Many may rememember/know when Age of Empires II: The Conquerors was released in 2000, it introduced some new technologies and units into the game like Herbal Medecine, Thumb Ring, Halberdiers etc.
What I liked about Ensemble Studios approach back then, is that they keep their approach measured and honestly very elegant, by sprinkling the exciting novelties to a selected amount of civs
…Instead of giving the new stuff to almost all their new civs *cough* Supplies *cough* Gillnets *cough*
Bloodlines was no exception. As I recall back then, it used to be what I like to think of a "semi-niche" tech for Cavalry oriented civs, as I felt around half of The Conquerors (AoC) civs had Bloodlines, so I did the math and indeed, precisely half of the civs had Bloodlines.
I continued the calculations for each new expansion to see if my impressions were true, if Bloodlines was getting more and more "common"
(which both cheapens the tech and hinders strategical/unit type variety imho, which is obviously undesirable as AoE2 IS a strategy game, I mean what's more boring than every civ going hussar/cavalier…).
Worst thing is, it created a pesky feedback loop: the more civs are getting Bloodlines, the more NOT having the technology is detrimental for your civ.
And alas, the % of civs with Bloodlines are getting more and more common with every new patch, except the last two ones where both Burgundians and Bohemians don't have Bloodlines, thank God.
Anyway, tell me what you guys think, I'm curious to see if you noticed it, and if it bothers you or not!
THE MATH:
Age of Conquerors: 9/18 civs (50.00%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Franks, Japanese, Koreans, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Chinese, Goths, Huns, Mongols, Persians, Saracens, Spanish, Teutons, Turks
The Forgotten: 9/23 civs (39.13%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Chinese, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese (balance change), Magyars, Mongols, Persians, Saracens, Slavs, Spanish, Teutons, Turks
The African Kingdoms: 10/27 civs (37.04%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Ethiopians, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Berbers, Chinese, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese, Magyars, Malians, Mongols, Persians, Portuguese, Saracens, Slavs, Spanish, Teutons, Turks
Rise of the Rajas: 11/31 civs (35.48%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Ethiopians, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Malay, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Berbers, Burmese, Chinese, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese, Khmer, Magyars, Malians, Mongols, Persians, Portuguese, Saracens, Slavs, Spanish, Teutons, Turks, Vietnamese
The Last Khans (aka Definitive Edition): 11/35 civs (31.43%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Ethiopians, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Malay, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Berbers, Bulgarians, Burmese, Chinese, Cumans, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese, Khmer, Lithuanians, Magyars, Malians, Mongols, Persians, Portuguese, Saracens, Slavs, Spanish, Tatars, Teutons, Turks, Vietnamese
Lords of the West: 12/37 civs (32.43%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Burgundians, Byzantines, Celts, Ethiopians, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Malay, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Berbers, Bulgarians, Burmese, Chinese, Cumans, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese, Khmer, Lithuanians, Magyars, Malians, Mongols, Persians, Portuguese, Saracens, Sicilians, Slavs, Spanish, Tatars, Teutons, Turks, Vietnamese
Dawn of the Dukes: 13/39 civs (33,33%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Bohemians, Burgundians, Byzantines, Celts, Ethiopians, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Malay, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Berbers, Bulgarians, Burmese, Chinese, Cumans, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese, Khmer, Lithuanians, Magyars, Malians, Mongols, Persians, Poles, Portuguese, Saracens, Sicilians, Slavs, Spanish, Tatars, Teutons, Turks, Vietnamese
What I liked about Ensemble Studios approach back then, is that they keep their approach measured and honestly very elegant, by sprinkling the exciting novelties to a selected amount of civs
…Instead of giving the new stuff to almost all their new civs *cough* Supplies *cough* Gillnets *cough*
Bloodlines was no exception. As I recall back then, it used to be what I like to think of a "semi-niche" tech for Cavalry oriented civs, as I felt around half of The Conquerors (AoC) civs had Bloodlines, so I did the math and indeed, precisely half of the civs had Bloodlines.
I continued the calculations for each new expansion to see if my impressions were true, if Bloodlines was getting more and more "common"
(which both cheapens the tech and hinders strategical/unit type variety imho, which is obviously undesirable as AoE2 IS a strategy game, I mean what's more boring than every civ going hussar/cavalier…).
Worst thing is, it created a pesky feedback loop: the more civs are getting Bloodlines, the more NOT having the technology is detrimental for your civ.
And alas, the % of civs with Bloodlines are getting more and more common with every new patch, except the last two ones where both Burgundians and Bohemians don't have Bloodlines, thank God.
Anyway, tell me what you guys think, I'm curious to see if you noticed it, and if it bothers you or not!
THE MATH:
Age of Conquerors: 9/18 civs (50.00%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Franks, Japanese, Koreans, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Chinese, Goths, Huns, Mongols, Persians, Saracens, Spanish, Teutons, Turks
The Forgotten: 9/23 civs (39.13%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Chinese, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese (balance change), Magyars, Mongols, Persians, Saracens, Slavs, Spanish, Teutons, Turks
The African Kingdoms: 10/27 civs (37.04%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Ethiopians, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Berbers, Chinese, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese, Magyars, Malians, Mongols, Persians, Portuguese, Saracens, Slavs, Spanish, Teutons, Turks
Rise of the Rajas: 11/31 civs (35.48%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Ethiopians, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Malay, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Berbers, Burmese, Chinese, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese, Khmer, Magyars, Malians, Mongols, Persians, Portuguese, Saracens, Slavs, Spanish, Teutons, Turks, Vietnamese
The Last Khans (aka Definitive Edition): 11/35 civs (31.43%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Ethiopians, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Malay, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Berbers, Bulgarians, Burmese, Chinese, Cumans, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese, Khmer, Lithuanians, Magyars, Malians, Mongols, Persians, Portuguese, Saracens, Slavs, Spanish, Tatars, Teutons, Turks, Vietnamese
Lords of the West: 12/37 civs (32.43%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Burgundians, Byzantines, Celts, Ethiopians, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Malay, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Berbers, Bulgarians, Burmese, Chinese, Cumans, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese, Khmer, Lithuanians, Magyars, Malians, Mongols, Persians, Portuguese, Saracens, Sicilians, Slavs, Spanish, Tatars, Teutons, Turks, Vietnamese
Dawn of the Dukes: 13/39 civs (33,33%) don't have Bloodlines
Civs without Bloodlines: Aztecs, Britons, Bohemians, Burgundians, Byzantines, Celts, Ethiopians, Franks, Incas, Koreans, Malay, Mayans, Vikings
Civs with Bloodlines: Berbers, Bulgarians, Burmese, Chinese, Cumans, Goths, Huns, Indians, Italians, Japanese, Khmer, Lithuanians, Magyars, Malians, Mongols, Persians, Poles, Portuguese, Saracens, Sicilians, Slavs, Spanish, Tatars, Teutons, Turks, Vietnamese
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