As we wait for AOE4, here's a history of AOE as told (recently) by former Ensemble Studios devs

So… nice article about the making of AOE, if you want a good read:

And bonus, article about the history of RTS:

Both good reads imho.

@IamDalv said:
So… nice article about the making of AOE, if you want a good read:
“The least-worst idea we had”—The creation of the Age of Empires empire | Ars Technica

And bonus, article about the history of RTS:
Build, gather, brawl, repeat: The history of real-time strategy games | Ars Technica

Both good reads imho.

good boy! read both articles and found them interesting!

Anything from Ensemble Studio veterans is, most welcome. Thanks @IamDalv

One thing I adore about Ensemble studios is that they were the only ones in those days (perhaps the only one today too) to have their employees do the play testing. That way if there is something which don’t go together well, get fixed on the next day. Because devs know in the back of their minds that this is supposed to be this way. That a play tester you just hired won’t know. I think more and more companies need to adapt this, trust me the horrible day 1 patches will drastically come down. I remember in some documentary, one of the employee said how he would just rush to grab a seat on the play test on the Fridays. Play testing area was the only area in whole company where you would not see an empty seat. I wish they were still around. I really want to kiss every single hand that made games over there.

Also everybody was involved in all the aspects, you didn’t have a designer doing a wheel in a 3D program and not knowing what that was for in the game because it wasn’t his area.

It’s also interesting how, again, they say AOE3 just wasn’t as good and they also knew beforehand its timeline wouldn’t be as interesting as ancient or medieval. But they still gave it a go.

Is good reading.

I hope the game will play on Win 7, Win 8, Win 10.

I have Win 8.1 and I will certainly not change it for the game.
I also wanted to buy the Age of Empires definitive edition but when it’s just for Win 10, it’s their bad luck.
Certainly the game would be bought by more people, but many people do not want Win 10

@BeetleRock20367 said:
I hope the game will play on Win 7, Win 8, Win 10.



I have Win 8.1 and I will certainly not change it for the game.

I also wanted to buy the Age of Empires definitive edition but when it’s just for Win 10, it’s their bad luck.

Certainly the game would be bought by more people, but many people do not want Win 10

That is copy pasta now.

@Augustusman Clearly flagging the comment for no reason.
the topic: “As we wait for AOE4, here’s a history of AOE as told (recently) by former Ensemble Studios devs”
@BeetleRock20367 said:
I hope the game will play on Win 7, Win 8, Win 10.
I have Win 8.1 and I will certainly not change it for the game.
I also wanted to buy the Age of Empires definitive edition but when it’s just for Win 10, it’s their bad luck.
Certainly the game would be bought by more people, but many people do not want Win 10
It still fits the category of discussing AOE IV.

@NormChanger said:
@Augustusman Clearly flagging the comment for no reason.
the topic: “As we wait for AOE4, here’s a history of AOE as told (recently) by former Ensemble Studios devs”
@BeetleRock20367 said:
I hope the game will play on Win 7, Win 8, Win 10.
I have Win 8.1 and I will certainly not change it for the game.
I also wanted to buy the Age of Empires definitive edition but when it’s just for Win 10, it’s their bad luck.
Certainly the game would be bought by more people, but many people do not want Win 10
It still fits the category of discussing AOE IV.

Hum? I’m starting to think, you are trying to confront. But still I’m try to still in the topic.


I saw many fans fear have pass same path by DoW fans, but may be isn’t bad thing. May be its needed the MOBA thing isn’t just for hardcore fanbase.