I don't really play AoE2 anymore (though I have bought it!), but I can feel the excitement and dedication the author seems to put into his work. I'm sure modern AoE2 players have benefited immensely from it! :)
The r/aoe2 community is also generally welcoming and helpful.
The other day, I was playing a noob game where one opponent on the other team was way better than the rest of us and rushed. His own team came down on him after.