Future of Competitive Maps?

Age of Empires IV IV - Discussion
1

As we inch closer to ranked ladder, I want to give a few feedbacks when it comes to competitive multiplayer map designs in the future. Here’s my 2 cents:

  1. Most maps should be hybrid (with a caveat, explained below)
    Land-to-water interaction should be much more common to give better strategic variance. Harassing transport ships should be a common occurrence. Of course, to realize this, most of the real estate near the original TC should be near the water.

  2. Get rid of island maps.
    Water battles are not fun if they go on for 20 minutes straight. Water-focused hybrid maps will be more fun. And looking at the current naval roster, there is no way pure naval fights can ever be balanced unless they make all naval units same exactly the same. It’s best that devs just give up.

  3. “Pangea” map
    It’s a giant island with the whole map able to be circled with ships.

  4. “Beach” map
    1/3 of right or left side of the map is completely water. The reminaing 2/3 is land.

  5. “Snaking River” map
    Mongolian heights but with more curves and wider river

The next portion will perhaps be unrealistic and could never be implemented due to engine limitations, but, here goes:

  1. Muddy ground
    When land units enter this area, they slow down a little bit

The Caveat
Water. Balance. Needs. To. Happen. ASAP.
Remove fishing boat gather rate upgrades but make it so that they gather a slight bit faster than villagers. Make Dock a Feudal tech. This is to make it so that a Dock timing coincides with 2nd TC timing. Anti sieges do serious damage to ships. A ground army should be able to zone out ships effectively.

2

Fishing boat nerfs have been confirmed and fix to demo ships.

IMO just like aoe2 there should always be 1 full water map for that small amount of island enthusiasts (although IMO there should be some kind of veto system).

The rest should be a mixture of maps, some hybrid, some open and some closed. I have hopes for the ranked map pool (I forget what it was but I remember it sounding good).

Right now the generic map pool has a plethora of hybrid and/or closed maps, only 3 of the 17 maps are really open maps.

3

Fishing boats nerf confirmed? Can you link it?

Also agreeing with OP about the water balance. Idk what exactly should happen, everyone has their ideas. I just want it to happen already. Most urgently get rid of the “spin to win” strat

4

https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/various-ideas-for-rankeds/194969?u=hasanichess

5

the map of islands gives variety to the game, I prefer to play it a little less than the others but DO NOT REMOVE IT, second: the collection rate of the sea, it is to make it worth fighting for the water, if you lose in water practice a lot instead to complain, the challenges make the game fun