Why not…
I’m not saying it should look the same, but this change might make me think about AoE 2.
Yes, I understand that this will not solve other problems of the game with regards to gameplay, but it will make it more interesting.
35 Likes
Absolutely YES. Archery range units should get such treatment as well.
Edit: Villagers from african civs should be black as well.
There is way too much suspension of disbelief right now. Still, this game is absolutely great, but it could be MARVELOUS.
9 Likes
as an option, yes
as a forced change, no. one thing i appreciate about this game (over say aoe4) is how easily one can recognize units
24 Likes
Because:
1 It’s a lot of work for the developers.
2 With all the unique and regional units running around it becomes increasingly hard to also keep track of 11 different versions of every regular unit. A ghulam as a random example is a spearman-like unit that has a completely different role from a spearman. I can recognise that unit among 3 members of the regular spearman line, 3 members of the regular eagle line, 2 members of the regular skirmisher line and the kamayuk and imperial skirmisher. But if there are at least 60 units running around that looks a bit like a guy with a spear? (11*5 for the regular spearman and skirmisher lines plus the rest.) That becomes slightly problematic.
So yeah, dive into the modding section and knock yourself out, I’d say.
Sure, buildings and ships do look different, but those are a lot bigger and thus easier to see, with less unique variants that look a bit like a regular building.
EDIT: Although I do like that in your specific proposal you have them all with the exact same weapon at least. That at least shows this angle was considered.
20 Likes
I would totally buy a DLC that overhauled the architecture a little including unque castles for each civ and regional unit skins.
I think it could be even 20 bucks or so
8 Likes
all for unit skins but they should be client side only and not tied to any DLC that has other content.
11 Likes
It would be great but i personally would be fine with just unique skins for villager based on cultures, like differenti skin colors, clothes, and such.
I’m tired of looking at that chad male villager and feel bad about myself
5 Likes
Nice art.
I think the dev can make these art elements into DLC, including units and buildings.
The dev can then add options into the Settings to let players who have bought the DLC decide whether to enable these new graphics or maintain the defaults, with options for each civ being independent. For example, you could have the Japanese put on new Japanese-style graphics, but leave the other East Asian civs with the default, etc.
In this way, the dev can even sell many combinations, such as Sassanid-themed graphics and Islamic-themed graphics for the Persians. The player can decide which style to use, and the dev can set that if the player has bought the relevant DLC, a certain style will be automatically locked in the campaign, for example, the Persians in the Battle of Bukhara will use the Sassanid-themed graphics.
Of course, all this only affects the users’ side, any possible disadvantages such as indistinguishability will be borne by the players themselves who decides to buy and enable.
2 Likes
I believe mods can do that?
Me, I’m fine the way it is. Wouldn’t want to memorize all localized versions of each unit.
4 Likes
The problem with unit skins mods is that it depends of mod’s creator to maintain mod updated… If it would be an official DLC it will always have updates and support
2 Likes
they trying going esport, they want easy and clarity on units so people know what they see right away.
This is what have been dream of.
Just take my money.
This could be only actived on the options, problem solved.
The AOE2DE graphics are not easy to mod and various updates and patches spoil mods every time. What we need is the developers, with access to all game files and the raw graphic models to make the modified unit/building graphic packs…
5 Likes
How can you make the game more serious with a cosmetic update?At best you can make it look nicer.
7 Likes
Maybe more serious in a historical sense and not require us to suspend belief seeing African villagers in pants and white skin and European monks serving the Indians…
3 Likes
They’re all war prisoners! 
1 Like
New civ concept: can’t make more villagers from castle age onward, but gets one for free for every enemy unit killed.
…and those vills are all the opponent’s skin color. 
3 Likes
I think several people would bought a regional skin DLC.
5 Likes
If its fairly cheap, why not
i think i would also buy it and enable it when playing campaigns, then disable it when playing PvP
1 Like