This is looking more and more like a ‘Dawn of War 3’ situation all the time - ignore what the fans want.
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Seems like any point on my feature request thread will - if at all - be considered post launch.
They are literally shipping the stress test version to us, nothing has changed since then (except some minor visual details).
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While I’m still looking forward to the game’s launch next Thursday, I won’t lie that this isn’t a bit disappointing. Feels like the devs think that the “select all military/economic/research buildings” is adequate enough, which I don’t agree with.
I have recently started to dabble in AoE3 for the first time since forever and I have noticed that the default hot keys in AoE3 are really rigid like AoE4’s. To be clear, I am talking about the default keys and not the legacy ones. While the default AoE3 DE keys does allow you to set “Jump to X building” keys, most of the hotkeys are forced to be linked with the grid system. I have a feeling that there’s probably a shared origin between the two systems. Although AoE2 DE’s default keys also follow this same grid system, too, you can still mess with the hotkeys (e.g. you can change the house hotkey without messing with the villager, barracks, archer, swordsman, and scout hotkeys).
Because the game is less than a week from release, I doubt they have time to implement new hotkeys. Hopefully the community can express their concern and tell the devs that the hotkeys need expanding upon.
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They are out there and listening. The game will improve no doubt.
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I’m counting on it. So here’s hoping for a good launch, good reviews, and a long future ahead for the game and the genre!
The absence of a pause in multiplayer mode was so annoying during the beta test. I thought it was only in the beta test, but it looks like I was wrong. Just because of the absence of a pause, I didn’t play much in the beta test, since it’s not always possible to sit at the PC. It is a very terrible mistake not to add such a function. This is an elementary thing in RTS, which is needed by itself.
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Yes, yes they will surely improve hotkeys and zoom levels post launch Copium
Thats how it should be… nobody is arguing that the grid system can’t be a good starting point for a new player or someone who doesn’t care about using/changing hotkeys. It’s the Simon-Says attitude of the devs forcing it onto everybody that makes no sense.
All you need is one public relations dude writing a blog commenting about the common issues and have a detailed official post launch roadmap evolve with it. Still does not excuse the price, but at least would give people trust in the post launch delivery of fixes.
Stonewalling like professionals, while delivering indie level product. 
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I actually like the grid system in theory. It’s consistency is extremely nice (e.g. in AoE2, when I hit Castle Age, all I have to do is jump to archery range, click “A”, then jump to blacksmith and click “A.”). But what I want is being able to move the units/buildings/etc around within that grid system without screwing with other hotkeys. IIRC, in AoE3 DE, the barracks, stable, and siege workshop (I think it has a different name, but let’s just go with it) are placed on the keys “f”, “g”, “h.” I personally would rather have those keys be closer to the left side of the keyboard (AoE2 DE’s default hotkeys for the main military buildings are Q, W, E, R). However, in the default mode on AoE3 DE, I can’t change those specific hotkeys: I can only change the key on the grid where each building is located and changing those keys will impact other hotkeys.
Basically, I just want a middle ground.
edit: And I was also saying that the devs might have seen the default keys on AoE3 DE and ran with them.
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True. Never went deep into AOE3DE, so I was not aware. Still questionable to not allow everybody to adjust the system to their individual muscle memory and in some cases simple preference… there’s quite a lot of people who hate typical WASD-centric systems even in FPS games.
Interfacing keys is such a simple task, this would be one of the few things where they could easily please everybody (you know “inclusion”, “fairness” and all those PR-buzzwords).
Hotkeys is the biggest issu so far to me. I was ok during both beta because it was not the purpose but as it is, it’s not playable for someone who use hotkey since 15 years (which mean a lot of us).
To be clear, i wont buy the game if i can’t custome my hotkeys more than that, learning a suboptimal way to play, and relearn averything in 6 month because of hotkeys improvement, no thank you.
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If I can’t hotkey to a barracks, stable, dock, market, etc… I’m OUT.
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I’ve learned… NEVER buy a game because ‘what they’re going to do to it in the future’.
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Don’t know what the poster comparing keys on 3 to 4 is on about. 3 has amazing hotkey support, you can chose two modes and you can hotkey any action you want. ANY. ACTION. 3 has the best key support of any game I’ve ever played.
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I 100% agree.
I like this game a lot however not being able to pause in multiplayer is definitely a bad decision.
Aoe4 games can take up to 1 hour or more.
If something comes up we should be able to pause the game, even if there is a timer for it!
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They’ve had four years to make this game. If they haven’t put decent hotkey support in the game in four years I have no reason to assume they will do so in the future.
I would be pleasantly surprised if they did. But I’m not counting on it.
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Devs should stop playing the game and start implementing everything the other games had. Then afterwards play an tweak. Not the other way around. I am top 300 in aoe3 and I queue vills and army andcontinue fighting in 2 seconds. Now I will lose army trying to find my barracks….
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