Difference between revisions of "Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings"
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− | {{disambig|the original game|the 2013 HD Edition|[[Age of Empires II | + | {{disambig|the original game|the 2013 HD Edition|[[Age of Empires II: HD Edition]]|the 2019 Definitive Edition|[[Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition]]}} |
{{Infobox game | {{Infobox game | ||
|cover = Age of Empires II Gold Cover.png | |cover = Age of Empires II Gold Cover.png | ||
Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
|publishers = | |publishers = | ||
{{Infobox game/row/publisher|Microsoft}} | {{Infobox game/row/publisher|Microsoft}} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/publisher|Ubisoft|Re-releases}} | ||
{{Infobox game/row/publisher|MacSoft|Mac OS, OS X}} | {{Infobox game/row/publisher|MacSoft|Mac OS, OS X}} | ||
|engines = | |engines = | ||
Line 15: | Line 16: | ||
{{Infobox game/row/date|Mac OS|October 2001}} | {{Infobox game/row/date|Mac OS|October 2001}} | ||
{{Infobox game/row/date|OS X|October 2001}} | {{Infobox game/row/date|OS X|October 2001}} | ||
+ | |reception = | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/reception|Metacritic|age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings|92}} | ||
|taxonomy = | |taxonomy = | ||
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/monetization | One-time game purchase, Expansion pack }} | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/monetization | One-time game purchase, Expansion pack }} | ||
− | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/microtransactions | }} | + | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/microtransactions | None }} |
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/modes | Singleplayer, Multiplayer }} | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/modes | Singleplayer, Multiplayer }} | ||
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/pacing | Real-time }} | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/pacing | Real-time }} | ||
Line 32: | Line 35: | ||
|official site= https://web.archive.org/web/20011110043103/http://www.microsoft.com/games/age/ | |official site= https://web.archive.org/web/20011110043103/http://www.microsoft.com/games/age/ | ||
|hltb = 268 | |hltb = 268 | ||
+ | |lutris = age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings | ||
|strategywiki = Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings | |strategywiki = Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings | ||
− | |mobygames = | + | |mobygames = 368 |
|wikipedia = Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings | |wikipedia = Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings | ||
|winehq = 99 | |winehq = 99 | ||
Line 39: | Line 43: | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | ''' | + | {{Introduction |
− | + | |introduction = | |
+ | |||
+ | |release history = After its release, the game received '''''The Conquerors''''' expansion in August 2000, with new civilizations, campaigns and quality-of-life improvements like improved villager AI and farm reseed queuing in mills. After release, the game received a sizable community and a modding scene. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |current state = [[#Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)|Unofficial patches]] (for both [[#Color issues|compatibility]] and bug fixes) and the [http://www.voobly.com/ Voobly] community multiplayer service were instrumental in keeping the interest in the game alive, including after the ''[[Age of Empires II: HD Edition|HD Edition]]'' of the game which did not have as responsive a netcode as the original. Despite the release of the 2019 ''[[Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition|Definitive Edition]]'', these modified versions of ''The Conquerors'', including those with back-ported ''HD'' and ''Definitive Edition'' expansion content, remain relatively popular, mostly among players with lower-spec computers. | ||
+ | }} | ||
'''General information''' | '''General information''' | ||
Line 48: | Line 57: | ||
{{mm}} [https://aoezone.net AoEZone] Community site for competitive gaming | {{mm}} [https://aoezone.net AoEZone] Community site for competitive gaming | ||
{{mm}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/ /r/aoe2] Age of Empires 2 Subreddit | {{mm}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/ /r/aoe2] Age of Empires 2 Subreddit | ||
+ | {{mm}} [https://ageofnotes.com/ Age of Notes] Age of Empires 2 Guides | ||
==Availability== | ==Availability== | ||
{{Availability| | {{Availability| | ||
{{Availability/row| Retail | | disc | {{DRM|SafeDisc}}. | | Windows, Mac OS, OS X }} | {{Availability/row| Retail | | disc | {{DRM|SafeDisc}}. | | Windows, Mac OS, OS X }} | ||
+ | {{Availability/row| Retail | | DRM-free | Collector's Edition re-releases. | | Windows }} | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{ii}} Free demos are available for [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/117-age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings-demo/ The Age of Kings] and [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/118-age-of-empires-ii-the-conquerors-expansion-demo/ The Conquerors Expansion]. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Version differences=== | ||
+ | {{ii}} '''Age of Empires II: Gold Edition''' contains the base game and The Conquerors expansion, first released in 2001. | ||
+ | {{ii}} '''Age of Empires: Collector's Edition''' contains [[Age of Empires]] and Age of Empires II with their respective expansion packs. The later DVD-ROM releases include the latest patches and are DRM-free, but are missing Red Book CD audio. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Monetization== | ||
+ | {{Monetization | ||
+ | |ad-supported = | ||
+ | |dlc = | ||
+ | |expansion pack = The expansion pack includes new civilizations, units, technologies (some civilization-unique) and campaigns. | ||
+ | |freeware = | ||
+ | |free-to-play = | ||
+ | |one-time game purchase = The game requires an upfront purchase to access. | ||
+ | |sponsored = | ||
+ | |subscription = | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | |||
{{DLC| | {{DLC| | ||
{{DLC/row| The Conquerors | Windows version is sold separately, Mac OS version only in Gold Edition. | Windows, Mac OS}} | {{DLC/row| The Conquerors | Windows version is sold separately, Mac OS version only in Gold Edition. | Windows, Mac OS}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
==Essential improvements== | ==Essential improvements== | ||
===Skip intro videos=== | ===Skip intro videos=== | ||
− | {{Fixbox|description=Start game with -nostartup [[Glossary:Command line arguments|parameter]]|ref=<ref> | + | {{Fixbox|description=Start game with -nostartup [[Glossary:Command line arguments|parameter]]|ref=<ref>{{Refurl|url=https://support.microsoft.com/kb/830651|title=Known video issues in Age of Empires II|date=May 2023}}</ref>}} |
===Patches=== | ===Patches=== | ||
Line 77: | Line 95: | ||
{{ii}} Alternately, the latest official patches are available at [https://soggi.org/misc/game-patches.htm soggi.org]. | {{ii}} Alternately, the latest official patches are available at [https://soggi.org/misc/game-patches.htm soggi.org]. | ||
− | ===Unofficial | + | ===Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)=== |
− | + | {{ii}} [https://gamebanana.com/mods/37904 1.0e] includes exploit fixes, a fix for a rare issue with missing permissions when overwriting files, a no-CD patch and a version switcher. The uninstaller cleanly reverts to the official 1.0c version. | |
+ | {{ii}} [http://userpatch.aiscripters.net UserPatch: Conquerors Feature Update] adds many fixes including widescreen support, UPnP port forwarding, and various optional tweaks. If it is installed on top of v1.0e, no CD is required. | ||
− | === | + | ===Forgotten Empires=== |
− | + | {{ii}} [https://www.forgottenempires.net/install Forgotten Empires] is a mod which adds new civilizations, campaigns, maps and other fixes. | |
− | + | {{++}} It was later made available as official DLC for the [[Age of Empires II (2013)|HD Edition]] and is included by default with the [[Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition|Definitive Edition]] - as a result, the mod version is no longer supported. | |
− | |||
− | [https://www.forgottenempires.net/install | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
==Game data== | ==Game data== | ||
Line 103: | Line 117: | ||
{{Game data/saves|OS X|}} | {{Game data/saves|OS X|}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | {{ii}} Player settings are saved in | + | {{ii}} Player settings are saved in {{file|{{p|game}}\Player.nfp}} (determines unlocked scenarios etc.) |
− | {{ii}} Custom campaigns are saved in | + | {{ii}} Custom campaigns are saved in {{file|{{p|game}}\Campaign\|folder}} |
− | {{ii}} Custom scenarios are saved in | + | {{ii}} Custom scenarios are saved in {{file|{{p|game}}\Scenario\|folder}} |
==Video== | ==Video== | ||
Line 116: | Line 130: | ||
|4k ultra hd wsgf award = incomplete | |4k ultra hd wsgf award = incomplete | ||
|widescreen resolution = hackable | |widescreen resolution = hackable | ||
− | |widescreen resolution notes= Install [[# | + | |widescreen resolution notes= Install [[#Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)|UserPatch]]. |
|multimonitor = hackable | |multimonitor = hackable | ||
− | |multimonitor notes = Install [[# | + | |multimonitor notes = Install [[#Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)|UserPatch]]. Uncheck "widescreen interface style" to centre minimap and unit controls. |
|ultrawidescreen = hackable | |ultrawidescreen = hackable | ||
− | |ultrawidescreen notes = Install [[# | + | |ultrawidescreen notes = Install [[#Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)|UserPatch]]. |
|4k ultra hd = unknown | |4k ultra hd = unknown | ||
|4k ultra hd notes = | |4k ultra hd notes = | ||
Line 126: | Line 140: | ||
|fov notes = | |fov notes = | ||
|windowed = hackable | |windowed = hackable | ||
− | |windowed notes = Install [[# | + | |windowed notes = Install [[#Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)|UserPatch]]. Select Windowed mode support, then select a resolution lower than the desktop resolution. Menus will be windowed 4:3. |
|borderless windowed = hackable | |borderless windowed = hackable | ||
− | |borderless windowed notes = Install [[# | + | |borderless windowed notes = Install [[#Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)|UserPatch]]. Select Windowed mode support, then set the in-game resolution to the desktop resolution. |
|anisotropic = n/a | |anisotropic = n/a | ||
|anisotropic notes = | |anisotropic notes = | ||
|antialiasing = n/a | |antialiasing = n/a | ||
|antialiasing notes = | |antialiasing notes = | ||
+ | |upscaling = unknown | ||
+ | |upscaling tech = | ||
+ | |upscaling notes = | ||
|vsync = false | |vsync = false | ||
|vsync notes = | |vsync notes = | ||
Line 220: | Line 237: | ||
|closed captions = false | |closed captions = false | ||
|closed captions notes = | |closed captions notes = | ||
− | |mute on focus lost = | + | |mute on focus lost = always on |
|mute on focus lost notes = | |mute on focus lost notes = | ||
|eax support = | |eax support = | ||
|eax support notes = | |eax support notes = | ||
|red book cd audio = true | |red book cd audio = true | ||
− | |red book cd audio notes = | + | |red book cd audio notes = |
+ | |royalty free audio = always on | ||
+ | |royalty free audio notes = | ||
}} | }} | ||
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|lan play modes = | |lan play modes = | ||
|lan play notes = | |lan play notes = | ||
− | |online play = | + | |online play = hackable |
|online play players = 8 | |online play players = 8 | ||
|online play modes = | |online play modes = | ||
− | |online play notes = | + | |online play notes = The official MSN Gaming Zone service has been shut down; use [https://www.voobly.com Voobly]. |
|asynchronous = | |asynchronous = | ||
|asynchronous notes = | |asynchronous notes = | ||
Line 323: | Line 342: | ||
{{Network/Connections | {{Network/Connections | ||
|matchmaking = true | |matchmaking = true | ||
− | |matchmaking notes = MSN Gaming Zone support has been discontinued.<ref> | + | |matchmaking notes = MSN Gaming Zone support has been discontinued.<ref>{{Refurl|url=http://zone.msn.com/en/general/article/aoferetiring|title=Age of Empires matchmaking has been retired from MSN Games - MSN Games - Free Online Games|date=May 2023}}</ref> |
|p2p = true | |p2p = true | ||
|p2p notes = | |p2p notes = | ||
Line 343: | Line 362: | ||
===Dell laptop compatibility issues=== | ===Dell laptop compatibility issues=== | ||
On some older Dell laptop models (e.g. the M1530) an issue occurs where the OS crashes and a blue-screen of death is displayed. This issue occurs after a seemingly random amount of gameplay time (from <30 seconds to 10 or 20 minutes). Many things have been tried to fix the issue including changing graphics card drivers, limiting the frame rate to mitigate overheating and running on virtual machines of different operating systems (e.g. Windows 98). As far as can be seen, this issue has never been resolved nor will it be, rendering AoE2 unplayable on the affected models of laptop. This issue can be mitigated by playing through Voobly.com game client and selecting 32-bit DirectX mode in the lobby options. It is actually caused by an unterminated loop in the graphics card driver. However, Age of Empires II HD (the re-mastered version of the game released in 2013) is unaffected by this problem.{{cn|date=September 2021}} | On some older Dell laptop models (e.g. the M1530) an issue occurs where the OS crashes and a blue-screen of death is displayed. This issue occurs after a seemingly random amount of gameplay time (from <30 seconds to 10 or 20 minutes). Many things have been tried to fix the issue including changing graphics card drivers, limiting the frame rate to mitigate overheating and running on virtual machines of different operating systems (e.g. Windows 98). As far as can be seen, this issue has never been resolved nor will it be, rendering AoE2 unplayable on the affected models of laptop. This issue can be mitigated by playing through Voobly.com game client and selecting 32-bit DirectX mode in the lobby options. It is actually caused by an unterminated loop in the graphics card driver. However, Age of Empires II HD (the re-mastered version of the game released in 2013) is unaffected by this problem.{{cn|date=September 2021}} | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
==Issues fixed== | ==Issues fixed== | ||
− | === | + | ===Color issues=== |
{{ii}} Windows Vista and 7 can have issues with displaying true colours in Age of Empires II correctly. | {{ii}} Windows Vista and 7 can have issues with displaying true colours in Age of Empires II correctly. | ||
{{ii}} This issue does not occur on Windows 8 and later. | {{ii}} This issue does not occur on Windows 8 and later. | ||
− | {{ii}} See [[ | + | {{ii}} See [[Glossary:DirectX/DirectDraw troubleshooting|DirectDraw troubleshooting]] for further details. |
− | {{Fixbox|description=UserPatch | + | {{Fixbox|description=UserPatch|ref={{cn|date=July 2016}}|fix= |
− | Install [[# | + | Install [[#Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)|UserPatch]]. This includes a color fix for Vista and 7, and will also set a registry flag, allowing modern Windows systems and newer to emulate the 256-colour mode. It will also optionally provide support for loading the windowed mode plugin, which, apart from its direct purpose, also performs software palette conversion to 32-bit, resolving said issues. |
}} | }} | ||
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{{Fixbox|description=Copy files from demo version|ref={{cn|date=July 2016}}|fix= | {{Fixbox|description=Copy files from demo version|ref={{cn|date=July 2016}}|fix= | ||
# Download the [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/117-age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings-demo/ demo version of Age of Empires II]. | # Download the [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/117-age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings-demo/ demo version of Age of Empires II]. | ||
− | # Copy the | + | # Copy the {{file|midi|folder}} folder from the {{file|sound|folder}} folder of the demo version. |
− | # Paste the folder in the | + | # Paste the folder in the {{file|sound|folder}} folder of the full version. |
# Run the game with the <code>-midimusic</code> [[Glossary:Command line arguments|command line argument]]. | # Run the game with the <code>-midimusic</code> [[Glossary:Command line arguments|command line argument]]. | ||
'''Notes''' | '''Notes''' | ||
{{ii}} Music from the Conquerors expansion demo can also be used; rename the Conquerors MIDI files from music 1-8 to 9-16 to prevent replacement of existing files. | {{ii}} Music from the Conquerors expansion demo can also be used; rename the Conquerors MIDI files from music 1-8 to 9-16 to prevent replacement of existing files. | ||
− | {{ii}} The <code>-midimusic</code> parameter is no longer supported in UserPatch, however its m3u playlist system allows any audio format to be used for in-game music, including WAV, MP3, WMA, AAC, and FLAC, as long as the required DirectShow codecs are installed. | + | {{ii}} The <code>-midimusic</code> parameter is no longer supported in UserPatch, however its .m3u playlist system allows any audio format to be used for in-game music, including WAV, MP3, WMA, AAC, and FLAC, as long as the required DirectShow codecs are installed. |
}} | }} | ||
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|directdraw versions = 6.1 | |directdraw versions = 6.1 | ||
|directdraw notes = | |directdraw notes = | ||
− | |opengl versions = | + | |opengl versions = 1.2 |
|opengl notes = Mac OS only. | |opengl notes = Mac OS only. | ||
|glide versions = | |glide versions = | ||
Line 409: | Line 425: | ||
|windows 32-bit exe = true | |windows 32-bit exe = true | ||
|windows 64-bit exe = false | |windows 64-bit exe = false | ||
+ | |windows arm app = unknown | ||
|windows exe notes = | |windows exe notes = | ||
|mac os x powerpc app = true | |mac os x powerpc app = true | ||
|macos intel 32-bit app = true | |macos intel 32-bit app = true | ||
|macos intel 64-bit app = false | |macos intel 64-bit app = false | ||
− | |macos arm app = | + | |macos arm app = unknown |
|macos app notes = Intel support was added with the 1.0.6 patch, which converts the game to a universal binary.<br>Still 32-bit only. | |macos app notes = Intel support was added with the 1.0.6 patch, which converts the game to a universal binary.<br>Still 32-bit only. | ||
|linux 32-bit executable= | |linux 32-bit executable= | ||
|linux 64-bit executable= | |linux 64-bit executable= | ||
+ | |linux arm app = unknown | ||
|linux executable notes = | |linux executable notes = | ||
+ | |mac os powerpc app = true | ||
+ | |mac os 68k app = unknown | ||
+ | |mac os executable notes= | ||
}} | }} | ||
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|multiplayer notes= | |multiplayer notes= | ||
}} | }} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===[[Glossary:Command line arguments|Command line arguments]]=== | ||
+ | {| class="wikitable" | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! Command<ref>{{Refurl|url=https://www.voobly.com/pages/view/59/AoE2-Command-Line-Parameters-|title=AoE2: Command Line Parameters - Voobly|date=May 2023}}</ref> !! Description | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | NoStartup || Skips the intro | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | 800 || Forces the 800x600 resolution | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | 1024 || Forces the 1024x768 resolution | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | 1280 || Forces the 1280x1024 resolution | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Mfill || Fixes horizontal line issue related to contemporary Matrox video adapters | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | NormalMouse || Replaces the ingame cursor with the standard Windows one | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | NoSound || Disables game audio with the exception of cinematics | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | NoTerrainSound || Disables ambient audio | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | NoMusic || Disables music | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Msync || Fixes lockups related to contemporary SoundBlaster AWE configurations | ||
+ | |} | ||
==System requirements== | ==System requirements== | ||
Line 451: | Line 498: | ||
|recCPU = 450 MHz | |recCPU = 450 MHz | ||
|recRAM = 64 MB | |recRAM = 64 MB | ||
− | |recHD = | + | |recHD = |
|recGPU = Nvidia TNT2 | |recGPU = Nvidia TNT2 | ||
|recGPU2 = ATI Rage 128 | |recGPU2 = ATI Rage 128 |
Revision as of 13:09, 18 January 2024
This page is for the original game. For the 2013 HD Edition, see Age of Empires II: HD Edition. For the 2019 Definitive Edition, see Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
Developers | |
---|---|
Ensemble Studios | |
Mac OS (Classic) | Westlake Interactive |
macOS (OS X) | Westlake Interactive |
Publishers | |
Microsoft | |
Re-releases | Ubisoft |
Mac OS, OS X | MacSoft |
Engines | |
Genie | |
Release dates | |
Windows | October 10, 1999 |
Mac OS (Classic) | October 2001 |
macOS (OS X) | October 2001 |
Reception | |
Metacritic | 92 |
Taxonomy | |
Monetization | One-time game purchase, Expansion pack |
Microtransactions | None |
Modes | Singleplayer, Multiplayer |
Pacing | Real-time |
Perspectives | Bird's-eye view, Isometric |
Controls | Multiple select, Point and select |
Genres | RTS |
Themes | Asia, Europe, Middle East, Pre-Columbian Americas, Medieval |
Series | Age of Empires |
Warnings
- SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see Availability for affected versions).
- The macOS (OS X) version of this game does not work on macOS Catalina (version 10.15) or later due to the removal of support for 32-bit-only apps.
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is a singleplayer and multiplayer bird's-eye view and isometric RTS game in the Age of Empires series.
After its release, the game received The Conquerors expansion in August 2000, with new civilizations, campaigns and quality-of-life improvements like improved villager AI and farm reseed queuing in mills. After release, the game received a sizable community and a modding scene.
Unofficial patches (for both compatibility and bug fixes) and the Voobly community multiplayer service were instrumental in keeping the interest in the game alive, including after the HD Edition of the game which did not have as responsive a netcode as the original. Despite the release of the 2019 Definitive Edition, these modified versions of The Conquerors, including those with back-ported HD and Definitive Edition expansion content, remain relatively popular, mostly among players with lower-spec computers.
General information
- Official Discord server for the series
- Age of Empires II Official Microsoft Site (archived)
- Age of Kings Heaven Community Site and Map Archive
- AoEZone Community site for competitive gaming
- /r/aoe2 Age of Empires 2 Subreddit
- Age of Notes Age of Empires 2 Guides
Availability
- SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see above for affected versions).
- Free demos are available for The Age of Kings and The Conquerors Expansion.
Version differences
- Age of Empires II: Gold Edition contains the base game and The Conquerors expansion, first released in 2001.
- Age of Empires: Collector's Edition contains Age of Empires and Age of Empires II with their respective expansion packs. The later DVD-ROM releases include the latest patches and are DRM-free, but are missing Red Book CD audio.
Monetization
Type | Notes |
---|---|
Expansion pack | The expansion pack includes new civilizations, units, technologies (some civilization-unique) and campaigns. |
One-time game purchase | The game requires an upfront purchase to access. |
DLC and expansion packs
Name | Notes | |
---|---|---|
The Conquerors | Windows version is sold separately, Mac OS version only in Gold Edition. |
Essential improvements
Skip intro videos
Start game with -nostartup parameter[3] |
---|
Patches
- The latest patch for the base game is Version 2.0a.
- The latest patch for The Conquerors is Version 1.0c.
- Alternately, the latest official patches are available at soggi.org.
Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)
- 1.0e includes exploit fixes, a fix for a rare issue with missing permissions when overwriting files, a no-CD patch and a version switcher. The uninstaller cleanly reverts to the official 1.0c version.
- UserPatch: Conquerors Feature Update adds many fixes including widescreen support, UPnP port forwarding, and various optional tweaks. If it is installed on top of v1.0e, no CD is required.
Forgotten Empires
- Forgotten Empires is a mod which adds new civilizations, campaigns, maps and other fixes.
- It was later made available as official DLC for the HD Edition and is included by default with the Definitive Edition - as a result, the mod version is no longer supported.
Game data
Configuration file(s) location
System | Location |
---|---|
Windows | <path-to-game>\config.xml[Note 2] |
Mac OS (Classic) | |
macOS (OS X) |
Save game data location
System | Location |
---|---|
Windows | <path-to-game>\SaveGame\[Note 2] |
Mac OS (Classic) | |
macOS (OS X) |
- Player settings are saved in
<path-to-game>\Player.nfp
(determines unlocked scenarios etc.) - Custom campaigns are saved in
<path-to-game>\Campaign\
- Custom scenarios are saved in
<path-to-game>\Scenario\
Video
Graphics feature | State | WSGF | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Widescreen resolution | Install UserPatch. | ||
Multi-monitor | Install UserPatch. Uncheck "widescreen interface style" to centre minimap and unit controls. | ||
Ultra-widescreen | Install UserPatch. | ||
4K Ultra HD | |||
Field of view (FOV) | |||
Windowed | Install UserPatch. Select Windowed mode support, then select a resolution lower than the desktop resolution. Menus will be windowed 4:3. | ||
Borderless fullscreen windowed | Install UserPatch. Select Windowed mode support, then set the in-game resolution to the desktop resolution. | ||
Anisotropic filtering (AF) | |||
Anti-aliasing (AA) | |||
Vertical sync (Vsync) | See the glossary page for potential workarounds. | ||
60 FPS and 120+ FPS | Animations play at 20 FPS | ||
High dynamic range display (HDR) | See the glossary page for potential alternatives. |
Input
Keyboard and mouse | State | Notes |
---|---|---|
Remapping | ||
Mouse acceleration | ||
Mouse sensitivity | For scroll speed. | |
Mouse input in menus | ||
Mouse Y-axis inversion | ||
Controller | ||
Controller support |
Controller types |
---|
Audio
Audio feature | State | Notes |
---|---|---|
Separate volume controls | ||
Surround sound | ||
Subtitles | ||
Closed captions | ||
Mute on focus lost | ||
Royalty free audio | ||
Red Book CD audio | On Windows, CD music might not play correctly; see the troubleshooting guide for solutions. |
Localizations
Language | UI | Audio | Sub | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
English | ||||
Traditional Chinese | ||||
French | ||||
German | ||||
Hungarian | Fan translation by .:i2k:. and kds link #1, link #2 | |||
Italian | ||||
Japanese | ||||
Korean | ||||
Spanish |
Network
Multiplayer types
Type | Native | Players | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
LAN play | 8 | |||
Online play | 8 | The official MSN Gaming Zone service has been shut down; use Voobly. |
Connection types
Type | Native | Notes |
---|---|---|
Matchmaking | MSN Gaming Zone support has been discontinued.[4] | |
Peer-to-peer | ||
Dedicated | ||
Self-hosting | ||
Direct IP |
Ports
Protocol | Port(s) and/or port range(s) |
---|---|
TCP | 2300-2400, 47624 |
UDP | 2300-2400 |
- Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) support status is unknown.
Issues unresolved
Dell laptop compatibility issues
On some older Dell laptop models (e.g. the M1530) an issue occurs where the OS crashes and a blue-screen of death is displayed. This issue occurs after a seemingly random amount of gameplay time (from <30 seconds to 10 or 20 minutes). Many things have been tried to fix the issue including changing graphics card drivers, limiting the frame rate to mitigate overheating and running on virtual machines of different operating systems (e.g. Windows 98). As far as can be seen, this issue has never been resolved nor will it be, rendering AoE2 unplayable on the affected models of laptop. This issue can be mitigated by playing through Voobly.com game client and selecting 32-bit DirectX mode in the lobby options. It is actually caused by an unterminated loop in the graphics card driver. However, Age of Empires II HD (the re-mastered version of the game released in 2013) is unaffected by this problem.[citation needed]
Issues fixed
Color issues
- Windows Vista and 7 can have issues with displaying true colours in Age of Empires II correctly.
- This issue does not occur on Windows 8 and later.
- See DirectDraw troubleshooting for further details.
UserPatch[citation needed] |
---|
Install UserPatch. This includes a color fix for Vista and 7, and will also set a registry flag, allowing modern Windows systems and newer to emulate the 256-colour mode. It will also optionally provide support for loading the windowed mode plugin, which, apart from its direct purpose, also performs software palette conversion to 32-bit, resolving said issues. |
DirectDrawFix[citation needed] |
---|
Use DirectDrawFix to apply the required compatibility fixes to the registry. |
LAN connectivity
- This method allows gaming over LAN on modern versions of Windows.
Setting the IP address to Static and the Default Gateway to nothing[citation needed] |
---|
While in use, internet connection will be lost until the settings are switched back to "Obtain an IP address automatically", but LAN will function in-game. |
MIDI music
Copy files from demo version[citation needed] |
---|
Notes
|
Other information
API
Technical specs | Supported | Notes |
---|---|---|
DirectDraw | 6.1 | |
OpenGL | 1.2 | Mac OS only. |
Executable | PPC | 16-bit | 32-bit | 64-bit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Windows | |||||
macOS (OS X) | Intel support was added with the 1.0.6 patch, which converts the game to a universal binary. Still 32-bit only. |
||||
Mac OS (Classic) |
Middleware
Middleware | Notes | |
---|---|---|
Multiplayer | MSN Gaming Zone |
Command line arguments
Command[5] | Description |
---|---|
NoStartup | Skips the intro |
800 | Forces the 800x600 resolution |
1024 | Forces the 1024x768 resolution |
1280 | Forces the 1280x1024 resolution |
Mfill | Fixes horizontal line issue related to contemporary Matrox video adapters |
NormalMouse | Replaces the ingame cursor with the standard Windows one |
NoSound | Disables game audio with the exception of cinematics |
NoTerrainSound | Disables ambient audio |
NoMusic | Disables music |
Msync | Fixes lockups related to contemporary SoundBlaster AWE configurations |
System requirements
Windows | ||
---|---|---|
Minimum | Recommended | |
Operating system (OS) | 95 | 98 |
Processor (CPU) | 166 MHz | 450 MHz |
System memory (RAM) | 32 MB | 64 MB |
Hard disk drive (HDD) | 300 MB | |
Video card (GPU) | 2 MB of VRAM DirectX 6.1 compatible | Nvidia TNT2 ATI Rage 128 16 MB of VRAM |
Mac OS | ||
---|---|---|
Minimum | ||
Operating system (OS) | 8.6 | |
Processor (CPU) | PowerPC G3 300 MHz | |
System memory (RAM) | 128 MB | |
Hard disk drive (HDD) | 750 MB | |
Video card (GPU) | ATI Rage 128 |
- 500 MHz is required for online play.
macOS (OS X) | ||
---|---|---|
Minimum | ||
Operating system (OS) | 10.0.5 | |
Processor (CPU) | PowerPC G3 300 MHz | |
System memory (RAM) | 128 MB | |
Hard disk drive (HDD) | 750 MB | |
Video card (GPU) | ATI Rage 128 |
- 500 MHz is required for online play.
- When applying the UB patch, the minimum supported OS is 10.3.9.
Notes
- ↑ SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows 10[1] or Windows 11 and is disabled by default on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 when the KB3086255 update is installed.[2]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 When running this game without elevated privileges (Run as administrator option), write operations against a location below
%PROGRAMFILES%
,%PROGRAMDATA%
, or%WINDIR%
might be redirected to%LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore
on Windows Vista and later (more details).
References
- ↑ Not Loading in Windows 10; this will break thousands of - Microsoft Community - last accessed on 2017-01-16
- ↑ Microsoft - MS15-097: Description of the security update for the graphics component in Windows: September 8, 2015 - last accessed on 2018-02-16
- ↑ Known video issues in Age of Empires II - last accessed on May 2023
- ↑ Age of Empires matchmaking has been retired from MSN Games - MSN Games - Free Online Games - last accessed on May 2023
- ↑ AoE2: Command Line Parameters - Voobly - last accessed on May 2023