The Real Time Strategy (RTS) genre are often dense, complex games that have many systems that demands your attention and micromanagement. Veterans players often appreciate this feature but it does present a barrier to new players. The approach to teaching players varies from a quick overview of systems but leaving much to trail and error as Stellaris has done, to walking players through the first few levels like Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun.
The issue of introducing new players without too much hand holding for veteran players has been taken into consideration for the team behind Age of Empires 4 (AofE4). During an interview with PCGamesN at XO19, Adam Isgreen commented on the approach he and his team are taking. He said they are,
leveraging a ton of things like compute power that we have available to us now to do analytic-based tutorialising, and all kinds of things where we can see how players are playing and be like, ‘Hey! Did you know you can do this? Or hey, this cool thing that you’re not doing?
Isgreen did not reveal much about how the tutorials as it would reveal portions of the the campaign. We are assured though that the approach AofE4 is taking is not like what the rest of the series has done. Art of War missions did get confirmed, a feature introduced in Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition, the missions will feature scenarios designed around helping players improve their skills and overcome situations such as being attacked early in the game.
When we get to 4, because our civilisations are further apart now, you can bet that the Art of War section of it will also have scenarios dealing with those specific civilisations.
Isgreen commented on their method to bringing new players. Interestingly, Art of War missions oringated in AofE4 but brought to AofE2 as a way to help new players in that game. When asked about the Art of War missions, Isgreen said, “I was like ‘Wait, we need this in Age 2. We need to put this in.’ And even that is just the start.”
As of now, there is no current release date for Age of Empires 4, but Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition is currently out on the market.