Not able to play game - Not Launching

[NavyMom09]

Computer Specs
OS - Win 8 (64 bit)
164GB Free Space on Hard drive
Processor - i7 @ 2.4GHz
RAM - 8GB

I am running Steam Client Application:
Build: Jun 19 2015, at 14:47:29
Steam API: v017
Steam package versions: 1434755760

Age of Empires II: HD Edition - Properties
Current content BuildID: 663138

I play CIV 5 with direct x 11 (Beginning to wonder if it is a direct x issue because "Direct X 9.0c Capable GPU Recommended" according to the AOE website for AOE II HD)
- According to Microsoft - "You can happily have DirectX 9c running alongside DirectX 11"
"To run DX9 games you just need to install the DirectX 9 runtime and you should be good to go. I have ran a lot of very old games including some that needed DX5 with absolutely no problems at all with Windows 7.

"You will never have more than 1 version of DX in Windows OS."
Not completely true if a game requires DX9c and you have not installed it the game will not play. DirectX 9 and DirectX 11 can co exist in Windows 7 just fine. It is amazing after all this time that Vista and Windows 7 has been out that people still think they can't install DirectX 9 just because the OS came with a higher version. You can even install DirectX 9 in Windows 8"

OK, so I purchased and downloaded the game TODAY (June 14 2015):

clicked "play" but the launcher came up with a bunch of white spaces on it and would not go into the game

restarted computer - nothing changed

so I then tried to verify the local cache - that made the spaces disappear, but I am still unable to get into the game

restarted computer - nothing changed

I tried reinstalling the game - launcher came up, but unable to get into the game (yet I have played a total of now 20 minutes in the game at this point)

restarted computer - nothing changed

I tried the following:
1. In your Steam Game Library, find the game. Right click it and click Properties.
2. Click the "Set launch options..." button.
3. Type in NoStartUp and click OK.
4. Click the "Local files" tab.
5. Click the "Browse local files..." button to open the game folder.
6. Delete (or rename) "Launcher".
7. Make a copy of "AoK HD".
8. Rename the copy to "Launcher".
9. Go back to the Steam properties window and click Close. "
At this point the launcher would not even open.

I again tried to uninstall and reinstall - able to open launcher with no white spaces, but unable to open game

restarted computer - no change

Installed directx 9c - no change

restarted computer - no change

Turned off AVAST antivirus - no change

restarted computer with AVAST still off - no change

So far, nada.. nothing... zip... zilch. I can't even play a game I paid for

I do not know what else to do. I tried contacting Microsoft Studios via http://ageofempiresonline.com/en/support_ticket but it redirects to http://www.ageofempires.com/AoEL.aspx

I just want to be able to play my game :(

[-Dare Devil/x/]

Originally posted by NavyMom09:

I tried the following:
1. In your Steam Game Library, find the game. Right click it and click Properties.
2. Click the "Set launch options..." button.
3. Type in NoStartUp and click OK.
4. Click the "Local files" tab.
5. Click the "Browse local files..." button to open the game folder.
6. Delete (or rename) "Launcher".
7. Make a copy of "AoK HD".
8. Rename the copy to "Launcher".
9. Go back to the Steam properties window and click Close. "

At this point the launcher would not even open.

-When you say "would not even open".. what happened? Did you click play in Steam and... nothing happened? If so, try temporarily disabling your antivirus.

[NavyMom09]

Originally posted by -Dare Devil/x/:

Originally posted by NavyMom09:

I tried the following:
1. In your Steam Game Library, find the game. Right click it and click Properties.
2. Click the "Set launch options..." button.
3. Type in NoStartUp and click OK.
4. Click the "Local files" tab.
5. Click the "Browse local files..." button to open the game folder.
6. Delete (or rename) "Launcher".
7. Make a copy of "AoK HD".
8. Rename the copy to "Launcher".
9. Go back to the Steam properties window and click Close. "

At this point the launcher would not even open.

-When you say "would not even open".. what happened? Did you click play in Steam and... nothing happened? If so, try temporarily disabling your antivirus.

Yes, I clicked but nothing happend (hence not opening). I am not sure what other meaning it could have.

However, I did as suggested and again, I was not able to get into game

[cowalko]

Hello:

I am having the same problem: the game doesn't launch.

I have reinstalled it twice and it still doesn't launch.

When I follow the recommendations above:
1. In your Steam Game Library, find the game. Right click it and click Properties.
2. Click the "Set launch options..." button.
3. Type in NoStartUp and click OK.
4. Click the "Local files" tab.
5. Click the "Browse local files..." button to open the game folder.
6. Delete (or rename) "Launcher".
7. Make a copy of "AoK HD".
8. Rename the copy to "Launcher".
9. Go back to the Steam properties window and click Close. "

the game still doesn't launch and now I get a message error that I didn't get before that says "failed to start the game (unkown error)".

Before, I would get the initial loading page where you can click on play. But now, not even that.

This is frustrating.

Any tips on how to solve it?

Thank you

[gazza214]

i have the same issueand have tried it all did you find a way to play

[NavyMom09]

Nope, I had to change to a different computer... It had windows 7 on it.

[NavyMom09]

I JUST found out the fix to my issue. I have AVAST for my internet security and I was having issues with it so I went under my installed programs in the control panal and REPAIRed it. After that, the game came right up. My advice would be to REPAIR your security software

[Chip]

Hi. where exactly did you find the "repair" option in your control panel?

[NavyMom09]

Originally posted by Chip:

Hi. where exactly did you find the "repair" option in your control panel?

There is no "repair" option in the control panel itself since you are repairing a program not the OS... Also, you need to be in the control panel of the computer NOT the program.

What OS do you have?

It is under "programs and features" and then click on your security software (mine was AVAST) and then it should give you an option to change or repair up by the organize button. If you want, we can connect and I can remote into your PC and show you. Just let me know.

OS = operating system

[nricosta]

Hi, I just downloaded the game for the first time. During the download, i got this message 'erreur d'enregistrement" then "erreur de connexion" and now, i have an "empty error msg : Engine\filesystem.cpp(1746). Thus the game doesn't launch. I have windows 10. How could i fix that? Re-installing? Downloading again?

[NavyMom09]

I would uninstall, run a repair on your security software, then try reinstalling. When I was having issues, I never received any error messeges. Is your default language French? (Not a troubleshooting step, just curious since the error messenges seem to be in french)

[nricosta]

yes I am French sorry, i don't know how i could translate those error messenges... Thanks for your help !

[Chip]

Hey thanks for the quick guidance. Since my Anti-virus firewall options weren't showing up through the program itself I was having trouble letting AoE through. But now it works.

For anyone who still has this issue: I also read some people managed to get thegame running by temporarily disabling their anti-virus just so the game can run. As soon as the game works anti-virus can be re-enabled and the game will stil work fine.

[NavyMom09]

I tried disabling my antivirus and it did NOT work because there was a corrupted file or something. I completely disabled AVAST from starting and it was still causing issues. After I "repaired" I was able to do everything I could not

[NavyMom09]

Originally posted by Chip:

Hey thanks for the quick guidance. Since my Anti-virus firewall options weren't showing up through the program itself I was having trouble letting AoE through. But now it works.

For anyone who still has this issue: I also read some people managed to get thegame running by temporarily disabling their anti-virus just so the game can run. As soon as the game works anti-virus can be re-enabled and the game will stil work fine.

How did you manage that? My security program would not let other games though either (like guild wars 2), but by repairing the software, I was able to play..

[Chip]

I ran the game while Anti-Virus was updating so it worked then and after that too.