Age of Empires!

Crimson Idol

Crimson Idol

Caveman
Anyone here play it (2 or 3) ... UnknownOne, Natalie and I played a game last night of Age of Conquerors, few lag problems and disconnects but we got there in the end.

Would be good if we could get more people involved so UO doesn't feel a need to beat up the noobs all the time  :p

We're playing over Hamachi VLAN to make it easier  ;)

Setup instructions:
Hamachi
Very straight forward, go to: https://secure.logmein.com/products/ham ... nload.aspx - Tick the agree box and download the unmanaged one, install it - Make sure it's all unblocked from firewalls etc, when it runs first make sure it's powered on (Power button at the top :p)
You want to join an existing network, the Network name is #maidenfans and the password is eddie

IRC
Easiest way is using the webchat: http://centralchat.net/chat  Again, the channel is #maidenfans
We use irc to organise the games and who's hosting etc.

Games
Once in the games, for AoE2 we are playing the Conquerors expansion version 1.0 (basic install) - go to Multiplayer and select INTERNET TCP/IP. Click show games and it'll ask you for an IP address. We'll tell you the IP in IRC of who is hosting when we start.

For AoE3 it's a little more complicated because of network architecture. We are playing the basic game at version 1.14 (you can get the patch: http://www.agecommunity.com/gameUpdates.aspx)
You will need http://www.crea-doo.at/downloads/vb/aoe ... _1.6.3.zip The file "aoe3loader" inside the zip is the important one, run that and it'll ask you to select an IP address, you want to select the one beginning 5. as this is your hamachi address. Once you've done that and pressed okay, click the start game button, select Age of Empires 3 and load the game. In game, go to Multiplayer->LAN and enter the Host's IP at the bottom, click connect.

That should be everything needed. If you are playing with us we will of course be on IRC to help you along so just alt-tab back and ask if you have a problem :)
 
Hey Loosey, I remember we tried AoK with Hamachi once, only that it didn't work.

But yeah, if we ever find a way, I might be up for a match.
 
Age of Conquerors (not tried AoE3 yet, should work fine though) worked last night.. getting the game started was fine, it was getting it to hold connection... UO has random disconnects and sometimes it just seemed to cut out for no reason... I could still see Nat/UO talking but to them I had dropped :s

You have to connect via "Internet TCP/IP game" using the Hamachi IP, rather than going to LAN (stupid thing) .. Will try AoE3 when UO gets it installed as I'm sure that's a more stable game  ;)
 
I disagree, AoE III is not garbage. I wish it were more like the originals, but its still fun to play, especially with the ability to pick up treasures and random things like that.
 
I don't think AoE3 is bad, I think AoE2 is better in terms of gameplay, but AoE3 obviously has improvements like "select all villagers doing X task", better gfx (duh) and of course.... it runs smoother due to it not being about 12 years old!
 
I really didn't enjoy it, but hey. To each their own.

Plus I don't own it, and I stopped being a pirate a long time ago (for games).
 
Well, Nat and I are going to try a game of AoE3 now... but when UO comes on I'm sure we'll be playing AoE2  :ok:
Played a few games of AoE3, it seems on the whole more stable than AoE2... we've had 2 drops all night and no lag, it does seem that unlike AoE2 you can reconnect to a game if you drop - BUT - you gotta do it in under 1minute :/ AoE2 has no time limit but once you're dropped you're dropped for good.

Asides from that, AoE3 seems to be harder to get going for LAN due to the way that it connects to the networks, AoE2 got up and running fine it was just keeping it stable once you started - it has a save function tho.

All in all.. both have their ups and downs for playing over VLAN, but play whatever we can get most people for :)
 
Yeah setting it up through Hamachi was actually really easy, the problem is getting the game to be stable enough to play fully without interruptions. The best bet it to probably save it every 10 mins of game time or something along those lines.
 
I used to be good. The Duke and I played nightly, pretty well, for years and years. I might still have that style in me.

Beware my Turkish hordes.
 
I have AoE: II and the Conquerors expansion pack, I love them but I am absolutely awful!!! I'd quite like to play with some people from here though!
 
Don't worry UpTheIrons, I think this forum has quite a broad spectrum of AoE skills ranging from diehards like LC and UO to really rather mediocre players like me. :)
 
We've not really played AoE2 much because since that first night it has been very difficult with connections.. AoE3 works every time though.
 
I bring different news for AoE fans. If you haven't heard, there is a new fan made expansion pack for AoE 2 that is not related to the Steam HD version.

http://www.forgottenempires.net/

So this means, more civilizations, more techs, more units. Of course you do have to have Age of Kings / Conquerors already. But it's free unlike the Steam HD version.

Additionally, I've found another option in order to play the game in a multiplayer fashion. The last time some Maidenfans tried to play we have significant issues, but I've played a bunch of games with this new method called Gameranger and have had no real problems.

http://www.gameranger.com/
Friends to add:
Emperor Badger

There's also a video tutorial for both installing FE and Gameranger located here -
 
That sounds very cool UO. And yeah, I got the Aoe2 HD version on steam as well, and so far I'm enjoying it immensely. Anyone up for an epic maidenfans battle?
 
We just have to hope we don't get the disconnect issue again! At least joining/starting a game is easier with the steam version than it was with the regular one.
 
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