Just started playing again. How much larger are the “new” large maps compared to the original ones?
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Ah, many thanks. Was hoping for x5-x10 l. Like the biggest maps in AoE 2 DE 
Still, a nice improvement. Now we only need higher pop limits
There are some map types where even larger maps would feel/perform arguably better, but for the most part, I’m very satisfied with their size and now they feel much better. I guess most players are satisfied too, can’t recall any complaints about it, the same way people are dissatisfied with the increase of zoom range in IV.
With extra zoom and bigger maps they are pushing the engine to the limits of the limits. On larger games, with high settings it already can get rough, I don’t think we’ll see AoE2-like option where it’s possible to set a limit to 300, 500 or 1000.
But something like that MIGHT be possible but limited to 1v1 (sp skirmish or mp) mode, where the overall number of units in play can’t get that crazy.
ATM not sure what’s the possible max number of units a player can have at the same time. I guess in 30min+ treaty games it can get to like 280-ish with Aztec big button techs? I imagine in large mp games with only Aztec players it can get rough.
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i think if you want an absolute huge map then large Carolina is your best bet.
The maximum possible in the editor is this. I would like to see this in 1v1.
But also extend this limit to 2000m in the scenario editor, and also maps of this size in casual mode. There are people who do not always like to play the rush of supremacy. Exploring a vast world is one of the best things that other AOE have and has been lacking in AOE-3 forever. But the potential is there.
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I think you misjudge AoE3 map sizes. AoE3 maps are usually the same size if not larger than AoE2 maps for the same number of players (AoE3 maps automatically scale with player number).
You can make really big maps in the Editor for AoE3.
Unlike AoE2 AoE3 allows you to freely choose the height and width of a map and doesn’t have a predefined set of sizes (the biggest size is 4x the second biggest one, it’s crazy)
But in my opinion AoE3 is unplayable on very large maps.
Higher pop limits are very hard to balance for AoE3 because some civilisations have houses that produce resources (or spawn villagers). Allowing them to have more of those would make them OP and people already complain enough about Sweden and Japan.
In AoE1/2/4 that’s easier because you can just build more houses.
If the game can handle a 4v4 with 200 population each it can also handle a 1v1 with 800 population each.
The max AoE2DE allows is 500 btw.
AoE2DE also becomes very laggy with high unit numbers especially in multiplayer.
Also don’t forget that AoE3 has a villager limit so it won’t be that easy to get 500 units.