Age of Empires 4 developer interview: On unique new Hands on History feature, new strategy, and more

Age of Empires IV Gameplay Reveal Source: Microsoft

Age of Empires 4 is dropping into our eager easily this month, launching exclusively on PC Oct. 28. Nosotros nigh recently received new information at Gamescom 2022, where the game'southward massive "Hands on History" feature was revealed alongside the residuum of the civilizations and campaigns included at launch.

I was lucky plenty to speak with World'due south Border Creative Managing director Adam Isgreen and Relic Entertainment Game Managing director Quinn Duffy to discuss this unconventional storytelling method, as well equally early on-game strategies, naval warfare, launch content, and what's coming after release.

Doing to history what Summit Gear did to automobile culture

Hands on History is something unlike the Age of Empires series has ever seen, though information technology was certainly inspired by previous games and their heavy focus on our exciting past. In my previous Historic period of Empires 4 programmer interview, I mentioned that Age of Empires 2 and its in-depth campaigns really got me caring almost history all those years ago. And while we knew that Age 4 was going deep on history, this new live-activity method was a surprise to many.

Hands on History includes 28 unlockable videos — assumedly unlocking every bit you play through the campaign — all meant to help players understand the historical significance of the game they're playing. Nosotros were shown one of these unlockables at Gamescom: a three-infinitesimal video explaining how trebuchets work and why they were used in boxing. I was curious to know at what indicate in the game'southward production this idea of live-action footage came around. Isgreen had this to say:

This is going to audio crazy. In the very showtime deck I created when the team came and said, 'Adam, what would you lot do with a new version of Age of Empires?' This was half-dozen years agone at this bespeak. Ane of my first slides showed a moving-picture show of Elevation Gear and it showed a picture of Neil deGrasse Tyson in Creation. It said, 'Tin we Top Gear-ify history?'... I don't know well-nigh y'all, merely every fourth dimension I've had teachers that accept been passionate and excited nearly the bailiwick, it's infectious. I love what Top Gear did to machine culture. Car civilization was something that sabbatum off to the side. In that location are tons of people who honey cars, only it wasn't in the pop gestalt. It's that whole approach.

Hands on History isn't apprentice fare. The whole thought really came together once Relic Amusement and Panthera leo TV, ane of the U.One thousand.'due south premier television product companies, began working together to evangelize these segments in context with the balance of the game. I was curious to know if, before that cohesion, at that place was whatever trepidation or hesitation from the residual of the team. Duffy explained:

I think there was some skepticism. People weren't sure how it would work internally. Nosotros treated the first Hands on History, the first campaign narrative equally a bit of a airplane pilot. We needed to examination how it would await in context and what the motion graphics on summit would look similar. How we would take what nosotros'd done and multiply it over the hours of campaign and how much that would price. There are a lot of things to learn near doing it, only seeing those first couple of efforts... allayed a lot of concerns among people. Information technology was very, very unique.

Isgreen gave kudos to the Relic Entertainment and Lion TV teams for putting the Hands on History segments together in such a way that fits the game as a whole. He explained that, despite seeing the scripts, it wasn't until the content started rolling in that everyone was truly floored.

That's the thing that scared u.s. and why I was so nervous. We're doing something nobody has done earlier... How do we make a modern documentary merged with a game merged with storytelling techniques merged with all these cool historical facts?... I've been making games for virtually 30 years now and there'due south cipher that could take washed this.

Duffy and Isgreen agreed that they weren't shy most their love of history and that there's a ton of live content headed our way. Fifty-fifty despite some of it non making it by the rating lath. Isgreen concluded:

The great thing is the range of subjects is and then diverse. There's one we had to pull from the game. It got the states a rough humor tag on our rating. I love this video but I don't desire to sacrifice the rating by calculation information technology.

Don't worry; Isgreen assured me that those pulled segments will see the light of day in some manner subsequently launch.

Age of Empires 4 gives players myriad strategic options

With the official reveal of the terminal 2 launch civilizations — The Rus and Holy Roman Empire — some questions came to mind surrounding how the game volition play out in the opening minutes. The Rus appear to be quite aggressive, expanding borders and receiving gold from unique buildings and units. I asked if there was any sort of trend toward assailment time, similar how most Age 2 games encounter a clash around the five-6-minute mark and how Starcraft games are much quicker. Duffy clarified:

The outset several minutes were less about that time to fight and more nigh trying to figure out equally many unique openings and options equally possible in the early game. Whether it'due south access to different units, buildings, scouting opportunities, figuring out whether y'all want to forwards hunt or get your berries or get your sheep, we wanted to provide more choice and options in those first 1-10 minutes. And also maybe to rebalance the ages just a little scrap so yous're not only inclined to burst through the first age or ii.

You can spend some time, develop some strategies early on, and kind of recollect almost the game every bit a whole that mode. I think generally a lot of that work has been successful. Nosotros'll sentinel how the balance works only... the focus was less almost how soon do we want to fight and more about what kind of options do nosotros have.

Isgreen continued:

Quinn is right; there are so many openings. I saw a quad-sentinel opening in 1 of the play sessions. It was super effective because of the other civ and the choices they made in the early game. That was like a v-minute GG. Non something yous see every twenty-four hour period. In Historic period 4 we wanted to brand sure there was more to exercise in that [Dark] age. Like Quinn said, in that location are some really meaningful decisions that can really change the fashion you focus your economy. The Mongols are all mobile. They can literally curlicue over to you if they desire to.

It certainly seems like Historic period of Empires 4 will be more than about providing players with plenty of different strategies, right from the beginning of the game, than it volition exist about having a set meta for the starting time 10 minutes of play. Fewer players rushing through Night and Feudal ages to reach more than powerful units should certainly shake things upwardly and will make for some great Age gameplay. Isgreen stresses that this besides depends heavily on map size and the random map generation you go for your game. With around 20 maps coming at launch, some new and some familiar, players will have plenty of opportunity to test out different strategic combinations.

Age Of Empires 4 Source: Microsoft

I other major feature that should shake upwards the game is naval warfare. I asked how much of an impact it would have on the average game, and whether information technology would weigh heavier than in past Historic period games. Isgreen answered:

Shoreline fishing is actually good in Age iv. One of the things we've done is that deepwater angling regenerates over time to encourage more naval play... We really do want to encourage more than naval. Nosotros tried to brand changes to the way naval gainsay works. We had this whole thought of oars vs. sailing ships and can nosotros make them feel different in means that they're used. We're still exploring that; it'southward going to exist an ongoing matter as nosotros develop more of the game. Information technology'south powerful.

Isgreen was conscientious to clarify that in that location would still be maps like a dry Arabia equivalent for those who don't like building ships, but also mentioned that in that location will be new maps focused heavily on naval warfare. He concluded by saying he hopes that the percentage of players who enjoy naval gameplay will go upward with what they've done in Age of Empires four.

Age of Empires 4 is approaching the finish line

Age of Empires IV Gameplay Reveal Source: Microsoft

Age of Empires 4 launches shortly and the squad is busy finalizing a lot of practical details. Certifications, bug backlogs, stability tests, and parsing continued feedback are all crucial right now, explained Duffy. It'southward also a fourth dimension where the team has to balance adding new features and squashing whatever bugs that might arise from the add-on. For example, the zoom level that was a hot topic during the beta playtest is all the same beingness worked on. "That's the large thing we're working on correct at present," said Isgreen. "I'm hoping we'll make a alter for launch that will make a lot of people happy." Isgreen also mentioned that the global queue feature is being worked on, merely likely won't be included at launch. The same goes for mod tools.

Ranked matchmaking will exist disabled at get-go in order to requite the game a scrap of time to reveal any bugs and residue issues. "We want that to be a moment," said Isgreen. "We're going to exist balancing this game forever." I asked nearly the inclusion of Deathmatch, King of the Hill, and Regicide modes at launch, and information technology seems that the squad volition monitor numbers from previous Age games to meet what to add first. "We volition communicate that pre-launch," said Isgreen. "We'll be sharing a lot more information on our launch plans and what nosotros're going to do later and in what order so that people know certain things are coming."

Age of Empires 4 is gear up to release on October. 28, 2022 on PC through Windows, Xbox Game Pass for PC, and Steam. Be sure to check out our drove of best laptops for playing Age of Empires 4 if your current arrangement doesn't striking the recommended system specs.

Ballsy historical battles

Age Of Empires 4

Age of Empires iv

History, naval warfare, and more.

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