Now, let’s talk about the issue of player interaction in multiplayer games. Firstly, in my daily life, my friends around me are not interested in RTS games, and I am not willing to engage in long-term communication with strangers online. However, I really want to experience multiplayer PVP mode. The problem I encounter is in scenarios like 2v2, 3v3, or 4v4, where if one player in a team surrenders without prior communication (as we don’t know each other), the balance of victory in the entire game will significantly favor the opposing team. It’s common to see that when one player initiates a surrender in a multiplayer game, several others immediately follow suit. This greatly affects the gaming experience because, even though I’m doing well, I just can’t manage to help the player who surrendered in time. (Of course, it might be due to unforeseen circumstances like a power outage or other emergencies for that player, which is understandable).
Therefore, I will now envision a new game mode, and this imagination should be incomplete. I hope to discuss it with everyone. It’s a 1v1v1v1v… scenario, much like a personal competition among multiple players, each fighting independently without teams. However, we can introduce a system where players can “send envoys to other countries, conveying information (not in real-time on the public screen, with a certain delay), similar to merchants in the game.” We can establish conditions such as map resources, agreement for reinforcements, alliances, and so on. I believe it’s just an interesting idea, more in line with the interactions between countries in reality rather than a simple cycle of development, warfare, and victory.
Therefore, AOE games should not only be about resource allocation and tactical deployment; there will undoubtedly be players whose in-game operations may not be very agile, but they possess persuasive communication skills, allowing them to achieve their goals by navigating flexibly among multiple nations.
However, I would like to emphasize that in multiplayer games, lacking communication between players and relying solely on direct resource exchange is insufficient. At the same time, I want to clarify that I do not wish for AOE4 to overly prioritize intricate gameplay mechanics such as intrigue and alliances, similar to Paradox Interactive’s games.
Keeping the duration of multiplayer games within 30-50 minutes and incorporating more elements of strategy, communication, information exchange, and trade will greatly enrich the multiplayer gameplay and enjoyment of AOE4, allowing every player to savor the experience.
Looking forward to AOE4 getting better and better.