I seem to be the only one online who thinks the Xbox port was inherently poorly conceived. I understand the need to be accessible to non-PC players and introduce them to the game, but the problem is that the game is fundamentally designed to be played with a keyboard and mouse, not a controller.
I see one of two things happening:
- The game’s automation makes the game incredibly easy for Xbox players, with no actual challenge involved at all.
- The lack of precise control makes micro impossible and kills the console version due to people being unable to keep up.
Either scenario would obviously be unhealthy for the game as a whole, and the game’s very PC-specific mechanics and controls were why I was skeptical of this port to begin with. Outside of bringing new players in, it will have to do a lot to convince me that it was a good idea, because it actually seems like a patently bad one that somehow no one thought through.
You do realise, much like how you can use an Xbox controller with a Windows machine (and probably other machines too), you can use a mouse and keyboard with an Xbox? And that the game supports this? Because they obviously “thought this through”?
I’m just wondering if you stopped to consider that at any point before pivoting to “the port will make it too easy for Xbox players”.
Odds are the controller will serve as a satisfactory way to engage with the game vs. the AI, and if players want to take this further / competitively, they can use a mouse and keyboard.
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Spirit Of The Law already made a video about this console version.
Like I though, AoE on console is shit. Game (on certain level, ofc) is heavly based on micro-management, shortcut, control groups, etc. You will never have the same flow on consoles and PC.
If devs wanted make it for some group, ok. But this is nothing worthy to being exciting. So if you already have a game (bying it twice or more - CD version, then HD on Steam, then DE) this is just another crap to drawn your money.
The majority of players never play online, so making the game easier to play for single-player console players is fine. Micro isn’t as important when playing against AI, so not being able to micro as well as keyboard and mouse is fine.
I think online games would be fine as well, as long as controller players have realistic expectations and don’t expect to be near the top of the ladder. I’d expect the vast majority of controller-only players to be in the bottom half of the ladder (1000 elo and below).
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I think this Port is for people that only have a PC/Laptop with Bad Specs, a mac or a Tablet.
I would guess some of the challenges, campaign Maps and achievrments are pretty much Impossible with a Controller. You have to have k+m.
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this is just a false dichotomy.
-As others have pointed out: you can use keyboard and mouse on the xbox. so in that case playing on the xbox port leaves you at no disadvantage
-there is at least one player who already plays on the ladder with a controller: Dave. He’s usually around 1500 elo. Also some of the pros do mouse only challenges and still beat pretty strong players. Hence it is possible to compete in the top 10% with a control disadvantage.
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Having to add extra equipment to your console to create an equivalent experience does not make it any less poorly thought out.
why? loads of people have xboxes. they can now all play aoe. if they want to play more competitively they can even play with mouse and keyboard without having to buy a PC/laptop.
it would be really nice to see how player numbers evolve in the coming months
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Most players are campaigns and SP only. When aoe2.net had the Unranked ladder it also had much more players than ranked. All those can still have much fun playing with a controller, THEY are the target audience for this, it all was designed with THEM in mind, not competitive players.
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I guess you have a point. I was mainly lashing back against the port because of its large amounts of automation, which I feel takes away skill.
for casual players that doesnt matter. in competitive play i think the control will be a big enough downside that some automation isn’t a problem
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As a Xbox player, this was a great port for me. I don’t have the resources or needs to get a gaming pc. And AOE2 and AOE4 being ported to Xbox makes the games accessible to me. The game plays fantastically on the Xbox, and it gave me a chance to try out this beloved franchise.
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Look auto nation needs be tweaked right it’s strong.
They need data and beta isn’t big enough
Making it possible for Xbox players to run AOE2DE is definitely a good thing, but cross play should be forbidden unless the gameplay is the same.
Anyhow, last update just destroyed the game for PC players, so I suppose from now on they’ll only focus on Xbox players and deprecate the PC version. Sadly.
Neither of those things will happen because the majority XBox players will be casual.
It looks like the auto eco is absolutely not worth the trade off for the worse micro.
So anyone who wants to play AoE2 competitively will plug in their mouse and keyboard into their XBox.
Even on PC the majority of players doesn’t play ranked. And on Xbox it will be even less.
No.
The majority of the player base is on PC.
There were many people out there that asked for a console version for a long time and that’s why they had to do it.
But PC will always be the main focus of this game.
Don’t jump to conclusions that quickly.
