My conclusion is that AOE-2 players think AOE-2 is second to none and is already a perfect game, while AOE-3 players are more open to new ideas. I play AOE-3 DE almost every day for a few months, as the game is well optimized now compared to before, and the replayability and beauty and attention to detail is what makes AOE-3 so unique.
In my opinion this game (AOE-4) could have sold more if it hadn’t tried to flirt with AOE-2 players so much. Well, perfection has already been achieved for them, while others think that the saga has a lot of room for improvement.
I guess that’s why AOE-3 win here, because AOE-2 players don’t even show up here (maybe a handful).
As an AOE-3 player, I can’t say that the game is perfect, because it has things that feel outdated, but nevertheless it is still the best game in the type of thing it proposes.
Note: I think you closed the survey very quickly, I barely saw it XD.
You already have a conclusion. Why do you even need to make the poll?
Never mind. The poll is not representative. It’s not important. It’s not telling the truth. It has a too small sample size. It’s from the non-helpful people. It’s not even worth discussing. It’s not even worth discussing! It’s not even…worth discussing!!! Definitely nobody would waste their time writing long long posts to deny it.
I know many AoE 2 players who wanted to give AoE 4 a fair chance after its launch but the problems surrounding the first couple of months, like not having an editor and mods or no ranked (that was the time when Quick Play was the ranked substitute) the first five months drew them back to AoE 2.
It’s not as if they’re narrow-minded because new features and elements that are inspired by other Age games and are implemented into AoE 2 such as Flemish Revolution (literally like a AoE 3 revolution) or the First Crusade tech (basically like a Home City card) are controversial but welcomed - they just figured AoE 4 isn’t fun for them.
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say I’m pretty confident many IV players that may have never played AoE3 would welcome more Gaia, better seige physics/animations, and graphical details like what AoE3 offers with open arms.
I think AoE3 players who leave their criticisms/suggestions on this subform realize the perceived weaknesses of AoEiV are AoE3s strengths. This isn’t some devious agenda against AoEIV like some want to believe.
“huurr durr let’s muster up the salty AoE3 players that feel like they’ve been robbed of an AoE and trash talk AoEIV”
I can assure the fine folks here that enjoy AoEIV this is not happening nor is it ever the intent.
I think plenty of people would want AoE IV to get more aesthetic detail. But let’s not pretend there aren’t mechanical suggestions too (sweeping changes that would fundamentally undo the game’s current design, that is, and not “let’s make siege have more depth” or something more understandable like that), or that people advocate for a complete change of visual style (a la AoE III).
I’m sure you remember the response I got to simply voicing an opinion about III’s art style. This came overwhelmingly from advocates of that game, that also keep posting here, mainly to say how AoE IV falls short.
To me that’s indicative of a bubble. It’s one thing to post an opinion about III in III’s subforum and get a bunch of responses. It’s a bit weirder to see people in an AoE IV subforum insist I must be wrong on what is nothing more than preference of art direction / style (I’ve said many times the technical aspects of IV’s art assets that imo could do with improvement).
To me, the question is simple. Apart from the agreement over straightforward things, or the disagreement over preferences, it comes down to this:
Does the poster want AoE IV as-designed to succeed (while evolving through refinement along the way), or do they want a fundamentally different game?
To me, the Ship of Theseus is a very different concept to radical, short-term changes.
One thing out of a hundred that aoe3 players want.
And 4 civs have trash cav (like scout aoe2) in age2, 2 civs kinda alright heavy cav, 2 civs knight.
90 things are opposite
I don’t know why I have that impression (call me crazy), but many left here because of the great toxicity and negativity that existed and, from time to time, still exists. Although you are critical of AoE4, the fact that it is not in the top 3 says a lot. Others are critical of AoE4 and it is undoubtedly the most voted. And yes, many of us agree that things need to be added to the game where there are commonalities with players from other games, but then some want to change other things that already conflict with a broader playerbase.
Oh, I remember. I also got shit for defending your opinion.
And as I’ve pointed out before, perhaps in the very same discussion, but I’ll reiterate again, I’m uncomfortable with the people that constantly bring up AoE3 here but never set foot in the AoE3 subform to discuss the game there. I find it quite strange. You wouldn’t know that as someone that mainly sticks to the AoEIV section.
In short, there is a toxic element on this forum, I just don’t feel like it’s AoE3 forum members but those that use AoE3 to simply hate on AoEIV. There’s a difference in whos doing what and the motivations behind it.
And I’ve also pushed back on people that want to shoehorn AoE3 features into AoEIV. No, AoEIV does not need trading posts. I’ve also praised Relic for implementing AoE3 features while keeping the core identity of AoEIV intact. I wouldn’t be surprised if Relic asked the 3DE devs to help them flesh out some ideas. The Vizer system is well done, some of the landmarks are cool and the Malians look different but fun.
I want AoEiV to be its own thing, whether it appeals to me or not. I don’t feel robbed out of a new AoE in part because the support of 3DE has been so good.
One thing I’d love to carry over from AoEIV to 3DE is masteries. I think it’s one of IVs best features and could solve a lot of legitimate issues for new players trying to get into 3DE.
long story short: blindly hating is bad (shocker i know) but constructive criticism that points out both GOOD and BAD, well that is fine, regardless of what game is being talked atm
Important survey by Adri, so ultimately the aoe4 players do not even know the forums, as has been deduced before, hopefully at least in the published surveys of the game the true interests of the aoe4 community will be reflected
I don’t know what others think.
But I had a hard time trying to proof that my suggestions and criticisms are technically practical and can be carefully tuned to fit in the unique style of the game without violating what is already well-established, and NOT to make it sound like “because it was done like this in another game” (which would trigger a few people), whether it be color selection, artillery crew or building proportions. But still dragged into the argument of “you just want to make it another game”.
I think you weren’t there the first days the AOE-4 forum opened (before 2019). He was extremely active. After the game was released it got smaller over time.
Many people left when they felt that they were not heard, and that the game is not what they expected.
Though I do not expect aoe4 will ever be for me, so long as it occupies the placeholder of most recent game, its forum will serve as the de facto location to discuss future games and, relatedly, how aoe4 fails to meet our expectations.
Eventually the franchise will move past AoE4 and many of us will move away, leaving those who play aoe4 alone here. This has happened over and over throughout the years in this franchise.
Presently this is the best place in the world for players of all Age games to talk about the franchise generally, albeit many of us do so in the context of performing an autopsy on aoe4 to determine its various causes of death.
