Ingame wishes for 2024

[RealMatrim2]

I am looking forward to 2024 to see, what the developers will release for the game. As they statet out in the LAST UPDATE from 11 december 2023 (Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Update 99311 - Age of Empires), they will bring SOME SURPRISES , WHAT NO ONE WILL EXPECT . With such a statement, I assume, that will appear for the players most mentioned wishes (More campaigns, much new architecture sets, more unique units, rework and extension of the civs overview skirmish map, fix still existing bugs at many and long time map interactions of civs and units, pathfinding improvements for the units and so on) into the game, otherwise this statement would make no sense.

We can be excited… But I will not praise the day before the evening. We will see, whether there are a lot of positive things or just sobering changes.

I wish, that “non playable campaign and editor units” like the Crusader Knight (Teutons), the Dismounted Konnik (Bulgarians), the Khan (Bulgarians but I find the Bulgarian not in the Editor just in the Tatars Campaign), the Khan (Mongols) and the Mounted Samurai (Japanese) become playable as unique units for these civs. You can see more details at the following link: Unit (Age of Empires II) | Age of Empires Series Wiki | Fandom

I also think to bringing as playable units the following ones: the Norse Warrior (Vikings), the Heavy Pikeman (Britons), the Frankish Paladin (Franks), the Heavy Crossbowman (Italians), the Elite Legionary (Romans), the Imperial Legionary (Romans), the Imperial Cenutrion (Romans), the Priest as a Monk variation (Byzantines), the Royal Janissary (Turks), the Neareast Swordsman (Saracens), the Qizilbash Warrior (Persians), the Eastern Swordsman (Hindustanis), the Canoe (Malay), the Sunda Royal Fighter (Malay), the Flamethrower (Chinese), the Junk (Chinese), the Dragon ship (Chinese) and the Ninja Warrior (Japanese).

It would also be good, to bring certain “hero units” as playable into the game, I think on this to “rename” of certain heroes. You can see more details at the following link: Hero (Age of Empires II) | Age of Empires Series Wiki | Fandom

Below a selection: ​Pope Leo 1 as an Hero Monk, give him a new Ingame name as Church Pope (Italians), the Cuman chief (Cumans) and Chand Bardai, give him a new Ingame name as Indian Poet (Gurjaras). In order to keep Pope Leo 1, the Cuman chief and Chand Bardai in the game, the developers can use other AI player names, that appears at this point in the campaigns or redesign this units.

Such valuable “super units” are so far simply been lying idle in the editor and campaign maps. Being able to use them in Skirmish but also in Campaigns would be just great. At the same point I would remove the concerning general units from the civs. There are far too many general unit types and technologies available to all civs, which has a huge impact on the fun of the game. Use almost all of your previously Unplayable units and rename certain Hero units and then add them to the civs, it would make a lot more sense. Seeing Aztecs and Incas with 5 playable swordsman levels in the tech tree, is historically very unwordly.

It would also make sense to see the Sogdian Cathapract (Sogdians) involved as a playable unit, but then a new civ like the Sogdians would be helpful. A new Silk Road DLC would fit in with the inclusion of the Sogdians, the Gök Turks and the White Huns (Hepthalites).

Moreover I would like to see a rework of misplaced unique units. The Organ gun for the Portuguese is historically completely wrong placed, please give them to the Britons (English) and give the Portuguese an another unique unit for example the Aventureiros, which have already been suggested here. Just because the Spanish have Conquistadors as a gunpowder unit does not mean, that the Portuguese need them too a similar one. A strange line of thought from the developers, think about it seriously…

In connection with the unique units, I want to get more unique buildings for the civs. For the Chinese it would be the “Gunpowder depot”, which has so far been portrayed as a Trade workshop in the campaigns, it could serve as a Training camp for another new Chinese special unit like the Ming artillerymen (Chinese). When it comes to the Italians, I think of a “Church” as a new special building where Church popes (Italians) can be trained as former hero units. Popes can give unique units an attack and or defense boost when they are near them.

I expect additional, that the Architecture sets will come much more similar for all 4 ages like the Dark ages, Feudal age, Castle age and the Imperial age, as far as the color schemes are concerned. Up to now, this just look ugly for a lot of civ architecture sets, it really needs improvements here.

And yes, I would like to see even more “economic distinctions” for the civs. Give the Southeast Asian civs (Rise of the Rajas campaigns) finally rural “rice” farms, that they can rice grow on the country, not just in watery environments.

What do you want for the game in 2024? Share your thoughts here. The developers will definitely enjoy reading it…

[RealMatrim2]

Subsequent special units for the Portuguese (Rework) and Chinese (Rework) would be good for the game:

PORTUGUESE special unit suggestion (Adventureiro):

PORTUGUESE special unit suggestion (Espingardeiro):

CHINESE special unit suggestion (Ming artillery men):

[RealMatrim2]

Below are 2 graphics of Southeast Asian “rice” farms, which can be made independent as a new economic field. Credits goes to me as ingame shots.

Suitable civs are Burmese, Khmer, Vietnamese and Malay. I would like to see them in the game.

I think of further distinctions for the other civs. The following graphic comes from the Fandom wiki of the game.

“Saffron” fields would be a good choice for civs of the Middle East. Suitable civs are certainly Persians then Georgians, Tatars and Hindustanis.

Next you see a graphic with “pumpkin” fields from Fandom wiki of the game from East asian civs.

These can be well use for Mesoamerican civs like the Aztecs. “Corn” among the Mayans and “potatoes” among the Incas are a good choice for further new farm types. When there will come a new Mesoamerican DLC, such farm types will hopefully be better distributed within more new Mesoamerican civs.

[thieftdp8498]

it’ll look nicer if those farms had a bit rounder corners

[RealMatrim2]

Below you can see 2 graphics of “blueberry” fields and “vine” yards from an Age of Empires 2 HD mod from 2013. Credits goes to Nittlepick.

I think that Blueberry farms would fit well with Northern civs like Bohemians, Poles, Lithuanians and Slavs.

Vineyards go well with Southern civs such as Italians, Romans, Sicilians and Byzantines.

[RealMatrim2]

Yes, I can agree with that.

Different looking farms would visually enrich the game. It would just be a nice heart feeling, to see content like this in an update for next year.

[RealMatrim2]

Below I found another farm type from an Age of Empires 2 Conqueros mod, It includes a “Cabbage” farm type. Credits goes to R_V_A.

Published with new Definitive edition graphic, Cabbage would certainly make a good impression. This type would be suitable for Britons, Celts, Burgundians and Franks.

[RealMatrim2]

I think by the previous boring “Green farm type” should be replaced of a new farm typ like the "Grain Millet”… Millet was a very common food until the Early modern age and would fit into the time frame of the game well. This would be good for Eastern European and Central Asian civs, as they prefer nutrient poor dry areas.

Vikings, Goths and Teutons can cultivate “Honey met”.

Steppe and Nomadic civs as Hungarians, Cumans, Huns and Mongols can cultivate “Millet”.

Armenians, Turks, Bulgarians and possibly new Vlachs can cultivate " Wheat and or Durum wheat" or also named as “Bulgur”.

Berbers, Portuguese and Spanish can cultivate “Olive groves”.

“Teff” or “Dwarf millet” would as farm type be suitable for the Ethiopians, Malians and Saracens as flatbread is made from it as a staple food.

For the Gurjaras, Dravidians and Bengalis, I would like to see “Lentil” as a suitable farm type.

For the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese, I see the Winter radish “Daikon” as a suitable farm specialty.

[PeakHornet46539]

Rice fields would work for Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, the RotR civs, Bengalis and Dravidians. Wheat for Hindustanis, Gurjaras the West Asian civs and all the European ones, Millet for the African ones and corn for the American ones.
Vineyards, Olive trees, honey hives as editor units or appearing on certain maps. We need Tapirs, Yaks, Giraffes and Hippos added to the game as well alongside dogs, chickens and more varieties of goats, sheeps and Bulls as cattle units.

[RealMatrim2]

@PeakHornet46539

We need Tapirs, Yaks, Giraffes and Hippos added to the game

We need them as new wild and domesticating animals yes. I would really like to see Tapirs (for Incas) and Yaks (for Mongols) in a new Livestock farm.

@PeakHornet46539

as well alongside dogs, chickens and more varieties of goats, sheeps and Bulls as cattle units.

Absolutely, I am in favor of it straight away. The economic part of the game needs to be improved a bit, including the inclusion of a new “Livestock farm” next to the previous “Mill” building, which is only based on plant harvesting.

I have always thought that about this game, especially a bigger inclusion of domesticated animals, as you suggest.

[Mahazona]

@PeakHornet46539

Olive trees

As per the editor we have those.

[MatM1996]

@RealMatrim2

Different looking farms would visually enrich the game. It would just be a nice heart feeling, to see content like this in an update for next year.

Yes, I have the mods from different farms activated because it gives greater visual richness to the game…

[RealMatrim2]

@MatM1996

Yes, I have the mods from different farms activated because it gives greater visual richness to the game…

It is like this, that such basically smaller expansions in the economic area would be easily feasible for the game in terms of work effort. There are other areas in the game, that require much more development work.

For the farms It will be good to appearance that is similar to the “seeds” which have a deeper grew, and then then turne quickly into a “harvest”, that look higher with more plant base. You can see this comparison using the example of rice, which I posted in 2 pictures in one of the posts above, it looks really great.

[Mahazona]

It would be cool if the same farms have different looks similar to houses changing.RoN farms does this.

[RealMatrim2]

You mean something like this in Rise of Nations. You can see the 2 different growth stages (sowing and harvest rip) in the graphic. Yes this is great.

[Mahazona]

This and the chicken farms appearing from time to time.

[MatM1996]

@RealMatrim2

It is like this, that such basically smaller expansions in the economic area would be easily feasible for the game in terms of work effort. There are other areas in the game, that require much more development work.

For the farms It will be good to appearance that is similar to the “seeds” which have a deeper grew, and then then turne quickly into a “harvest”, that look higher with more plant base. You can see this comparison using the example of rice, which I posted in 2 pictures in one of the posts above, it looks really great.

Of course, of course…

@Mahazona

It would be cool if the same farms have different looks similar to houses changing.RoN farms does this.

Yes, and those from AoE 3 too…

[RealMatrim2]

Some new vegetation types would also be good for the game. “Polar ice deserts” combined with “Nordic tundra” with occurring wild animals such as “Polar bears” and “Seals”, perhaps also with a new North american indigenous civ like the “Inuits”.

Boreal coniferous forest could also be included with wild animals like Moose, Grizzly bears, Caribou and the Great grey owl in the game. When it comes to the indigenous civs, I also think of North America, directly adjacent to the Inuits such as the “Kutchin”, “Beaver” or “Cree”.

[RealMatrim2]

Oh yes, this I forgot about the first topic, I think to rotating buildings. Perhaps it is possible, if the buildings are graphically painted and constructed holistically.

[TyrannoNinja]

I’d like to see animals from the African rainforest, since those are very different from those of the savannas. Bongo antelope could be huntables, red river hogs or forest elephants could be more dangerous huntables, and leopards could be predators.