@PreciousSprout very good suggestion with the in-game awards. It would be much more interesting to collect these if those things would also be available in-game.
An important part to salvage AOE4 is for me also a more “lively” AI. I made a post some time ago about this topic. Please give AI more life
Basically the AI should be more like in AOE3 where you play against someone, for example Napoleon. Even better like in the medieval game Stronghold. This would be a huge plus for casual players. It would make playing against the AI much more fun. This is also important when taunts get introduced. The AI should of course answer to a taunt. When you not play against someone like Napoleon who answers to the taunt? The whole civilization you play against?