[SUGGESTION] More variety with profile icon style during events

[Darkness01101]

I notice a lot of the artwork for the events is lighthearted, quirky, fun-loving, cartoony, and non-serious. Wondering if a mix of more serious-toned profile icons and artworks could sometimes be mixed in, for variety? I appreciate the humor and bet they’re fun to envision/create, but I’d prefer more serious, dark, and gritty types of icons and artwork on occasion. As it is, the icons don’t incentivize me very much to do those challenges because they’re quite often bright, colorful, and clean, with a cartoony style…

I prefer my AoE experience feeling more serious. The fun ones are neat to see on occasion, and experience in-game once or twice, but they’re nothing I would want to use long-term because they don’t fit a more realistic or serious setting I’m personally looking to experience with AoE.

It’s cool that there is some of this fun stuff; but all I’m asking is to see if more serious or gritty art could be mixed in on occasion, too. Even flags that are worn or weathered could be options. More serious artwork that maybe also looks more like fine art paintings than paint-overs of 3D models in cute poses.

Same goes for things like:

or projectiles being flowers,
etc.

A lot of this stuff doesn’t fit with how I want my AoE experience to be. I know it does for some, so please keep doing some of it, as we all need some levity and comic relief from time to time. Just personally looking for more variety, though.

If this post gets no likes, then chalk it up to me being the only one who wants this and so don’t worry about it (or I wrote too much again, so got a lot of tl;dr) heh

[Parthnan]

Yes, some actual historical paintings or historically accurate depictions would do just fine, exactly what I’m looking for
No reason to avoid historical accuracy and real-world gritty bloody history in non-gameplay items like profile icons

Japanese

Spanish v Aztecs

Mongols

[PeakHornet46539]

I agree. They need to introduce some serious additions to the graphics the game has. Like the Spring Time update added new terrains/water types, civilisation colours (black, light green, lighter blue, etc) and also things like the orange bushes were added. We need stuff like that. Maybe civilisation flags should be added too. Things to add to our visual experience not nonsensical profile icons.

[JonOli12]

I still use the Legion avatar from the AoE1 DE Anniversary event, and I too would prefer more serious avatar choices for the game.
A Mounted Templar would be great!

[Darkness01101]

Those are great examples, art pieces, and good points. Thanks for the support! That’s a good point @PeakHornet46539 about terrain/trees. Stuff like just adding a new tree types, new grass type or hues, more water color options or effects, flags that wave in the breeze, on up to things like the addition of random rain or drizzle effects, and possibly the ability to add late-game props we can build to add to the look of our ‘empire’ such as flag posts, non-gameplay impacting moats, paths/trails/roads, etc. (The latter because sometimes vs. AI, I’m just building stuff for fun and artificially prolonging the game to amass wealth, build a bunch of wonders, trade carts, etc. Have long felt it’d be nice to add some design sense to my empire since I have everything else built. I know some of this stuff is already in the game, too, because you see it in campaigns or in the modding options)

[Harooooo1]

I’d like some more simplistic and realistic icons, just like how the non-event icons are done. Tbh theres plenty of icons already inside the game that they could give us, various hero icons, and even all the Buildings icons. Maybe even crossover some icons from aoe1 or aoe3 (but only those who are appropriate).

So far in all of the events, the only decent icons for me that I’d consider using are the aoe1 themed ones, and the ones from the mongol event. All the other ones feel like its a circus/clowns/everything sunny, so many glitter effects everywhere etc…

[PeakHornet46539]

They could add a scout unit which is carrying a banner of the civilisation being featured in the special event. Like a Teuton civilisation icon flag or a Mongol icon flag. That could be event specific but modders could add them into the game later as well. That’s what’s called adding more content and value. Not the stupid comical profile icons.

[Darkness01101]

I agree @Harooooo1, there’s opportunity for a lot of nice artistic variety in the icons and other creations being being developed, in order to appeal to more players over time. And that would mean more simplistic and realistic icons getting tossed into the mix at times. And good idea, @PeakHornet46539… art that can easily serve multiple civs/purposes would be great

PS: I guess my overall suggestion has evolved to that I wish for more assets to be created that embrace the era and mood of the game more, rather than getting so much anachronistic artwork and content.

• Profile icons, home screen wallpapers, in-game assets (trees, waters, rocks, waterfalls, weather, animals, statues, etc.

And for the statue at Town Center type of asset unlocks, for example, I think it would be better served to not lock the statue down to the TC’s asset, but rather just make it an asset we can build in late-game and place anywhere we want, along with flag poles, trails, cobblestone paths, etc. – a “creative mode” for AoE, so to speak, but in-game, late-game, non-ranked games. I’ve been meaning to suggest this before; just haven’t gotten around to it, and it kind’ve came up above.

[PeakHornet46539]

More animals would be nice too. Hippos, pythons/snakes, dogs, yaks, tapirs (instead of Javelina), giraffes and lionesses come to mind. Also more types of forage bushes (vine trellises, olive trees) and better looking farms (wheat, rice, maize).

[Darkness01101]

I love those ideas!

[Soldeo]

Those pictures would also work as Menu Backgrounds especially the Japanese ones.

[Darkness01101]

Bumping this thread as I see the latest event introduces more cartoony profile icons as rewards that don’t do much for me, personally. And several events have come out since this thread was created where the vast majority of perks are light-hearted, cartoony things.

Latest event brings:

I could make some profile icons for you someday if you like; ones that are more realistic and have at least some grit or realism to them. But I’d have to be paid

[Chesqin]

A note that these icons are part of the 2020 event rewards, which are being re-released in this year’s current anniversary event for anyone who missed out on them.

The latest new icons that we released were part of the Halloween event which are dark/serious. Depending on the event we’ll keep mixing in such themes in the future as well.

[Nerathion]

I personally don’t mind more cartoony icons and such, but having a few more serious ones for variety are great as well - more for everyone!

Though I will disagree on the AoE1 anniversary event icons being cartoon-y. The Legionary (?) icon is great.

Until there’s a lizard icon (don’t think Komodo Dragon is an animal icon yet!), I’ll be very happy with my Capybara icon though. Please add some lizard icons, maybe even a gecko!

[Soldeo]

I love the dark and serious icons, please have more of those!

[Darkness01101]

Ohhh, I see. Thanks for mentioning! I didn’t realize/remember they were from 2020. I think that’s awesome you’re bringing back around things that some may have missed before; like the photon man and other cheat codes, too!! Great idea

And, yes, I did notice the Halloween event have some dark/ more serious-toned artwork. Very appreciated I definitely don’t personally want or need blood to show in icons, but just grittier, more realistic, and detailed art is nice on occasion (not necessarily always all in the same image) as part of the mix.

I remember some old AoE3 concept art portraits that were pretty nice, as I recall, for example

[PeakHornet46539]

@Chesqin We would be appreciate if we could have new skins and sprites for units and buildings in the game. For instance, trade carts have been finally reskinned with civilisation-group themed models. These are great and we need more of these, not just icons. Which lend nothing to immersion.

[Darkness01101]

Yeah, I guess that’s true. I did get hung up on profile icoms a bit, but in-game content is always my preference, as talked about somewhat above.

And the options there are endless; not just units or buildings.

For example, could be…

• Environmental (different tree, berry, brush, gaia, grass, gold, stone, etc. appearances), or
• Weather or lightning-related (rain, mist, fog, sunset, sunrise, twilight, lightning flashes and/or strikes, snowfall, flurries, wind gusts, etc.), or
• Audio stuff (distant ot near thunderstorm sounds, thunder, wind, wind through trees, different Age Up sound options, different chat message received/sent sounds, different taunt options, etc.)

And all these would be realistic, not cartoony. I know some of this was already done (Spring colors, etc.), but just some quick examples.

I say not cartoony, but then I just thought for a Christmas event, berry bushes thay have candy canes dangling instead of berries might be kind of fun … if that wasn’t done before (can’t remember, but actually sounds vaguely familiar, like it was already done 1-2 yrs ago in DE event)

[PeakHornet46539]

We should get grape vines, or banana trees which should replace the forage bushes (modders can add them into game permanently without replacing the original). Also new skins for units and heroes are sorely needed.

[Mahazona]

Fixing the archers of the eyes unit graphic would be great(historically accurate skin for them).