Cannot run The Asian Dynasties nor Warchiefs

[Nonomu198]

Hello,

I'm using Windows 7.

When I launch the expansions from their directory they ask for a CD key (not provided by Steam, which only gave me the key for the base game for whatever reason).

When I try to launch them directly from Steam I get the following error messages: "could not load datapy.bar" or "could not load datapx.bar".

This is ridiculous, the base game runs perfectly fine. Any clues?

[Nonomu198]

Note: I've tried reinstalling and eradicating Age of Empires 3 from my registry.

[Qinshi]

Strange.
I can play it with Windows 10.
I can play AoE 2 in windows 7 through steam without a question.

You can try to load the exe file of AoE3 game you want to play, directly through you windows explorer (without loading steam first and launching the game throug steam).

If this not helps, you can rightclick those exe files and change the compatibilty of the game in older windows XP version.

[Nonomu198]

Update: Steam support suggested I launch Steam as an Administrator. That has enabled me to launch The Asian Dynasties and Warchiefs without using a CD key, and has unlocked it for me for use from outside Steam as well.

In this layman's perspective, again since there are no CD keys for the DLC products, it looks like Steam has employed some sort of crack .

I'll see if the game's actually playable tomorrow, and if so I hope this helps anyone else who might be having trouble.

[Eaglemut]

Good to hear you got it sorted out. The single CD-key is valid for the whole collection, so it's not really a crack, your game should work fine now.

[Nonomu198]

I don't believe they all use the same key, because said key only worked for the vanilla game and not the DLCs when I tried to launch them manually (I actually tried using it for TAS first).

Anyway the game seems to work fine now. I hope that this thread helps others who encountered the same problem.

I repeat: The solution is to "freeing" the game is to launch Steam as an administrator, then launching the three launchers seperately from within Steam.