As far back as the original Age of Empires, I've tried to put some meaning in my campaigns, if not philosophical, at least try to bring out the characters well. When I first got AoE, I didnt realize the importance of this. I, like many other designers, simply had some general fighting an opposing army (while in AoK, too many have some hero fighting an evil overlord). Then, largely through playing Gordon Farrel's Persian Wars (I highly recommend it as well as a number of far less known AoE works However, story-line adds intelligence to campaigns. i've heard it mentioned a thousand times how Shadow's series had such great story. While I can not comment as the only designer whose work I have played to some extent (as i much rather prefer the editor) is Farrell's, it's clear just by his fame in that respect that story-line is what places a clear line between the hordes of so-so RPG's and the true classics. Let me ask you a question... Does your campaign concentrate on one man? Is he perfect and nearly unblemished, perhaps even If you answered yes to most of these questions, you have fallen into the all-too common I can still remember playing as a merchant in Farrell's Persian Wars who spurred the Ionian Revolt for his own ends or the man who returned to save Athens as the descendent of a depoused dictator and thinking to myself, these are great characters. Why don't other designers have such great characters? Why don't they have humanity? Have some sort of realism? The great men of history are often not so great. Many are forgotten and those that are remembered are tainted by blemish. Not simply that, but even the evil men of history, have greatness somewhere in their lives. Please, designers, these are the last months of AoK. Within a year and a half, Age of Kings will be old... Do not end these days with crap! Please, have intelligence! I know I shall try.
Thanks