User blog:Eljuma/Natives and maps ideas for Age of Empires III

For some reason I didn't expect Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition to get new content. But now that the Incas are playable there seems to be an obvious case for a new minor civilization to replace them, and hopefully more maps, natives, and changes to maps and natives.

Visible issues

American maps shown in modern borders and their native diversity.

Asian maps.

• Lack of true arctic maps besides Yukon. In reality, a lot of early exploring was motivated by fishing and whaling in the North Atlantic, and by trying to find a northernly route to trade with Asia. After the Russians colonized Alaska, there was also a brief but intensive competition to explore the Pacific Northwest until everyone got distracted by Napoleon Bonaparte.
  • I wouldn't be surprised if there was more planned arctic maps at one point, given the underutilized Caribou, Musk Ox, White Wolf, and Inukshuk, along with "Inuit Scout" being one of the names of the Native Scout.
• Comparative lack of South American and Asian maps, natives. No post-Contact natives in South America (e.g. no horse-riding peoples in the Pampas).
• Imbalanced Natives in South American maps i.e. 4 natives in Amazonia and none in Patagonia while almost all NA maps have two different ones, and almost no complete overlap among them).
• Misplaced fauna and natives.
• Not using features introduced in The Asian Dynasties in America (like water Treasures), and from The WarChiefs in Asia, seemingly because of them being made by different studios.
• Small maps. Most people assume there will be bigger maps in the DE but we haven't seen any announcement. Larger maps would allow for more native and fauna diversity as well as more room for naval combat.
• Lack of variations of the same map. The next time you play you know where all the coasts, mines, and natives are, and who they are. A summer/winter variation alone adds a sense of novelty even if everything else remains the same.
• Some bizarre name choices: Yukon, Saguenay, New England, Plymouth barely cover the area they are named after, sometimes not even at all.

Obviously I don't expect what I post here to make it into the game, but hopefully modding and mapmaking are easier and more intuitive in the DE.

Native ideas

Inuit

Based on the Inuit, Yupik, Chukchi, Koryak.

• Maps: Greenland, Northwest Passage, Yukon, Bering Strait.
• Units:
  • Inuit Whalebone Archer, a foot archer with great resistance to ranged attacks, like a native version of the Iron Troop. His melee weapon is a three-pronged spear.
  • Canoe
• Technologies: (in no particular order)
  • Inuit Snow Goggles: Increases LOS of land units (except pets, I guess).
  • Inuit Ulu Knife: Increases gathering rate of fish, whales, hunts, and herds.
  • Inuit Kayak: Changes wood cost of Canoes to food. As Inuit tend to appear in maps with little wood, this should make them highly sought allies.
• Language: Probably Inuktitut (c. 40,000 speakers) or Greenlandic (57,000).
• Architecture: Unique, based on igloos. Alternatively, round huts made of skins.

Evenk

Based on the Evenk and Even (former Tungus).

• Maps: Bering Strait, Siberia, Mongolia.
• Units:
  • Evenki Reindeer Archer, an archer riding a reindeer (duh) that is faster but has less hit points than other mounted units.
  • Canoe
• Technologies:
• Language: Evenki (27,000).
• Architecture: Tipis, with non-interactive reindeer and Jesuit-like Asian villagers

Map ideas

Greenland

• A large triangle pointed south, with sea rich on fish and whales on both sides. North-central section occupied by an ice plateau that can't be accessed, restricting players to the coast and sea. Few trees largely restricted to the south. No trade routes.
• Natives: Inuit, at least one village on each side.
• Treasure Guardians: White Wolf, Polar Bear, Orca.
• Huntables: Caribou, Musk Ox.
• Herdables: Sheep.
• Trees: Yukon.

Northwest Passage

• A southern continent, rich in wood and hunt, and a few large islands north, with scarce life but rich in mines. Ice randomly covers the sea, sometimes connecting the islands with each other and the continent. No trade routes. Northwest Territory could be renamed Pacific Northwest to avoid confusion.
• Natives: Inuit, Nootka (south only).
• Guardians: Polar Bear, Grizzly Bear (south), White Wolf, Orca, Outlaw Musketeer.
• Huntables: Caribou, Musk Ox.
• Herdables: None.
• Trees: Yukon.

Yukon

• Inuit replaces Cree.

Bering Strait

• Twin landmasses separated by a hourglass sea (thin in the middle, wide north and south). There is a summer version and a winter version. In the winter, the northern sea is frozen and can be walked over.
• Natives: Inuit, Nootka (east), Evenk (west).
• Guardians: Polar Bear, Grizzly Bear, Gray Wolf, Orca, Great White Shark, Outlaw Trapper.
• Huntables: Caribou, Moose, Musk Ox (east), Marco Polo Sheep (west).
• Herdables: Reindeer.
• Trees: Yukon.

Miscellany

Treasures

• Ghost Ship: A ship stuck in ice terrain, could provide resources or bonuses. Defended by Polar Bears, White Wolves, or (crazed) Outlaw Musketeers.
• Mammoth Carcass: Found in Siberia, Bering Strait, and Yukon. Provides coin from selling its tusks. Defended by Gray Wolves, Grizzlies, Smugglers, Mongol Riders, Outlaw Trappers or Cossacks.

Treasure Guardians

• White Wolf: Wolf with white hair, found in Greenland and Northwest Passage.
• Outlaw Trapper: Outlaw version of the Strelet, found in Siberia, Mongolia, and Bering Strait.
• Outlaw Cossack: Outlaw version of the Cossack, like the above.

Herds

• Reindeer: Herdable version of the Caribou.