Hi all,
With the recent release of AoE:DE, I’d just like to say thanks for holding the game back to tweak it. However, the path finding in the new build is not as good as the original build at launch. After a couple good hours spent in the remastered version, I realized that the amount of games being hosted was very minimal in comparison to other major RTS games. While this isn’t so bad at the moment, I’m afraid that with the launch of the DE for AoE II, the majority of the player base will leave AoE behind. If the game wasn’t so exclusive and available to more than just windows 10 users and perhaps 8 or even interplay from steam, the game’s player base would rise. All the fans of the original game, me included, would like it if there could be casual gameplay with other casual players rather than a multiplayer game which lacks a large community to play in. Let me know your thoughts guys!
-Memes
My guess is that players migrating from AOE 1 DE to 2 (when its out) is about as inevitable as it was back when the original AOK was released. Whatever some of the die-hard, high level AOE 1 players may insist, AOE 2 was a far better balanced, far more refined and far more varied game. I imagine also that the devs are possibly counting on this reality, given that they specifically chose not to integrate certain things that are generally considered improvements from AOK.
With that said; I don’t really believe that the whole Windows 10 exclusive thing is a contributing factor. Fact is, Windows 7 (and the abomination that was 8) are all quite far back generation wise, and just about anything gaming focused is going to targeted at Windows 10 (or alternative OS’s). It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense that MS should continue building for a platform they officially discontinued anyhow.
Interplay with Steam would be cool, though honestly don’t see that platform as being so necessary to any of the AOE DE titles success. I feel like people are giving that platform way too much importance. Its funny too, because I remember some years ago people were quite mad at everything on the PC going there. Personally, I’m a bit happy that MS is pushing flagship titles for their platform, as it demonstrates they are more serious about it. Compare that with the Games for Windows initiative, where the only games for it were either XBOX ports or third party titles that MS had very little actual stake in.
Regarding the actual game itself though, yeah, I agree about the Pathfinding and some other issues. The biggest problem I have with AOE DE is that , again, it IS behind AOE 2 (HD) in terms of the end user experience. The only reason its hard to harp on that is because the devs specified that this is exactly what they were doing; refurbishing the old AOE 1, with all the good and bad that entails. It’s great for what it is, but It makes it really hard to recommend, as much as I sincerely want to. That’s whats ultimately going to ensure the migration, IMO.