The way I am seeing it, it seems you need to buy the base game + DLC to have access to 3 new civs and 21 scenarios. This sort of policy wont look good in the long run. Because singleplayer only may want to play the DLC only. Forcing them to buy contents they wont even play is not a good look. Return Of Rome DLC already did that mistake and suffered greatly.
So here’s my suggestion to pricing:
DLC should be independent of base game. If you buy the DLC only then you’ll be locked out of base AOE2 if you dont own it. It’s a series of DLCs. Not a single one from what I am reading it. In that way you won’t lose players or players turning into piracy for one bad decision alone.
Devs listened to the community and with this DLC we are getting what we actually expected from Return Of Rome. So devs once again need to listen to community regarding pricings. Sure offers will be there but then again bad marketing policy can alienate a huge portion of players.
We really hope this DLC series becomes its own realm of things. A new continuation of sort. Medieval enjoyers will play with AOE2 Medieval civs while Classical enjoyers will stick to Chronicle series. Maybe one day Chronicle civs will be into matchmaking with AOE2 Medieval civs and will create asymmetric style gameplay of AOM/AOE4. Which’ll create indirect marketing of each other. Which’ll then make players to buy the game. One step at a time.
In such way game will have its longevity and its own self promotion by gameplay alone.
I think you should change the title to the summary of the topic. In that way it will be more positive. When I saw this title, I thought this will be some rant posting.
I think this is pretty different from what happened with RoR. In that DLC, they wanted to incentivize AoE1 players (especially from Vietnam) to migrate to AoE2, making them buy both the DLC and the base game.
However, Chronicles is not a total overhaul like RoR. It’s a separate gamemode that is just like AoE2 but with 3 new civs, you can apparently play with older civs against these new ones. Basically, you should see it as a campaign-only DLC. Campaign players were already buying other DLCs for the singleplayer content and getting to try new civs, so in this particular case it won’t be too different for them.
Ranked-only players will obviously skip this one tho
let’s get real. Its gonna come into ranked 100%. Romans were marketed as non-ranked civ and later we see them in the game. They gonna test the water with pro player matches and some non-ranked games. Iron out basic balances and later will be added to ranked 100%. They are starting small and once many civs are out, they’ll pit together with base AOE2 civs.
Because competitive scene is the reason why it still exist. Game was revived for this reason alone. You get 40k viewers on a 25 years old game. They will spice it up with ancient civs. Maybe not on release. Atleast down the line by 2-3 months. We gonna see them on ranked for sure.
I do want AOE2DE to be free with small rotation of free civs. But they need to gear up their anti-cheat game first to do that. Maybe they won’t since ppl still cares and buys AOE2 than any other age titles out there. Im thinking their next bet is either AOM or AOE4 to make it big. But both lacks as much contents as AOE2. So they have long way to go.
These civs are 1000 years before the fall of Rome. Are in a separate game mode. And use wildly different base mechanics. They are not going to come to ranked.
Yeah the thing is if they add more ancient civs they have a lot a lot of cool civilization, campaigns and good gameplay. The Rome at war civilizations are really unique and some of them with the 4 unique technologies feel like they offer you good strategic decisions
there really isnt much difference mechanics. Its same as calling Indian civs or Aztecs civs different. Indians got trash stable while Aztecs have to rely on Eagles. Every civs are just Britons reskinned at core. You still have every thing old.
Old Age up mechanics. checked
Virtually same base military lines with one or two new unitlines and they reskinned simply. checked
You treb the castle in the same way with new reskinned siege engine. checked
University and Monastery techs are same but renamed. checked
Real difference is with some new mechanics. Notables are:
Have 4 unique Castle tech but forced to pick 2 only.
A civ got 3 style of gameplay choice but can be changed anytime endlessly but with a choice
A civ trains 4 free unit based on age up
A civ has a TC upgrade with a choice and tied to that TC alone.
Again how much difference is that from base AOE2? Not much in long term. Still the same meta and gameplay. 90% techs are same.
Now compared to Indian and Aztec civs, they are still more or less much closer to AOE2.
Indian civs like Bengalis(only late game Elephants otherwise worthless in Castle) and especially Dravidians got trash stable and you’ll probably wont built them. Aztecs has no access to stable. Meaning you are kicking yourself out of stable line completely. Don’t forget gimmicky Shrivamsha riders too.
If you compare asymmetry of AOM/AOE4, its still lot closer to AOE2 symmetry. Just ironing out balance will make it feel closer to AOE2 Medieval civs. Units are basically reskinned.
Gameplay suggest otherwise. I am a history fan but to game, gameplay comes before historicity. AOE2 always followed this route from its inception. In theory Aztecs should never be in this game.
Also I wouldn’t surprised to see different docks for base AOE2. Water is trash in this game. There was even talks of integrating R@W Dock system to base game even. Navigating through dock page in serious fight feels obnoxious. I would rather play land maps than water. I doubt even DLC with new navals will fix it.
Think I even suggested Docks to be its population space instead of main population space. I have lost the amount of game I lost just because I over-focused water and I am pop locked. I doubt water gameplay will ever be better unless community and devs agrees to new changes.
i agree with you on land, but the civs are super different on water. the split dock and the different ship types, some with shravamsha magic shields would be a huge shake up
They were a powerful enpire in the Middle Ages. Why shouldn’t them be in the game? They have more right to be in the game than Huns (or the Thirisadai for that matter)