[poll] Cosmetic DLC

Age of Empires II: DE II - Discussion
23

I guess that is more a balance issue indeed.
Developers are afraid of making regional units too strong and giving them to too many civilisations.
Conservative approach to balance. The fear of changing a >20 years old game too much.

24

In fact, the camel rider is so widespread that I would no longer call it a regional unit.

The default skin is suitable for all Middle Eastern and Central Asian civilizations, but we need at least a new skin for East Asia (Chinese and Mongols) and Africa (Ethiopians and Malians).

5 Likes
25

I mean it wasn’t a regional unit in the beginning it was more of a rare generic unit.

But even then, I guess the Camel Riders in none Middle Eastern civilisations might symbolise Muslim mercenaries instated of the native population using camels.

26

And the Heroes? Last SOTL video talk about heroes and mention the high number of unique skins for heroes much of them that only are used in one scenario

27

What buildings would you want unique skins for

I personally think, aside from castles, civs should have unique monasteries, or AT LEAST, ones based on their civilization’s most prevalent religion, right now we have Muslim Ethiopians, Catholic Byzantines and Orthodox Poles, which doesn’t make much sense

7 Likes
28

I own 0% of the existing DLCs, but I would buy the shit out of these

1 Like
29

Dawn of the Dukes is worth it just for the Jadwiga campaign tbh

1 Like
30

Good question. I would say that unique units are more of a big identifying characteristic for most civs, it’s a visual focal point and represents the elite of that culture, so those should get special treatment.

The basic tech tree is just that, basic. If you’re going to add to it, then there should be enough use of that new unit to justify its existence, instead of making it something like the Camel Scout or Winged Hussar.

31

You guys have to remember that AoE3DE exists.
The game has arguably more detailed units then AoE2DE and it has a lot more of them.
But not only does AoE3DE have more units, it has less players, that means less customers.
It if it’s worth for AoE3DE to add like 50 new units in a DLC (Knights of the Mediterranean) then it should be worth selling custom skins for generic units for AoE2DE,

Let’s count generic units (ignoring regional units):

  • Town Centre: 2 (male and female villager)
  • Barracks: 8 (Militia and Spearman line)
  • Archery Range: 8 (Archer, Skirmisher and Cavalry Archer line plus Hand Cannoneer)
  • Stable: 6 (Knight and Scout Cavalry line)
  • Siege Workshop: 10 (Battering Ram, Mangonel and Scorpion line plus Siege Tower and Bombard Cannon)
  • Monastery: 1
  • Market: 1 (is already regional)
  • Castle: 2
  • Dock: 14 (Galley, Fire Galley, Demolition Raft, Cannon Galleon lines plus Fishing Ship, Transport Ship and Trade Cog)

51 units (not counting Trade Cart)
And that’s if we count Dark Age units too. Dark Age buildings aren’t unique looking either so Dark Age units would probably not get unique Skins either.
Siege units are also debatable if they need unique skins but it might look nice in some cases like for the Rams or the Bombard Cannon.

Feudal Age units like Spearman, Archer and Skirmisher look pretty neutral too. They might need some skin colour variations though.
Man-at-Arms on the other hand look very European.

2 Likes
32

Without a crew to work them how can you make different versions?some parts of the world did not even use most of them.

33

In most cases it’s hard or unnecessary.
Also includes the 2 Castle units.

But the Rams and the Bombard Cannon should probably get regional skins.

34

i think feudal units like spearmen, scouts etc. look clearly very european since DE
but yes, militia in dark age could work without regional skin i think

35

They’re supposed to be semi-unique, also some civs they would be redundant or have bad synergy with.

“Afraid to change”, except all the new civs and units plus rather big changes over time. If we go back these past years it has changed a lot.

36

I’m gonna be the voice of disagreement here. Independent architecture and units mod was free. Forgotten could implement it natively and let modders do their thing. There were like 4 skins for Persians and some more for Byzantines. There was a barbarian build set for huns

1 Like
37

Making a architecture set for the low resolution and in the case of Forgotten Empires, none professional assets is not that hard.
But making a good looking architecture set for AoE2DE or even more complicated unit skins is pretty hard.
Not many mods manage to to that well. Romae ad Bellum is a rare exception.

But I agree that they should make regional skins modable without having to make a datamod like it’s the case now would be really nice on it’s own.

4 Likes
38

Can we get mahouts on the War Elephants and Ballista Elephant?

2 Likes
39

Would it be wild to have the trade workshop to have purpose? Something like a saloon or capitol in AoE3?

40

This thready is only about cosmetic changes not gameplay changes.

41

I’m fine with it as long as it is client side only, aka you do not force your dlc into my game

3 Likes
42

Independent architecture and units mod was client side only

2 Likes