as for the new water, my only nitpick is 0 reflections, rest is significantly better
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I agree, I would like siege units to disarm when destroyed…
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Yes, animations and crew.
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This so much. They had those in the past games and also had some nice death animations such as collapsing trebs in AoE 2.
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The bodies of the destroyed siege weapon was visible for a while too
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I have to say, the Handcannon Slits feature the most underwhelming effects and sound in the game. It is justifiably puny in contrast to the Cannon Emplacement, but I still feel it could have a little more going on. Some smoke, sparks, light, or at least an impact effect. Feel it shouldn’t have a jagged arc at this point either (along with most projectiles). Developers have done a good job with actual Handcannoneers, the Janissary’s new effects especially look great. The sound of these Handcannon Slits also reminds me more of a balloon blowing up than it does actual Handcannoneers.
Handcannon Slits
Cannon Emplacement for comparison. Feels, looks and is pretty powerful.
Though to be fair, I share the same opinion of the regular arrows that shoot off Outposts, TCs and Keeps. They’re quite underwhelming in presentation, sound and feel. Here is hoping that these may be revisited in the future.
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Can we do something about weapons in this game?
I doubt our playerbase is so fragile that they cannot handle a remodelling of the Guisarme that spearmen have. People will adjust just fine to seeing a new model without confusing it for another unit. The model is low quality, oversized, and completely devoid of materials–appearing white, as if it emits light (probably just an emissive material). Though I understand this is the case for most weapons.
But, look at how it is with a material that actually shows the weapons metallic properties!
Just so much better. I mean, at least give spearmen cool weapons, like in AoE2. Guisarmes gotta be the worst looking of the possible medieval weapons you could find–especially when they are modelled like they are in AoE4. And that is without mentioning the fact that many civilizations should not at all have them, and in fact, are even allocated their own individual spears, but which is bugged and has been since the beta of this game.
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Also caught a glimpse of these in the editor. Those are Byzantine specific stone gates and stone towers. Here is hoping this just means they’re finishing them up, and not that they gave up on them to instead use Ottoman assets just because its cheaper.
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Yes, maybe they will update it later…
I don’t know why Google showed me this thread randomly but this part seems pretty actual today. I mean, Relic Is now focusing on Coh3 and maybe on next Dow (but i’m not sure). It could be hard going with Essence Engine for future big updates/expansions or new titles.
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That’s what you get for wiping Ensemble Studios at its peak because of PURE GREED.
M$crosoft better didn’t do that…
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I haven’t played ever since the DLC came out (more than 8 months) and Steam charts seem to indicate the game keeps losing players. Given the lack of action around this forum nowadays, I doubt AoE IV has a ton of life left, especially considering the game hasn’t seen significant improvements to its core gameplay since launch and nothing seems to be planned for the near future.
People are waiting for AoM which fortunately still runs on the Bang! engine and will almost surely look better than this. AoE IV is old news.
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Yes, we don’t have any clues about new DLC or other Major announcments at Gamescom, the most important gaming conference in the world.
I suppose the latest layoffs intro Relic staff (many 3d artista left the Company) could have had a certain impact on the future of the game, especially for the the development of new expansions.
World’s Edge Is now fully busy on AOM Retold.
I Hope that some interviews during the Gamescom Will give us some info about the future of the franchise.
There Will be AOE5? Relic will be involved in It?
Probably Adam Isgreen Will be there, so It could be the right Place to ask him something.
Personally i asked to Everyeye (one of the main gaming site in Italy) trying to interview the WORLD’S Edge Developers. We’ll see
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I get why people think a game looks better r.e. unit detail and style, but I don’t get how anyone can look at the 00s-era heightmap style of “raise a literal square out of the surrounding terrain and blend with a gradient” and think it looks better than IV’s very natural-looking terrain and elevation.
It’s a thing, maybe it’s a minor thing. I’m looking forward to Retold! But I can’t let it go. It dates the game, and it dates the engine.
The noisemap that is AoE4’s terrain looks far from natural. It is too wild, random and unintelligent. I get what you are saying, but it doesn’t look much like an environment as much as it does a sandbox map obviously programmed to have that kind of variety.
Smart appeal would implement baked in segments to make it look like an actual place. Yet it’s just full on garbo. Bush here, bush there, fuck it spikey terrain here. That isn’t how real life looks at all, and they clearly are just using the bare minimum of terrain textures and terrain to make the most out of it without actually making an environment.
Mind you, I get why it was done this way; but compared to all the other effort in AoE4, its environment design is SEVERELY lacking. Which is unfortunate because the vast majority of what your eyeballs are looking at, is the environment. People talking so much about the importance of unit and building scale, design due to readability, yet what you’re confronted with the most (environment) looks entirely jank.
IMO its what has held AoE4 back the most out of everything. It is the first thing you see as a new player. And it doesn’t look good. The first impression matters.
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The bloom effects and unit animations make the difference for me personally.
Aoe3(de) is miles ahead in that regard over aoe4.
The way the units (and weapons) shine, the charm of the nature being displayed, the bright bloom of water in the sun, little ducks and turtles swimming in lakes, birds flying arround.
Aoe4 is p*sspoor compared to all the detail being brought up in year 2005…
And it is not just graphics, also physics and unit movement/animations.
Aoe4 seems sterile, absolutely lifeless and non-real compared.
The units in aoe3(de) move like real units, they don’t glide arround in formations or when getting through small passages.
They actually WALK aside to make space for each other, they don’t glide like water, as it happens in aoe4.
Siege weapons have crews, falconnets actually RECHARGE and BUILD UP before being able to fire and go back into packing mode, to move arround faster.
Not only that, the falcs can also move very slowly, without being pulled by a horse.
All these details were the BARE MINIMUM expectations in a game which is supposed to be superior, as it got released 16 years later, with FAR MORE advanced technology.
The units in aoe4 seem weightless, like cardboard.
Absolutely horrible to see them move.
Not to mention the massive delay in any response ingame.
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Again, compared to the very obvious “here is a tile-shaped square” extrusion that’s common to the Bang engine, the difference for me is night and day. Particularly on crafted and campaign maps.
I assume you are referring to the terrain in this comparison? In which case I do agree the shape of the terrain looks more natural in the AoE4. The AoE4 map editor has tools for simulating effects like erosion, which will be what makes the difference between the two games (no erosion would make AoE4 terrain look like AoMR).
Yeah, that’s one example. The other is how deformation / small outcrops look. I couldnt find the screenshot but there’s one I think from a promotional shot from Retold on a desert tileset where you can see what I mean. If I find it I’ll show it.
But, in AOE4 the terrain doesnt offer damage and speed buffs on most cases (except water).
AOE2 is far superior on that end, plus its gaia with plants, trees and animals make it much more lively.
AOE4 is always same in every region, same animals, same berries and it makes it boring in the end.
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