The curious case of AoE 4 graphics (lots of screenshots)

Yeah, I don’t ascribe to the notion I see on here constantly about the game teetering on the edge of irrelevancy or whatever. People tend to get really melodramatic for some reason. The game is in dire need of single-player content but it is far from dead. All the AoE games have maintained a steady playerbase with great support and as long as that support continues and is not siphoned to another at the expense of the other all these games can co-exist. Safe to say these last couple of years have been a Golden Age for all of AoE. AoMRE isn’t far off, either. AoEO is going strong with support from people that love it.

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I’m not sure I’ve met anyone who loves aoe4 the way some of us love aoe3, AoM, AoE2, or (my heart) AoEO.

But I assume someone does.

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here I am, I bought it 2 times, I always play it and I continue to play it now since it came out, I read all the patches, I play it with friends and I open it almost every day, and I think it’s better then 3 and than 2 and 1 and Aom

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You can like AOE4
But here we are talking about AOE4 graphics!

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When the game, in a couple of years or more, has the content and improvements of its predecessors, then we’ll start talking.

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That is terrific. Games are made to be enjoyed. I am glad you found that same joy.

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Yes, I’m going to buy popcorns for when the bloodbath and graphic comparisons start…

Dota 2 is not an RTS, it’s a Moba…

Of course, the saga will never die…

And AoEO?..

Yes, I think it has potential and that by 2027 it will be an incredible game…

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Bang really was ahead of its time. I wonder if they add Havok as both OG AoM as well as Extended Edition missed it. Imagine using god powers and watching fancy physics-based animations

How much I wish for more SP content for AoE 4 in shape of campaigns… ^^ it doesn’t need to be historical fiction such as the Black saga from AoE 3, some campaigns where heroes themselves talk would be already fine.

But to come back to the topic: while I’m Gameplay > Graphics, I think AoE 4 could definitely need some more work on the graphics department. Something that urges me since day 1 is the fact that chicken as part of the house are static.

And bound with graphics is imo the UI. While the last big update added some flavour by having civ specific ornaments (is that the right word?) when selecting a building or unit, the icons for units, buildings and techs for my taste still feel like placeholders. Maybe Relic should take inspiration from AoE 3 by exchanging the current, rather abstract icons with stylized icons like these:


Culverin


Hussar


Bank (Dutch unique building)


Hunting Dogs

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That is exactly most of the players want to see in AOE4
It really needs life and variety!

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While I agree that they should change those simplistic icons for something more stylized, I don’t agree that they should make them the same style like those of AoE 3. Since AoE 4 takes place in the middle ages towards rennaisance era, I think icons like these are more suitable
imageimageimageimageimageimageimage
Source: Total War Attila: Age of Charlemagne

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Agreed, there is ample opportunity with the medieval setting to find a more appropriate style. There is lots of vibrancy and beauty to be found in the cultures that AOE4 explores, so there is no shortage of material.

I wouldn’t want them to directly rip off AOE3 or AOE2 for that matter. AOE4 could truly have its own look that is pleasant, the current stylistic choice is just anti-AOE in general by rejecting culture, history and art in its direction.

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Absolutely. I just used AoE 3 as an example as imo they’re the most beautiful out of the Age games.

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Yes, maybe for RT they put Havok, it will be beautiful…

Most likely, the AoE 4 campaigns will remain like those of the launch… that is, a narrator telling the development of civilization over centuries…example the Ottomans from Manzikert (1071) to Mohacs (1526)… or the Malians from Sundiata (1235) to Mansa Musa (1324)…

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You think we’ll ever get some kind of texture updates?

I get that the game likely was rushed and underfunded (or maybe not). And somethings may be jank, and that’s just how it’s gonna be. But, things like this is just too much man. This has to be adjusted at some point, right?

Like, the original World of Warcraft has the ugliest cliffs I have seen in my life. And they still look better than this.

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Is there even any specific reason to expect more campaigns? Have the devs ever once suggested they would make more? Seems like they require an awful lot of resources compared to how much they get played.

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there were some suggestions about stories to tell specifically at isgreen interview on aoe4 after x019 trailer

If they don’t, the game will crash (at least in its singleplayer facet)…

Nothing concrete, but they were doing hiring a few months back:

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EDIT:
Guess it doesn’t like Twitter links, I share the sentiment.

Level Designer sounds likely to be campaign related.

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Afaik FE previously made the AoW missions, it’d be amazing to have an all new campaign, even if its production is not on par with the base game ones.

Finally…

Difficult, I see more likely historical battles with the new civs…

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