What Makes Age of Empires IV better?

[AstronomerChris]

Thank you for your feedback @Spyken1 !

I have not met many people who favor Age of Empires III, however I respect all opinions. I too feel that it might be nice to add a replanting cost for farms and I’m pretty confused on the numerical food values currently on farms; I don’t understand the meaning at all. I also like the fact that units can be placed on the wall. This was also mentioned by another poster on this thread as it reminds us of Stronghold!

[DGPstudios]

@AstronomerChris

I’m gathering these responses mostly because I don’t know myself why I find the game addicting and enjoyable.

If you understand german I can say that GameStar summed it up pretty good in this video.

Der Riesenerfolg von Age of Empires 4 hat sehr gute Gründe

Their points being:

• Combining many elements from former Age entries as well as from other RTS titles (WC, SC)
• Pro players from across all RTS games gathering in this new RTS.
• Easy access to the game, build order less punishing
• Removing micro that do not really add any fun to the game (food decay, reseeding, instant housing)
• Reducing APM requirements so any player when losing can blame it on using the wrong strategy (didn’t go for sacred sites, used wrong unit counter) instead of 1ms wrong build order timing or because of enemy micronerds
• Villagers gathering resources faster so one raid or 2 villager difference means no game over
• Flow of the game is very good, enough peacetime in dark age, action starting in feudal really fast
• Civ variety: Beginner factions like france and england that are easy to learn vs Mongols and Delhi that open up completely new options; Civ asymmetry striking the balance between AOE 2 and 3.
• Relatively good matchmaking and big enough playerbase ensuring you do not play against pro players.

They talked about balance issues (French on water and mongol TC rush) as well, but since the foundation is very strong, most issues are fixable which is a very good sign.

[KettleBunny]

Yeah I am a hardcore og stronghold and crusader player. The rest are bad.

[marcoracosta205]

@Spyken1

Rigth now, the best “Age Of Empire” game is the least worst of them:

I think aoe3 is a incredible strategy game that doesn’t feels like a true aoe game .

@Spyken1

Units are not just pions figthing each other, you can see their behavior in the face of batle and the environnement.

I mean , this is just a stupid point. In aoe4 when a enemy unit aproches another unit the unit will prepare to protect them selfs , like with lancers and Calvary .

@Spyken1

In Age of Empire 4, I still don’t see wy some units, do no run away to a close safe location, when under attack by enemy or nature, feal like a downgrade to the series.

Simply because in aoe3 they shoot with guns and in aoe4 they fight melee , except bows of course , and sorry for saying this but I played aoe3 for over 7 years and when a musketeer is shooting a Husar and the husar aproches the musketeer will keep shooting and not running away.

@Spyken1

Also, in Age of empire 4, you can feal the plastic of the pion units, that need to stop and figth, unable to push other units around. Units buff do not affect the game play and units behavior, only slitly affect damage or resistance.

This is pure lies. Units are able to push them and also mongol buffs affect the animations of the units , seems like you haven’t played with mongols , and also mongol speed buffs make them run faster with a new animation .

@Spyken1

Having no resourcess drop off, in age of empire 3, is a series down grade.

Having resourcess all grouped in on big object, it make the game feal like a down grade, for age of empire 3 and age of empire 4. It make feal age of empire 2 a upgrade, when you look at the spread stone and gold, on the map.

I do love age of empire 4, for the new unique farm system, that separate the farm into section, that regenerate food over time. But, it is missing the farmer replanting seed, for a cost of wood? Maybe.

The age of empire series is lacking in plant and animal reproduction, but it is true that if you kill all animal and tree, they will not be able to reproduce any more.

But without having to drop off resources there is no eco gameplay my dude , aoe3 eco is just put villagers to harvest and forget about them , upgrade them slightly and that’s all .

Don’t look me wrong , aoe3 has been my favorite aoe game for 7 years but I gotta say that there are things that could been better , like a better eco gameplay for example.

[Spyken1]

@marcoracosta205

I think aoe3 is a incredible strategy game that doesn’t feels like a true aoe game .

What make aoe3 not a true aoe game?

@marcoracosta205

I mean , this is just a stupid point. In aoe4 when a enemy unit aproches another unit the unit will prepare to protect them selfs , like with lancers and Calvary .

True about that, forgot to talk about rhat, it feal like a upgrade to the aoe series, on that part.

Not every thing good, not everything is bad, but game feal like a mix up of the two. XD

@marcoracosta205

Simply because in aoe3 they shoot with guns and in aoe4 they fight melee , except bows of course , and sorry for saying this but I played aoe3 for over 7 years and when a musketeer is shooting a Husar and the husar aproches the musketeer will keep shooting and not running away.

Well, i am not waiting for a military unit to run away, but maybe change figthing position into close combat would be more acurate.

I was more talking about civillan units, to automaticaly run in town center or in a tower, then return working by it self.

@marcoracosta205

This is pure lies. Units are able to push them and also mongol buffs affect the animations of the units , seems like you haven’t played with mongols , and also mongol speed buffs make them run faster with a new animation .

Last time i check, cavalery stop charge, to attack swordmen on the batlefield, unable to push the enemy. Players need to kill units, to be able to go beyond. XD

@marcoracosta205

Don’t look me wrong , aoe3 has been my favorite aoe game for 7 years but I gotta say that there are things that could been better , like a better eco gameplay for example.

Totaly rigth on that, aoe 3 eco is the worst of the series, i can’t deny that. XD

[AgeOfAwesomenes]

I like AoE 3 the better due to the faster pace and training. As well as the deck system, units, animation, and combat. The combat in AoE 3 is much better then in 4. I will say though as someone else noted that so far AoE 4 seems more friendly for new players, and a much more casual game, which is good in my opinion. I think AoE 4 might end up being the more casual AoE game, since I’ve noticed that the games I have played so far I’m usually a pretty solid player compared to the other players in the match, and I not that good of a player really. That might change as people get into their build orders and such

[AstronomerChris]

That deck system was pretty cool but not my preference. I don’t mind if it was implemented though. I’m not really that picky except for which civilizations I can choose from as the very basic mechanics of AOE games are roughly the same. As long as I can collect resources, build and defeat I am good

[marcoracosta205]

@Spyken1

What make aoe3 not a true aoe game?

It’s a great question… I also can’t truly know why it doesn’t feel , for me is the better ambientated RTS game of all time , but for some strange reason it doesn’t feel like an aoe game , it’s strange…

[MISTERSMELL]

Didn’t you work on AOEO so you’re a bit biased?

[AndyPXIII]

I only work on AoEO as a fan. I am not a professional developer.

[MISTERSMELL]

Maybe I will try the fan server one day.