Might it be possible someday for AoE devs to simply:
- Bring back the old audio taunts for at least 1 thru 42-ish and make it an option we can toggle on in Options?
- Completely remove the doorbell sound that occurs when a message is sent and replace it with the classic AoE2 messaging sound, and make it an option we can toggle on in Options?
- Reduce the lag that occurs between entering a taunt and hearing that taunt’s audio play? Age II: HD was markedly and noticeably faster in this respect. So, to hear the multi-millisecond lag with each and every taunt and message in Age II: DE is a bit jarring. If the additional lag is caused by language filter-related (even though I’m not signed into XBox Live), then could devs at least just whitelist taunts so they don’t need to run through filtration at all? (I don’t like the lag for any Age II:DE messages, to be honest; as with technological advances, it’s reasonable to think lag would be less in 2020 compared to 2013 and 1999; not increased.)
The lag + doorbell sound + less-than-stellar new taunt voicework really makes me not want to hear any taunts or use them in DE. It was so fun to use them in HD; now it’s nearing nails-on-a-chalkboard status for me with DE.
All of that on top of the fact that a friend and I enjoyed having about 200-300 additional custom audio taunts .MP3s of our choosing in Age II:HD that would probably take an audio engineering degree to bring into DE, and it makes chatting in DE even more boring and annoying, sorry to say.
A big contributing factor of the fun I had when playing with friends (the audio and messaging changes) is essentially being negated. It really is driving down my desire to play Age II:DE.
Are you able to explain why DE is so steadfast against having options to enable old voice taunts and old music soundtrack audio in DE?
TOOL SUGGESTION:
- For adding custom/customizing taunts, Microsoft/devs could create a program/tool we could download that is simple to use. It would be a dialogue box that has a left and right panel. On the left, you point to your .MP3s that you want converted to a DE-friendly format. Press a button and it converts them to a DE-friendly audio format which then appear in the right panel to show successful conversion. In the end, you keep your list of .MP3s, but DE-friendly versions are created that you can drag-and drop into your Age II:DE audio folder(s). Problem solved for people who just want simplistic was to add their old custom taunts and new ones over time.