The first Age of Empires game introduced a novel game type called the "random map" game. Unlike most real time strategy (RTS) maps, where the map is mirrored and each player has virtually identical starting bases, in a random map game the player controlled civilization is put in a randomly generated map unlike any other. A framework is generally applied to each map, such as island maps will give each player their own island to play on and players will also always spawn a certain distance away from one another but every map is otherwise different from the previously generated one. Resource distribution and location are completely randomized so that no two games are the same.
The challenge and reward in any RTS is the decisions and reactions of the player: building extra towns may reap long term economic benefits, but it leaves you without an army in the short term. Likewise spending all your gold on naval research can help you rule the seas, but is little help if an enemy player charges your gates with countless horsemen. Mastering Age of Empires requires careful balance of four aspects of the game: supply and resources, exploration, research and upgrades, and army composition.
Supply and resources are the foundation of any game in Age of Empires, together they make up your economy. Keeping a strong economy is the best way to win matches in Age of Empires. Your economy depends solely on your villagers, who have poor combat skills but can construct buildings and gather resources. There are four resources: food, wood, gold and stone. The quantities of each are at the top left of your screen. When commanded, your villagers will collect these resources from a source and return them to your town center. However, if you construct a mill, lumber camp or mining camp near a source of food, wood or gold or stone mine respectively, you can collect resources that are far away from your main town more quickly and safely.
In addition to resources, there is your supply, seen in the top right of your screen, to keep track of. Supply is the number of units you are allowed to have. If you are at the limit of your supply than you must construct a house. Each house allows 5 supply, meaning you may bring up to five more units of any kind into play before constructing a house. Later in the game you may build castles or town centers, which provide 25 and 10 supply respectively.
Once you have your villagers collecting your resources and working on your first buildings, it is important to continually scout the map. At first most of the map is blackened or shaded. This is called the fog of war, and in order to eliminate it you must send one of your units through it to get a visual of its surroundings. You begin with a single scout, a horseman with limited fighting power that can see a great ways and travel fast. Send your scout around the map to uncover the fog of war. Keep note of thick forests or patches of stone or gold mines that you will want to inhabit later as well as easily defended areas such as islands or high cliffs to set up more towns or bases. Most importantly you want to know where your enemy is and what sort of buildings and army it has and how ready they are to attack you. In the lower right corner is the mini map, clicking anywhere here will relocate your screen to that place on the map.
With the makings of a strong economy and initial scouting underway, the next priority is research. The most significant technologies are the advancements through the ages, which allow for stronger units and buildings. To advance to a new age you must have two buildings from the current age and pay a high cost at your town center. while researching a new age you are unable to produce any additional villagers at the town center that started the research. Along with the age are several others that improve the strength of your civilization. All research and upgrades come with a cost, and often spending resources on upgrades instead of soldiers will leave you vulnerable. But the long term investment makes an army more cost-effective.
Finally, there is the army composition. As the game progresses, competition between players for resources and map control heats up and a good army will be necessary to defend your town and conquer your enemy’s. Military units come in the forms of infantry (inexpensive and well-rounded swordsmen), archers (weak units that can attack from a distance), cavalry (fast and powerful horse-bound units that come at a high cost) and siege (very expensive units that specialize against walls and buildings). Most situations call for a balance of each of these units, though each civilization specializes more in one type. Still, having a good balance of units compensates for their individual weaknesses.
Balancing these four aspects of Age of Empires is the key to success. When a player fails to meet any of these four needs, their overall game will suffer. Likewise, a skillful player will try and throw off this balance for their enemy, destroying an enemy’s houses to drop their supply or build up wall to prevent their exploration. Mastering these skills takes patience, but learning them makes the game more rewarding and the experience more enjoyable.
Mark Filipowich - Mark Filipowich is a freelance journalist based out of London, Ontario. He has written and edited for several small publications, both in ...
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