Finger cross for all 3.
If I remember correctly you were the first person who suggested a camel slinger/catapult.
That is 100% true though.
And maybe cost food instead of wood.
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I’m not the first person on this forum to mention that they might have a unique camel unit, but I’m probably the one who’s most supportive of their uu being a camel + siege design.
Ironically in my own topic of concepts for the East Asia DLC I didn’t list the Tanguts but included the Tibetans and them into the Qiangs (but you know I’m not against them having their own civs), while I suggested them and their catapult camels in other people’s threads.
All the three are necessary to present the wars during the Song Dynasty. Just like we couldn’t present Medieval Europe and the Crusades without the English (Britons), the French (Franks) and the HRE (Teutons).
By introducing these civilizations and their campaigns, plus the Chinese campaign (probably about Song as well), we can get a DoI-like DLC in East Asia.
And then as we try to look further out, maybe there will be a DLC that focuses on Central Asia during the Tang Dynasty, with Tibetans, Gokturks, and Sogdians. Of course, Africa, Americas and Southeast Asia are also hot regions for DLC.
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Alongside this release, we’ll be dropping one of the most exciting DLC expansions for Age II: DE yet, packed with fresh new content, new civilizations for Ranked play
This implies that the DLC won’t be smaller then Dynasties of India.
So 3 new civs plus reworked Chinese don’t seem that unlikely.
Maybe there will be a Korean rework too?
They continue not adding any new architectures to AoE2DE, I they really that expensive to make?
They did 2 new architecture sets plus a new Dark Age set for Chronicles so it can’t be that hard.
At this point I wouldn’t expect new Architectre sets for American or African civs.
If Aztecs and Inca share an architecture set then North American civs will probably too.
If Ethiopians and Malians share an architecture set then pretty much any African civ will probably too.
We’ll see.
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Might be Khitan? Khitan Liao is one of most great power at its time
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I only hope they are not scenario units only
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At this point in time and with the cancellation of the AOE3 DLC, I’m just hoping we’re getting any African and American civs.
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I don’t think the cancelled AoE3 DLC means that the other AoE games will get less content, more likely the opposite.
Especially since they just got a new team to make a new AoE2 DLC (Chronicles). I’m pretty sure they are committed to more AoE2 content.
Future AoMR content will likely depend on the success of the 2 upcoming DLC and the future of AoE4 is also less certain.
I don’t know the exact details but I assume AoE2DE DLC are cheaper to make then AoMR DLC and AoE4 DLC while they sell almost as well if not better. Low cost high sales sound like a good deal for me.
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It’s always a balance between “number of players” and “number of players ready or able to invest”
AoE4 is constantly losing players and has a “younger” base, therefore less able to invest, less reliable over time.
AoE2 makes the best steam rank since its release in DE. Its player base is at an age that allows it to purchase DLCs generally without worries. The sales increase potential, as well as the base sales potential, are both positive.
However, making DLC is probably more expensive. Balancing is more technical and the game’s spaghetti code makes it very complex to add mechanics. In addition, the graphic style requires experts of the genre where, for example, AoE4 requires any Android game graphic designer and therefore any modern standard modeling engine.
Basically, AoE2 remains a more reliable source of money than other games. So a reasonable and continuous investment remains possible.
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If I may dream, I hope they take advantage of the DLC launch to fix another civilisation in the base game like they did with the Persians
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Lets GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
As long as we can use them in rank!
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According to what they said the AoE4 DLC sold better then any AoE2DE DLC so it seems to be worth it.
AoE4, AoE3DE and AoMR require a lot more assets for every DLC though.
AoE2DE adds like a hand full of new units and a few unique castle skins in most DLC while the other games add completely new architectures and a complete new set of unique unit skins.
Also Chronicles did add a complete new set of unit skins, a lot of campaign exclusive units and 2 new architecture sets.
So it can’t be that expensive to make AoE2DE assets, they just choose to save money by not adding much.
When it comes to campaigns the AoE2DE ones also seem to be the cheapest ones to make. Chronicles again showed what is possible if you invest more into it.
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Not a book, but I have recently listened to the 6.45 hours long Fall of Civilizations Podcast about the Mongol Empire.
It also talks about the civilisations in and around China, so I think it will be very informative for this DLC.
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Yes Spirit of the Law covered this in his new video
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Some comments I haven’t seen anyone else make about this:
- There are some new trees, presumably maple. Nearby there are some fallen Autumn leaves, that might be a new terrain type or part of the tree sprites.
- I think the water and shallows textures are new. Perhaps they have added this colour of water to depict the Yellow River.
- The grass terrain around the yurts looks new – I think the cream-coloured yurt is new as well.
- In the middle at the top, there’s an east Asian style ruined archery range – this must be new as currently the ruined buildings are all central European in style.
- Near the ruined archery range there’s some cracked terrain - not sure if this is new, or just black terrain layered on dirt.
Less to say about this one:
- Near the bridge on the left there’s a built up area by the river bank – I think this is a new object and not just some clever use of the existing bridges.
- There’s a red-crowned crane flying over the river near the two dragon ships.
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I’ve created a similar effect in-game. The green water looks like this.
It’s black layered over another colour.
Also I noticed there are East Asian weapon racks in yellow’s camp. You can see racks holding spears and guan-do, along with sword racks with shields resting against them.
Another new one is a new market stall next to the Tangut castle.
The Battle for Greece half-built siege equipment is also seen here. Showing that they are happy to use these models in campaigns now.
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We have
Nest Of Bees (It’s most likely a replacement to Scorpion-line)
Iron Pagoda or Iron Hawk (Jurchen or Tanguts)
Boxi (Tanguts)
Grenadier (Jurchen)
Fire Lancer (Jurchen or Chinese)
…
Civs don’t have 3 unique units (apart from Gurjaras if you count Camel Scouts). It makes me think Tanguts will have Iron Hawks and Boxi Camels while Jurchens will have Grenadiers and Fire Lancers. Nest of Bees will be a scorpion-replacement just like how Siege Elephants replace Rams for South Asian civs.
I don’t see any evidence for Khitans and Tibetans. Every unit seems obvious where they belong. I’m hoping devs are just trying to hide them.
If Tibetans aren’t possible I really want to see Khitans with Imperial Steppe Lancers and Crossbow Cavalry.
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Yeah. And DOI was really good for adding all 3 civs.