To explain where I’m coming from. I played AOE basically from the day it came out originally.
It was the best lan experience until aoe2 came out.
I miss that. And though the state is currently I can’t really play it with my friends because of a) scheduling and b) skill gaps (Untortunately the current handycap system doesn’t work for us because it just makes the game too fast for them, that’s why I would like to have it extended into below 100 %). I still hope we can at some point play it again. Not as a “real” lan. But at least as a “virtual” one.
And I don’t want to be dependent on having the game being updated, on external servers, on a live-service model. Too many variables involved. i want to run it locally and host a lobby on our own local server. Ideally even on the last patch we played it together, because the new content would just be overwhealming for them.
So that’s what I kindly ask for. A way to play a virtual LAN on old patches. And I would pay a solid price for that. Not excessive ofc, something like the current prices of “full developed games” on the market.
The patches could be sold eg in singles for that price or as bundle for twice or three times that price, depending on the extend of that bundle.
I don’t know if this is feasible. And I am totally awara that this concept is completely against the current monetization model. But it’s just my honest whish.
Introducing DLC like civ-specific music/soundtrack or unit/building artwork or new campaigns of old civs will be more acceptable for players.
2 Likes
Well I wouldn’t buy that.
But the word “acceptable” bothers me. The implications of chosing a word like that for an OPTIONAL monetization that doesn’t conflucts at all with any development is really, really unsettling.
Not to mention again the “speaking for others” here, this is just… i find this way of communication werid, that’s actually the nicest word i can find for it.
Well… Because I believe that some players would accuse the devs of greed. Due to the inflation of DLC but deterioration of DLC quality, devs have already suffered from pretty heavy criticism. I expect that some players would complain this as unacceptable. For me, it should be fine.
I don’t understand how I trigger you honestly. English is not my native language.
1 Like
Paying to access old patches? F*ck no. Other games allow it for free on Steam.
Stop pretending Microsoft is broke.
9 Likes
You don’t pay for the patches (or at least not much). You pay for the independent version of the game.
And I’m realist. I have a whsh, something I like to have from others. The accepted way of handling that is to pay for it a “fair price”. Ofc it’s the question what price tag would be “fair” here,
I have a concern that steam may prohibit this?
It’s common for thousands of titles to allow stopping your game from being updated and rolling back to previous updates. AoE2 not allowing it is bad enough, but allowing it FOR MONEY would be insane. I’d go to EU court, no joke, I’d seriously do it. It’d be the straw that breaks me.
I hope lol.
6 Likes
well IF youl’d win this, you might get the court win.
But then the whole game could be taken out of service and we ALL would lose it forever.
it’s that what you want?
Or do you maybe want to buy one version once for a full game price and even if it might be taken out of service you STILL could run it on your machine?
I believe that there are ways to earn money without breaking the laws for Microsoft.
2 Likes
EU banning unfair practices like lootboxes did not cause the games to disappear from Steam, only to remove the offending practices.
It’s still possible to play AoE2 HD even though you can no longer buy it, so I have no worries. Unless Steam itself bankrupts and ceases to function.
1 Like
And what if you are wrong with your assertion?
Whatever. I just find the idea so infuriating that it’s better if I disengage from the thread.
If the devs can’t monetize the game with easy stuff like purchasable skins and architecture sets, and resort to such a trick instead, it’s better for the game to die honestly.
4 Likes
Devs have not release Tibet despite of high demand. I believe they dare not to take the risk against the EU law either.
These are what devs should excel at and what players like. Not to mention there are 50+ civs with a majority being European civs. Even if they release several sets for 1 civ in one DLc, they can still make a considerable amount of money.
1 Like
charging for old patches is a path that would be so evil. This is stuff we have owned before, why should we have to pay for it again?
Offering access to older patches is the norm in the gaming industry, it’s just the aoe2 devs who are too [insert adjective that describes them best in your opinion here, I am torn between “arrogant” and “incompetent”] to do so.
the devs (or probably more likely the suits above them) being greedy isn’t even a question at this point. originally the game cost 20 eur. now with all DLC it’s over 100 eur. that’s greed, plain and simple.
I hope steam prohibits this. this is just a rip-off
2 Likes
Could be a workaround…
What if eg. everybody who owns RoR, 3K and TLC gets one patch server before that for free?
I thought a second time about this.
Why should I agree to give people who do absolutely nothing but hardship to the community a finger?
I want my patch as cheap as possible!
Some people in this forum treated me and other people who just didn’t agree with their… one sided perspective… as if we were nothing, Or even less than nothing. Openly attacking as antagonists and adversaries.
I’m over the point of trying to get to a solution with them. [Every time I tried to do this they took my finger and pointed it against me. I’m sick of that. If anybody has questions about this please contact me per PN. I know it’s a very difficile topic, but I TRIED. But the issue is - this unfortunately needs to give an open angle. I did this severaland it always was a headshot in return. There are people who disagree witht he critic on 3K. I’m one of them. And I want that it’s ok when I speak out about this. I’m not agreeing with every development in the game lately. But in order to get to a healthy relationship with the developers we need this community to be able to speak about controversial (yes 3K IS CONTROVERSIAL. Buit controversial means, that there are several DIFFERENT perspectives on it) topics in a healthy manner. And that’s unfortunately NOT POSSIBLE currently. And that has nothing to do with the devs, but with the community. Or at least very vocal parts of it. Because they are just way too demanding and don’t aloow any other perspective to come to word without flooding it with their extremely one-sided demands - and offering nothing to get to a conclusion. It’s a state that I accepte for a few months. But 3k is almost a year gone. We somehow need to be able get on ONE TABLE AGAIN.. And if it means that not everybody who wants to sit there can sit there because some poeple are just refusing ANY cooperation than be it. Exclude them from the Table of people who discuss solturions.]
They want too much for themselves and don’t offer anything in return. They should get the bill. It’s empty. No deal.
I made a proposal and if it’s implemented - please respect my whish for a good price for ME. And people who are somwhat agreeable. I don’t want anybody to get anything for free just because they “demand” to.
There are people disagreeing with your idea. But there is no attack against you as a person. They are disagreeing because the idea is not good not because of the person posting, given the reasoning provided.
If devs need to monetize, they will need people to support with their pockets. If even people in the official forum is not going to support it, how many players will support it after release?
1 Like
If you are interested in this you can contact me per PN. I’m not speaking abotu this thread, but in general.
This topic on the other hand is just a proposal. I don’t NEED or DEMAND it to be implemented. I’m fine with if it isn’t, though I ofc whish it will be, otherwise I wouldn’t have made it.
This is an interesting question. I don’t see the playerBASE represented in this forum at all anymore.
(And yes, I don’t consider me representing the playerbase. I’m honest. But I also don’t see anyone else here really, especially no thtose who claim to do it.)