[adityab]

Looks like they want to avoid changing gameplay as much as possible.

Considering their focus on preserving even minute details of game dynamics... I wish they'd made an exception for pathfinding - the algorithm in the original AoE is extremely bad.

In particular, I really wish they'd introduce some improved ways to command groups of units. IIRC the Rise of Rome expansion introduced double-click group selection of all similar units, so it's not without precedent. If they change nothing else, my number one wish would be formations like in AoE II. I can't stand the way units just swarm like ants when told to move together.

[munificent]

It's really hard to change something like pathfinding without revamping the entire game. A game's balance is like a hanging mobile. Change one aspect, and the whole thing becomes unbalanced until you adjust all of the other weights in the system.

For example, if you make the pathfinding smarter, then there's a good chance you've made all AI enemies effectively more powerful and now all of the level difficulty is too high. You may also affect the strategy of levels — levels that used to have carefully crafted chokepoints that the player must notice may no longer be chokepoints with smarter pathfinding. That in turn might lead you to want to tweak the design of the level...

[verroq]

Except this is a RTS and when players want a unit to get to a place it should get there without taking a detour across half of the map, especially when the player can visually see an optimal path.

So no, there are no downsides to better pathfinding.