The proportions are among the aspects that most affect how a game looks. Even more so than textures, etc… "The proportions don’t need to be 100% accurate, but they should at least deceive the eye at first glance to make it seem that way.
There are no people looking for bad proportions in a game. Yes, there is a portion of the audience that doesn’t care about this visual aspect, just as there is another portion of the audience (where I am) that does care. But there is no one specifically seeking bad proportions
HOW THIS PROBLEM STARTED?
Proportions were designed very accurately in AoE4 origins. But unfortunately, the buildings were originally designed larger than in another AoE game. So, units were enlarged by playability reasons and that’s how the problem began.
To the previous problem, we must add that production buildings (barracks,…) were made more little from 4x4 to 3x3. So here the problem culminated. We not only had buildings disproportionate with units, but they also were disproportionate between each other.
Before:
After:
I BELIEVE I HAVE EXPLAINED HOW THE CURRENT STATE OF THE GAME’S PROPORTIONS IS DUE TO COORDINATION ERRORS DURING ITS DEVELOPMENT AND IS NOT SOMETHING INTENTIONALLY DONE FROM THE BEGINNING
Now my question is, why is the problem being perpetuated instead of being gradually addressed?
See for example this house. Even if we would make units half in size, they would continue being disproportionate with this house. HOW CAN IT BE SO DISPROPORTIONATE?
Literally the house is not more little than in another AoE games. But by some reason, it is several times worse proportionate than in AoE2, AoM, or AoE3. It is worse proportionate even than the houses of AoE1.
As I said, bad proportions are among the aspects that most detract from a game’s appearance. So, why insist on making them so poor?
HOW COULD BE CORRECT THIS ASPECT CURRENTLY?
- Houses, more taller in ages 1, 2 and 3 (and more proportionate in TIER4). There are not playability excuses. If houses can be taller in Tier 4, they can be just as taller in Tiers 1, 2 and 3.
- Production buildings (barracks, stables, etc… reduced from 4X4 to 3X3): Those buildings must be at least sightly reworked because they are not proportionate even with other buildings.
Example, see this scene in AoE1 (a game with poor proportions but all the buildings proportionate between them)
And now see a similar scene in AoE4
HOW COULD THOSE REWORKS BE? Several examples (occupying the same surface 3X3)
- Altering doors and other elements of the buildings
