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Brunei Darussalam566 Posts
EDIT: now that the game is launched, I've added a list of TL members looking for matchmaking games. If you want in, shoot me a PM with the following info:
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TL Name:
Steam account:
Location:
Notes: [Let us know what kind of games you're looking for, your skill level, and so on.]
Lots of players (myself included) are having framerate and lag issues, so I recommend checking out some honest reviews and feedback on the game before purchasing.
Following some rumors and speculation, Microsoft has announced today the release of Age of Empires II HD Edition, to be launched exclusively through Steam on April 9.
It's currently priced at US$ 19.99 (£ 14.99), or US$ 17.99 (£ 13.49) with a 10% off pre-purchase. Pre-ordering will also net you early access to the game on April 5.
The original game has been remastered for high-resolution displays at 1080p, and changes have been made to the visual engine. The HD Edition is also integrated with Steamworks and thus features achievements, leaderboards, cloud support and, most importantly, centralized matchmaking.
Despite its original launch date, AoE II still sports a sizable community, which will probably grow considerably now that the game features official matchmaking support. Once the game launches, I bet we can create a list of active TL players for some friendly pickup games!
What are your thoughts? Will you play it?
1. Launch Video
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2. Screenshots
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3. Additional Info
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4. FAQ (courtesy of fifasnipe2224)
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Does Age of Empires 2: HD Edition support Steam cloud saves?
Yes!
I have the original Age of Empires 2. Can I play multiplayer matches with my friends who have the new HD version?
Age of Empires 2: HD Edition uses a different multiplayer service than the original version, so cross-platform matchmaking is not possible. You will need to have the same version as your friend in order to play together.
Can I play the game over LAN?
You can matchmake while Steam is in offline mode, but will still need internet access to connect to Steam for multiplayer capability.
Can I redeem my cd key from the original Age of Empires 2 to get the new HD version?
At this time, such cd key activation is not available. You can only get Age of Empires 2: HD Edition via direct purchase from Steam or by purchasing a Steam key from an authorized retailer.
Will this game be available on Mac or Linux?
There are no plans for a Mac or Linux version at this time.
Will the game be available in my region?
Age of Empires II: HD Edition will be available in any region that Steam currently supports.
How do I use Steam Workshop?
Steam Workshop can be accessed from the game launcher as well as from the in-game menu. With Steam Workshop, you can share, download, and build user-created content for the game.
Is there DRM?
Age of Empires 2: HD Edition uses only the Steam service for license management. Games for Windows LIVE is not required.
Is this still the same Age of Empires that I know and love?
Absolutely! All of the gameplay remains the same, we have merely updated the game to run on current operating systems, with HD graphics. (You remember those cheat codes? Yeah, those still work too!) The game now scales to fit your monitor, and even offers multi-monitor support for even higher resolutions!
Have there been any changes made to the gameplay?
No, it's still the same classic Age of Empires II experience.
What are the minimum system requirements to play the game?
Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 Pro
Steam Software Platform
900x600 minimum resolution display
Direct X 9 Capable GPU
1.2GHz CPU
1GB RAM
2GB HDD
5. TL Player List
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Makes me very nostalgic and wanting to play AoE again, probably going to buy it.
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Brunei Darussalam566 Posts
On March 08 2013 05:43 krutopatkin wrote:
Makes me very nostalgic and wanting to play AoE again, probably going to buy it.
I'm always a little bit wary of pre-ordering anything, but in this case it nets you a 10% discount and early access (4 days) to the game. Dunno, though, probably will wait to see if the remastering is any good. Been playing AoE II on and off since launch, always so hard to find a game on my (mediocre) level, official matchmaking seems almost too good to be true! haha
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I can't tell the difference....
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GrandInquisitor
New York City13113 Posts
That launch video was pretty well-made, with exactly the right amount of nostalgia produced.
To be honest I am surprised more companies have not stepped up on the "retro" remake trend. It is a way to rehash tired IP in a "cool" way instead of beating dead horses.
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I think that trailer is pretty abysmal. Only after watching it the second time did i realize they were switching between the 2 versions. Then again that music makes anything better.
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United States10328 Posts
augh but can I play it on Linux??? 
I don't know if my shitty old Windows machine can actually handle it LOL, considering [to make an example of a Steam game] it runs TF2 with lowest settings at like 3 fps
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Nice. It will work smoother with win7 and 16 : 9 monitors too. I miss re-creating the silkroad in black forest and destroying stuff with janissaries.
A lot of "oldschool" people might disagree but i think this game would be really fun with better pathfinding and starcraft2-like user interface. Also queueing movement/attack commands with shift is weird in aoe2 or i couldn't get it right. I wanted aoe3 to be something like that but it was really bad and moved away from the beauty of aoe2 imo.
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Im with some people, I could tell when it was "remastered" but it was just less zoomed in and the lines a little clearer....
That said....if its for ~$5-10 bucks I could see myself buying it as I still have a no-cd crack for my current AOE II and no one plays with me anymore ='(
Edit: ya it's like $20...no way in hell. The only thing that they are really fixing is the resolution crap and the match making, otherwise it's the same damn game that still looks 15 years old.
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Brunei Darussalam566 Posts
On March 08 2013 06:02 FromShouri wrote:
Im with some people, I could tell when it was "remastered" but it was just less zoomed in and the lines a little clearer....
That said....if its for ~$5-10 bucks I could see myself buying it as I still have a no-cd crack for my current AOE II and no one plays with me anymore ='(
Edit: ya it's like $20...no way in hell. The only thing that they are really fixing is the resolution crap and the match making, otherwise it's the same damn game that still looks 15 years old.
I agree, the ideal price point would probably be 10 bucks, they're clearly milking the nostalgia hype at this point. Microsoft is known for its wonky price policy on Steam --- AoE III is still $29 I believe, while, in the past, it's been on sale on Origin for like a dollar (no joke).
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checks screenshot...no way this is remastered. screw that.
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On March 08 2013 05:49 GrandInquisitor wrote:
That launch video was pretty well-made, with exactly the right amount of nostalgia produced.
To be honest I am surprised more companies have not stepped up on the "retro" remake trend. It is a way to rehash tired IP in a "cool" way instead of beating dead horses.
"Cool" way? More like milking games without actually doing anything. Would rather have a new, bad game than an old game with barely any changes.
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Fuck, fuck yes!
I still play this game a lot! I must get this game!
I hope playing online will be awesome.
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this will be the first time in 7 years that age2 has a official multiplayer lobby
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United Kingdom3482 Posts
On March 08 2013 05:49 GrandInquisitor wrote:
That launch video was pretty well-made, with exactly the right amount of nostalgia produced.
To be honest I am surprised more companies have not stepped up on the "retro" remake trend. It is a way to rehash tired IP in a "cool" way instead of beating dead horses.
I'm most surprised Blizzard hasn't done this with Brood War. I'm sure a lot of people would throw money at them if they did.
I'm pretty excited about this because AoE was one of the first games I played alot when I was younger and I haven't played it in a long time.
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This game was a masterpiece, if it had the same type multiplayer platform like battlenet, instead of the shitty Zone website place or whatever the fuck it was called, that was either down or broken pretty much 90% of the time and was easily abused, it could easily have rivaled brood war.
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Looks too little hd for hd.
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Meh, I may end up buying this... Also, just read a blog about how this needs to be done for BW <- agreed!
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EPT
