While I'm ranting, I want to add in a couple more complaints...
I remember last spring when I first started following the game closely I read stuff about how maps were so big that it took a unit twice as long to cross it as it did in AoK's biggest map. I also remember reading about how they were getting really creative with the game types. I read that the fans were really going to be pleased with some new twists on nomad and regicide, etc.. Well, regicide and nomad are now replaced by a RANDOM MAP.
The game feels very solid and with the menus, graphics and balance, however, the games are not as epic in feel as AoK games were. In AoK, the map was truly epic in size. Maybe some people don't care about that, but I liked it because of the feeling of exploration you got from playing on a huge map. Sometimes AoM feels very cramped in size. Scouting is so easy because the map is tiny. Now, I remember that they said the map sizes were reduced for balance, game smoothness, etc.. Well, for the purposes of tournament, make a tournament size map, but then also let those of us with more than one monstrously powerful PC select truly huge maps.
Also, my favorite game type was regicide. I used to wonder what ES had up their sleeve for my favorite game type because they said fans would be pleased, however, they replace it with one friggin map? I thought they'd have something really creative, but this feels like an afterthought.
Now, the inability of players to choose their color just gives me a sour taste in my mouth. How can so many features be left out and then advertised to us as features? Hardcore players want options, not limits. Come on ES!
------E