Anyone notice Age of Empires Online?

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Currently in closed beta, but they are taking applications for public beta.

This may be pretty fun.

 

Reminds me of Battlefield Heroes. Cartoony graphics (not that they're bad) and online-only. I'm not clear on whether this is a game you stream on your computer or if it's a stand-alone game that's simply a multiplayer version of AoE?

 

I don't know either. From what I read it almost sounds like it is a browser based AoE. That would be fun, maybe. Depends on how much they dumb it down though.

 

Yea, that's the impression I got as well. From the website it seems rather dumbed down (one civilization, limited units, buildings, techs, etc) but we'll see how it pans out. It could be a fun time-waster here and there.

 

Wha?

you mean theyre trying to make something better than age of empires 2?

that game was ridiculously balanced. you could build a thousand of whatever you wanted and win.

 

Don't want to be cynical, but it looks like a money grab aimed at the casual audience to me. Shame, AoE was/is one of the best RTS franchises.

 

nonsense. if someone built a thousand of teh direct counter they would beat you =)

I haven't found too many games these days that aren't money grabs.

maybe i'm getting old. when the latest game i play is about 4 years old. and other regularly played ones are up to 15 years old =/ yeah i still play aoe1 regularly.

 

Well, just to clarify, all games are obviously intended to make money. Sort of the point really, but there's those games that are released every so often where it's clear that the company is just trying to quickly cash in on something, without regard to actually developing a good game. For example, most movie games are like this, where the game is utter crap, and the only reason it was released is to tie into the movie and pull in a little more revenue.

These "casual" games that have popped up recently - where they microcharge the crap out of the users for DLC or gameplay advantages - just scream money-grab to me.

 

a mmorts

haven't really played any of those before, but if it incorporates everything in aoe2 and adds new features, i think it'll be a hit...as long as it's free

 

I miss the good old days, and Ensemble... My brothers, cousins and I still play AOE2: The Conquerors at any family gathering. This makes me more angry than anything... although I do like the graphical style, it isn't Age of Empires.

 

I knew what you meant.

Adding to your groups are the games taht are rushed out way to early they aren't in a playable state and are left to die.

HoI3 i'm looking at you. They got to 1.4 patch, decided that they weren't making any money out of it so released a expansion to fix more bugs which they are now fixing more bugs on. Paradox have shot themselves in the foot.

 

How's it run on your E-350?

 

It's a MMORTS, it isn't a browser game and it is quite fun. Paying grant access to special units (or better equipment) and different civilizations, btw the game alone have about 40 hours of quests and can be enojyed as F2P too. The quests can be completed in solo or in cooperative mode and the classic skirmish mode is also present. All the units can be customized with items you drop during quest or PvP matches (the item classification it's clearly WoW based with colors). I played it during the beta stage and except for the chaotic chat i really enjoyed it. Considering it's free, give it a shot, at most you will uninstall it quickly

 

No, not all. Have a look at this:
0 A.D. :: Wildfire Games
(I could name a couple of other games but this is the only one that is comparable to AoE.)

It's free (as in beer and as in freedom). Sure, it's still under heavy development and far from being done but it has great potential. Since there is no strong AI so far singleplayer mode doesn't make much sense. But if you don't mind some weird things (like animals running away while being disemboweled) it already makes a funny multiplayer game.

 

I've read it was similar to some of the older AOE games and I remember having years of fun with AOE 2. I was planning on trying it out since it was F2P but after reading about their business model I'm going to pass. Even though its F2P without paying you will be at a disadvantage as you cannot unlock all of the content just by putting in alot of time. I think I read to fully unlock one civilization you have to drop either $15 or $20 and to get all the content it is $100!!! After playing the F2P League of Legends and using its vastly superior F2P model I think AOE will suck. In LOL the only things that cost money do not have any affect on gameplay and I have paid $0 and am not at any disadvantage (may have taken me a little longer to reach max lvl and I do not have all the champions or any skins but I can compete fairly against someone who has spent well over $100).

 

This isn't AoE anymore

I still play AoE III to this day, love it!

No rush 60 matches then total carnage

 

Age of Empires Online is a good game and i have played since closed beta, but sadly its destroyed by the cash grab item store. D;
Even Starcraft 2 is cheaper in the long run.

Better to just play AoE 1, 2 or 3 off GameRanger instead.
It does Age of Mythology too. ^_^

 

then im old too, there hasnt been a good gameplay game in years that I have found, they all seem to be eye candy and under 60 hrs of gameplay before its done, redone and boring.

 

Thanks for that! installing now, it looks really great and native Linux support as well.

 

i wish they would just remake aoc with better graphics and improve upon the gameplay. kinda like a bw to sc2 kind of thing.

but gonna give this a shot because its aoe. the graphics are pretty demanding

 

Why was AoE 3 so bad compared to AoE 2?

 

aoe 3 was ok, i thought they over simplified the game. the expansions were quite upsetting and certain units are just not balanced.

there also wasnt much of an online community compared to other games.

 

aoe3 was so dumbed down. removing lack of accuracy for ranged , removing drop points, instant shipments etc.. all aimed at removing micro/macro and dumbing down the game.

 

I got in on the beta too and wasn't all that impressed to be honest. But that was quite a while ago, seems beta is still going on. I'll have to see if I can still get in.

 

the game released on aug16

 

Oh, lol.