wowgetoffyourcellphone

At the time we started making tech and unit portraits in earnest, AOE3 was the latest Age game available and the stye of icons seemed nice, so we went with that. Prior to that, our portraits were really ad hoc and AOE2-like. Todays, they are more painterly with a nice gradient background with some noise added and everything looks like a good consistent direction to me. Consistency is the important part, honestly. The phase up icons stand out for a reason, because they are the most important techs in the game and they are unique from the rest.

I feel like we are really missing opportunities to differentiate ranged units. You've hit on a few things here. Javelineers weren't used for mass clouds of raining projectiles onto enemy formations, such as how archers were used. Pitch battles, skirmishes, et al. are a lot different than a one-on-one mano-a-mano fight and different types of weapons and units are used differently in each case. We can't really depict that kind of nuance in the game, however we can twiddle with the stats to approximate these differences. I for one think that if the core game isn't going to go with hard counter bonuses (DE uses these), then the different ranged types really should lean in to their core differences. Archers are long ranged and used for massed volleys? Then make their range huge, less accurate, lower damage, but high rate of fire (2 seconds). Slingers and Javelineers are a lot more accurate, but shorter range than Archers. Slingers at 80% range of Archers, but 50% more accurate and a lower rate of fire (3s). Javelineers have the highest attack damage, shortest range, and most accuracy (due to the short range), but the longest repeat time/rate of fire (4s), to mimic their skirmishing role. The game already kind of does this, but it could lean into it more.

Ironically, I based them on the Age of Empires III age-up icons. He wants us to make them more like Age of Empires II's. What can a guy do? (nothing in this case) But in all seriousness, we are always open to new or improved artwork. There are better ways of going about proposing it though.

I'm only annoyed by the word salad here.

No, proportionally. They are too tall.

I feel like the buildings are "too vertical" in proportion. Does anyone else understand what I mean?

Nice. Possible mini-civ or mercenary camp units and/or scenario adversaries.

I'm starting to agree with this. Can still keep "Forced March" as a formation that gives a speed boost and -1 all armor (vulnerable to ambush), but only with player input.

Just do it how they do it in Age of Empires. no need to reinvent the wheel or require hotkeys.

The ship behavior might not be bad with the simpler approach. I might do some tests.

What about now? loljk

*Fewer Units

I can see that as an option. For instance, Total War games allow the player to change the size of the battalions (usually for performance reasons as well). Just need a name for it.

Excellent reference^

Basic Battering Ram -> Covered Ram tech

Updated Sentry Tower on the left, aka "Stone Outpost" for Delenda Est.

Very nice. Dyed cloths, hanging to dry.

@Obskiuras @Duileoga I think the Siege Arsenal and the Market look too close. Willing to design something new for the Market? Here's what the other markets look like, for inspiration:

For Delenda Est, I'll probably use this for a "German" mercenary camp. For base-game's Cimbri, perhaps it can be like the Spartan/Athenian/Han champion academies.

Lol true. I was mainly referring to unit types though.

They just threw everything in there huh? Lol

Temple. Before/After