermo under control).
- Education of Generals – implementation of the submod making the education system that existed in the SSHIP (and also the base SS) actually working. It makes the educational buildings much more useful: you really need that school and library in your capital so that your Administratively Minded teenager generals can educate there.
- Generals Traits fix – triggers and effects for many traits that existed in the SSHIP (and also the base SS) were modified to provide balance or start working: see the details here. They concern mainly economic effects (so that the governors have significant impact on income), the Fog of War adjustments to the traits (Line Of Sight restrictions for not experienced generals), sometimes Loyalty.
- Provincial titles fix: 32 titles (from Central and Eastern Europe) have been updated: names, pics, effects, descriptions; in some cases also triggers or the very existence. After a patch, the number will rise to 67. The other also work as mechanism (see below), but they're not balanced in benefits, and some may be missing.
- Ministerial Offices fix: 8 types of titles have been made working: triggers, also existence of a few muslim and greek versions (details are here). There're now over 50 offices in the game (if you count the Byzantine ones).
- Crowns fix - these are fixed in the patches to 096: lists of provinces fixed so that they're actually obtainable, some pic made historic.
- Gameplay: Loyalty - Offices - Titles - Crowns - Education - Other Traits - what really matters is their interaction, not single fixes. Swapping Offices and Titles is crucial for having your generals not deserting at medium-size kingodom (each provides +1 Loyalty). If the faction grows bigger, at certain size it's no longer possible to keep the generals loyal if they're far away. In this case getting a crown is crucial. To get it, you need to conquer the historic territories or have a great legacy from father (kill a faction or have maximum Piety, Authority etc.). Und so weiter.
- FogOfWar made sligtly more significant: Watchtowers made more expensive, initial Watchtowers removed (everybody needs to build up the infrastructure from scratch), the characters and agents have less LineOfSigth that makes scouting with agents more important. It makes also the initial expansion more difficult - instead of hiring your feudal troops, you need to pay for the watchtowers.
- Priests, Spies and other agents: the pervasive antitrait bug removed, effects and triggers modified to provide balance and evolution in their lives; the pagan priests fixed (frankly speaking, they didn't work before: the triggers were broken), some information messages fixed.
- in-game information through historic events mechanism on a number of topics that already were in the SSHIP but either were not fully explained / understood, or didn't actually work and have been recently fixed and balanced.
- map adjustments in Bulgaria, Anatolia, Poland;
- adjustments of the names of the provinces in Germany, Poland, Anatolia and some other places;
- number of various minor fixes.
I actually agree that the replenisment should be lower to make the early blitzkrieg less likely. The AI is already tamed in the international relations that it can be accomodated.
It'll we the case now with the new fix: each will name the fiefs granted, eg:
Jarl í Borgarthingslog - Granted fiefs around Oslo.
The aim is also to balance all the titles:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read: