EPTFor those unaware, the award-winning Age of Empires II was re-ported into newer systems and called 'HD', purchase-able on Steam
http://store.steampowered.com/app/221380/?snr=1_7_7_151_150_1
However, recently a new expansion for this series was announced. That's right, an expansion for Age of Empires II will be launched this Fall, nearly 13 years since The Conquerors.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/lRtK5eO.jpg)
The new expansion will include:
Civilizations
Explore five ‘forgotten empires’, and master their unique units and technologies.
Italians:
Set sail to Venice and take the role as general in one of the Italian republics that emerged from the chaos after the collapse of the Roman Empire!
Indians - Put vast armies under your command, comprised of countless Camels and powerful Elephants.
Slavs – Even after the dissolution of the Mongolian Golden Horde, these icy planes of Eastern Europe still echo under the thundering hooves and countless boots of your soldiers.
Magyars - Lead the mighty Black Army over the Hungarian plains and command the fiercest cavalry forces that Europe has ever witnessed in the Middle Ages
Incas - Lead your armies along the shores of Lake Titicaca, defend your wealth and heritage from the invading Conquistadors and erect mighty structures to withstand the test of time.
Explore five ‘forgotten empires’, and master their unique units and technologies.
Italians:
Set sail to Venice and take the role as general in one of the Italian republics that emerged from the chaos after the collapse of the Roman Empire!
Indians - Put vast armies under your command, comprised of countless Camels and powerful Elephants.
Slavs – Even after the dissolution of the Mongolian Golden Horde, these icy planes of Eastern Europe still echo under the thundering hooves and countless boots of your soldiers.
Magyars - Lead the mighty Black Army over the Hungarian plains and command the fiercest cavalry forces that Europe has ever witnessed in the Middle Ages
Incas - Lead your armies along the shores of Lake Titicaca, defend your wealth and heritage from the invading Conquistadors and erect mighty structures to withstand the test of time.
New Campaigns
Test your mettle with four campaigns and over a dozen never-seen-before missions.
Alaric:
The trauma of the Hun invasion in the 4th century has shaped Alaric, the fearsome warrior king of the Goths. But can the beloved king secure a new homeland for his people in the territory of the collapsing Roman Empire?
Sforza:
Always hungry for glory and wealth, Sforza wanders around 15th century Italy, offering his services to the highest bidder. Will he pick the right battles or make the wrong enemy? Take the fate of the young mercenary captain in your hands.
Bari:
400 years after the collapse of the Roman Empire, Italy is still up for grabs. Relive the tale of the port city Bari from the point of view of a Byzantine family, rising from the common soldiery to the nobility. Beware, for not only Bari is at stake, but also control of Southern Italy.
Dracula:
History forged an incredible legend around the man who ruled Wallachia in the mid-14th century. Holding his ground against the vast armies of the expanding Ottoman Empire, his cruel tactics made him the most feared man in all of Eastern Europe. Shall his thirst for blood and the loyalty of his soldiers hold the Turks back for good?
Test your mettle with four campaigns and over a dozen never-seen-before missions.
Alaric:
The trauma of the Hun invasion in the 4th century has shaped Alaric, the fearsome warrior king of the Goths. But can the beloved king secure a new homeland for his people in the territory of the collapsing Roman Empire?
Sforza:
Always hungry for glory and wealth, Sforza wanders around 15th century Italy, offering his services to the highest bidder. Will he pick the right battles or make the wrong enemy? Take the fate of the young mercenary captain in your hands.
Bari:
400 years after the collapse of the Roman Empire, Italy is still up for grabs. Relive the tale of the port city Bari from the point of view of a Byzantine family, rising from the common soldiery to the nobility. Beware, for not only Bari is at stake, but also control of Southern Italy.
Dracula:
History forged an incredible legend around the man who ruled Wallachia in the mid-14th century. Holding his ground against the vast armies of the expanding Ottoman Empire, his cruel tactics made him the most feared man in all of Eastern Europe. Shall his thirst for blood and the loyalty of his soldiers hold the Turks back for good?
Game Modes:
Master new skirmish and multiplayer game modes!
Popularized in later titles, the economically focused “Treaty” gametype will be available in AoF. Also commonly known as “No Rush”, Treaty mode enables a limited duration of battle-free early growth before focusing on military might.
For a quick paced, action oriented battle the new “Capture the Relic” will see players rushing with their monks to take control of a single treasure and return it safely to base.
New Maps
Explore the unknown with new maps available through The Forgotten expansion. Defend your fortress perched on a hill or embrace the unpredictable in MegaRandom. Feeling claustrophobic? Quadruple the space and stretch out in the new LudiKRIS sized maps! Design expansive scenarios across vast stretches of terrain with editor support for up to 500 units, and share your creations with the community through the Steam workshop.
New AI
AoF will incorporate smarter, advanced AI designed to give even the best players a challenge. Designed to adapt to changing units and situations like real players, you’ll actually be able to learn effective strategies for PVP from the computer. Advanced control also allow unprecedented human / AI collaboration and teamwork for more exciting scenarios than ever before.
Master new skirmish and multiplayer game modes!
Popularized in later titles, the economically focused “Treaty” gametype will be available in AoF. Also commonly known as “No Rush”, Treaty mode enables a limited duration of battle-free early growth before focusing on military might.
For a quick paced, action oriented battle the new “Capture the Relic” will see players rushing with their monks to take control of a single treasure and return it safely to base.
New Maps
Explore the unknown with new maps available through The Forgotten expansion. Defend your fortress perched on a hill or embrace the unpredictable in MegaRandom. Feeling claustrophobic? Quadruple the space and stretch out in the new LudiKRIS sized maps! Design expansive scenarios across vast stretches of terrain with editor support for up to 500 units, and share your creations with the community through the Steam workshop.
New AI
AoF will incorporate smarter, advanced AI designed to give even the best players a challenge. Designed to adapt to changing units and situations like real players, you’ll actually be able to learn effective strategies for PVP from the computer. Advanced control also allow unprecedented human / AI collaboration and teamwork for more exciting scenarios than ever before.
But most importantly, considering Microsoft's partnership with Twitch(for the Xbox),
Observer Mode
The taste of victory is always sweeter when someone is watching. Start the game as a spectator and keep an eye on the action from multiple viewpoints, or invite your friend in to watch as you dominate the opponent with a new build.
Direct Twitch.tv Streaming
Streaming has never been easier with one click broadcasting directly through Age of Empires II: HD – The Forgotten. Demo latest scenario creation, game mod, or an intense multiplayer battle. If shout-casting is your forte, stream from Observer mode to highlight the very best in competitive play!
Age of Empires II HD – The Forgotten expansion will be available on Steam this Fall. Come check out the AoF multiplayer early at PAX Prime!
The taste of victory is always sweeter when someone is watching. Start the game as a spectator and keep an eye on the action from multiple viewpoints, or invite your friend in to watch as you dominate the opponent with a new build.
Direct Twitch.tv Streaming
Streaming has never been easier with one click broadcasting directly through Age of Empires II: HD – The Forgotten. Demo latest scenario creation, game mod, or an intense multiplayer battle. If shout-casting is your forte, stream from Observer mode to highlight the very best in competitive play!
Age of Empires II HD – The Forgotten expansion will be available on Steam this Fall. Come check out the AoF multiplayer early at PAX Prime!
Now, "The Forgotten" is another name for the popular fan-made expansion "Forgotten Empires", and can already be downloaded and patched on the original AoE2 from here; However, extra features(Obs mode, direct Twitch streaming) are not available due to obvious constraints. Furthermore, it was already confirmed(via reddit) that there will be some balance concerns addressed on "The Forgotten". The different name is also a method to avoid confusion, since people could think that FE is the exact same on both HD and non-HD(note that AoFE is not a officially supported expansion, while AoE-TF will be; even if it is done in partnership with the AoFE devs)
Who's gonna buy it? I'll probably stream a bit of that when it comes out
AoE is one of my favorite games, and the FE balance changes make multiplayer much more interesting(let's be honest: AoC has a lot of flaws and 1-hour long 2v2s aren't all that exciting)Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but this also marks the first PC game to have a direct twitch.tv stream method, right?
