MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted July 5, 2019 People may be aware that Age of Empires II is now getting a Definitive Edition. I thought this was an interesting read on the old AI, vs how they are going to do it in the re-re-release: http://www.ladbible.com/technology/gaming-the-ai-in-age-of-empires-2-has-been-cheating-all-these-years-20190704 Basically, the old one used to cheat, where as the new one is actually meant to use player developed strats from the past 20 years. 1 Go to top Share this post Link to post
Penchamus 411 Report post Posted July 5, 2019 4 hours ago, MasterShrive said: People may be aware that Age of Empires II is now getting a Definitive Edition. I thought this was an interesting read on the old AI, vs how they are going to do it in the re-re-release: http://www.ladbible.com/technology/gaming-the-ai-in-age-of-empires-2-has-been-cheating-all-these-years-20190704 Basically, the old one used to cheat, where as the new one is actually meant to use player developed strats from the past 20 years. Interesting that that's how the old tech used to work, I can remember the AI in AoM always feeling super over-powered at the higher AI levels to the point that you couldn't ever possibly keep up at economic levels. 2 Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted November 16, 2019 So who is interested in the Definitive Edition of AoEII? Yes, I got the HD Edition. Yes, this would be the third time I've bought the game (fourth if you could The Conquerors Expansion separately). But I could still be easily convinced if anyone wants a game. I could jump on the Microsoft Game Pass just to give it a go. I know Pench has it - is there anyone else? And then, at the same time, we have AoEIV announced: Here is the launch trailer: As Mini pointed out, this is made by Relic, which had their hands in Company of Heroes and Dawn of War. So it has great pedigree. I'm also very interested in this. Go to top Share this post Link to post
MiniSanders 588 Report post Posted November 16, 2019 I have game pass, I could be convinced to lose a night to losing a game 2 Go to top Share this post Link to post
MiniSanders 588 Report post Posted November 16, 2019 So I tried a game against bots on standard difficulty... (Second easiest) I was surviving, but only just... 1 of the AI's had charged through the first 2 ages and was just sending a stream of soldiers at me. Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted November 17, 2019 Yikes. Sounds aggressive. I'm interested in giving it a crack sometime today, if I get finished my work in good order. Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted November 18, 2019 Well I've done it. Bought the game pass for $1. Then bought the game for $18. I saved $4. Planning to have a game now I hope. Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted March 29, 2020 Decro, BP and I had a game last week; Nath might be getting AoE2DE as well if anyone wanted to try for a game later. I also grabed the texture pack from here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/p/enhanced-graphics-pack/ (which wasn't overly easy to find). You're not wrong about the AI Mini - we were under the pump very quickly. Go to top Share this post Link to post
Jebusohmighty 466 Report post Posted March 29, 2020 I'll be up for a game 1 Go to top Share this post Link to post
MiniSanders 588 Report post Posted March 30, 2020 On 3/29/2020 at 1:21 PM, MasterShrive said: Decro, BP and I had a game last week; Nath might be getting AoE2DE as well if anyone wanted to try for a game later. I also grabed the texture pack from here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/p/enhanced-graphics-pack/ (which wasn't overly easy to find). You're not wrong about the AI Mini - we were under the pump very quickly. So it wasn't just me being shit at RTS's now? Been so long since I have played a proper one I really wasn't sure. Hit me up again next time you play, if I can I wouldn't mind being the first one killed. Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted March 31, 2020 2 hours ago, MiniSanders said: So it wasn't just me being shit at RTS's now? Been so long since I have played a proper one I really wasn't sure. Hit me up again next time you play, if I can I wouldn't mind being the first one killed. Haha. I was rusty as all hell. Felt so, so bad. But definitely keen to get back into it. Anyone ever play AoEIII? I see they're going with a Definitive Edition of it next. Was probably my least favourite of the series - once we got onto Age of Mythology we never looked back. Go to top Share this post Link to post
Decroxx 815 Report post Posted March 31, 2020 It was definitely a lot easier to manage once we enabled that option that gives you a starter town to work with - my main issue was learning when and where to expand or not expand. In the first game I just floundered and was always out of resources, but in the second I had a good base to work from and actually enjoyed it. Also, having the AI on seperate teams rather than all working against us is probably a good idea. 1 Go to top Share this post Link to post
Blueberry 444 Report post Posted June 12, 2020 I Played 3 and enjoyed it thoroughly. But mythology was definitely my fave. I installed AoE 1 and 2 remasters and started playing through the campaign of 1. They have really done a lot of work with the graphical upgrade, but still has that classic AoE1 pathing ai. It was painful to watch my enormous army finally be defeated by a random tree cluster in the middle of a path. Got them nostalgia feels but i probably won't bother finishing the campaign even though they have done a lot of work to it, the roots of it are still an adjacent RTS. Will try 2 soon. Did any of you try Battle for Middle Earth 2? Probably my favourite old style RTS 1 Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted June 12, 2020 1 hour ago, Blueberry said: Did any of you try Battle for Middle Earth 2? Probably my favourite old style RTS I've never played it, but I'd probably love it given how much I enjoy Middle Earth in general. Go to top Share this post Link to post
TheLaw 860 Report post Posted June 13, 2020 1 On 6/12/2020 at 10:24 AM, Blueberry said: Did any of you try Battle for Middle Earth 2? Probably my favourite old style RTS I still have my physical copies of 1 and 2 plus the XP pack for 2. 2 Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted April 11, 2021 Age of Empires IV gameplay trailer: It does look nice. Seems to be most similar to AoEII. I could easily be sucked in. 4 Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted September 16, 2021 (edited) Age of Empires IV is having a free and open stress test over the weekend: https://www.ageofempires.com/news/ageiv-tech-stress-test/ Edit: on the Steam page you need to scroll down and sign up to the test: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1466860/Age_of_Empires_IV/ Edited September 16, 2021 by MasterShrive Go to top Share this post Link to post
Decroxx 815 Report post Posted September 16, 2021 Interesting - I've requested access now, so we'll hopefully see what it's like. 1 Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted September 16, 2021 The good thing about BF2042 being delayed a bit is I could get more time on this first. Go to top Share this post Link to post
Jebusohmighty 466 Report post Posted September 18, 2021 Age of Empires IV Technical Stress Test is now available in your library! I'm downloading now. 3 Go to top Share this post Link to post
Decroxx 815 Report post Posted September 19, 2021 How is everyone finding it so far? Go to top Share this post Link to post
bprc 1,441 Report post Posted September 20, 2021 16 hours ago, Decroxx said: How is everyone finding it so far? Pretty easily...it's in Steam. 1 3 Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted September 20, 2021 I like it. Played one last game last night. Went for over an hour. 4v4 turned into 2v4 when two of my teammates either quit or DCed. Opponents weren't very good, fortunately. They put up a wonder which we took with a minute on the clock. Then we finished them off with camels and siege cannon. I'll be playing at release, that's for sure. Go to top Share this post Link to post
Blueberry 444 Report post Posted September 23, 2021 Aoe2, the remake. Go to top Share this post Link to post
MasterShrive 2,015 Report post Posted September 23, 2021 35 minutes ago, Blueberry said: Aoe2, the remake. Yeah it certainly plays that way. Although some of the civs are more different, borrowing elements from AoM. I am disappointed there isn't the "churn" button from AoMT - where you could just set a building to produce certain units on repeat. I also expected to a see a round map like AoEIII, as the corners of a square map can obviously come with advantages. Two missed opportunities there. Go to top Share this post Link to post