Patched: Age of Empires 2 Conquerers

[boekabart]

I've created a patch that allows you to run AoE2-TC on practically any resolution!

How It Works: It changes the effective resolution of the 1280x1024 (or 1024x768, 800x600) choice to your desktop resolutions (but other options are possible), by changing some of the occurrences of 1280, 1024 and related numbers inside the binary.

It also changes all interface graphics to the right resolution by duplicating some lines and repeating the rightmost pixels.

It writes a new exe and a new version of interfac.drs, both with a different name. The patched exe refers to this new interfac.drs, not to the original one. You can't lose anything.

After running AoE2Wide, you will get a link (batch file) on your desktop that links to the new, hi-res AoE2 !

It works on NoCD versions only, since the original exe's are encrypted and therefore unpatchable. 1.0, 1.0c and 1.0e supported.

.Net 3.5 SP1 is required, but the supplied MSI will install this for you if necessary.

Source Links:
http://www.boekabart.net/aoe2wide/latestpatcher/AoE2WideSetup.msi For latest INSTALLER! [edit: fixed link]
http://www.boekabart.net/aoe2wide For all downloads, sources, screenshots, binary

Donate HERE: http://www.boekabart.net/aoe2wide/donate.html If you're looking to support the past and future development of this patch!

If you install (msi) or download the patcher, make sure you put the files in a subfolder of your AoE2 game directory, or it won't be able to find the right files.

See further in this topic for more details and instructions.

[scavvenjahh]

I've moved this here since the Confirmed Solutions area is for step-by-step methods and comparison screenshots exclusively, and nobody could post replies to your message. ;)

Sounds great, could you post one 1280x1024 and one 1680x1050 screenshot ?

[boekabart]

Sounds great, could you post one 1280x1024 and one 1680x1050 screenshot ?

2 problems here: 1) How does one make a screenshot of AoE2? a quick google didn't tell me. In win7, normal printscreen doesn't do the trick (colors even more mangled than they are in-game.
2) Is there no way to post attachments here?

Anyway, I've made a screenshot with my photo camera and it's posted behind this link: http://sites.google.com/site/aoe2wide/AoE2wide_camshot_01.jpg?attredirects=0

So the play area is 26 (1050-1024) pixels higher, the background GUI image is also 26 pixels higher (by inserting blank lines behind the play area), but not yet wider - that's where the pink areas right of the original image come from. The big improvement here is of course the fact that the play area is a lot wider than 1280px!

The patch should be ablo to do bigger resolutions too, I just lack the hardware to test this...

If anyone wants to help: I need help on the SLP rle encoding, plus testing of course. There are a lot of X and Y coordinates in there that might need adjustment: they should be figured out and listed in the input.txt .

I'll try to upload a little movie on youtube later that shows the same but in motion (also made with photo cam).

Boekabart

[boekabart]

OK, it turns out that the printscreen key DOES work after all, after I disable this greenshot program that I use...
Here goes in PNG-from-original:

[scavvenjahh]

The best would be actual screen captures made with software like Fraps or PlayClaw. If PrntScrn works, that's good too.
Launch the game at a 4:3 resolution, take a screenshot, then run the "patched" game in widescreen, take another screenie.
Then upload your screenshots to free hosting servers like imageshack or photobucket, add the links to the pictures to your post, and voilà!

[Trekky]

Hi. Looks very promising. Nice to see, there are people with the inspiration, not to mention ability, to hack classic games for the widescreen era.

However, I tested your patch with AoE Collector's Edition version of Conquerors (v.1.0C). Doesn't work.

First of all my age2_x1.exe is not located in the Aoe2-folder (as the patch assumes), it's in a subfolder called "age2_x1". If I copy age2_x1.exe to AoE2 folder, the patch will exit with "Didn't find interfac.drs reference at expected location. Wrong exe. Stopping".

[boekabart]

Correct, it does not yet work with the 'original' age2x_1.exe that is located in the age2x_1 folder; as I mentioned I'd have to test it on my old PC that does have a CD drive or connect a usb cd drive to my laptop to test this. But, since that version consists of a small exe and and ICD file, i'd have some more figuring out to do first about the locations to change in those binaries. For now you'll have to use the GCW version.

Today I'll spend some more time making the whole thing a bit easier to use.

[boekabart]

It looks like the age2x_1.icd is the actual game executable, but it's been encrypted somehow. So I don't think it'll be easy to patch the non-gamecopyworld version, if possible at all. It seems that would be another reason to use the GCW exe (non having to have the CD with you all the time you want to play is the other one): it's widescreen patchable. I hope this doesn't make the patch unallowable on this forum....

Unrelated opinion: To me it seems unfair that MS is still cashing on this game, selling it for 10-15 euros even today, but refuses to support it in any way: for example, on windows 7 you're stuck with slightly corrupt colors, directplay doesn't work (at least not on local lan) on 7 and I believe even on Vista... The least they could do if they still sell the game, is recompile it with the latest sdks so it works without problems... Shouldn't take that much time for a seasoned developer.... Their response 'please upgrade to AoE3' would be valid only if they would STOP selling AoE2... (and, imho, if the III would indeed be an upgrade...)

[Trekky]

Ok, next problem: GCW no longer has files for AoE2. They link to GameFix, but the only Conq. 1.0c exe available from there seems to be different from the one you used (patch doesnt work, same "...interfac.drs reference.." -error)

On the subject of the color corruption under Windows 7: Weirdly, I get that in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds (AoE2 engine), but not in AoE2 or Conquerors. Perhaps the Collector's edition has something slightly updated compared to the patched retail version?
(I'm using Win 7 Home Premium x64 on Geforce 9800GT)

In SW:GB the corruption can be fixed by taskkilling explorer.exe before the game starts. I imagine this would work for AoE2 as well.

Also, at least in Europe, I believe it is actually Ubisoft and not Microsoft that's still selling AoE1&2 (CE is about 5-8 euros). Empire Interactive also sold them in it's 'Xplosiv' range but I don't believe they exist anymore.

[boekabart]

Indeed, GCW no longer has it. I've checked the gamefix version, the file size is almost the same but the locations to patch are completely different. I'd like to focus my attention on 1 exe to patch now, later it might be trivial to write smth that just looks up the identical pieces of code in the other exe, and patches them there. I don't know whether it's allowed or not but since it's not meant for illegal running, but for wide screen gaming, here is my ('original' - non wide screen) exe, it should be placed in the AoE2 main folder, not in the age2x_1 subfolder.
http://boekabart.dyndns.org/aoe2wide/age2_x1.zip

[boekabart]

I borrowed a 1920x1200 monitor and tested the 1920x1200 version of my patch, and it works like a charm! Omg, what a huge view!
http://sites.google.com/site/aoe2wide/1920x1200_03.png?attredirects=0

I'll publish the latest binary and the sources a bit later on!

The 1440x900 version, by the way, doesn't work flawlessly yet: apparently I've only found/marked the 1280x1024 map and other UI positions, and 1440x900 is a patch for the 1024x768 resolution.... (because 1) I didn't write code to SHRINK images yet, and 2) the minimap in x768 is a bit smaller, so by using the 1280x1024 one, you'd lose precious screen height.

Example resolution map:
1024x600 (netbook) is patch for 800x600 (should work already I guess, it's the easiest since no GUI positions need adjustment)
1280x720 is patch for either 800x600 or 1024x768 ? both don't work well yet, the latter can't be done yet because the code can't shrink gui images.
1280x768 is patch for 1024x768 (should work fine)
1280x800 is patch for 1024x768 (doesn't work well yet)
1366x768 is patch for 1024x768 (should work fine)
1440x900 is patch for 1024x768 (doesn't work well yet)
1600x900 is patch for 1024x768 (doesn't work well yet)
1650x1080 and higher are patch for 1280x1024 (so far seems to work)

ATM, the app takes a resolution as cmd line parameter, and automatically finds the highest resolution that is smaller (in both dimensions) than the requested one, and patch that resolution. It outputs an executable named e.g. age2x_1_1680x1050.exe and a patched interfac.drs named e.g. 16801050.drs in the Data folder. The exe refers to this drs file.

[boekabart]

Updated binary version.
See http://boekabart.dyndns.org/aoe2wide/

It now runs from the main folder, and has a lot more information lines in it. It now patches a number of common resolutions, including the 1440x900. This last one doesn't really look good yet, BUT if you managed to add the right locations to patch for the updated map +icon positions (for the bottom of the screen), you might be able to fix it! (no source code change is required for this).

Note that the patcher dumps a 'cleanup up' version of the AoE2Wide.dat 'data' file, so show you exactly the lines he used. Just for debugging.

[stibaer]

Came a xmaswish though? :)
I wish for a high resolution solution since centuries :)

file for v0.2 is down. plz reup
Is the sourcecode for this solution available?

thx a lot.

happy greetings

stibaer

[boekabart]

file for v0.2 is down. plz reup

Fricking sites, hate it.

All stuff is now to be found on my own server @ http://boekabart.dyndns.org/aoe2wide/
Which should also make image embedding work...:



EDIT: the sources are public at http://boekabart.dyndns.org/aoe2wide/hg

To get the mercurial repo:

Code: Select all

hg clone http://boekabart.dyndns.org/aoe2wide/hg/ aoe2wide

(if you run this from your game folder, a future version will automatically find the HG versioned DAT file so you can easily get updates).

Btw. yes, it needs refactoring badly.

[boekabart]

Update! Latest binary at http://boekabart.dyndns.org/aoe2wide/latestpatcher

Sources now also available at tarball @ http://boekabart.dyndns.org/aoe2wide/?C=M;O=D

Changed: looks for aoe2wide.dat in current folder plus subdirectories, uses first found. Feature: when used without parameters, patches for your current screen resolution(s). When used with 2 parameters, patches for that resolution.

About the PINK: this is the color that AoE draws when there is no pixel data available; the only way to fix this is when I'm able to stretch the image size horizontally also - I need more info on the SLP RLE format to make this. Someone in this community must know this?! Help?

[k0nfa]

Heyho, I have a 16:9 screen, so my max resolution is 1333x768. Since I'm a PC dummie I wonder if you could explain your solution step by step? =)

I used to play AoC alot, but since the WD trouble I didn't have much will lately. So hopefully your little patch could help me out.

TnX in advance fot the answer.

[mikeea]

Hi there, first of all, thank you very much for doing this boekabart! I can confirm that this works, just tried it on my system (Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit) running at 1680x1050 resolution. The game version is 1.0c. Hope this helps anyone at all.

Hopefully this isn't asking for too much but is there any way to get rid of that bright pink colour on the right side?

Again, thanks for your hard work :D

Oh, here is a screeny of it working: http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll285/madcowstudios/AOK000.jpg

[antiflag]

Hello Boekabart.
Im from germany and im new here, please do not note my bad english ;) (for example)
At first i want to gratitude you for this large activity in this job.
It isn´t banal that somebody work on 10 years old games like you ;)

I have the same problem with the 1280x1024 resolution in age of empires 2 the conquerrors.(vers. 1.0e)
I searched a long time via google but i didn´t find anything about this problem and finaly i shape on this thread.
i´ve downloaded the patch and the age2_x1 exe and the patch run very well.
He build up a new data and a new age2_x1_1600_900 exe.
but i think it only work on 16:10 screens. i have a 16:9 screen and maximum resolution of 1600x900.
However i change my screen resolution, he allways has a maximum of 1024x768.
you wrote:
Changed: looks for aoe2wide.dat in current folder plus subdirectories, uses first found. Feature: when used without parameters, patches for your current screen resolution(s). When used with 2 parameters, patches for that resolution.

but what you mean with the feature? wich data i can rename with a special resolution?
Is it possible to make a small instruction to this patch?

i need the 1280x1024 resolution in the game. screenshots with the "print" button dowsen´t work, it produced only chaotic pictures. but i found a alternative, with a digicam ;)


It would be very nice of you to help me to solve this problem....
thanks a lot.... greetings from germany, Antiflag

[boekabart]

Heyho, I have a 16:9 screen, so my max resolution is 1333x768. Since I'm a PC dummie I wonder if you could explain your solution step by step?

You're in luck - NNNNx768 is a widening-only patch of 1024x768 so it might work. (Officially so far I've only tested anything bigger than 1280x1024).

This is the step-by-step for EVERYONE:

http://boekabart.dyndns.org/aoe2wide
Download from the folder latestpatcher the EXE and DAT file and put then in your game main folder. If you don't have the right age2_x1.exe, download it also to the same location.

Now all you should have to do is double click the AoE2Wide.exe application and it should generate an age2_x1_XXXXxYYYY.exe for you, for your current desktop resolution(s). Run this executable. Let me know if it's all you hoped it would be. I've understood that not all icon locations are correct at the moment, but it already should be playable.

If it doesn't generate an exe, something went wrong (in vista/win7, you must run aoe2wide as admin if your game is installed in c:program files, for example, for the correct write rights). You can run AoE2Wide from a (administrator) command prompt so you can actually see the error message.

[k0nfa]

The colours of the game are ok, don't bother whit that, but the size of the screen gets even smaller. I tried 1280x768 and 1333x768 and both resolutions came up whit the same problem. Does it mather which version of the game I've got?

Ideas?