Interesting point! I’ve never thought of it that way. Then I’m convinced that it can stay that way (that with the tower development).
Because of the new civs - I think the game should cover the period until the high middle ages. That’s why such civs won’t be part of the game, because they played a bigger role later on, as far as I know. I would probably buy this expansion anyway. xD
But before that Microsoft should make rules about the different unit skins. Otherwise it would be a little bit lame again.
I love this game so much, but it is not given the love it deserves. There are many improvements or even expansions that could have been made, but none of that. You’d think that after this mediocre AoE1DE they would have learned the lessons needed for the big most popular game, AoE2 DE, but nope. So many issues with that to the point it’s barely playable, especially multiplayer. I did not buy AoE2 DE because of they did not properly finish updating and fixing AoE1 DE, and man I am glad I did. Look how AoE2 DE turned out, good graphics and music, but the playability is lackluster at best. They do not care, and neither should you, do not buy any future products or Age titles. They should listen to the community, and they simply won’t. Too bad because DE has the potential to be fantastic, but the reality is very different unfortunately. My only hope is that a few skilled persons mod and fix all the issues and problems so we can play the Age games we deserve and paid for.
You know, on one hand I’m really happy that we got AoE DE. The game looks and sounds beautiful and is better than the original in almost every aspect.
On the other hand however, I felt that so much more could be done, even with just a little bit of effort. I think Microsoft always intended DE to be a “marketing move”, just to promote the AoE franchise and not as much to sell on its own.
Nonetheless I question so many of the choices they have taken during the development, first of all: why did they not use AoE II game engine? It would have been able to do everything that the AoE engine could do and much more. Plus, by working on the same engine, they would have reduced a lot the workload for AoE II DE. But no use in complaining about that now…
I still think there’s a lot of potential in AoE DE. I know that devs need to turn in a profit somehow when they release new content, but really, they should give a shot at releasing some small expansion: just a few new civs and a few new units/buildings. Even without new campaigns would be fine, just a small amount of content to test the reaction of the community. I’m pretty sure they would find a lot of interest, if the content is properly done.
I agree that the FE team’s intention when they launched the DE version of the first game wasn’t to transform it on Age of Empires II! The problem, as I see it, is that the game still is far behind of its modern equivalents on some key gameplay aspects.
All the game flaws revolve around the feeling that the player haven’t enough commands at his disposal to be in full control of everything. I think this resume the core problem of the game’s design that still endures on the DE version.
As I said, as someone who play this game since 2000’s, I always thought of my catapults firing indiscriminately at enemies, most of the time hurting or killing my own units, annoying as ■■■■. The absence of gates in the walls is another example of a limitation of the game that never made sense for me. The enemy, one way or another, ends inside of your base, killing your villagers, when you have your attention somewhere else.
I hope the developers will turn their attention to this game again in the future, adding new functions to it and correcting those flaws that makes it feel old and unpolished.
I agree with almost everything, ok they did a good job with the remastering of the game but honestly civilizations only feel different in their architecture it would be good a mod or a patch that change the units that feel different example that an Egyptian archer was feel different from a Roman. and if you please doors, this that the units do not look different is what got me bored and uninstalled the game. because the experience of civilization to another with the same units does not look correct.
Now we might have to think about balances for AoE1 DE because many things don’t seem to be balanced. For example, giving the Cataphract 220 HP was too much. It was better off having 180 or 200 HP. Please restore the Cataphract’s HP amount to one of those. Also, reduce the Heavy Horse Archer’s HP from 90 to 80 and reduce the research cost from 1750F and 800G to 1100F and 500G because 1750F to research it is too much for a rather weak unit when compared to other powerful units. Also, remove Irrigation from the Choson since they don’t need it while give the Romans, Irrigation because they need it. Helepolis Research food cost should be reduced from 1500 to 1200. Ballista Tower Research cost reduced from 1800F and 900S to 800F and 400S. Legion Research food cost reduced from 1400 to 1200. The Crocodile (Alpha) HP amount should be reduced from 100 to 80 because 100 HP seems too much for a powerful Gaia unit to have.
No, I’m not agree. The Cataphract is the least used unit. It was decided to upgrade his HP and his piercing armor as it is underused and very expensive, it is the highest cost unit of gold.
The Horse Archer is one of the most profitable units, its cost is low compared to its utility.
If you use Yamato, you would surely prefer to upgrade Heavy Horse Archer before Catapract.
Or the new expansion pack for AoE1 can add Indian civilizations. In fact, there is a mod for vanilla AoE1 currently in progress that’s going to focus on the Indus Valley.
