I think playing against the computer can be fun, no doubt.
But, playing against another person is a completely different experience. It just seems to me to be a much more exciting way of playing AoE, because after a while the computer falls for the same tricks, while the human opponent is unpredictable and easily overcomes the tricks.
As far as what level of player you are, I think that's hard to say. It depends on who you run into. It might be likely to say though that you haven't been forced to play at a break-neck speed that often occurs in multiplay. A good way to judge is to figure out your average times to bronze, and in what shape you're in when you bronze.
But don't worry about getting beaten... it isn't a bad thing. In multiplayer, I always learned more from being defeated than from an easy win.
My basic advice for *anyone* after being defeated is:
1. Always... ALWAYS carefully study the map after you resign or are defeated. Make sure to note how your opponent set up his buldings and villagers, it often reveals new ways of doing things. For example: did he build "offensive" structures, i.e., military buildings right on your front door that you didn't know about? Also, multiple buildings of the same type help speed up quick military buildups.
2. Just as importantly, ALWAYS study the Timeline after the game, win or lose. Were you slower than everybody in moving to the next age? The Timeline and the information screens can reveal some clues to help you perform better next time.
3. Think about what happened and why you were beaten. Are you too slow in the beginning? Are you not exploiting your race's advantages, or your opponent's weaknesses? Every unit and tactic in AoE has a counter... learning them just takes time. For all the focus on military units, the real game is won or lost on economic strength.
The main thing is to have fun!
Ara