Why is this game so hard?

[JackLiberty0]

Maybe I'm terrible, but I find this game insanely hard even on the easiest setting. I didn't try the hardest setting and I hate to imagine how more challenging that difficulty is. I am kind of new to RTS games, so how would you recommend I get better because I really want to master this game.

[hypercybermegatron]

Have you gone through the tutorial campaigns? Worth doing if you're new to the game

[JackLiberty0]

Originally posted by hypercybermegatron:

Have you gone through the tutorial campaigns? Worth doing if you're new to the game :AOEHouse:

I did.

[FTWO]

I guess they never addressed this issue yet, but for some reason Easy is harder than Standard. I do not know why.

What you got to do is get into a routine that works. Sometimes the civilization you choose can make it easier or more difficult. Look over their Technology Trees and see what unique aspect they bring to the game and what buildings/techs they can and can't use or research. That can make a difference at times.

I myself, like being the Minoan. They're simple. But their boost to the Composite Bowman is absolutely crazy. All it does it give them +2 range. Might not seem like a big deal, but having a (CHEAP) Bowman that when grouped is actually pretty strong, to have 7+5 range and can be fully upgraded... that is awesome. And they can take down so many things before they get to you, with being able to shoot from that far.

[JoshNK64]

1 tip is to find a berry bush then rush out villagers at the beginning of the game to get early food easier

[FTWO]

To go along with @JoshNK64's advice, while gathering food from the nearest Berry Bushes, have a scout Villager find another patch of Bushes, they're usually not far from where you started. Always good to have 2.

[Pioniere]

For me the game is hard because of the funky pathfinding and that priests and soldiers that runs in opposite directions. 

It might be good thing to try to control roads that leads to food, stone and gold so that the enemy can’t produce a lot of units during a siege.

Building towers for controlling important places and protect villager is good thing. Stonewalls for delaying the enemy progress. Bowmen and more professional archers will be a must for town defense to.

Having one unit for provocation so that the enemy are chasing it and then fire upon the groups of enemy troop’s works fine.

Cavalry can be good for hit and run on the enemy’s workers camps.
I use them to intercept catapults and archers.
Cavalry are also vulnerable to ballistas and they are expensive to train.
Have one or two priest(bronze.age) for healing after a skirmish or larger battle.

[kissaten_maid]

same. too hard . original aoe was easier. stop playing because of that. still waiting for fix. can't enjoy da gaem I'm used to. bring back the original ai as an option

[Dr. Scratchansniff]

I've noticed this too. I can handle games on hard with the original AoE + uPatch but on this one I have a struggle on standard. Seems like the AI has been bumped up.

[FTWO]

I'm no pro at this game. I am absolutely as casual a player as can be, but I only play on the Hardest difficulty because I felt the AI isn't as good on any other difficulty.

When it comes to Campaigns though, that is a different matter. Some were actually incredibly difficult on a higher difficulty. So if you all are referring to Campaigns, then I utterly agree with you.

However, on regular matches, I felt Easy, Standard, Moderate, or Hard to be not as challenging, so I only play those on Hardest. I been playing Age of Empires since it came out in 1997, and I played the heck out of that game, so I remember very well how the AI was back then. It was a bit easier. What I like about this AI, is that it makes me utilize buildings that I didn't use as often in the Original, such as Walls and Towers. Yes I used Towers from time to time, but barely. Now... as soon as I'm in Tool Age, I use a Villager, or 2 sometimes, to make a decent sized Wall around my base and line it with Towers.

This is how you control the (hard aspect) of the new AI, which is the relentless bombardment of units they seem to never stop sending. Plain and simple, they're stupid, lol. I always leave a small opening in my Wall and they just flock to it. If there are many units, they are forced into a small funnel opening, reducing that huge amount into an easy pick'ins force marching almost single file into your base. Yes, if they send Archers, it can get annoying, but luckily Archers don't do as much damage as quickly as melee, so that gives you time to assemble a force to counter the Archers. And never underestimate the possibility that they'll bring in Siege units, so have some fast units to take them out, maybe a few Cavalry, use them to kill the Siege, then retreat back into your base, because those Cavalry will be your soul Siege crushers, in those situations.

The Wall and Tower thing will definitely help you a bit on keeping control. It has helped me, because like I mentioned at the beginning of this Post, I am no pro at AoE, but I do manage and it shocks me that I can, lol.

[FTWO]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2352798856

This is just an example of what I mean when I say it funnels the enemies into easy targets and it works. Like I mentioned, they're stupid... so exploit that, lol.

[Lotor13]

Originally posted by JackLiberty0:

Originally posted by hypercybermegatron:

Have you gone through the tutorial campaigns? Worth doing if you're new to the game :AOEHouse:

I did.

He is troling You

This definitive edition (remaster) has a broken difficulty compare to original game

[Sylxeria]

Originally posted by karoten2:

Originally posted by JackLiberty0:

I did.

He is troling You

This definitive edition (remaster) has a broken difficulty compare to original game

Never addressed, never even acknowledged. It'd been brought up a few times on the AoE forums and everything, repeatedly at that. <shrug>

After a while of "All difficulties are Hardest" I just kind of gave up on the Campaign, and eventually just left altogether. Come back seven months later and... Not terribly surprised to see it's still an issue and still isn't acknowledged by the devs.

[Thisguy2023_TTV]

I'm not sure what people are talking about. The game is fine. The path finding is just a little worse then in the original but that's fine when you have to move with a large group just keeping sending orders. Ai didnt used to mass produce like they do now which is the closest you'll get for real battle and not that bad compare to other games I've played. I love it and I'm having a great time.

Here is some tips from and enthusiast not a pro.

Get your economy going as quickly as possible. I usually work in threes. Food, wood, stone, and gold in that order. Use fish and berries in your immediate area first. Dont knock down the woods that can serve as natural barrier until you can build walls to replace them if possible. Stone is either scarce or plentiful but always claim as much as you can. Gold is important but depending on if you can trade and whether you can build chariots might not be as important to lock down early. Always denied you enemy the recources if possible but dont directly attack villagers to you have force or towers that can withstand an attack because this usually pisses off ai
Use fishing and merchant boats to offset or complement villager count.

Send a scout or scout ship using way points to recon the map keeping sending him out to you get the picture

War galleys, towers, walls, light infantry, and archers
In that order. If it's a water map than war galleys if not move on to towers and in pairs if possible. Either way defend and claim you territory with the most recources you can create a defense around.

When building walls keep in mind never to completely wall off your recources or city as later on the ai will just send siege weapons to tack them down. Instead create a path way with wall that make enemy units walk along or around it to get to your towers that will be pinging them all the way.

After you've secured you city no matter what the scenerio go claim the recources that your scout saw earlier. Towers and wall mazes if the scenerio is going to bronze age. If not wall off and have a couple towers. If you need the recource send a couple villagers and storage pit.

These kinds of "forts" can also be used to control passage ways. You can even use island forts to control a water map. They'll constantly be under attack but oh well better than your city being attacked. This usually comes into play on custome maps rather than campaigns but is a good tactic in some scenarios

If you are successful in claiming the recources quickly just make a small army with high quality troops and siege weapons. All ways have priest with you.

If it's a water map build navies and dominate the map before you move an army in. If it's a particularly hard map create little safe harbors with villagers to repair you ships. Like in colonizing ionia your kind of limited in wood at first so saving ships is better than replacing.

My land armies are usually like this:
10 bow
10 sling
10 clube or axe men/ sword/ scademy troops later

5 cavalry

3 priest

3 catapult or 3balista with 2 catapult

Unless I'm Egyptian then its

10 chariot archers
10 chariots

And the priest and the catapults

Leaving some cheaper barracks units as home gaurd is a good idea especially on more complicated scenarios.

If the scenario is really hard and you take alot of casualty move up some villagers and make a base for replacements after you get a foothold in enemy territory.

Any way I play more for fun then anything so some of this may not be the best way but it sure is fun.

[Lotor13]

Originally posted by kellyzeek2014:

I'm not sure what people are talking about. The game is fine. The path finding is just a little worse then in the original but that's fine when you have to move with a large group just keeping sending orders....

Aside of path finding, we talk about 1/ difficulty in campaign (single player missions), the original game was balanced, but this remaster broke it

2/ difficulty in skirmish

[Thisguy2023_TTV]

Let me clarify. I dont think the problems are that bad. I like the game as is. If I can find my copy of aoe maybe I could contrast and compare but its fine.