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Difference between revisions of "Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings"

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
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−
This page regards issues and fixes to Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings and Age of Empires II: The Conqueror's Expansion.
+
{{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
 +
|cover        = Age of Empires II Gold Cover.png
 +
|developers  =
 +
{{Infobox game/row/developer|Ensemble Studios}}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/porter|Westlake Interactive|Mac OS}}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/porter|Westlake Interactive|OS X}}
 +
|publishers  =
 +
{{Infobox game/row/publisher|Microsoft}}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/publisher|Ubisoft|Re-releases}}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/publisher|MacSoft|Mac OS, OS X}}
 +
|engines      =
 +
{{Infobox game/row/engine|Genie}}
 +
|release dates=
 +
{{Infobox game/row/date|Windows|October 10, 1999}}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/date|Mac OS|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    =
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/monetization      | One-time game purchase, Expansion pack }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/microtransactions | None }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/modes            | Singleplayer, Multiplayer }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/pacing            | Real-time }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/perspectives      | Bird's-eye view, Isometric }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/controls          | Multiple select, Point and select }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/genres            | RTS }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/sports            | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/vehicles          | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/art styles        | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/themes            | Asia, Europe, Middle East, Pre-Columbian Americas, Medieval }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/series            | Age of Empires }}
 +
|steam appid  =
 +
|gogcom id    =
 +
|official site= https://web.archive.org/web/20011110043103/http://www.microsoft.com/games/age/
 +
|hltb        = 268
 +
|lutris      = age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings
 +
|strategywiki = Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
 +
|mobygames    = 368
 +
|wikipedia    = Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
 +
|winehq      = 99
 +
|license      = commercial
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
{{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.
  
−
{{infobox
+
|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.
−
|title          = Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
 
−
|cover          = Age_Of_Empires_2_The_Age_Of_Kings_Dvd-cdcovers_cc-front.png
 
−
|developer      = Ensemble Studios
 
−
|publisher      = Microsoft Game Studios
 
−
|engine        = Genie
 
−
|release dates  = Septempber 30, 1999
 
−
|genre          = Real-time Strategy
 
−
|mode          = Singleplayer, Multiplayer
 
−
|rating        = ESRB: Teen (T)
 
−
|steam          =
 
−
|gog            =
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
{{infobox
+
'''General information'''
−
|title          = Age of Empires II - Conquerors Expansion
+
{{mm}} [https://discordapp.com/invite/ageofempires Official Discord server] for the series
−
|cover          = Age_Of_Empires_2_Conqueros_Expansion-cdcovers_cc-front.png
+
{{mm}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20131015072052/http://www.microsoft.com/games/age2/default.htm Age of Empires II Official Microsoft Site (archived)]
−
|developer      = Ensemble Studios
+
{{mm}} [https://aok.heavengames.com Age of Kings Heaven] Community Site and Map Archive
−
|publisher      = Microsoft Game Studios
+
{{mm}} [https://aoezone.net AoEZone] Community site for competitive gaming
−
|engine        = Genie
+
{{mm}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/ /r/aoe2] Age of Empires 2 Subreddit
−
|release dates = August 24, 2000
+
{{mm}} [https://ageofnotes.com/ Age of Notes] Age of Empires 2 Guides
−
|genre          = Real-time Strategy
+
 
−
|mode          = Singleplayer, Multiplayer
+
==Availability==
−
|rating        = ESRB: Teen (T)
+
{{Availability|
−
|steam          =
+
{{Availability/row| Retail | | disc | {{DRM|SafeDisc}}. |  | Windows, Mac OS, OS X }}
−
|gog            =
+
{{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].
  
−
==System Requirements==
+
===Version differences===
−
{{SysReq
+
{{ii}} '''Age of Empires II: Gold Edition''' contains the base game and The Conquerors expansion, first released in 2001.
−
|minOS = Windows 95
+
{{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.
−
|recOS = Windows 98
+
 
−
|minproc = 166 MHz
+
==Monetization==
−
|recproc = 450MHz
+
{{Monetization
−
|minmem = 32MB
+
|ad-supported          =  
−
|recmem = 64MB
+
|dlc                    =  
−
|minHD = 300MB
+
|expansion pack        = The expansion pack includes new civilizations, units, technologies (some civilization-unique) and campaigns.
−
|recHD = 300MB
+
|freeware              =  
−
|minGPU1 = SuperVGA
+
|free-to-play          =  
−
|minVRAM = 2MB
+
|one-time game purchase = The game requires an upfront purchase to access.
−
|recGPU1 = Nvidia TNT2 or Rage 128
+
|sponsored              =  
−
|recVRAM = 16MB
+
|subscription          =  
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
==Where to Buy==
+
{{DLC|
−
Can often still be found on store shelves as "Age of Empires Collector's Editon", which contains the following games on one DVD-disk:
+
{{DLC/row| The Conquerors | Windows version is sold separately, Mac OS version only in Gold Edition. | Windows, Mac OS}}
−
*Age of Empires
+
}}
−
*Age of Empires : Rise of Rome Expansion
 
−
*Age of Empires II : Age of Kings
 
−
*Age of Empires II : The Conquerors
 
  
−
The DVD re-release of these games do not feature the red-book audio stored as separate audio tracks on the original games' discs. As such, the game music will not be played while the DVD is in the drive.
+
==Essential improvements==
 +
===Skip intro videos===
 +
{{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===
−
Age of Empires II : Age of Kings
+
{{ii}} The latest patch for the base game is [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/67-age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings-patch/ Version 2.0a].
−
* [http://www.microsoft.com/games/age2/downloads.htm 2.0a; August 32, 2000]
+
{{ii}} The latest patch for The Conquerors is [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/119-age-of-empires-ii-the-conquerors-expansion-patch/ Version 1.0c].
−
Age of Empires II : The Conquerors
+
{{ii}} Alternately, the latest official patches are available at [https://soggi.org/misc/game-patches.htm soggi.org].
−
* [http://www.microsoft.com/games/conquerors/downloads.aspx?f1=no 1.0c; 2001]
 
−
Age of Empires II Widescreen Patch
 
−
* [http://www.boekabart.net/page/Age+of+Empires+2 Here]
 
  
−
==Community Patches==
+
===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.
  
−
[http://www.xomicron.com/software/userpatch/ UserPatch v1.1 by xomicron ; February 9, 2010] 
+
===Forgotten Empires===
−
http://widescreengamingforum.com/node/12090 Age of empires HD Mod; Up to 1080p ;Janurary 15, 2010]
+
{{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.
  
−
==Mods and User Made Content==
+
==Game data==
−
[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Age-of-Empires-II-Forgotten-Empires/124873064294999 Age of Empires 2: The Forgotten Empires]
+
===Configuration file(s) location===
 +
{{Game data|
 +
{{Game data/config|Windows|{{p|game}}\config.xml}}
 +
{{Game data/config|Mac OS|}}
 +
{{Game data/config|OS X|}}
 +
}}
  
−
== Save Games ==
+
===Save game data location===
−
=== Save Game Location ===
+
{{Game data|
−
<pre>\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires II\SaveGame\</pre>
+
{{Game data/saves|Windows|{{p|game}}\SaveGame\}}
−
<pre>\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires II\Campaign\</pre>
+
{{Game data/saves|Mac OS|}}
−
<pre>\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires II\Scenario\</pre>
+
{{Game data/saves|OS X|}}
−
<pre>\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires II\Player.nfo</pre>
+
}}
−
You will need to backup all of the above folders and the .nfo file to have all of your player data and progress.
+
{{ii}} Player settings are saved in {{file|{{p|game}}\Player.nfp}} (determines unlocked scenarios etc.)
 +
{{ii}} Custom campaigns are saved in {{file|{{p|game}}\Campaign\|folder}}
 +
{{ii}} Custom scenarios are saved in {{file|{{p|game}}\Scenario\|folder}}
  
−
=== [[Save_Folder_Cloud_Syncing|Save Game Cloud Syncing]] ===
+
==Video==
−
* Dropbox: Yes
+
{{Image|Age of Empires II The Age of Kings Options.png|In-game options menu.}}
−
* Windows Live Mesh 2011: Yes
+
{{Video
−
* GameSave Manager: No
+
|wsgf link                  = https://www.wsgf.org/dr/age-empires-ii-conquerors-expansion/en
 +
|widescreen wsgf award      = limited
 +
|multimonitor wsgf award    = limited
 +
|ultrawidescreen wsgf award = limited
 +
|4k ultra hd wsgf award    = incomplete
 +
|widescreen resolution      = hackable
 +
|widescreen resolution notes= Install [[#Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)|UserPatch]].
 +
|multimonitor              = hackable
 +
|multimonitor notes        = Install [[#Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)|UserPatch]]. Uncheck "widescreen interface style" to centre minimap and unit controls.
 +
|ultrawidescreen            = hackable
 +
|ultrawidescreen notes      = Install [[#Unofficial patches (The Conquerors)|UserPatch]].
 +
|4k ultra hd                = unknown
 +
|4k ultra hd notes          =
 +
|fov                        = n/a
 +
|fov notes                  =
 +
|windowed                  = hackable
 +
|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 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 notes          =
 +
|antialiasing              = n/a
 +
|antialiasing notes        =
 +
|upscaling                  = unknown
 +
|upscaling tech            =
 +
|upscaling notes            =
 +
|vsync                      = false
 +
|vsync notes                =
 +
|60 fps                    = limited
 +
|60 fps notes              = Animations play at 20 FPS
 +
|120 fps                    = limited
 +
|120 fps notes              =
 +
|hdr                        = unknown
 +
|hdr notes                  =
 +
|color blind                = unknown
 +
|color blind notes          =
 +
}}
  
−
==Windows 7 Compatibility==
+
==Input==
−
===Ingame color looks odd===
+
{{Image|Age of Empires II The Age of Kings Remapping.png|In-game key map settings.}}
−
''See Also: [[Colors Fixes]]
+
{{Input
 +
|key remap                = true
 +
|key remap notes          =
 +
|acceleration option      = false
 +
|acceleration option notes =
 +
|mouse sensitivity        = true
 +
|mouse sensitivity notes  = For scroll speed.
 +
|mouse menu                = true
 +
|mouse menu notes          =
 +
|invert mouse y-axis      = n/a
 +
|invert mouse y-axis notes =
 +
|touchscreen              = unknown
 +
|touchscreen notes        =
 +
|controller support        = false
 +
|controller support notes  =
 +
|full controller          = unknown
 +
|full controller notes    =  
 +
|controller remap          = unknown
 +
|controller remap notes    =  
 +
|controller sensitivity    = unknown
 +
|controller sensitivity notes=  
 +
|invert controller y-axis  = unknown
 +
|invert controller y-axis notes=
 +
|xinput controllers        = unknown
 +
|xinput controllers notes  =
 +
|xbox prompts              = unknown
 +
|xbox prompts notes        =
 +
|impulse triggers          = unknown
 +
|impulse triggers notes    =
 +
|dualshock 4              = unknown
 +
|dualshock 4 notes        =
 +
|dualshock prompts        = unknown
 +
|dualshock prompts notes  =
 +
|light bar support        = unknown
 +
|light bar support notes  =
 +
|dualshock 4 modes        = unknown
 +
|dualshock 4 modes notes  =
 +
|tracked motion controllers= unknown
 +
|tracked motion controllers notes =
 +
|tracked motion prompts    = unknown
 +
|tracked motion prompts notes =
 +
|other controllers        = unknown
 +
|other controllers notes  =
 +
|other button prompts      = unknown
 +
|other button prompts notes=
 +
|controller hotplug        = unknown
 +
|controller hotplug notes  =
 +
|haptic feedback          = unknown
 +
|haptic feedback notes    =
 +
|simultaneous input        = unknown
 +
|simultaneous input notes  =
 +
|steam input api          = unknown
 +
|steam input api notes    =
 +
|steam hook input          = unknown
 +
|steam hook input notes    =
 +
|steam input presets      = unknown
 +
|steam input presets notes =
 +
|steam controller prompts  = unknown
 +
|steam controller prompts notes =
 +
|steam cursor detection    = unknown
 +
|steam cursor detection notes =  
 +
}}
  
−
Problem: The color within the game tends to look noisy, overly saturated, pixelated, and overall odd.
+
==Audio==
−
Diagnosis: The Windows 7 explorer (explorer.exe) has a lot of new features for display, and particularly color display changes. Think of the new transparent windows aero, and the features for adjusting window theme colors. The new explorer has a conflict with the graphic display of the game.
+
{{Audio
−
Solution:
+
|separate volume          = true
−
#Open Age of Empires II
+
|separate volume notes    =
−
#Alt-Tab out of the game
+
|surround sound          = false
−
#Turn off explorer.exe
+
|surround sound notes    =
−
##open task manager (ctrl+alt+del or ctrl+shift+esc)
+
|subtitles                = true
−
##go to "processes" tab
+
|subtitles notes          =
−
##find "explorer.exe" in the "image name" column
+
|closed captions          = false
−
##select "explorer.exe" and hit "end process"
+
|closed captions notes    =
−
#(Play Game without color issue)
+
|mute on focus lost      = always on
−
#(finish playing game)
+
|mute on focus lost notes =
−
#Restore explorer.exe
+
|eax support              =
−
##open task manager (ctrl+alt+del or ctrl+shift+esc)
+
|eax support notes        =
−
##in the top left, on the menu bar, click "File" and "New Task (Run...)"
+
|red book cd audio        = true
−
##The "Create New Task" window will pop up
+
|red book cd audio notes  =
−
##enter "explorer.exe" in the open:[textbox]
+
|royalty free audio      = always on
−
##click "ok" button
+
|royalty free audio notes =
 +
}}
  
 +
{{L10n|content=
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = English
 +
|interface = true
 +
|audio    = true
 +
|subtitles = true
 +
|notes    =
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Traditional Chinese
 +
|interface = true
 +
|audio    = unknown
 +
|subtitles = true
 +
|notes    =
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = French
 +
|interface = true
 +
|audio    = unknown
 +
|subtitles = true
 +
|notes    =
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = German
 +
|interface = true
 +
|audio    = true
 +
|subtitles = true
 +
|notes    =
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Hungarian
 +
|interface = hackable
 +
|audio    = false
 +
|subtitles = hackable
 +
|notes    = Fan translation by .:i2k:. and kds [https://magyaritasok.hu/magyaritasok/age-of-empires-2/54 link #1], [http://users.atw.hu/jatekhonositas/hun_aoe2.html link #2]
 +
|fan      = true
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Italian
 +
|interface = true
 +
|audio    = unknown
 +
|subtitles = true
 +
|notes    =
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Japanese
 +
|interface = true
 +
|audio    = unknown
 +
|subtitles = true
 +
|notes    =
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Korean
 +
|interface = true
 +
|audio    = unknown
 +
|subtitles = true
 +
|notes    =
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Spanish
 +
|interface = true
 +
|audio    = true
 +
|subtitles = true
 +
|notes    =
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
}}
  
−
This process can be automated with a batch file. Save this text into a file named "AgeFix.bat"
+
==Network==
 +
{{Network/Multiplayer
 +
|local play          =
 +
|local play players  =
 +
|local play modes    =
 +
|local play notes    =
 +
|lan play            = true
 +
|lan play players    = 8
 +
|lan play modes      =
 +
|lan play notes      =
 +
|online play          = hackable
 +
|online play players  = 8
 +
|online play modes    =
 +
|online play notes    = The official MSN Gaming Zone service has been shut down; use [https://www.voobly.com Voobly].
 +
|asynchronous        =
 +
|asynchronous notes  =
 +
}}
  
−
  REM -AgeFix.bat
+
{{Network/Connections
−
  taskkill /F /IM Explorer.exe
+
|matchmaking        = true
−
  age2_x1.exe
+
|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>
−
  start explorer.exe
+
|p2p                = true
 +
|p2p notes          =
 +
|dedicated          = false
 +
|dedicated notes    =
 +
|self-hosting      = true
 +
|self-hosting notes =
 +
|direct ip          = true
 +
|direct ip notes    =
 +
}}
  
−
Store the batch file in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires II\age2_x1 . Run the bat file to run the game.
+
{{Network/Ports
 +
|tcp  = 2300-2400, 47624
 +
|udp  = 2300-2400
 +
|upnp = unknown
 +
}}
  
 +
==Issues unresolved==
 
===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 framerate to mitigate overheating and running on virtual machines of different OSs (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.
+
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==
 +
===Color issues===
 +
{{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}} See [[Glossary:DirectX/DirectDraw troubleshooting|DirectDraw troubleshooting]] for further details.
 +
 
 +
{{Fixbox|description=UserPatch|ref={{cn|date=July 2016}}|fix=
 +
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.
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
{{Fixbox|description=DirectDrawFix|ref={{cn|date=July 2016}}|fix=
 +
Use [https://aok.heavengames.com/blacksmith/showfile.php?fileid=11108# DirectDrawFix] to apply the required compatibility fixes to the registry.
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
===LAN connectivity===
 +
{{ii}} This method allows gaming over LAN on modern versions of Windows.
 +
 
 +
{{Fixbox|description=Setting the IP address to Static and the Default Gateway to nothing|ref={{cn|date=July 2016}}|fix=
 +
 
 +
#Go to the Network and Sharing Center.
 +
#Right-click on the LAN adapter and open "Properties".
 +
#Highlight "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click on "Properties".
 +
#Check "Use the following IP address:" and enter an address which is not currently being used by the network (such as 192.168.1.[1-253] e.g. 192.168.1.11 ). Also change the Subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 and leave the default gateway blank.
 +
 
 +
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===
 +
{{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].
 +
# Copy the {{file|midi|folder}} folder from the {{file|sound|folder}} folder of the demo version.
 +
# 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]].
 +
 
 +
'''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}} 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.
 +
}}
  
−
==Network Issues==
+
==Other information==
 +
===API===
 +
{{API
 +
|direct3d versions      =
 +
|direct3d notes        =
 +
|directdraw versions    = 6.1
 +
|directdraw notes      =
 +
|opengl versions        = 1.2
 +
|opengl notes          = Mac OS only.
 +
|glide versions        =
 +
|glide notes            =
 +
|software mode          =
 +
|software mode notes    =
 +
|mantle support        =
 +
|mantle support notes  =
 +
|vulkan versions        =
 +
|vulkan notes          =
 +
|dos modes              =
 +
|dos modes notes        =
 +
|shader model versions  =
 +
|shader model notes    =
 +
|windows 32-bit exe    = true
 +
|windows 64-bit exe    = false
 +
|windows arm app        = unknown
 +
|windows exe notes      =
 +
|mac os x powerpc app  = true
 +
|macos intel 32-bit app = true
 +
|macos intel 64-bit app = false
 +
|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.
 +
|linux 32-bit executable=
 +
|linux 64-bit executable=
 +
|linux arm app          = unknown
 +
|linux executable notes =
 +
|mac os powerpc app    = true
 +
|mac os 68k app        = unknown
 +
|mac os executable notes=
 +
}}
  
−
--Lan connectivity with Windows 7--
+
===Middleware===
−
Setting the IP address to Static and the Default Gateway to nothing allows 2 Windows 7 64 pcs to LAN.
+
{{Middleware
−
This can be done via Control Panel - View Network Status and Tasks (under Network and Internet) - click Local Arean connection next to "connections:" then Properties, highlight "Internet protocol version 4", click properties. Check "Use the following ip address". Use an address not in use on your network (such as 192.168.1.[1-253] eg 192.168.1.11 ) mask 255.255.255.0 and default gateway blank (important). You will lost internet until you switch back to "obtain address automatically", but LAN will function in game.
+
|physics          =
 +
|physics notes    =
 +
|audio            =
 +
|audio notes      =
 +
|interface        =
 +
|interface notes  =
 +
|input            =
 +
|input notes      =
 +
|cutscenes        =
 +
|cutscenes notes  =
 +
|multiplayer      = MSN Gaming Zone
 +
|multiplayer notes=
 +
}}
  
−
A much simplier method is to install "Gameranger" and use that as a lobby (thus no need to do all of the above).
+
===[[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
 +
|}
  
−
==Links==
+
==System requirements==
−
[http://www.microsoft.com/games/age2/ Age of Empires II Official Microsoft Site; Download Trial Version available]
+
{{System requirements
 +
|OSfamily = Windows
  
−
[http://ageofempires.wikia.com/wiki/Age_of_Empires_Series_Wiki Wikia for the entire series]
+
|minOS    = 95
 +
|minCPU  = 166 MHz
 +
|minRAM  = 32 MB
 +
|minHD    = 300 MB
 +
|minGPU  =
 +
|minVRAM  = 2 MB
 +
|minDX    = 6.1
  
−
[http://aok.heavengames.com/ Age of Kings Heaven (Community Site)]
+
|recOS    = 98
 +
|recCPU  = 450 MHz
 +
|recRAM  = 64 MB
 +
|recHD    =
 +
|recGPU  = Nvidia TNT2
 +
|recGPU2  = ATI Rage 128
 +
|recVRAM  = 16 MB
 +
}}
 +
{{System requirements
 +
|OSfamily = Mac OS
 +
 
 +
|minOS    = 8.6
 +
|minCPU  = PowerPC G3 300 MHz
 +
|minRAM  = 128 MB
 +
|minHD    = 750 MB
 +
|minGPU  = ATI Rage 128
 +
|notes    = {{ii}} 500 MHz is required for online play.
 +
}}
 +
{{System requirements
 +
|OSfamily = OS X
 +
 
 +
|minOS    = 10.0.5
 +
|minCPU  = PowerPC G3 300 MHz
 +
|minRAM  = 128 MB
 +
|minHD    = 750 MB
 +
|minGPU  = ATI Rage 128
 +
|notes    = {{ii}} 500 MHz is required for online play.<br>{{ii}} When applying the UB patch, the minimum supported OS is 10.3.9.
 +
}}
  
−
[[Category:Game]]
+
{{References}}
−
[[Category:Mac Game]]
 

Latest 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.

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings cover
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
Icon overlay.png
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings on HowLongToBeat
Icon overlay.png
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings guide on StrategyWiki
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings on MobyGames
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings on Wikipedia
Icon overlay.png
Icon overlay.png
⤏ Go to series page
Age of Empires 1997
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings 1999
Age of Mythology 2002
Age of Empires III 2005
Age of Empires Online 2011
Age of Empires II: HD Edition 2013
Age of Mythology: Extended Edition 2014
Age of Empires: Castle Siege 2014
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition 2018
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition 2019
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition 2020
Age of Empires IV 2021
Age of Mythology: Retold 2024

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

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Retail
Disc check (requires the CD/DVD in the drive to play)
 SafeDisc DRM[Note 1].
Windows
Mac OS
macOS (OS X)
Retail
DRM-free
 Collector's Edition re-releases.
Windows
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.
Windows
Mac OS

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

In-game options menu.
In-game options menu.

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

In-game key map settings.
In-game key map settings.

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]
  1. Go to the Network and Sharing Center.
  2. Right-click on the LAN adapter and open "Properties".
  3. Highlight "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click on "Properties".
  4. Check "Use the following IP address:" and enter an address which is not currently being used by the network (such as 192.168.1.[1-253] e.g. 192.168.1.11 ). Also change the Subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 and leave the default gateway blank.

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]
  1. Download the demo version of Age of Empires II.
  2. Copy the midi folder from the sound folder of the demo version.
  3. Paste the folder in the sound folder of the full version.
  4. Run the game with the -midimusic command line argument.

Notes

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.
The -midimusic 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.

Other information

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
DirectDraw 6.1
OpenGL 1.2 Mac OS only.
ExecutablePPC16-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

  1. ↑ 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. ↑ 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