With all these remastered old games, I’m hopping that this is Microsoft working to understand what makes a good AOE game. Hopefully we will see next a AOE 4 game that has all the best parts from all past AOE games. Well hope to see a full new game in couple of years.
So is the remaking of AoE 2 a clue for AoE 4?
There is no official word on a proper new game, and we certainly have no reason to expect they would let the cat out of the bag, even if there were a cat in a bag.
But, yes, we superfans on the outside looking in remain hopeful. Enough heat eventually makes a fire.
This is presently the most persuasive hinting I’ve seen. http://www.pcgamer.com/phil-spencer-interview-we-have-work-to-go-do-on-improving-the-windows-store-uwp/
No official word yet of course. But they seem to want to push WinStore as a viable PC platform and have voiced interest in focusing on making PC exclusive titles. If that’s the case they need a killer-app and a new high budget AoE game seems like a natural fit for that. If nothing else it is more likely to happen now than it has been in a loong time.
I feel like they are remaking everything to see how big is the following of AOE really is. To more understand what makes AOE feel like AOE. What the pros and cons are.
Looking at all of this I hope they create a new AOE game for the PC.
I feel this is (or should be) a building block towards a new AoE. I mean if it was me running the show I’d be happy doing a “practice run” renovating AoE 1; you’re rebuilding the franchise name and making some easy money but simultaneously forging a team that could build a new game worthy of AoE’s pedigree. Added bonuses of adding some meat to the windows store too.
The only thing I hope is that they don’t go further than the centuries in AOE3. Preferrably they make it in the ancient times again. A modern AOE would totally ruin the spirit of AOE
I think AOE 4 should do more focus on India, particularly Mughal era and the intense battle between muslim invaders vs hindus and sikh armies . Nobody seems to utilize that brilliant era.
I fear there is a risk that, like with HL3, the expectations some people have set may be so high as to seem unreachable. I hope that’s not the case. Personally, I would love another ancient/middle ages game - I’m really not a fan of gunpowder units (except the AoE2 ones, they were fine). I’m just gonna set my hopes low and hope for a DLC or something in August 
I think a remake of AOE3 is more likely, 2020 is the 15 year aniversary.
maybe if the devalped a new game set in the same timeframe as AOE1 (not just a remake) they could call it Age of Empires BCE
@MRAFATMAN said:
I think a remake of AOE3 is more likely, 2020 is the 15 year aniversary.
maybe if the devalped a new game set in the same timeframe as AOE1 (not just a remake) they could call it Age of Empires BCE
Well, AoE III definitely has some potential to be improved but it doesn’t really need a remake or remaster. It runs fine on modern systems in modern resolutions, even though it’s constantly a bit too zoomed-in for my taste.
On the other hand, I wouldn’t mind if they merged vanilla and the expansions into a single game (you basically already have that if you launch TAD but the selection before launch is superfluous), got rid of the CD keys in the digital release, replaced ESO, and added achievements, cloud saves and workshop support. And AoE III could use some DLC, too.
I think drawing a link between these HD remasters and the imment announcement of an AOE4 is a dangerously optimistic game to play.
However, if we are going to play it, then certainly these AOE games are an excellent way to test the waters and gauge interest in the franchise. As mentioned previously it’s also a great way to identify what features are popular and make a good Age game.
In response to the comment about gunpowder units, AOE3 actually does it very well. The strengths and weaknesses of the various units are intuitive and reflect history well. Musketeers are armed with a bayonet so are good against cavalry in close melee. Skirmishers do well at a distance armed with a long range riffles. But there’s also very good representation of traditional ‘medieval style’ units like xbows, pikes, halbs, sword cav and several others.
Remastering Age3 though, I don’t think this is very likely. The game on maximum graphics is still truly stunning with incredible textures, water effects, unit models/animations etc. It’s aged very very well and is still one of the best looking RTS games out there (of those that strive for realism). If AOE3 were to get attention I find it much more likely that a straight up expansion would come along.
But it probably won’t. Largely because it still sells very very well. AOE2, AOM and AOE1 though were essentially unmonitored though. Especially age2 which had a huge Voobly playerbase that wasn’t buying Microsoft’s game at all. It makes sense that those titles got attention, MS needed to bring those assets back into the fold and start making them profitable again.
I am however a huge advocate for an Age3 expansion. And even more so for an AOE4. You never know!
I am however a huge advocate for an Age3 expansion. And even more so for an AOE4. You never know!
I prefere a total fusion between vanilla-twc-tad with eso-c patch.
@Amphiprion said:
I am however a huge advocate for an Age3 expansion. And even more so for an AOE4. You never know!
I prefere a total fusion between vanilla-twc-tad with eso-c patch.
It’s been a while for me since aoe3. Are the all the xpacks not playable under one single executable?
No! Actualy we can play aoe3 vanilla, aoe3 TWC, aoe3 TAD and aoe3 tad eso-c patch (really good because more fair civ and balence map). This is painfull (and the reason why i don’t replay).
I know there are some very strong AoE3 fans out there, but I get the sense that Microsoft wouldn’t remake AoE3. It simply didn’t have the magic of the earlier games. I don’t have a link, but I know (at least) one of its Devs went on record to admit that AoE3 drifted a little too far away from the AoE model. I know I never embraced those cards and shipments and stuff. Just felt weird. Plus those circular maps. It just feels weird to me.
My bet is that a new game comes in a couple of years and plays an awful lot like the last build of Age of Empires Online. That game ended up being a perfect RTS, even if it took a terrible stumble at release and many patches to get there. I could see a new game focusing either on the AoE1 classical antiquity era or the AoE2 middle ages. I sorta hedge toward the former, as it would leave open the latter as a sequel.
we need the pvp of aoeo(improved on as well) and normal graphics without the mmo stuff
@bubble said:
we need the pvp of aoeo(improved on as well) and normal graphics without the mmo stuff
I loved PvE, but oh my god was PvP brilliant.
Maybe reboot aoe online via the windows store. One can only dream
Persian immortals ftw!
@LiteralTurnip42 said:
With all these remastered old games, I’m hopping that this is Microsoft working to understand what makes a good AOE game. Hopefully we will see next a AOE 4 game that has all the best parts from all past AOE games. Well hope to see a full new game in couple of years.
I suspect that they may very well go ahead with a fourth installment when the financial climate is perceived to be most opportune. It is afterall, a product with a financial objective for the current owner of the intellectual property.
My view is that there is certainly some sort of exploratory project team in existence at the moment. I would be somewhat surprised if they have left the discovery process and begun a meaningful, concrete effort.
I have several reasons for this view with the caveat that I am unfamiliar with the specific workings of MGS.
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The current recycling of older content is something that does take resources and organizational bandwidth to support. Redeveloping old glory, these are after some of the best PC titles ever created, does create a specific product strategy that would compete with and detract from an all new title. I suspect that MGS wishes to extract as much gold from the mine before they introduce a new product that could squeeze out the legacy remakes (as far as revenue is concerned).
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The risks associated with an all new RTS. RTS games are relatively complex things to make and they do not do well in the MMO environment. They take a great deal of time, talent, and effort to create (like all games) and it’s been my view that they are harder to take down the post launch DLC path. So to make one one is looking at a huge outlay for a relatively slower return. This lovely focus on making our old favorites better has a tremendous advantage of riding on a great deal of work gone before. A new title would have nothing.
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The timing may not be perceived to be good. I think that they would want to see how AOE:DE does in bringing players to the Microsoft Game Store platform. I’m sure that this project is, for some in MGS, a litmus test of some sorts.
Anyway, my thoughts on the matter.
I certainly hope that there is an effort, but I would hope that they spend the time to get it right and blast it out of the park. We would not want to have an Empire Earth 3 type situation develop here… My unbridled desire is that Age of Empires 4 will be so good we be playing it in another 20 years time. Something new and original and yet unmistakably part and parcel Age of Empires. So not too original. 
All the best,
Strategos Augustus