Age of Wonders 4

[Absinthe]

So, some new details!

• Looks like water gameplay (which was already fucked up in AoW 3 thanks to the removal of transports and nerfing of Wild Hunt, making naval/aquatic units undesirable) is virtually nonexistent in AoW 4.
• Unit enchantments are now applied globally to all units of a particular type with each unit automatically gaining the enchantment upkeep cost. This fucks up the mana management side of unit enchanting and unit upkeep. Normally, in AoW, you don't enchant fucking everything.
• There appears to be some "strong encouragement" to use a Paradox account when opening AoW 4. Apparently the game has difficulty starting if you don't use it.
• Story and flavortext are basically totally dead now. The RMG campaign substitute is not really making any attempt at a narrative and units do not have flavortext anymore (which I guess is almost an improvement on AoW 3's poor flavortext that actively undermined your ability to take the setting seriously).

There are also the usual launch-day problems. The game crashes a shitton, has major stability issues and significant performance issues, and the multiplayer is not working either because the servers are overburdened, have not been tested for network load appropriately, and do not possess automatic scaling either. The launch is a disaster so far, and the pre-launch reviewers are being called out.

Also, interesting Steam thread titled "State of gaming journalism": https://steamcommunity.com/app/1669000/discussions/0/3828666171744072064/

Oh, and there is already a AoW 4 DB out, made by the same guy who made the AoW 3 and AoW PF DBs: https://minionsart.github.io/aow4db/

 

[Norfleet]

except AoW 4 is even worse in this regard with stupid names like a halfling called "Ham Binger").

You new to the series or something? That guy's been around since at least AoW2, if not 1. I'm more impressed he's still alive, when's this game set?

 

[Absinthe]

I'm not. I've played AoW 1, 2, SM, and 3, but it's been years and I forgot about him. Anyway, edited my post.

 

[kangaxx]

Why can't a game just be really good for once?

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

Well, I'm doing a test run with a race of barbaric orcs who focus mostly on martial prowess and are into chaos and nature magic as support options (yeah, pretty stereotypical).

I'm enjoying it a lot so far. It looks nice, it plays nice, it's well-paced and while I experienced one crash during character creation the past two-three hours after that have been smooth so far.

But don't let my silly, shortsighted positivity stop you from bitching and whining like the usual bitter wankers you are.

 

[Absinthe]

Can't help but notice you didn't mention what made it better than previous AoWs or give a lot of detail there.

Look, there's no problem with being positive. But we're skeptical around here, we don't swallow hype, we do take note of a game's flaws and negative changes, and we're not about to start overlooking problems in the name of positivity either.

If you have the game, feel free to clue the rest of us in on what you regard to be positive changes. Seriously, I'd like to know.

 

[Norfleet]

Why can't a game just be really good for once?

Because that would be physically impossible. Entropy must always increase, thus, things must get worse.

 

[The Brazilian Slaughter]

• Looks like water gameplay (which was already fucked up in AoW 3 thanks to the removal of transports and nerfing of Wild Hunt, making naval/aquatic units undesirable) is virtually nonexistent in AoW 4.

Remember when we had a race in AOW whose entire thing was being (almost) all able to swim? Good times.

The direction the series has gone towards Water gameplay is bizarre, its like Triumph hates doing anything with it. Water gameplay was already weaker in AOW2/SM compared to AOW1 (removing separate shipyards was a mistake).

They should be leaning into it not going "Water Bad".

 

[Absinthe]

I think it's mostly a problem of not knowing what to do with it and taking the coward's way out by getting rid of it. AoW 4 also looks like it's had some cut corners shit going on. I'm pretty sure water will make a comeback eventually, probably a campaign too, but this is going to be "wait for the expansion" shit, no doubt.

 

[Norfleet]

Remember when we had a race in AOW whose entire thing was being (almost) all able to swim? Good times.

The direction the series has gone towards Water gameplay is bizarre, its like Triumph hates doing anything with it. Water gameplay was already weaker in AOW2/SM compared to AOW1 (removing separate shipyards was a mistake).

They should be leaning into it not going "Water Bad".

They never, ever, worked out getting an AI to figure out how to do water. This seems to be a fundamental failing of AI in every game, AI cannot do water. The AI either can't figure out how to invade, can't figure out how to defend itself from being invaded at sea, and/or becomes obsessed with invading people over the sea (but still can't actually do it correctly).

 

[Absinthe]

Sounds about right. "The AI couldn't handle it so we scrapped the entire mechanic!" was definitely a trend you could spot in AoW 3. It's why they fucked up unit enchantments, and probably a factor in the great reduction of overland spells too. Instead of getting better at AI, they dumbed the game down to the AI's level.

 

[Axioms]

Kinda glad I can't play this game anyways. Windows 7 supremacy.

 

[Norfleet]

Windows 7 supremacy.

Damn straight. I've been able to crowbar DX12 games into working on proper Win7, though, so I'm going to try it anyway.

Sounds about right. "The AI couldn't handle it so we scrapped the entire mechanic!" was definitely a trend you could spot in AoW 3. It's why they fucked up unit enchantments, and probably a factor in the great reduction of overland spells too.

Pretty much every modern strategy game has bandwagoned onto that, too. All the more recent Civs, CK3, etc, have all abolished transport-boat-management in favor of magic auto-transports, which, in many cases, results in the AI's entire army being easily sunk at sea because it wasn't just transport logistics it failed at when it came to naval invading.

 

[Hobo Elf]

So, some new details!

• Looks like water gameplay (which was already fucked up in AoW 3 thanks to the removal of transports and nerfing of Wild Hunt, making naval/aquatic units undesirable) is virtually nonexistent in AoW 4.
• Unit enchantments are now applied globally to all units of a particular type with each unit automatically gaining the enchantment upkeep cost. This fucks up the mana management side of unit enchanting and unit upkeep. Normally, in AoW, you don't enchant fucking everything.
• There appears to be some "strong encouragement" to use a Paradox account when opening AoW 4. Apparently the game has difficulty starting if you don't use it.
• Story and flavortext are basically totally dead now. The RMG campaign substitute is not really making any attempt at a narrative and units do not have flavortext anymore (which I guess is almost an improvement on AoW 3's poor flavortext that actively undermined your ability to take the setting seriously).

Between this and there not being a campaign, who is this game really made for? All of this looks to me like the online PvP player is the target audience for AoW4.

 

[anvi]

Everyone involved in fake reviews should be publicly executed.

 

[devoncop22]

Steam reviews now up to about 80% positive once those whines from players trying to play on non updated 10 year old potatoes have been outnumbered by satisfied players.

I have had one crash in about 5 hours to be fair with a constantly repeating tactical battle over a Bandit Den but it was easily worked oround to a prior save and it didn't reocvur.

Chaotic Ratling run for me in the tutorial mini campaign and it looks and plays really well. as someone who bounced off Planetfall due to the setting and wasn't overly impressed with AOW3 this is good news.

Customisation to filter out the woke crap is easy and replayability is off the scale.

In contrast to what some have said Magic is still very powerful on the battlefield and the variety given by the 64 Tomes of Magic and the Empire improvements shouldn't be underestimated.

Naval warfare is obviously risible but as someone who doesn't enjoy naval stuff generally it is no Biggie for me but your mileage may vary.

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

Between this and there not being a campaign, who is this game really made for? All of this looks to me like the online PvP player is the target audience for AoW4.

From what I remember the ~10 active people active on p-dox PF forums were indeed mostly pvp inclined, so maybe they were dumb enough to be influenced. It still mostly seems like they're gunning for that ripe cuck-a-dox fanbase. The focus is definitely not the same as it was with 1-3.

 

[vota DC]

So, some new details!

• Looks like water gameplay (which was already fucked up in AoW 3 thanks to the removal of transports and nerfing of Wild Hunt, making naval/aquatic units undesirable) is virtually nonexistent in AoW 4.
• Unit enchantments are now applied globally to all units of a particular type with each unit automatically gaining the enchantment upkeep cost. This fucks up the mana management side of unit enchanting and unit upkeep. Normally, in AoW, you don't enchant fucking everything.
• There appears to be some "strong encouragement" to use a Paradox account when opening AoW 4. Apparently the game has difficulty starting if you don't use it.
• Story and flavortext are basically totally dead now. The RMG campaign substitute is not really making any attempt at a narrative and units do not have flavortext anymore (which I guess is almost an improvement on AoW 3's poor flavortext that actively undermined your ability to take the setting seriously).

Between this and there not being a campaign, who is this game really made for? All of this looks to me like the online PvP player is the target audience for AoW4.

Should be hotseat. You start a party and everyone will play It.

 

[LizardWizard]

Lel, seems that the release build is p broken. Off to that tasty Mixed start.

What mixed start?

up to date one

Massive sample size.

It's at 79% Mostly Positive now.

Personally haven't experienced any crashes. Shadow Magic still the best in the series though.

 

[Raghar]

Between this and there not being a campaign, who is this game really made for? All of this looks to me like the online PvP player is the target audience for AoW4.

From what I remember the ~10 active people active on p-dox PF forums were indeed mostly pvp inclined, so maybe they were dumb enough to be influenced. It still mostly seems like they're gunning for that ripe cuck-a-dox fanbase. The focus is definitely not the same as it was with 1-3.

People who want MP would pay, and then Paradox earns money on DLC. It's same shit they tried with Stellaris, and many other games. Nowadays they cuts costs of development, and don't even bother with campaign, and proper automap generator for playing random maps against AI.

Basically it's the same shit like 700 years ago. When shit product would get them money, why would they care?

 

[Dr1f7]

did people even play the campaigns in these games? I always just ran scenarios
same with homm3 etc..

 

[Lacrymas]

did people even play the campaigns in these games? I always just ran scenarios
same with homm3 etc..

Some of us did play the campaigns and the scenarios. It turns out we are the deviant ones, though.

 

[Dr1f7]

did people even play the campaigns in these games? I always just ran scenarios
same with homm3 etc..

Some of us did play the campaigns and the scenarios. It turns out we are the deviant ones, though.

maybe I'll make a custom campaign for you guys. I've been wanting to work on my story telling
you'll play humans and the story goes something like

"LORD LACRYMAS! THE ORCS ARE INVADING!! WE MUST DEFEND OUR TERRITORY, AND THEN RECAPTURE THE LAND THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN!"
that's the first few missions
then the next few missions are like
"LORD LACRYMAS! THE UNDEAD ARE DESTROYING OUR VILLAGES!!! OH NO! WE MUST DEFEND OUR TERRITORY, AND THEN RECAPTURE THE LAND THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN!"

just need to add a few details and whabam I'll have one written right up for yall

 

[Absinthe]

did people even play the campaigns in these games? I always just ran scenarios
same with homm3 etc..

Not in AoW 3 as the main campaign sucked and had an uninteresting plot, but in AoW 1, 2, and SM, yes.

Hell if you are playing AoW 1 and you don't play the campaign, you are a deviant.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

did people even play the campaigns in these games? I always just ran scenarios
same with homm3 etc..

Some of us did play the campaigns and the scenarios. It turns out we are the deviant ones, though.

maybe I'll make a custom campaign for you guys. I've been wanting to work on my story telling
you'll play humans and the story goes something like

"LORD LACRYMAS! THE ORCS ARE INVADING!! WE MUST DEFEND OUR TERRITORY, AND THEN RECAPTURE THE LAND THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN!"
that's the first few missions
then the next few missions are like
"LORD LACRYMAS! THE UNDEAD ARE DESTROYING OUR VILLAGES!!! OH NO! WE MUST DEFEND OUR TERRITORY, AND THEN RECAPTURE THE LAND THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN!"

just need to add a few details and whabam I'll have one written right up for yall

Not enough castrati paladins 0/10 would not play in foreign language to improve linguistic proficiency.