Would anyone be interested in an updated version of Age of Empires? Now we have the tools to update civ tech trees and so on we can finally address the 10 year plus balancing issues. There are still quite a few people playing this game online (I noticed 20 to 30 playing on IGZ and around 10 to 20 playing regularly on Gamespy) so I guess there is still a need to improve the playability of the game.
Can anyone remember the main balancing issues with the game?
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In terms of actual civs:
Assyrian: as I can remember, the assyrian army consisted of mainly slingers and composite bowmen, which in AoE this civ does not have
Babylonian: no major issues, civ declines through iron age (as with history)
Carthaginian: for historical purposes, these need a greater advantage for navy (not just fire galley attack)
Choson: no major issues (good bronze age civ)
Egyptian: no major issues (priest chariot combos etc)
Greek: in my opinion a very poor civ in random map, needs a little economic boost to make it one of the best civs, as it should be!
Hittite: if this civ survives to the iron age they will dominate, possibly due to the mass choice of units available in iron age
Macedonian: no major issues (good iron age civ)
Minoan: no major issues (quite vulnerable to early rush as you are likely to boom fishing boats early in the game)
Palmyran: specialised civ, although villager armor bonus could be swapped for something more useful, such as increased village LOS
Persian: hard civ to master, and very gold dependant (no wheel, no chariot!), and little market techs available
Phoenician: powerful civ when in history more of a economic/trading empire (maybe reduce military power)
Roman: good civ, although rebalancing barrack units in general could make these a stronger civ
Shang: in my opinion, the best random map civ in the game, can tool or bronze rush with great effect, and has a good early iron
Sumerian: no major issues (maybe lose a few academy upgrades)
Yamato: in AoE a good civ (with horse bonus) but in RoR the camel counter unit will own Yamato
Proposed changes to civs:
Assyrian: add slinger, improved bowmen, composite bowmen, chainmail, remove long swordsman, legion, cataphracht and heavy catapult bonuses remain
Babylonian: remove legion bonuses remain
Carthaginian: add chainmail techs, metallurgy tech, remove centurion 25% attack added to all ships (not just fire galley), slinger attack rate +50%
Choson: add nobility tech, alchemy tech, remove helepolis unit reduce barracks hp bonus from +80 to +50
Egyptian: add broad swordsman remove 20% gold mining bonus and double farmer work rate (egypt did supply grain to greek, roman, assyrian and macedonian empires)
Greek: add broad swordsman, remove ballista tower add slinger range +1 and apply 30% faster ships to fishing boats (as well as war ships)
Hittite: add improved bowmen, composite bowmen, remove ballista tower, horse archer, heavy horse archer, elephant archer, camel rider, war elephant, armored elephant and engineering tech
Macedonian: add nobility, catapult, helepolis, remove ballista tower, heavy horse archer reduce siege workshop units cost bonus from 50% less to 25% less
Minoan: add afterlife, remove tower shield, juggernaught, camel rider, logistics, heavy catapult add bonus for axeman to have attack +1
Palmyran: add craftsmanship change bonus for villager armor to LOS + 1
Persian: add artisanship, remove horse archer, heavy horse archer bonuses remain
Phoenician: remove tower shield, scythe chariot, irrigation, centurion add trade boats bonus to increase LOS +1
Roman: remove phalanx and centurion bonuses remain
Shang: remove fire galley, camel rider, cataphracht bonuses remain
Sumerian: remove heavy transport, heavy horse archer, centurion, ballista and helepolis
Yamato: add broad swordsman, long swordsman, legion, fanaticism, phalanx, centurion, remove cataphract
Any suggestions or comments on rebalancing, or any other issues I have missed?
[This message has been edited by Rasteve (edited 04-05-2008 @ 02:40 PM).]