Whats wrong with AoE3?

[Please_dont_choose_goths!]

Guys, the last few days i checked the Twitch of AoE3. I think the highest of total viewers on the AoE3 Channel was 94, mostly between 20-30. While AoE2 had mostly around 900-1500 or, just like now, about 3000. AoE4 has the most of all, almost always around 5000+

So, why is AoE3 such less viewed? Whats wrong with the game?

 

[hellhammer]

Guys, the last few days i checked the Twitch of AoE3. I think the highest of total viewers on the AoE3 Channel was 94, mostly between 20-30. While AoE2 had mostly around 900-1500 or, just like now, about 3000. AoE4 has the most of all, almost always around 5000+

So, why is AoE3 such less viewed? Whats wrong with the game?

Just that is a much different game from what AOE 2 is, in fact, it was intendeed to be a spin off of the franchise like AOM.
And the fact that when was released circa 2005-2007, you had to level up your homecity to access to better cards, which was completely stupid and isolated new players from experienced players by a massive margin and that drove away many players.
Also if you notice, AOE 3 take away drop off points of resources, tower/castle drops and more to introduce requested res from homecity, as well troops and upgrades, also, the auto thing (looking at you automans) and unlimited res is quite common here with factories/banks/shrines/torps/Kancha houses, also Flemish revolution tech toke inspiration from aoe 3 revolutions (which are balanced for aoe 3, but that mechanic has no place for aoe 2).
Campaigns are mostly around a fictional story about a secret society, but still with historical basis with TAD campaigns and DE historical battles.
Add the really large amount of damage multipliers of certain units to learn the counters and well, for some is too complicated (but at least are stated in the unit's stats, unlike with aoe 2 units).
So yea for some people aoe 3 was such abrupt change of gameplay to the point that then gained a bad reputation for most aoe 2 players, thus, hating the game to the end.
But still aoe 3 is a really good game and enjoyable time to time, and I think one thing that did better than aoe 2 DE (talking on the 3 DE ofc) are maybe the map pools, in aoe 2 there's the constant fight about arabia/arena/any other map players and thus the endless altf 4 complain of being forced to play, in aoe 3 most maps motivate players to diversify the strategies/decks.

Back to your point, is just that some of main AOE 3 streamers (Aussie Drongo, SamuraiRevolution, Fitzbro) aren't currently active with the game (doesn't mean they left the game behind, drongo and fitzbro are currently focused on AOE 4, SamRev was soo dissapointed of the 3 DE release because the absurd amount of bugs and poor perfomance that right now prefer to play other games, aslo he streams on youtube. Other streamers like Kaiserklein, Hazza, Yukietty, Harrison, Foquitaman stream occasionally and aren't that popular at the end, also that many people prefer to stream AOE 2 because is more enjoyable for most viewers.
A for tournaments, there were some sizeable ones (ESOC global championships fro example) with good prizes, and were promoted by the previously mentioned streamers, but currently with the fcous on AOE 4, that won't be the case for now.

TL;DR, Game is 80% different from AOE 2=less enjoyed for AOE 2 players, thus less enjoyed to stream and watch=less popular.

 

[Raketa]

Guys, the last few days i checked the Twitch of AoE3. I think the highest of total viewers on the AoE3 Channel was 94, mostly between 20-30. While AoE2 had mostly around 900-1500 or, just like now, about 3000. AoE4 has the most of all, almost always around 5000+

So, why is AoE3 such less viewed? Whats wrong with the game?

Could you please stop open stupid topics every ****ing day? I mean seriously what is the point ?

 

[Please_dont_choose_goths!]

Could you please stop open stupid topics every ****ing day? I mean seriously what is the point ?

No, just ignore them u unfriendly human. I will open topics when i want.

 

[SouFire]

Two things, the spherical view/camera and the deck/cards, other than that the game was good, but you don't really wanted to play it competitively.

 

[ponciliano]

That's the best idea you had for today? Come back tomorrow with a better post please.

 

[DaisyChain]

That's the best idea you had for today? Come back tomorrow with a better post please.

Should I quit AoEZone? Will I one day be a good AoEZone poster? Every day all I think about is a good AoEZone post, do you think it will work? Is it healthy? Please tell me what to do! Vote on my poll!

 

[Hoera]

AoE3 don't have Goths, making your user name useless for that game. That's why it is less popular.

 

[Hunyadi_]

The interesting part about AoE3 is that despite having more detail (when you zoom in you see more detail than in AoE2), it doesn't necessarily look better. And that's because those details are lost when zoomed out. Has a bit of a vague washed out look.

Back when it first came out that's what drove me away. I just couldn't really tell units apart. That's the catch-22 when trying to include more detail into units, it doesn't exactly look better from far. But you can't be too zoomed in either because then you lose perspective of what's going on.

That's why a game like Civ6 went with exaggerated unit sizes. It's a totally different game, I get that. But my point is that Civ6 has tons of unit detail but then sizes up the units so that you can see enjoy the graphical intricacies and, more importantly, tell the units apart.

See in this image for example, the units are as big as the mountains. No mistaking what they are.

 

[Please_dont_choose_goths!]

The interesting part about AoE3 is that despite having more detail (when you zoom in you see more detail than in AoE2), it doesn't necessarily look better. And that's because those details are lost when zoomed out. Has a bit of a vague washed out look.

Back when it first came out that's what drove me away. I just couldn't really tell units apart. That's the catch-22 when trying to include more detail into units, it doesn't exactly look better from far. But you can't be too zoomed in either because then you lose perspective of what's going on.

That's why a game like Civ6 went with exaggerated unit sizes. It's a totally different game, I get that. But my point is that Civ6 has tons of unit detail but then sizes up the units so that you can see enjoy the graphical intricacies and, more importantly, tell the units apart.

See in this image for example, the units are as big as the mountains. No mistaking what they are.

When i see this i can understand why people like aoe2 more

 

[lecracheursagacite]

I don't understand the criticism of this thread, if someone doesn't know AoE3 was AoE4 before there was AoE4 then it is valid to ask.

 

[Tempires]

1. It has less players, currently 4,290 (DE steam)+ 1000(classic steam) + ???(CD). Single player and other casuals hardly watch streams. Just look at AoE:DE numbers too

Aussie Drongo who become one of most popular aoe3 streamer and content creator with DE moved to Aoe4(and doubling his YT subs in 2 months), in general AoE3 lacks personas that provide good quality content(streams/videos) like Aussie Drongo used to make. Many Aoe3 players also play AoE4, Some notable persons from aoe3 community now work for FE (AOE4 balance/playtest and AoE3) . Some pros also seem to be a bit frustated with state of balance coming from african and mexico DLCs.

SamuraiRevolution(maybe biggest english channel) seems have not moved to DE version, and is youtube only channel like some others so don't just look at twitch numbers.

 

[The Bloodless]

The interesting part about AoE3 is that despite having more detail (when you zoom in you see more detail than in AoE2), it doesn't necessarily look better. And that's because those details are lost when zoomed out. Has a bit of a vague washed out look.

Back when it first came out that's what drove me away. I just couldn't really tell units apart. That's the catch-22 when trying to include more detail into units, it doesn't exactly look better from far. But you can't be too zoomed in either because then you lose perspective of what's going on.

That's why a game like Civ6 went with exaggerated unit sizes. It's a totally different game, I get that. But my point is that Civ6 has tons of unit detail but then sizes up the units so that you can see enjoy the graphical intricacies and, more importantly, tell the units apart.

See in this image for example, the units are as big as the mountains. No mistaking what they are.

I actually like this aesthetic much more than that of aoe4. Less "round" view than aoe4 as well, which is a big plus. However, I'm guessing the gameplay of that one is very much worse.

 

[lecracheursagacite]

I actually like this aesthetic much more than that of aoe4. Less "round" view than aoe4 as well, which is a big plus. However, I'm guessing the gameplay of that one is very much worse.

It's about on par with AoE4.

 

[Helichaos]

Maybe I just never got good enough at AoE3, but I found that at the level I was (around 25 power ranking on the old servers) all games were immediately decided by who could execute their initial build better, with very little way for the person behind to come back.

For all that people hate on walls and defensive play in aoe2, I think that's part of what makes it so popular, you can extend games more easily if you fall behind.

 

[HongeyKong]

1) Hardware requirement, most PCs coldnt even handle the game.
2) Homecity shipments give veterans advantage which has nothing to with skills.
3) Too big of a jump, both be civ variation wise and gameplay wise.

 

[jetseLinkinPark]

It is an amazing game to play casual vs the ai once in a while!

 

[lecracheursagacite]

1) Hardware requirement, most PCs coldnt even handle the game.
2) Homecity shipments give veterans advantage which has nothing to with skills.
3) Too big of a jump, both be civ variation wise and gameplay wise.

It couldn't play on every PC but the system requirements were not high-end for the time of release.