As someone coming from other genres of games, one thing that puts me off about moving to AOE is the lack of consideration for the actual human multiplayer aspect of the game.
When playing AOE, even in multiplayer, it feels more like playing a solo game with others rather than a truly engaging multiplayer experience. I understand that this appeals to those who enjoy testing their skills, but as a casual player, it can be a highly isolating experience in my opinion.
Here are some basic multiplayer essentials that I believe should be considered:
Reconnect option: I understand that implementing this feature may be challenging, but considering that games can crash, it’s frustrating and demoralizing to lose 40 minutes of progress due to a crash. This issue can deter players who are transitioning from other games to AOE.
Pausing with limitations: A game of AOE can often last over an hour, and it’s unreasonable to expect players not to have real-life interruptions during that time. Having a pause feature with minimum and maximum time limits would be helpful.
Voice chat with language selection: I’ve heard that voice chat will be introduced soon, which is great. However, it would be beneficial to have a language selection option to address the issue of non-English speakers on teams. Communication is crucial in this game, and typing can be cumbersome. Adding features like a chat wheel or auto-communications similar to those in games like CSGO would greatly improve the experience.
Matchmaking transparency: The current matchmaking system feels random, and I’m unsure if winning or losing affects finding games better suited to my skill level (excluding ladder games). It would be helpful to have some indication or explanation of how the matchmaking system works to enhance the overall experience.
Community interaction: A messaging system within the game would be useful for players to connect with others in their area or of similar skill level. A message box for server members to communicate things like “Anyone want to party?” or “Anyone with voice chat want to queue?” would foster better teamwork and social engagement.
Skill level indicators: Instead of rthe usess user portraits, there should be a clear indicator of skill level when joining custom games or scanning lobbies. Knowing the skill level of players or being aware if you’ve been matched with someone significantly higher or lower than you would greatly improve the matchmaking experience.
“Looking to party” indicator: It would be beneficial to have a feature that allows players to indicate their interest in partying up without having to spam invites to everyone on their friends list.
Spectator mode for friends: Allowing friends to spectate your gameplay without delay would enhance the social aspect of the game and provide a way for friends to engage even when not actively playing.
Improved chat filter: The current chat filter can be overly sensitive and annoying. Adding a toggle to show or hide profanity would allow players to communicate more effectively during intense battles without being hindered by the filter, even for normal text.
I get that things like new civs and game modes are enticing to request and I totally agree that things like more casual game modes (like empire wars) and modding community improvement are really great elements to have had as directions and have made the game a lot bet.But at its core aoe4 feels way too cold to the human element of a multiplayer experience.
