Take a look at what is currently possible in AoE 2 DE. Removing graphics and effects give players a competitive advantage in many cases, and it can destroy the presentation of the game.
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I wouldn’t use it, but I get why people would. If people play to win, not to enjoy the game, that’s on them, not me.
This is simply a matter of personal preference. If you like it, you’re welcome to play with it. If you don’t like it, then don’t do it. Your preference should not dictate how others can play.
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Couldn’t you equally argue that low graphical settings should not exist?
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Main danger that exists with too much modability is when this type of thing somehow becomes included in the base game as an option. Building range indicators I’m looking at you.
Are small trees included in the base game, too? I thought I saw that the other day, but can’t find it now. Hope not
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What is wrong with range indicators?
I agree that small trees are ugly but I don’t think it’s bad that they are an option. Options are always good.
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Sometimes you can see a range indicator for something outside your LOS which is bad. Such a thing I have seen in AoE II DE.
I just see this visual crutch as a form of sanctioned cheating when it’s included in the base game. Similar to small trees, cube objects, and other crutches and streamlinings that make the game more akin to playing an Excel spreadsheet
I don’t know if any of this stuff is allowed in ranked games, but if it is, it shouldn’t be, imo
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That should not be the case and I have never seen that happen.
The range indicator is only drawn around buildings that are visible to the player.
You mean it’s visible on buildings that are in the fog of war?
Or you mean outside of the screen?
Because both are true and both make sense.
I wish AoMR and AoE3DE had an option to always show the range of buildings, not just on hover like now.
Though it’s not as important as in AoE2 where Castles shred most units.
It’s all allowed in ranked.
If you want an immersive experience then don’t play ranked.
In ranked you have Aztecs fighting Vikings in Arabia, that is absolutely stupid and unrealistic in the first place.
Turning everything into cubes doesn’t actually give you an advantage.
Humans are better at recognising realistic looking objects then super abstract shapes. It’s easier to see if a building is a barracks by looking at the 2D sprite compared to looking at a cube with a barracks icon on it.
Small trees does give you an advantage though and I think that is kinda problematic. It shows an issue with the visibility and readability of the base game that should be addressed instead of doing this workaround.
But you also have to consider that every such visual simplification is also an accessibility feature.
People with bad eyesight need things like the unit outline setting that AoMR has to even be able to play the game, even if it looks ugly to the healthy eye.
It is also a huge difference if you play the game on a small device like a SteamDeck compared to a 40" 4K monitor.
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I have played campaigns and seen a indicator of a ranged building before spotting the building (not knowing if it is a Castle or Tower) that it represented. I have also seen the indicator after backing away once I spotted the building and no longer have current LOS of it.
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ok this is a bug and should not be the case.
Never happened to me, so maybe it was fixed.
That is intended. You know that there is a Castle/Tower/TC so you know that you will take damage there.
If the building is destroyed outside your vision (like from a 3rd player) the indicator is not removed because you don’t know the building is gone.
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Unpopular opinion: There shouldnt be range indicators for enemy buildings/units/whatever.
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Imagine playing a “competitive” game that requires you to download a bunch of mods in order to not play at a disadvantage.
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Yep. Or enable them in Options, like building range ########## (the offensive word there was: in di cat ors. 
) and idle villager alerts. Funny, I used the highly offensive term “in di cat ors” no problem in a post above.
I 
the forum filter. Works like a charm. Needs no improvement. Definitely filters out the bad apples.
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Mods shouldnt ba available in competitive. Only for casual games.
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what the hell is all that?
Curiously, in AoE IV that’s exactly why Mods are “disabled” in Ranked and Quick Party, and if you want to use them you have to create custom lobbies where all players accept, or single player aggainst the IA, thus avoiding the risk of cheating in games.
In AoE 2, on the other hand, mods are active ALL the time as long as you activate them and they visually modify things that could be considered cheats in any other multiplayer game.
And in fact, that’s what’s disappointing about playing against humans in AoE2 multiplayer, since in effect, some mods give you real cheating advantages.
What could be done is the same: Disable all mods for ranked and quick games, and only leave them activated for Campaigns, Custom Lobbies, and Editor.
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