*Note don't archive this whole forum I just got here.
Where should we go from here?
Newer Concepts Ideas:
Age 1: 1850 to 1870
In this age it will be mostly about economy, the game play in this age will remind people of AoE3, the buildings will look similar and units. No cavalry or artillery can be purchased. Many economic buildings can be built but no military buildings. A basic musket infantry can be created from the town center. Watchtower and stone wall defensive structures could be built. Fishing trawlers and a warship with sails for transport could be created from the dock. Bank can be used to collect currency. A Horse-drawn carriage can be built for TC and transport 6 units quickly. Food, Wood, and Currency are most used.
Age 2: 1871 to 1890
This age will start to boom economy and start some skirmishes and small fights over land. Buildings now almost all look different. The town center looks like a 5 story building made out of brick, most buildings will be brick themed. More Production and Upgrade buildings can be created. A manufacturing plant can be built to generate currency. Riverside factories can be built to quickly produce food and units. Workers now have the ability to be converted to the lowest rank of infantry for a cost. Ironclads can be purchased and more infantry is available. Military units now use lever action and percussion cap rifles which are faster and more accurate than muskets. Gatling gun and Field Cannons can be built from Production Factory. A stable can be built and infantry can mount purchased horses. Gatling Carriages could be built as a formidable foe in clearings. Food, Wood, Coal, Iron, and Currency are all used.
Age 3: 1891 to 1910
In this age most players economies will be stable. Larger battles occur in the field. A larger variety of infantry can be purchased. A training field can be built to rank units overtime instead of wasting time standing around. A larger Variety of Artillery is now available along with extensive upgrades to all weapons from Factories. Theaters can be built to generate even more currency. Cavalry start to become less used. High ranking infantry use revolvers and swords.Docks have become ports with defensive artillery. Naval combat remains primarily the same except the addition of the 20th century warship designed to slip past slower ironclads. Workers can now dig trenches for units to hide in, watchtowers are replaced with bunkers. Infantry can now build sandbag fortifications quickly costing little currency. The airfield can be built from an expensive upgrade from the Factory. The Airfield can build Airship transports and Airship bombers. These can be shot down by town centers and some artillery. This age largely depends on Food, Currency, Iron, and Coal.
Age 4: 1911-1930
Infantry now can be equipped with semi-automatic, automatic, and bolt-action rifles. Grenades have come into us, as with mortar teams, Machine gun implacements can be built by the garrisoned infantry. AA guns can be built by workers,the town center also has one as an upgrade. Long range mounted artillery can be set up, but not moved. Small Tanks, Armored Cars, Half Tracks, Anti-Tank Vehicles, Transport Trucks, and Jeeps can now be built from Production Factories where Cavalry used to. An Armored artillery trucks replaces most cannons. Bi-Planes and Tri-Planes can be built from the Airstrip which replaced the airfield. Destroyers replaced the Ironclad, Battleships cruisers, carriers, and 20th century warships can be built. Tall apartment buildings can now be built to generate loads of currency. Barb wire replaces trenches. Tanks blocks can now be built to stop the advance of tanks. Food, Currency, Iron, and Oil play major parts in this age.
Age 5: 1931-1950
Infantry is now super advanced. Although weapons have remain largely the same rocket launchers have been added to defend against vehicles. Mono-planes, 4 engine bombers, and transport plans can now be built from and airport or aircraft carrier. Better upgrades for every naval unit is available, u-boats, and submarines have replaced the 20th century warship. Heavier tanks, and larger trucks have replaced the older ones. Radar can be purchased along with helicopters as end game technology. Radio towers can be placed a lookout beacons and bunkers are much more powerful. Most Infantry use semi-automatic rifles and handguns. Currency, Iron, and Oil will play important roles for those who achieve this age.
So as you can tell i left it semi general and left names up to Microsoft Games and Ensemble Studios. I Only wanted to share a general idea of what i'd want it to look like still keeping it simple and not taking too much from other strategy games.
What do you think, let me know?
The name I chose for the newest addition to the AoE series is well fitting. I chose World in Pandemonium because I think the best time to base it is, 1850s to 1950s, half of this time period was world wars.
Where AoE3 leaves us off there isn't a lot more history to tell, but one thing I do notice is they stop short of the civil war. They Incorporated the Ironclad and Gatling Gun , with TWC, but we all know those were made in America just around the time of civil war. Not the Revolution.
Pre American Civil War to End of World War II. This is the most Ideal time period left because we all know modern war gets old. Its all computer tracking, heat seeking, attack helicopters, bombing runs. Also most video games are based in modern times now. So 1850s to 1950s would suit just fine.
First the ages: For a 100 year span I think 5 would do fine. Also 8 civilizations work well too. I think they should be based around powers during world war II primarily,even if they weren't important in 1850. I think Civilizations should include U.S.A., U.K., France, Germany, Soviet Union, Italy, Japan, and Hungary.
I think gold should be replaced with currency and also cannot be mined. Iron on the other hand (Necessary for Most Military units) will take its place. Also Coal should be added for early ships. Once age 3 would be hit by a player (1890-1910) coal deposits would become oil deposits. Coal and Oil Mines would need to be garrisoned by workers to collect resources. This would always keep the game at 5 resources, but currency would not need to be collected. By selling other resources or having more currency generating buildings (Bank, Manufacturing Plant, Theater, Apartment Building) you would acquire currency. A new dynamic to the game would be the addition of cover. Workers would gain the ability to build stone walls in Age 1, which military units could hide behind offering some protection. Cover could be taken behind nearly any object (a building, rock, or built defensive object.) In Age 3 trenches could be built by workers and infantry could lay down sandbags. Also in defense the watchtower would be replaced with the bunker in Age 3. Instead of traditional wood and stone walls to keep out the enemy, Wire Fences would be built in Age 2. These would stop infantry but would not affect vehicles, and can be cut by any infantry(takes some amount of time). Also an option to set population cap, up to 400 or 500.
In this age it will be mostly about economy, the game play in this age will remind people of AoE3, the buildings will look similar and units. No cavalry or artillery can be purchased. Many economic buildings can be built but no military buildings. A basic musket infantry can be created from the town center. Watchtower and stone wall defensive structures could be built. Fishing trawlers and a warship with sails for transport could be created from the dock. Bank can be used to collect currency. A Horse-drawn carriage can be built for TC and transport 6 units quickly. Food, Wood, and Currency are most used.
This age will start to boom economy and start some skirmishes and small fights over land. Buildings now almost all look different. The town center looks like a 5 story building made out of brick, most buildings will be brick themed. More Production and Upgrade buildings can be created. A manufacturing plant can be built to generate currency. Riverside factories can be built to quickly produce food and units. Workers now have the ability to be converted to the lowest rank of infantry for a cost. Ironclads can be purchased and more infantry is available. Military units now use lever action and percussion cap rifles which are faster and more accurate than muskets. Gatling gun and Field Cannons can be built from Production Factory. A stable can be built and infantry can mount purchased horses. Gatling Carriages could be built as a formidable foe in clearings. Food, Wood, Coal, Iron, and Currency are all used.
In this age most players economies will be stable. Larger battles occur in the field. A larger variety of infantry can be purchased. A training field can be built to rank units overtime instead of wasting time standing around. A larger Variety of Artillery is now available along with extensive upgrades to all weapons from Factories. Theaters can be built to generate even more currency. Cavalry start to become less used. High ranking infantry use revolvers and swords.Docks have become ports with defensive artillery. Naval combat remains primarily the same except the addition of the 20th century warship designed to slip past slower ironclads. Workers can now dig trenches for units to hide in, watchtowers are replaced with bunkers. Infantry can now build sandbag fortifications quickly costing little currency. The airfield can be built from an expensive upgrade from the Factory. The Airfield can build Airship transports and Airship bombers. These can be shot down by town centers and some artillery. This age largely depends on Food, Currency, Iron, and Coal.
Infantry now can be equipped with semi-automatic, automatic, and bolt-action rifles. Grenades have come into us, as with mortar teams, Machine gun implacements can be built by the garrisoned infantry. AA guns can be built by workers,the town center also has one as an upgrade. Long range mounted artillery can be set up, but not moved. Small Tanks, Armored Cars, Half Tracks, Anti-Tank Vehicles, Transport Trucks, and Jeeps can now be built from Production Factories where Cavalry used to. An Armored artillery trucks replaces most cannons. Bi-Planes and Tri-Planes can be built from the Airstrip which replaced the airfield. Destroyers replaced the Ironclad, Battleships cruisers, carriers, and 20th century warships can be built. Tall apartment buildings can now be built to generate loads of currency. Barb wire replaces trenches. Tanks blocks can now be built to stop the advance of tanks. Food, Currency, Iron, and Oil play major parts in this age.
Infantry is now super advanced. Although weapons have remain largely the same rocket launchers have been added to defend against vehicles. Mono-planes, 4 engine bombers, and transport plans can now be built from and airport or aircraft carrier. Better upgrades for every naval unit is available, u-boats, and submarines have replaced the 20th century warship. Heavier tanks, and larger trucks have replaced the older ones. Radar can be purchased along with helicopters as end game technology. Radio towers can be placed a lookout beacons and bunkers are much more powerful. Most Infantry use semi-automatic rifles and handguns. Currency, Iron, and Oil will play important roles for those who achieve this age.
So as you can tell i left it semi general and left names up to Microsoft Games and Ensemble Studios. I Only wanted to share a general idea of what i'd want it to look like still keeping it simple and not taking too much from other strategy games.
[This message has been edited by Olympianmind (edited 03-17-2012 @ 04:17 AM).]