You can literally build infinite number of walls in Age 3. So not sure why you say that age 3 cannot do much for defense.
From my days playing Age 2, I can tell you that archers or crossbowmen not remember correctly, if microed well, they can take almost any army that they face. Micro in Age 2 is easier than in Age 3.
I didn’t really get what you were conveying at the end, there.
There is a common opinion that Age 2 is more varied than Age 3. There’s more to do, more tactics to implement, more approaches to carry out. This is not my opinion, but a generalized opinion. More people think that Age 2 is richer than Age3 than vice-versa.
I am not implying that Age 3 is not an interesting game, but it is true that it is tweaked for speed and aggressiveness (what I call the “American” style, because it it not the favorite play style everywhere in the world), while Age 2 also allows for a slower, even passive gameplay.
I understand that you complain when saying that aggressive and fast doesn’t mean “not tactical”. I didn’t mean that, but rather that Age 2 is strategically richer than Age 3, precisely because it is not only speedy and aggressive.
Age 3 walls are a joke, and not necessarily because they can be bombarded, but because they are weak on purpose, while Age 2 walls are much tougher to destroy, and even more so when layered compactly, an impossible thing to do in Age 3.
I agree. I did not like AOE 3. As long as they allow you to zoom further out then AOE 3, similar to what AOE 1 and 2 had. Really enjoyed the first 2, but the ones after sucked.
I actually enjoyed AoE3, but it really missed some of the charm of the original games.
I also enjoyed AoM a lot but the far eastern expansion (especially those passive agressive ‘buy the expansion to unlock this and that’ in the menu) was simply atrocious.
If they make a definitive edition I really hope they leave that out.
I think a storyline could work think about it AOE 1&2 in general it’s so easy I mean it could be like this.
You have been ousted from your community fleeing in to the wilderness you realise you must make a homsted.
Mission 1: new begging.
Victory conditions.
Build a town center
Recruit 10 villages
Build a barrack
5 pikemen
See a simple storyline starting with that going on as your settlement grows x Andy happens you need to do this.
I think that could work
aoe 3 like game with medieval setting would be better imo, aoe 2 mechanics are too clunky for this generation of games
AoE2 is not really clunky
I replayed AoE 2 and 3 recently and 2 certainly plays better (for me at least)
AoE3 has so many clunky elements (carts with buildings, the way trade routes cut the map apart, only 2 teams whatever you do, so many free units thanks to the shipments)
Not saying that AoE3 had no good things on it. I really liked to age up (with variety) although I liked that more in AoM
Recruiting units in little squads was also great
The trade routes themselves were also not bad
And while still not stellar, the AI was (for some things ( I am looking at you, sea based maps)) way better then the AoE2 AI
// I don’t dislike shipments in general, I just think it was a bit much
Aoe2 is a bit to slow. Aoe3 is extremelly fast. My guess, is a point inbetween both, closer to aoe2 would be great. Currently in aoe2, you need 6-10 min for action to occur (unless you drush). Thats to much for a pvp game.
AOE 4 is not I & II or III, AOE 4 is AOE 4
If they are too similar, the players of 2&3 will be split.
I think he will capture new consumer groups
I very much hope the Devs are not afraid of implementing some AoE3 features.
And people should also not forget AoM. If you ignore the mythical parts you have a pre gunpowder era Age of Empires game.
Some features only made sense because of the setting like the shipments. Somethings were indirectly done because of the settings like villagers not having to to drop the resources because having a lot of infrastructure in the new world would look strange.
Thing they should copy from AoE3 (AoM):
Training units in groups of up to 5. Having them spawn together means they have a higher chance of fighting of enemies and you have to micro less because you spawn units less often.
Every Civ has multiple viable units to build and they have a clear counter. Not every civ needs every type of unit. Some units can differ from the norm.
None annoying ways to get gold (coin in AoE3) in the endgame. I think it’s to easy in AoE3 but the trading in AoE2 didn’t feel fun. The plantations (we maybe already saw them in the trailer) should just give nearly as much gold as the mills/fields give food. Maybe making them give food and gold (50/50 or even 50/25 food/gold).
Wales giving infinite gold but only 4 fishing boots at once is a nice feature. Maybe make normal fish infinite too but only one boot like in AoM.
A modified version of the homecity cards. No unit or resource shipments only technologies that you have to play normal resources for but you can customize which ones you have access to. This way the civs could have more variety. So you can choose of you either want to improve the strengths of your civilisation or equal out it’s weaknesses. This is hard to balance and might end up with everyone picking the same ones.
Let some military units construct some buildings. In AoE3 some civs have a card that let’s some units construct milliary buildings and in AoM all Norse infantry does. Having to pull workers to the front feels wrong. Let the soldiers at last build palisades. That’s something that should depend on the civ of course.
The heroes should be like the war chiefs in AoE3. Having a passive bonus for the units around them but no super strong active abilities like WC3 heroes. Let them construct some buildings too.
I don’t think the AoE3 style treasure would fit though. Also I don’t think you should start with one. The hero should be trained later at around age 3.
Also something like the Japanese Daimyo from AoE3 might be something worth considering. Being able to train troops at the front and giving them a stat boost.
Secretly the biggest feature I want from AoE3/AoM are the possibilities in the Editor. AoE2 triggers are so limited compared to AoE3. AoE3 has so many nice things that can be done that weren’t possible in AoE2 or very annoying to implement.
Trading Posts wont really fit in but I really like the native allies in AoE3 that give you limited special units (that don’t cost population) and some unique technologies. It would be nice to have something similar in AoE4.
Big ships. Ships should always cost more than any land unit (Besides Heroes maybe) and they should always be able to transport units. Make them like small swimming castles/towers because that’s what they were. Archers should shoot from ships like if they were towers.
It would be nice if some ships could produce some units like Galleons in AoE3.
The low ship limits in AoE3 were not fun though but ships in the middle ages where historically smaller anyway so it would be more fitting to build some more.
Small and trivial thing that some units cost more than one population. In AoE1/2 elephants cost as much as infantry or villagers. Cavalry should be 2 and elephants or siege weapons around 5.
Ships (if they use the same limit) should be around 10.
Relics that have different modifiers like in AoM. In AoM relicts don’t just give you a bit of gold, they all have unique boni that might change your strategy a bit.
There are obviously things they shouldn’t keep from AoE3 but I’m not afraid that they will keep to many things from AoE3. No way there is going to be a 7 tower limit.
I assume that the defence (at last for most civs) will be much stronger.
I hope the Campaign follows AOE II, they are great und the AOE III Campaign was really dump.
On the other hand i hope the multiplayer matches will feel like AOE III. The card-system is genious! Also AOE III allows you more different tactis - rush, fast forward, fast Industrial etc.
AOE II feels like Stronghold - but stronghold did it better
Hi there,
Big long time fan of AOE I & II here. AOE 2 DE is amazing. Going so far as to running AOE2 DE from Parallels on Mac.
I’ll try to be brief. There is something about the AOE3 style and the likes that turns me off completely - never played more than a few minutes of it. Slow, clunky, ugly, etc. 3D costs processing power! You lose the massive battles, etc. Same thing happened with Warcraft I&II (big fan) and then a switch to Warcraft 3 (less of a fan, but still enjoyed it a lot). They had to lower the number of units, introduced heroes, etc. Blah…it’s not the same game any more. I could be way off on why - but the switch to 3D changed something…
If AOE4 does not retain the AOEI/II style - if it sticks with AOE3 style - it is simply a completely different genre of a game for me and I will not play it. TBH I would like to know right now - is it an AOE1/2 homage or is it a AOE3 homage? Maybe its the whole time period thingy too - i want it to be medieval and all that - not south vs north stuff…cannoneers in AOE2 are already getting into too modern stuff for me.
So…in order to not lose much time and hope and energy following up the news of AOE4 - i would like to know ASAP whether AOE4 is for AOE1/2 or AOE3 fans? These games are completely different…which one is it?
Apologies for sounding like a primadonna/princess…
They straight up said that they want to make it for AoE2 fans. They even sounded like they are afraid of adding anything from AoE3.
Most of the gameplay changes in AoE3 are because of the setting and they don’t make as much sense in the setting of AoE4 anyway, don’t be afraid.
sweet - then i have something new to look forward to 
thnx!
I agree, yes the mechanics similar to AOE II DE along with similar game features respect multiplayer matches (quick match system, profile, etc)
I hope AOE4 eco is more like AOE 1 and 2.
I don’t know. There’s a lot of game mechanics that I enjoy of AOIII but maybe that’s just me. The home city cards mechanic for example is something I really like. I feel like there’s also a much bigger distinction between each civ in AOIII than AOI and AOII, either economy wise or military wise and I enjoy that. I certainly don’t want just a copy paste of AOII gameplay wise or AOIII, but a mix of them both.
this very bad idea
i willl not play this game if its like this again it will again remove a part of the game where you have a very few units and you try to micro vs very few units or vills, it cancel so many strategy to have group of 5 like aoe3 its so stupid
Totally agree with this statement