I suppose that was against computer opponents, but did the game really have such strong AI?

I only played it online. I liked Empire Earth even though it was very rough around the edges.

It was, but I also put all the resources on the slowest settings and the selected the largest map. I wanted a time sink and it didn't disappoint. The only problem was that AI opponents, whilst not difficult per se just didn't quit... like ever. If you missed 1 villager/citizen (very easy on a map that size), then they survive, rebuild and just come back stronger.

I remember it took me ages to defeat the first two opponents simply because they would just keep surviving even though I'd win nearly every battle.

Many different factors as others in here have already stated.

To me AOE2 is the greatest RTS ever made

I always thought the AI was pretty strong, but then again I was rather young when I played that game and lacked RTS skills to say the least.

Ok, anyone try the 7 Kingdoms series? I thought the first had potential, and had features I wish Age of Empires had.

Age of Empires Online is actually a pretty decent game. Worth trying out if you are a fan of AoE 1/2.

I thought AoE III was disappointing as well. I know it was to be expected given the leap in pc power from the late 90s to mid 00s, but I far prefer the pre-rendered sprites of AoEII to the real time models in III. I would have preferred if Ensemble used pre-rendering again, just utilising the extra space of DVDs in order for each nation to have their own styled units/buildings and things like that.

I also would've preferred it if they changed and extended the time period/setting. I personally found the American colonisation theme too narrow and slightly boring. I was personally hoping for the game to cover all of the early-mid colonial and Napoleonic period, probably up to and including the Franco-Prussian war. I wanted AoEII-esque campaigns featuring Bismark, The Duke of Wellington, Lord Chelmsford, Ulysses S Grant, Oliver Cromwell, Napoleon I, etc. That was the AoEIII I desired

Please don't get me wrong. I was only using Empire Earth to show the time frame I think Ensemble should have used for Age of Empires 3, not that they should have copied that game.

We could discuss if going from prehistoric times to the future was necessary or not, maybe going from the Middle Age till today could have been enough, but focusing the game on that short period of time like they did, went against them.

A little off-topic: does anyone know how to make Age of Empires run on Win 7 without problems? It's very odd to play with when rivers and seas are purple, among other things.

Cool. I wander how many people play Empire Earth online simultaneously at any given time.

Also, do you know of a similar FB page for AoE2? Obviously that one has an active community too, but the majority who play it today are really skilled compared to the MS Zone days.

AoE II is one of my fav. games of all time! Dude, I have a fucking Mac with Lion OSX and it does NOT support AoE II!!

Seriously, I simply can no longer play this game and supposedly they don't even want to do a remake. Looks like it's wiped off the face of the Earth for me.