8 Huge Changes AoE2 Players Need To Know About AoE4

Summary

In this informative video, viewers are introduced to eight significant changes in 'Age of Empires 4' compared to its predecessor. Notable adjustments include the removal of reseed costs for farms, the elimination of animal decay, and the reimagining of boar handling as a mid-game strategy. Players will also discover a new landmark-based aging system, diverse civilization economies, the inability to wall with buildings, a new 'Sacred Site' victory condition, and an enhanced importance of base building due to the influence system. The summary aims to prepare 'Age of Empires 2' players for the updated gameplay mechanics of the fourth installment.

Takeaways

• 🌾 Farming in Age of Empires 4 has been simplified; farms no longer require reseeding costs and maintain a minimum food threshold.
• 🐏 Animal decay is removed, allowing players to gather resources without the concern of losing animals due to over-killing.
• 🐗 Boars in Age of Empires 4 are more challenging to defeat and offer more food, making them a mid-game expansion point rather than an early game resource.
• 🏰 Players now use landmarks to advance through ages instead of the town center, with the build speed depending on the number of villagers assigned.
• 🏛 Landmarks provide unique bonuses and are crucial for strategic planning, varying greatly between civilizations.
• 🏹 While military units are largely shared among civilizations, their economic structures are distinct, with unique bonuses and upgrades.
• 🏰 The Abbasid Dynasty stands out with a unique economic system based on the House of Wisdom, offering different upgrade paths.
• 🧱 Building walls is no longer possible with houses; players must construct actual walls to fortify their base.
• 🛕 A new 'Sacred Site' victory condition has been introduced, requiring players to capture and hold sacred sites for a duration to win.
• 💰 The influence system affects building placement, with civilizations having unique mechanics that reward strategic base building.

Q & A

What is the first major change in farming mechanics in Age of Empires 4 compared to Age of Empires 2?

In Age of Empires 4, farms do not have a reseed cost anymore. They will not drop below a certain threshold, which is typically between 40-60, and this change reduces the need for reseeding in the mid-game.

How does the animal decay mechanic differ between Age of Empires 2 and Age of Empires 4?

In Age of Empires 4, there is no longer decay on animals, so players don't have to worry about losing resources when villagers kill animals like sheep.

Why should players approach boars differently in Age of Empires 4?

In Age of Empires 4, boars are much stronger and have high armor, making them more suitable as a mid-game expansion point rather than an early-game economy booster. They also provide more food and have a higher gather rate than other sources.

What is the new mechanic for advancing to the next age in Age of Empires 4?

Instead of using the Town Center to age up, players must build a landmark in Age of Empires 4. The construction speed of the landmark depends on the number of villagers allocated to it.

How do the landmark choices affect the player's strategy in Age of Empires 4?

Each landmark provides different bonuses when aging up, and players are given the option to choose between two landmarks. The bonuses can be militaristic, economic, religious, or technological, significantly impacting the player's strategy.

What is the difference in economic structures between civilizations in Age of Empires 4?

While civilizations in Age of Empires 4 share almost all military units, their economic structures vary greatly. For example, the English have cheaper and faster-gathering farms, while the Abbasid Dynasty has a unique building called the House of Wisdom with different upgrade paths.

Why can't players use buildings to wall off their base in Age of Empires 4?

In Age of Empires 4, units can path between buildings that are constructed next to each other, with the exception of walls. To create a wall, players must construct actual wall segments around their base.

What is the Sacred Site Victory and how does it work in Age of Empires 4?

The Sacred Site Victory is a new victory condition in Age of Empires 4. Players must capture sacred sites with a monk and hold them for 10 minutes without the enemy taking control. Capturing and maintaining control of these sites can lead to victory.

How important is base building in Age of Empires 4 considering the changes to walling and the influence system?

Base building remains important due to the influence system, which provides various bonuses based on the placement of buildings within the influence area. Players need to strategically place buildings to maximize these bonuses.

What is an example of a unique economic mechanic in Age of Empires 4 and how does it work?

The Chinese civilization has a 'tax' mechanic that allows them to gain a steady trickle of gold income. By placing buildings within the influence area of their Age One landmark, the Imperial Academy, they can double the tax income from those buildings.