If you find dedicated tools too buggy or restrictive, many veteran modders recommend using Draw.io to map out the visual layout of your tree first.
Create Custom Content with a Free HOI4 Focus Tree Maker Hearts of Iron IV (HOI4) thrives on its modding community. Custom national focus trees are the ultimate way to reshape history in the game. While coding them by hand in text files is tedious, using a tool streamlines the process. This guide explores how to use these free visual tools to build, export, and play your own custom storylines. Why Use a Visual Focus Tree Maker?
: An open-source Python-based app that scans your existing mod folders for GFX and country tags, allowing you to build content through a visual wizard and export Paradox-ready script files.
Establish how your players will navigate your custom history. : Links a focus to the one directly above it.
Drag a line from one focus to another to create a prerequisite (the arrow indicating you must finish the first focus to unlock the second).
Download the accompanying localization ( .yml ) file, which ensures your focus names and descriptions display correctly in-game. Where to Place the Exported Files