Re-imagining AoE II vs whole new game

Age of Empires IV IV - Discussion
1

I started playing AoE II HD edition again recently - talk about nostalgia! It made me remember why AoE II was the best in the series.

I think Relic, given their limited experience in the franchise, should consider re-imagining AoE II and the Middle ages, rather than a completely different game. I don’t mean a clunky graphics update like AoE: DE, but rather modernizing the game while keeping it’s core features. Change some things to give it a refresh

Things to keep the same

  • Overall economic system and ages
  • Some of the old map styles (black forest, Arabia, oasis)
  • Same or similar civilizations (but can add new ones)
  • Same concepts of unique units and unique techs
  • Same or similar building types
  • Same resource types + relics + trade routes
  • Keep priests/monks

Things to change

  • Redesign game engine and graphics to be 3D and for 2018, but keep far zoom levels and tidy visuals (i.e. not as visually complex as AoE III). AoE: DE is great but the engine is clunky. Add ability to rotate camera and zoom in
  • Environment: add seasons? rather than static maps; rivers can freeze over in winter, changing tactical situations. Add day and night??
  • Resources: mines can be in hillsides or subsurface (more “realistic” looking)
  • Combat: As mentioned in another post, make combat more realistic by giving formations added benefits; priests nearby make units tougher . Ranged units are more lethal but less accurate and easier to kill. Terrain and topography influence formations and unit abilities.
  • Combat AI: ranged units are smarter; they don’t just attack the closest unit by default - they attack units they are strong against first (e.g. skirmishers will target archers first).
  • Same pop limit as AoE II HD
  • More variety with maps. Aside from black forest, islands, Arabia, and oasis the other maps are all pretty much the same. Maybe add a map like Alps, or steppe. Also, HUGE maps. Like really really bigly maps
  • Add a no rush/ treaty setting in single and multiplayer where you can prevent other players from attacking before a certain time, if desired
1 Like
2

Things to change

  • Redesign game engine and graphics to be 3D and for 2018, but keep far zoom levels and tidy visuals (i.e. not as visually complex as AoE III). AoE: DE is great but the engine is clunky. Add ability to rotate camera and zoom in
    No, the engine of AoE 2 is obsolete, they at last need Bang engine. If you want 3D game.
    But old genie is an 2D sprite game. Don’t expect more.
  • Environment: add seasons? rather than static maps; rivers can freeze over in winter, changing tactical situations. Add day and night??

Add new engine, in this case. But you can try EE2

  • Resources: mines can be in hillsides or subsurface (more “realistic” looking)
  • Combat: As mentioned in another post, make combat more realistic by giving formations added benefits; priests nearby make units tougher . Ranged units are more lethal but less accurate and easier to kill. Terrain and topography influence formations and unit abilities.

Total War?

  • Combat AI: ranged units are smarter; they don’t just attack the closest unit by default - they attack units they are strong against first (e.g. skirmishers will target archers first).

Not thank you I prefer a good micro or a shortcut by the keyboard

  • Same pop limit as AoE II HD
  • More variety with maps. Aside from black forest, islands, Arabia, and oasis the other maps are all pretty much the same. Maybe add a map like Alps, or steppe. Also, HUGE maps. Like really really bigly maps
  • Add a no rush/ treaty setting in single and multiplayer where you can prevent other players from attacking before a certain time, if desired
3

A new game is fine by me. But I hope they bring all of the good stuff from all games in the franchise.

4

I’m honestly okay with either direction (AOE 2 re-imagining or new era), as long as they:

  1. Keep the population count high. I want a large scale game, not a small mini-skirmish one.
  2. It would be nice if we could control the actual paths of our trade routes, instead of having them deliberately run through enemy territory when there is an otherwise much more safe path available…
  3. keep unit behavior and formation settings. I really did not like how these seemed to be either missing or completely reworked in AOE 3…
  4. I want to build my own kingdom/ nation. Not an outpost beholden to some other kingdom/ nation. In other words, whether this is an AOE 2 style middle ages game or a pre-modern, WW1 style era title, don’t make me feel like I’m playing the part of a small outpost leader instead of a king/ emperor. Which is to say, again, not AOE 3 type.
1 Like