They are literally forking the game as a DLC. It’s the same.
Just sayin’, but a blow to the gut would be not releasing it discounted for AoE:DE owners. Imagine buying your game multiple times.
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It’s about principle. For taking all of AoE1 and morphing it into a DLC of 2’s would be an insulting move.
The backstory is, that it’s generally accepted, that current AoE:DE is basically an abandonware, with dev input being server maintenance at most. Everybody knows, that Age of Empires: Definitive Edition was a fail, an attempt, that very shortly thereafter only served as a justification for the development of a sequel, which they enjoyed making much more.
Whether a fork or a standalone DLC, releasing it under AoE:DE store page would be a good act of reconciliation, if that’s what they’re looking for (the answer is yes, because they’re basically developing a new kind of AoE1). Also for consistency purposes, considering the time eras of the games and the full complete dataset and graphic assets taken over from, guess where, from AoE:DE.
The main motive stays though, it’s that it seems like AoE1 is going to get a better engine, and thus better treatment and love it always missed. Where will it be included and as what is a much more deep and philosophical question, not any less important in my opinion. I can imagine many AoE2 players minding the ancient DLC in their favorite medieval game.
It’s not deep or philosophical at all. They want connect the player base and use the newer endgine for possible future updates. To release that DLC under AoE 1 store page would be extremely stupid and hurt them financially in the long.
I personally want both games to stay separated, both in the multiplayer and client. I can imagine a possibility of them being connected in the editor or custom matches though.
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Wait so is this just not the civs being added to AOE2DE? Its AOE1 with the AOE2 engine where I can playing from AOE2DE?
We just don’t know. There has been zero official information from their side, only leaks by users, which do indicate this prospect. So, to answer your question, probably yes.
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I wish i could understand why some people thought we would go to 58 civs suddenly
I think AoEDE was more like a “let’s test the waters” - thing. They put out the game as true to the original as possible (with even worse pathing) and collected feedback. Based on that feedback, they then developed AoE2DE and abandoned AoEDE. I was so hyped that we finally get a playable AoE1, since I was used to AoE2, and it was nearly impossible to go back to AoE1. Well, it was also impossible to play AoEDE for me, and it still is, the game is in a terrible state.
I agree, that it would be the better move to just replace the current AoEDE with the new “forked” version and not add it as a DLC to AoE2. If they plan to add DLCs to the new version, it will only be confusing if you have DLCs for a DLC of AoE2DE.
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Would it be? AoE2DE DLCs have been pretty cheap so far.
I bought AoE3 3 times. 1 time on disc, 1 on steam (because that’s so much more convenient) and then the Definitive Edition again.
Same for AoE2. On disc, AoE2HD and then AoE2DE.
Once AoMR releases I will have bought it the 3rd time too after buying it on Disc and then the Enhanced Edition on Steam.
I only bought AoE1 twice, once on disc and then on AoE1DE on steam.
I’m very likely not the only one that did the same thing.
This would generate very little new sales.
Most customers are not following gaming news or understand how engines work.
If they make a massive update for AoE1DE most people would not notice, most gaming news would probably not even mention it.
A new DLC always gives more attention. They could have made it a DLC for AoE1DE though but I assume they want to market it to AoE2 players since they are the most likely people that would like to try out a different game in the same engine.
Also this.
100% agree.
That’s what we assume that it will be. They said “AoE1 will be ported to the AoE2DE engine” in the anniversary stream and then announced this DLC.
So we assume it’s going to be the whole AoE1 game as a separate game within AoE2DE.
How would you add 16 new ancient civilisations to AoE2DE and make them fight AoE2DE civilisations while keeping it balanced?
Egyptian Castles, Minoan Arbalester, Sumerian Trebuchets and Phoenician Cannon Galleons?
They originally planned to abandon AoE2DE to. They did not plan to keep making DLCs for it but people kept asking for it so they changed their mind. Even The Last Khans was originally planned as an AoE2HD DLC.
When AoE3DE released they already knew that they will keep supporting it.
Also there seem to be some issues with the AoE1 engine. It seems to be very hard to add new civilisations and things like that too it.
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I am pretty sure that Return of Rome will have separate exe file or you can choose which from normal aoe2 exe which you want run normal game or aoe1 version. I have seen screenshot from return of rome main menu and that pretty much tells it’s different. If thats the case then its possible you wont get even access to both things in editor.
Lets face it aoe1 and aoe2 units upgrades are effected differently. So how will that work if they are in both same game. For example armor, attack upgrades give for aoe1 +2 but in aoe2 +1 and pierce armor is in aoe1 affected by shield upgrade and in aoe2 its normal armor upgrade. One screenshot which I have seen shows that return of rome will use same stat system as aoe1, which makes me think aoe1 content will not be in aoe2 editor.
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Doesn’t make sense not to have them together in the editor.
Then which tech system will affect aoe1 units in aoe2? Do you think that both tech trees with totally different techs and effects can co exist in same game?
Why not? It can be enabled as such depending on which civilisation is selected.
Well aoe1 doest have blacksmith they have storage pit which works like lumber, miningcamp, and meat storage and also as blacksmith which has different armor techs with different bonuses.
Best which may happen its just they will add all units in editor and they will be affected by aoe2 techs and thats it.
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Right now we need to know when the %$^& DLC is coming out. Radio silence…
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It wasn’t necessarily because people were clamoring for new civs. more because aoe2de had sold so well. a larger playerbase than HD, can of course bring in more money. And why dump the most popular game in the franchise. and support the least popular with content? Makes no sense
aoe2de was never intended to cut support so early in life. HD was also supportet over a longer period of time
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The capability of the AOE2DE engine was so much more and it was a pity to have the AOE1 civs languishing. I hope that both can be hosted well on the AOE2DE platform. But I think we need to get over the ideological opposition to things like gates, siege rams, adjustment to trade systems, triggers, etc for AOE1DE. Not sure why people hated AOE1DE trade system where you could actually trade for items instead of the universal market system?
It will be more like AoE 2 HD’s “Original Game” vs “Expansions” set. With the “Original Game” set, you can only choose the AoK + AoC civs and only the maps that came out before the release of the Forgotten DLC, including differences in the tech tree. Should the DLC add all AoE 1 civs, it’ll be the same here, meaning you can’t play Assyrians vs Shang on Arena unless someone creates an Arena-like map for the AoE1 dataset.
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Yeah I’m curious how they will handle scenario and random map files.
According to one screenshot it seems to be mixture of aoe1 and some aoe2 maps or even modified version. It seems arena is there called citadel, map selection icon is identical with arena icon.