FYI - Forgotten Empires Devs who made DLCs for AOE3, are now working on AOE4

[MatM1996]

@user91

just look at their latest AOM dlcs, so much high quality models ,even better than aoe4

Its the Chinese DLC

Benefits of using the Bang engine which they know well from having worked with it in 3DE…

@user91

its actually crazy they are working on aoe2 dlc, aoe3 too, and aoe4 and aom at the same time

That was until 2022…the work with Retold required more work than they thought and they had to put aside AoE 3 until well…they cancelled the Baltic DLC…

@GorbMort

The tone of a thread invites replies in kind. I’d personally prefer it if we could all get along as fans of the same franchise, but with AoE III support ending so fresh in peoples’ minds, I completely get why some would still be upset.

@Kingfisher1787

Most of the posts probably are gone now, but we had some AoE4 and possibly 2 players coming over here to gloat while the announcement wasn’t a week old. I’m quite sure the differences between the games (and AoE3 not being a direct successor to 2) cause them to attract different people, and are likely the cause of some strife. I don’t know what side started it, but it’s kinda ridiculous.

@FiveWind6951746

It’s just the nature of the AoE fandom spread across these games in a highly competitive but small RTS environment. And even in its heyday relations within this fanbase were never rosey. AoE3 players have been taking shit from AoE2 players for 20 years now so they tend to have a chip on their shoulder never mind the mistreatment, neglect, and outright lies they’ve been dealing with from WE. Calling for better communication? it started with but no one listened or cared because it’s AoE3 lulz.

As someone previously mentioned, there have been plenty of people from 2DE, AoMR, and AoEIV crowd who came here and other places to dance on our grave, and it’s not because a handful of AoE3 players said mean things about another game. 3DE dies? maybe my game will get more support!!!

Also, two of the biggest shitstirrers in the AoEIV forum who mention 3DE a lot are people who have barely interacted with the 3DE forum so take that as you will.

Yes, the idea is to attract more people to the franchise in general, but having left AoE 3 aside now and for 20 years left (myself included) many wounded and resentful in the community…

@OperaticShip743

AOE-3 players are mostly not blind fanatics who think that 2005 was the pinnacle of the saga’s evolution. Don’t compare us to that other community that thinks that 1999 was the pinnacle of RTS.

@FloosWorld

Can confirm, AoE 2 players tend to be extremely conservative when it comes to adding “extreme” stuff that is normal for other games, whether it’s the armor ignoring ability of Leitis and Composite Bowman, the “shield” the Shrivamsha have and whatnot.

@OperaticShip743

And the anger is that they never did it, and they never will. However, you can see people who don’t understand the point of criticism.

It’s not the same to say “Your game is bad because it doesn’t look like mine” than to say “This game could be better if you implemented this from this other game.”

@FiveWind6951746

I am specifically addressing the amount of activity AoE3 players had in the AoEIV forum at one point. It’s in those 3 areas where AoE3 players felt AoEIV take a step back and thus, offered examples to improve the game.

@FocalPenny96393

I’d say AOE3 lacks campaigns and some QOL features from AOE2 or 4 or AOM. No one here would consider that an insult. But if I say AOE4 lacks some graphical details, and use AOE3 as a demonstration of feasibility of graphic details etc when you guys were (pretending to be) unaware of how the series and games in general had developed in the past decade, someone would erupt.

@GorbMort

I’ve seen AoE IV criticised by all sorts of folks. Including fans of AoE II and AoE III. I’ve been on this forum a good long while now.

So what if more AoE II fans criticise AoE IV? There are more AoE II fans, period. AoE III is a much more niche game with significantly lower active players. This translates (roughly) into forum activity as well.

Do people always respond well to their favourite game getting criticised? No, of course not. Some folks take it too personally. But that isn’t unique to AoE IV. That happens all over the Internet. I’d imagine it happens here too, from time to time.

@FocalPenny96393

Because AOE2 players are numerous and hard to fight. When the fewer players of the “niche” game, one that even the company running it openly humiliates, can be freely stomped on.

Yes, we are not as closed-minded as fans of 2… there will be some fans of 3 who are die-hard fans of the game, but generally we are open with the other games (although that doesn’t mean we can’t criticize the simplicity of 2 or the graphics of 4)…

@FiveWind6951746

Besides, many of the suggestions AoE3 players share are ones that would objectievely improve AoEIV a great deal such as increasing the flora and fauna variety of the maps, improving siege, more personality, etc. Lots of people who never played AoE3 seem to agree as well.

People can dislike AoE3 for a number of reasons but to ignore the good things it brought to the table is petty and shortsighted. You’re only hurting yourself in the long run. I’d say the same for Masteries in AoEIV which I think are an excellent addition to the franchise and I hope they continue and evolve for future iterations.

Something that gets lost in the weeds is the fact many AoE3 players started out with another game whether it be AoE2 or AoM. That tends to put them in a unique postion within the Age fanbase in the sense that they can offer a more open minded perspective. I mean, we did choose the oddball as our primary Age game after all.

@MissionLemur128

Many of the complaints I’ve seen for aoe4 are less of wanting the game to fail but rather wanting to add features people enjoy from other games. Using siege as an example, people might enjoy the onager shots of AoE2 or the rag-doll physics of AoE3 and suggest those get added.

@FocalPenny96393

Someone: AOE4 could make the horses in stable move or have greater biodiversity and more impactful killing animations for siege
AOE4 fanboys: No. This is technically very difficult. This will impact gameplay and performance. This is very expensive. I don’t need these and I know you don’t either. The devs are doing a great job.
Someone: But AOE2 from two decades ago can do it.
AOE4 fanboys: But AOE2 is a sprite-based 2D game. It’s easier to make these things.
Someone: But look AOE3 from a decade ago can also do it and it is a 3D game.
AOE4 fanboys: OH MAMA LOOK THEY HATE OUR GAME THEY ARE EVIL THEY WANT TO OPPRESS US CANCEL THEM CANCEL THEM ALL

Meanwhile Someone: AOE4 is inferior to AOE2
AOE4 fanboys: But I see AOE3 players hate us more

@GorbMort

As an AoE IV “fanboy”, probably one of the better-known ones, I say animated animals in buildings, more Gaia and better siege animations are all fantastic things the game would definitely benefit from.

I appreciate this doesn’t line up with whatever wedge you’re trying to drive between players across the respective Age communities, but I figured I’d pipe up in agreement and see if it makes a difference.

Side-note: these things would, factually, impact performance. Regardless, it’s up to the devs to weigh up the performance margins and see what is possible. They’re good suggestions and I support them.

@FocalPenny96393

But AoE III (being 20 years old) also had horses in stable move, greater biodiversity and more impactful killing animations for siege. And I guess hardware had not evolved in 20 years.

Sure, I think the same…we just talk about how AoE 4 could be improved and in my case I started the saga with AoE 3, so it seems that nostalgia for 2 and AoM didn’t affect me back in the day…

@MissionLemur128

adding a Time of Day option to really show off the engine’s lighting.

Yes, day and night cycle in AoE 4 would be great, because in the dark you can see that the buildings are lit by candles and it looks nice…

@FiveWind6951746

The only advocates for AoE3 are the players themselves. I’m always amazed how little players from other Age games know about AoE3.

It makes sense since AoE 3 players have/have also played AoE 2 and AoM, whereas AoE 2 players never wanted/couldn’t know anything about AoE 3 and AoE 4 players are like new to the series (some come from Relic or Blizzard games) and haven’t had the chance to try AoE 3…

@FiveWind6951746

One thing from AoE2 that would greatly help immersion and identifying who is who are leader names for the AI instead of -insert difficult AI name here- This is something I’ve suggested for the game as well.

Yes, that’s true… they put names but for the monarchs in Dominion (aka Regicide in the other games)…

Monarch

@GorbMort

AoE III: DE is also not a decade old, and base AoE III (being 20 years old) is in no way remotely as demanding as AoE IV is, graphically. But I get it: haha, fanboys

That’s true…but it’s still just a simple comparison between a game from 2005 and 2021…it’s assumed that since it’s more demanding, the 2021 game should be better than the 2005 game…

@AOE3 lacks a lot of historical campaigns

Yes, they called it story mode because it already includes campaigns (acts)…and I don’t think they will make more campaigns (I hope I’m wrong) but many historical battles or historical maps to represent various events…with KotM they already represented the most important European conflicts of the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries, with the Baltic DLC they are going to complete the other European conflicts of the 18th and mid-19th centuries…

This has aged badly, although I’m still right…