Age of Empires: HD Edition Patch 3.0

[76561198072433336]

The patch notes below affect the base game and expansion. Patches in the future will be separated into two categories, one that affects both the base and expansion, and a category for changes that are expansion only. Discussion for the notes below can be found at this thread


There has been a tiny hotfix to resolve the following issues in 3.0:

• Loc displaying issues in languages other than english. (No Chinese did not start with an eagle scout).
  
• Capture the Relic - ensuring monastery was invulnerable for a few specific edge cases
  
• Game speed options in UI functions properly when selecting. You can still use num+ / - to go up to 8x in single player.

If you are not updated to version 3 in game, please restart your steam client entirely to ensure the game is updating. Unfortunately due to file format and data structure changes, your previous saved games may not work in 3.0.

General Gameplay:

• Attack-move: There is a new button and hotkey for this. Units will automatically engage enemy units while advancing to their destination.
  
• Balanced Build Queue: When you select multiple buildings, all units created are load balanced for quickest completion time.
  
• Scrolling has several improvements. Diagonal speeds match horizontal/vertical speeds. Also the diagonal angle of scrolling matches the tiles (perfectly parallel to the map edge).
  
• The AI has remembered that trebuchets are useful in battle! Be prepared to counter siege units again
  
• Game Speed - You may now choose to go up to 8X speed via the hotkeys in single player (Number pad + and number pad - )

.

System Improvements

• Registry settings are now centralized for game options. In the original code base, they were controlled and maintained in an adhoc manner and some didn’t update until you exited the game without crashing.
  
• Game Settings are remembered instantly. The cancel button has been removed. All game settings are enabled by default (and some have been renamed to allow the most common settings to be enabled).
  
• Sound volume has been renamed to Master volume, to better reflect its functionality, as music volume is relative to master volume.
  
• Music comes back after losing focus.
  
• Scroll speed has been rebalanced again (so you will want to readjust).
  
• Player profiles have been rewritten and should no longer be corruptible. For most players, it will port your campaign progress to the new profile system, but other settings for recent singleplayer and multiplayer settings will be started fresh.
  
• Player profiles now immediately remember settings for all modes:
  
  • Single player settings in Age of Empires: HD Edition (referred to as AoK for simplicity for the items in this list)
    
  • Multiplayer settings in AoK
    
  • Single player settings in Age of Empires: The Forgotten (AoF)
    
  • Multiplayer settings in AoF
    
  • Lobby filter settings
    
  • There are a few setting exceptions that aren’t remembered where it makes sense. For example, in MP, locked teams will always be enabled by default.
• All languages now use text files instead of dll files. Enterprising individuals should easily be able to take the English strings and translate them to any language of their choosing and share them in the workshop…like ewok!
  
• Cursors are now a consistent size (some cursors were showing up too small).
  
• The games extension system has been rewritten to allow for separation between features only available in Age of Empires: HD Edition (AoK) and Age of Empires: The Forgotten (AoF):
  
  • *.ai, *.ai2: These files are generally blank, exist in the AI folder and declare AI personalities of a matching name. AoF can load both types. AoK can only load *.ai files.
    
  • *.per, *.per2: The counterpart to *.ai and *.ai2 files. These files also live in the AI folder and contain all the scripting support for a personality. AoF can load both types. AoK can only load *.per files.
    
  • *.rms, *.rms2: Random Map Script files that live in the Random folder. AoF can load both types. AoK can only load *.rms files.
    
  • *.gax, *.gax2: These are single player save game files and are mutually exclusive. In AoK you can only save and load *.gax files. In AoF, you can only save and load *.gax2 files.
    
  • *.msx, *.msx2: These are multiplayer saves and are mutually exclusive. In AoK you can only save and load *.msx files. In AoF, you can only save and load *.msx2 files. (ditto with *.tmsx, *.tmsx2 – which are temp saves).
    
  • *.mgx, *.mgx2: These are replay files and are mutually exclusive. In AoK you can only save and load *.mgx files. In AoF, you can only save and load *.mgx2 files.
    
  • *.scx, *scx2: These are scenario files. AoF can load both types. AoK can only load *.scx files.
    
  • *.cpx, *.cpx2: These are campaign files. AoF can load both types. AoK can only load *.cpx files.

Performance Improvements:

• The AI has been optimized to reduce how often it searches for targets when it doesn’t have one. This was responsible for approximately 10% or more of the frame rate cost and should improve late-game performance.
  
• Left+click dragging (selection boxes) no longer negatively affect the frame rate while the mouse is moving.
  
• Moving the mouse while placing a building no longer negatively affects frame rate.
  
• Many of the sprites (buildings and units) have been optimized to use less draw calls.
  
• Frame rate now follows new constraints that eliminate most types of “command-lag”. For more details you can view the {LINK REMOVED} Public Performance Beta notes.

Scenario Editor:

• You can now generate maps in the scenario editor with RMS files inside your Random directory as well as any of the embedded random map types.
  
• You can now paint any terrain type.
  
• You can now use any terrain type when setting the base terrain.

Multiplayer Features

• Mirror Random has been added to civ dropdowns in multiplayer. When you choose this option, you civ will be chosen from the civs on the opposing team. The rules are a little more complicated in how selection works to account for all cases of course 