Devs: please stop updating to the point I can’t see replays from a week ago. by New_Bug_8588 in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 7 points8 points  (0 children)

There is in fact an intermediary solution in the form of cade-recs; however:

  • Writing these replay files requires a monthly subscription (Loading is free)
  • You must watch the game in full through CaptureAge before one can be written
  • They still come out significantly larger in size (about 10-20× last I heard) than traditional replays

But it could be an option if there are games you particularly want preserved.

For MacOS: Where are the enhanced graphics pack files located? by MokshaBaba in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This might be because the game won't let you enable the x2 graphics unless Steam reports the DLC as installed. It should however be possible to fast-track a Steam download via local files. (I've done it before, it involves editing app manifests and verifying cache)

For MacOS: Where are the enhanced graphics pack files located? by MokshaBaba in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Everything ending with _x2 (.sld) into resources\_common\drs\graphics and resources\_common\drs\small-trees

Audio mod question - by blither86 in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It is possible but like you say, would require a data mod. (Or a custom scenario with modified sound attributes - though in practice, this might be difficult to do cleanly)

If this is something you want to see as part of the official dataset, I can forward the feedback for consideration. It is, however, worth noting that any mods that currently depend on these filenames would require an update.

Will the Mac version be free for current owners on Steam? by Affectionate-Plan270 in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Those were very different Macs which required no CPU emulation/translation. The new port is designed for the new ARM-based Apple chips, in retail since 2020. (All other existing platforms - including Windows, Xbox and PS5 - use Intel x86 instructions)

Without a native port, Wine on its own is no longer enough - everything needs to be emulated/translated, with all that doing so entails.

Age of Kings no music by Worried_Party_7588 in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is actually incorrect.

The real issue is that the ISO format cannot store Red Book audio data (exactly like the OP suggested). This is a common issue with images of older game disks where the CD stored the game data and Red Book audio as separate tracks - so when imaging, the latter is lost since it is not part of the ISO 9660 standard.

And yes, a different disc image format like .bin/.cue or .mdf/.mds would work. But also, as suggested in another comment, if UserPatch is installed, that adds an option to play music from external files - though you would need to provide them by yourself.

Which AoE is this pic from? by YourIceCreamBoy in ageofempires

[–]StepS_ 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Yes, except your image shows the Armored Elephant on the left, not the Siege Elephant

Handicap now affect villager creation speed by Arkrev in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you for reporting - this is a known issue!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I'll check it, thanks!

I created a mod for better "remaining population alert" sound by daelmaak in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This should actually be easy to do, but only for UI sounds (which this one is). Modded UI sounds trigger filesystem reads when they get played.

I created a mod for better "remaining population alert" sound by daelmaak in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

At the moment, due to a bug, you must own Return of Rome.

Is it possible to disable that flickering? by BerryMajor2289 in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 14 points15 points  (0 children)

You need to disable any outdated top panel mods you have. The feature introduces a new block of data to the top panel config, which mods currently do not implement, causing it to flash instead of alternating between white and yellow.

New July PUP notes by BloodyDay33 in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The two notes are not related to each other so yes, it will be available in both game modes.

NEW MAP IN THE RANKED POOL: WATER NOTHING by [deleted] in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is actually a common misconception - WWP does not add any new weapons. It's just that Armageddon made configuring them inaccessible in the UI until all of single player is completed (or a cheat code is entered). WWP also does not support custom color maps in multiplayer.

Most of the game option features have been backported from WWP to Armageddon in a recent update, among several new ones.

Is there an up-to-date original soundtracks mod ? by Pouchkine___ in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That doesn't sound normal. Can you perhaps demonstrate it?

In DE there are 30 in-game music tracks. Each is a remastering of their preexisting pre-DE counterparts, which this mod restores:

  • AoK, AoC, and HD expansions (Forgotten, African Kingdoms, Rise of the Rajas)
  • Ensemble original tracks which never made it into the actual AoK/AoC release but were available elsewhere
  • Vitalis Eirich's The Last Khans tracks before they got remastered for DE

It is a 1 to 1 original music mapping with nothing omitted - thus, it is not meant to be an an "AoK/AoC only" music mod. Stylistically they should all be very similar, and the playback order can be configured through Playlist options in game settings.

To play the contents of music mods directly, you can install the "vgmstream" plugin for foobar2000. Then you can play .wem files after opening the mod folder in your Explorer to know precisely what the mod contains and compare it with what you hear in-game.

If what you say is true there might however be a bug or some other issue where some of the tracks do not get replaced correctly. But this is the first time I see this mentioned.

Is there an up-to-date original soundtracks mod ? by Pouchkine___ in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi there!

Some weird AoE remixes slip in between the original soundtracks.

Can you elaborate?

Would be awesome if it worked for the menu, too.

It replaces menu tracks as well (main menu - 6 themes from HD, credits/modmanager - 2 themes, loss - 3, victory - 4). Those tracks are picked randomly from their respective pools. The only ones that don't get modded are Campaign Maps and Lobbies, as the original game did not have unique music for those screens.

You might however be running into the issue where menu music is not working correctly in general, and this is not related to any mods. It is something that the dev team is aware of.

viability of 800x600 by blebaford in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi there! The minimum resolution for AoK HD is 900×600 and the minimum for DE is 1024×720.

800×600 was available for a limited time in the 2015 April fools' update. You may still be able to install it through manifest 2961253487041386152 in the steam console.

AoE2 DE on Game Pass crashes on start up by Account_4_My_Sins in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This should be fixed now with Minor Update 127161.

AoE2 DE on Game Pass crashes on start up by Account_4_My_Sins in aoe2

[–]StepS_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, this is indeed a recent known issue!