Let's talk about maps!

Age of Empires IV IV - Discussion
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I think aoe4 currently suffers from a lack of exciting and interesting maps. While the devs already announced map updates for the spring patch I thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask what you guys think. I’m sure we’ll also get a map editor at some point, but for now let’s share some ideas!

Which are your favourite maps? What kind of map would you like to see in the future?

Personally, I like Lipany the most. The cliffs give opportunities for walls without funnelling the whole gameplay into a single choke which can easily be controlled. Sneaking a scout or outpost up on a cliff can also be very rewarding and impactful which feels great to me. While I do like arabia it’s nice to have some more terrain features that impact strategic choices.

A map I’d really like to see would be a river map with fewer chokes. I was thinking of a triangle design like the original Danube, but with two small rivers going in and a big river going out. The smaller rivers would be crossable anywhere and the big one only in one or two fords or bridges. The neutral triangle could be rich in ressources to make it an important place to take, but in return the large river could be richer in fish.

Or we could have a map with most of the wood in the center of the map, creating chokes early on which will open up more and more as players chop through the woods. A little bit like mountain pass but with multiple crossings and it’s a forest instead of a mountain ridge. Controlling the woodline with a forward position would be super important.

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I agree map variety is currently pretty limited—and the balanced maps that are worth playing in 1v1 games more limited still—but am optimistic at the recent notes about this being looked at. Hopefully we’ll see some more variety soon!

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I would love to make maps for the community! :heart_on_fire:

The current maps are pretty confusing for me to be honest, I don’t really have a favorite I feel more comfortable playing on maps with a specific choke point regardless of where it is than have open maps where you never know where you’re being attacked from. It’s always a risk and you never know how skilled the opponent is so I have a hard time adapting. What if I meet someone that wants to have fun? How do I know that if most of what I’ve seen are rushes early game and they are so common I need to adopt that playstyle too just to play the game? It makes me anxious.

I would love to see creative maps with beautiful landscapes that form something unique and also balanced. I’ve been making maps for C&C Zero Hour before and I was disappointed by the lack of creativity because some pros couldn’t accept the fact that maps should be more than a symmetrical shape with trees on it and a bit of green paint. I hope this game won’t meet the same sad fate because I’m very passionate about maps and how much they add to the player experience.