Why they cannot simply deliver most people’s expectations in the past two years is a mystery. Even AOE2 suffers from it. For a whole two years, surprising bold unprecedented mind-blowing reality-shattering world-ending quantum-entangling blahblahblah, but three to four normal civs with their proper campaigns? No.
1 Like
Yea honestly everyone just wants the exact formula of what Byzantines and Japanese were. Popular civs, great presentation, unique gameplay experiences. There’s literally so many to choose from. Unlike many people here I actually think variants are a fantastic concept but variants should never have been meant to replace actual civs just add depth to the roster.
3 Likes
If variants had been an intended feature from the start, it could have been good. Properly done variants would behave similarly to Major Gods in AOM, and you wouldn’t be able to play a “Standard” version of the civ. Instead of French and “Jeanne D’Arc” French, you could have had Capet, Burgundian, and Templar variants under the French banner. But it was never an indended feature, as evidenced by the Free DLC they had to drop as the “Anniversary Edition” to drum up sales; they added 2 full civs. Variants were added to AOE4 in a desperate move to inflate the size of TSA when Relic flatlined and they couldn’t get any new civs out besides the Byzantines and Japanese. That’s why we ended up with nonsense variants originally called “The Sultan’s Army” and “The Empire of Jade”, and historically bankrupt variants like Joan of Arc (turning a woman who famously never actually fought with a weapon into a MOBA hero with a BFG arm cannon) and Order of the Dragon (in reality a glorified networking organization for nobles in the HRE under exactly 1 emperor that didn’t ever see combat) and why the DLC is completely discombulated (why do 4 of the 6 factions in the DLC have nothing to do with the rise of Arab empires?). And World’s Edge learned the wrong lesson from TSA, that variants were all that are needed to make money off of AOE4 players. The new variants are better than the original 4 but are still built on a rotten foundation.
3 Likes
That’s a pretty rude thing to say about people you don’t even know.
This is so weird.
I’m on the “side” of not throwing out a bunch of personal insults at people I have never even spoken to, met, or know anything about really. You know, the normal, reasonable, sane “side”.
You can dislike the new factions, you can even complain about it, but the moment you feel the urge to start making it personal like that, seriously just walk away from your keyboard and maybe stay away for a few days while you cool off.
2 Likes
People complaining about variants have such a tunnel vision.
Is templar a variant with more than 10 unique units ? Unique castle ? Unique ages and bonus ?
Is Ayyoubid a variant with a gameplay totally different from autistic forum building simulator from Abba ?
Is Macedonian a variant with an agressive gameplay, special collecting and crafting, a strat relying on rapid age 2 fights and no base building like the cistern one and his complexity ?
Guys common, we already know why WE, Relic and Microsoft did these choices but the last variants are just Civs without vocals and musics.
Of course we want Aztecs, Korean or Spanish.
But keeping spitting in the soup like this while many games did not have new content after some years and are just let to rot is MEH.
1 Like
They’re all Variants, make no mistakes about it. If we stop calling them that, then there’ll be no difference with Civilisations and they’ll become the same thing. A nightmare come true. But I fully understand what you mean.
The point is that Variants have to be that special to be tolerated and justified, they can’t and won’t replace a fully fledged Civ, no matter how unique and fun they are.
It’s not about “spitting in the soup”, it’s about no longer trusting the Devs on what they’ll deliver.
3 Likes
Now more than ever
- A content that majority were not expecting when you crearly announce a second bigger DLC for AoE IV
- A bunch of heroes and subfactions of a existing civ that do not represent the timespan and gameplay for AoE II
- A cancellation of a promised DLC, saying that nothing has been done for 2 and a half years in the first place and then a fake apology letter for AoE III
- A PC port of a mobile P2W game that has nothing to do with core AoE gameplay
Yeah what a LEGENDARY YEAR!
3 Likes
Yes, absolutely. It’s not just about AoE IV, it’s all the franchise going astray. It all adds up and there’s so much a fan can put up with.
3 Likes
Yeah all Age Series are going down
Beneath the Skin of MS and their obnoxious handling and decision-making
3 Likes
The problem with continuing to develop just variant civs is that it further dilutes what the game was originally presented as: a way to faithfully experience history through an RTS.
Somehow we’re expected to believe that hiring a few voice actors to speak Spanish/Nahuatl/Khmer and designing a few 3D models of buildings and units is such a herculean, costly task that the most experienced RTS studio of all time - backed by Microsoft, no less - can’t make it work.
Instead, we’re getting paid, glorified mods, that a dedicated mod team could probably turn out within a year if they had full access to the proper editor.
Don’t get me wrong, variant civs have their place, and when executed well, they can be excellent additions. The Knights Templar and Ayyubids are great examples, and the Golden Horde looks promising too.
But too many variants water down what AoE4 was supposed to be: a historical RTS that feels authentic. Disguising Vikings and Khmers as Byzantine and Delhi variants reeks of budget cuts, low effort, and wasted creative potential.
I don’t blame the devs themselves. They’re clearly working hard within the limits of the budget and time they’re given, and I believe they’re doing the best they can with those resources.
But I don’t think this is a sustainable path. Even the most dedicated fans will eventually tire of nothing but variant civs.If the direction doesn’t change soon, the game will inevitably stagnate and eventually die.
3 Likes
I liked the idea of variant civs at first and I loved the first ones.Those were fun to play but I cant say the same thing for Lancaster, I dont feel like I am playing something new,all I feel is I am playing England with new troops and a few changes.I could play Lancasters 3 or 4 times because I got bored while playing as them.And now they are going to give us another 4 variant civs.I didnt like it.Especially the Macedonian Dynasty.Those varangian units should have been belong to the original Byzantine do we really need another faction just to play varangian units?.If there is a need for norse/viking units they should have designed a nordic faction.Also why there should be new varangian units Byzantine already have varangian guard to represent them if we are looking for histrorical accuracy.What about other mercenaries Eastern Roman Empire have used,what about pechenegs or barbaric tribes served in byzantine army, will you give us another byzantian variant civs just for pechenegs?People started to share their own civ ideas here because devs have no intention to make one.Because company liked earning money from just changing and adding few things and making a new civ.I am not against the variant civ idea just make them meaningful.Here is the next variant civ Anglo Saxons .They have another “unique” longbowmen with better stats,now they can become invisible when they are near trees,also they have huskarls which replaces man at arms they are slightly better they also have a dragon flag bearer which acts like mehter now buy this.There are players,streamers that would still play the game if there were only squares,triangles and circles.But I dont want to play a civ just because they have new units.Devs dont even change whole landmarks they just change 3 of them.
1 Like
I’m disappointed the new DLC is only variants. But I’ll buy it anyway. It’s not helping the franchise to not buy new product. What the heck, it’s only seventeen bucks.
They should bring new civs next year
If not they could drop the towel on AoE IV on getting more numbers
1 Like
They don’t seem to value the franchise the way they should.
1 Like