Patch 5.5 has now cleared Open Beta and been promoted to Live!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this long Open Beta and we are thrilled to bring these desync improvements and balance changes to the full community! As always, your feedback has been valuable and your assistance playing multiplayer games has ensured that our desync rates have improved.

The new discussion thread can be found here and we look forward to hearing from you and collecting your feedback!


Stability and Performance Improvements:

• Performance optimizations should increase frame rates up to 15%
  
• Researching spies during treaty should no longer causes a desync
  
• Extremely long games should no longer desync due to high turn counts
  
• Quitting via ALT+F4 should no longer cause a desync
  
• Resigning but staying in game no longer desyncs after remaining players save/load
  
• The desync message should no longer appear over the post game screen

Community Focused Bug Fixes:

• Hosts are able to set a password for their lobby
  
• Audio for notifications should no longer overlap and cause a loud noise
  
• Audio for garrisoning / un-garrisoning should no longer overlap
  
• Lobby civ pools should now be consistent for each host player
  
• Lobby civ pools should now display the conquerors civilizations correctly
  
• Lobby maps should now display random special and real world at the top of the list
  
• Lobby maps no longer displays random special twice in the list
  
• Lobby maps now select DLC3 Random Real World maps correctly when appropriate
  
• The password checkbox should now remain when changing datasets
  
• Navigating through aoe.net should now correctly prompt the password popup (when needed)

Balance Improvements:

• Magyars no longer need to build a blacksmith to receive free blacksmith upgrades
  
• Magyars now receive Siege Engineers
  
• Magyar Scout Cavalry, Light Cavalry and Hussar cost -15% (up from -10%)
  
• Magyars Recurve Bow now adds +1 attack and +1 range (up from +1 range)
  
• Indians no longer have the Arbalest upgrade
  
• Malay Karambit Warrior have +1 attack
  
• Fire ships have -1 pierce armor
  
• Fast Fire ships have -1 pierce armor
  
• Viking warship discount changed to -15%, -15%, -20% (up from -10%, -15%, -20%)
  
• Italians fishing ships now cost -15 wood (down from -25 wood)

Patch 5.5 has now cleared Open Beta and been promoted to Live!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this long Open Beta and we are thrilled to bring these desync improvements and balance changes to the full community! As always, your feedback has been valuable and your assistance playing multiplayer games has ensured that our desync rates have improved.

The new discussion thread can be found here and we look forward to hearing from you and collecting your feedback!


Stability and Performance Improvements:

• Performance optimizations should increase frame rates up to 15%
  
• Researching spies during treaty should no longer causes a desync
  
• Extremely long games should no longer desync due to high turn counts
  
• Quitting via ALT+F4 should no longer cause a desync
  
• Resigning but staying in game no longer desyncs after remaining players save/load
  
• The desync message should no longer appear over the post game screen

Community Focused Bug Fixes:

• Hosts are able to set a password for their lobby
  
• Audio for notifications should no longer overlap and cause a loud noise
  
• Audio for garrisoning / un-garrisoning should no longer overlap
  
• Lobby civ pools should now be consistent for each host player
  
• Lobby civ pools should now display the conquerors civilizations correctly
  
• Lobby maps should now display random special and real world at the top of the list
  
• Lobby maps no longer displays random special twice in the list
  
• Lobby maps now select DLC3 Random Real World maps correctly when appropriate
  
• The password checkbox should now remain when changing datasets
  
• Navigating through aoe.net should now correctly prompt the password popup (when needed)

Balance Improvements:

• Magyars no longer need to build a blacksmith to receive free blacksmith upgrades
  
• Magyars now receive Siege Engineers
  
• Magyar Scout Cavalry, Light Cavalry and Hussar cost -15% (up from -10%)
  
• Magyars Recurve Bow now adds +1 attack and +1 range (up from +1 range)
  
• Indians no longer have the Arbalest upgrade
  
• Malay Karambit Warrior have +1 attack
  
• Fire ships have -1 pierce armor
  
• Fast Fire ships have -1 pierce armor
  
• Viking warship discount changed to -15%, -15%, -20% (up from -10%, -15%, -20%)
  
• Italians fishing ships now cost -15 wood (down from -25 wood)

Patch 5.5 is ready for Open Beta! Thank you for your ongoing support and participation as it is fundamental in ensuring that builds are stable and ready for Live release.

In this Open Beta we have implemented password protected lobbies, improved performance and addressed some additional community issues. We are looking forward to hearing from you and we will continue to monitor the forums for your feedback. Here is the new Open Beta discussion thread.


Stability and Performance Improvements:

• Performance optimizations should increase frame rates up to 15%
  
• Researching spies during treaty should no longer causes a desync

Community Focused Bug Fixes:

• Hosts are able to set a password for their lobby
  
• Audio for notifications should no longer overlap and cause a loud noise
  
• Audio for garrisoning / un-garrisoning should no longer overlap
  
• Lobby civ pools should now be consistent for each host player
  
• Lobby civ pools should now display the conquerors civilizations correctly
  
• Lobby maps should now display random special and real world at the top of the list
  
• Lobby maps no longer displays random special twice in the list
  
• Lobby maps now selects DLC3 Random Real World maps correctly when appropriate

Patch 5.5 is ready for Open Beta! Thank you for your ongoing support and participation as it is fundamental in ensuring that builds are stable and ready for Live release.

In this Open Beta we have implemented password protected lobbies, improved performance and addressed some additional community issues. We are looking forward to hearing from you and we will continue to monitor the forums for your feedback. Here is the new Open Beta discussion thread.


Stability and Performance Improvements:

• Performance optimizations should increase frame rates up to 15%
  
• Researching spies during treaty should no longer causes a desync

Community Focused Bug Fixes:

• Hosts are able to set a password for their lobby
  
• Audio for notifications should no longer overlap and cause a loud noise
  
• Audio for garrisoning / un-garrisoning should no longer overlap
  
• Lobby civ pools should now be consistent for each host player
  
• Lobby civ pools should now display the conquerors civilizations correctly
  
• Lobby maps should now display random special and real world at the top of the list
  
• Lobby maps no longer displays random special twice in the list
  
• Lobby maps now selects DLC3 Random Real World maps correctly when appropriate

Patch 5.4 has now moved from Open Beta to Live! We are very excited to bring these changes to the full community and thank you to everyone who participated in the Open Beta. Your feedback and assistance has been essential to ensuring our desync rates have improved and we really appreciate your patience as we continue to work together. The new discussion thread can be found here and we look forward to hearing what you think and collecting your feedback!

Keep your eyes peeled for news of the 5.5 Open Beta, which we’ll announce soon!


Stability Fixes:

• Loading into game should no longer desync if a player has not received the correct update to their World Time setting.
  
• Gameplay should no longer desync if a player has missed the update to their World Time setting. If a player has missed the update we now provide additional time for the player to receive that update.
  
• Encountering a DX9 memory crash should now bring up a popup and allow the player to proceed rather than crashing to the desktop.

Community Focused Bug Fixes:

• Lock teams should function correctly for custom campaigns.
  
• Allied positions are no longer unintentionally revealed for custom campaigns.
  
• Population limit is now respected in scenarios.
  
• AI colours should now appear correctly in custom scenarios.
  
• Colour settings in multiplayer should now appear correctly in custom scenarios.
  
• Berber Camels should now function correctly after loading into a saved game.
  
• Berber Camels should now regenerate correctly in a recorded game.
  
• Viewing the Tech Tree in Spanish should now be formatted correctly.

Patch 5.4 has now moved from Open Beta to Live! We are very excited to bring these changes to the full community and thank you to everyone who participated in the Open Beta. Your feedback and assistance has been essential to ensuring our desync rates have improved and we really appreciate your patience as we continue to work together. The new discussion thread can be found here and we look forward to hearing what you think and collecting your feedback!

Keep your eyes peeled for news of the 5.5 Open Beta, which we’ll announce soon!


Stability Fixes:

• Loading into game should no longer desync if a player has not received the correct update to their World Time setting.
  
• Gameplay should no longer desync if a player has missed the update to their World Time setting. If a player has missed the update we now provide additional time for the player to receive that update.
  
• Encountering a DX9 memory crash should now bring up a popup and allow the player to proceed rather than crashing to the desktop.

Community Focused Bug Fixes:

• Lock teams should function correctly for custom campaigns.
  
• Allied positions are no longer unintentionally revealed for custom campaigns.
  
• Population limit is now respected in scenarios.
  
• AI colours should now appear correctly in custom scenarios.
  
• Colour settings in multiplayer should now appear correctly in custom scenarios.
  
• Berber Camels should now function correctly after loading into a saved game.
  
• Berber Camels should now regenerate correctly in a recorded game.
  
• Viewing the Tech Tree in Spanish should now be formatted correctly.

Patch 5.4 is ready for Open Beta! Thank you for your ongoing feedback and support as we strive to improve the quality of this game! In this Open Beta we have addressed two desyncs involving missed updates to the players World Time, improved the user experience for a rare memory crash and fixed a handful of community concerns.

We look forward to hearing your feedback and we will continue to monitor the forums and this discussion thread!


Stability Fixes:

• Loading into game should no longer desync if a player has not received the correct update to their World Time setting.
  
• Gameplay should no longer desync if a player has missed the update to their World Time setting. If a player has missed the update we now provide additional time for the player to receive that update.
  
• Encountering a memory crash when the window is resetting should now bring up a warning popup rather than crash to the desktop.

Community Focused Bug Fixes:

• Lock teams should function correctly for custom campaigns.
  
• Allied positions are no longer unintentionally revealed for custom campaigns.
  
• Population limit is now respected in scenarios.
  
• AI colours should now appear correctly in scenarios.
  
• Colour settings in multiplayer should now appear correctly in scenarios.
  
• Berber Camels should now function correctly after loading into a saved game.
  
• Berber Camels should now regenerate correctly in a recorded game.
  
• Viewing the Tech Tree in Spanish should now be formatted correctly.

Patch 5.4 is ready for Open Beta! Thank you for your ongoing feedback and support as we strive to improve the quality of this game! In this Open Beta we have addressed two desyncs involving missed updates to the players World Time, improved the user experience for a rare memory crash and fixed a handful of community concerns.

We look forward to hearing your feedback and we will continue to monitor the forums and this discussion thread!


Stability Fixes:

• Loading into game should no longer desync if a player has not received the correct update to their World Time setting.
  
• Gameplay should no longer desync if a player has missed the update to their World Time setting. If a player has missed the update we now provide additional time for the player to receive that update.
  
• Encountering a memory crash when the window is resetting should now bring up a warning popup rather than crash to the desktop.

Community Focused Bug Fixes:

• Lock teams should function correctly for custom campaigns.
  
• Allied positions are no longer unintentionally revealed for custom campaigns.
  
• Population limit is now respected in scenarios.
  
• AI colours should now appear correctly in scenarios.
  
• Colour settings in multiplayer should now appear correctly in scenarios.
  
• Berber Camels should now function correctly after loading into a saved game.
  
• Berber Camels should now regenerate correctly in a recorded game.
  
• Viewing the Tech Tree in Spanish should now be formatted correctly.

Patch 5.3 has left open beta, and is now live for all players! Thanks to all who participated in this open beta; we really appreciate your patience, and your input has been essential to ensuring this build is ready for live release! We’ll post a new announcement here when the open beta for Patch 5.4 has begun, so keep your eyes peeled!

As always, we will continue to monitor the forums and we look forward to hearing your feedback in this discussion thread!



Improved Network Speeds:

• Removed the added network delay on game start
  
• Tuned the calculations involving network speed granularity to address the issue players were seeing where the game felt too fast or too slow
  
• Lowered the minimum command delay to allow max performance on faster machines
  
• Improved the throttling system to allow for faster network speeds (where applicable)
  
• In game ping/lag icons have been updated to appear in the correct situations
  
  • Yellow ping circles appear for players above 200ms ping
    
  • Red ping circles appear for players above 400ms ping (previously 700ms)
    
  • Turtle icons appear for each player that cannot maintain 90% of the simulation frame rate (previously only showed for the slowest player)

Community Focused Bug Fixes:

• Repeatedly pressing hot keys during loading screens will no longer crash
  
• Using standard AI and the original dataset will no longer randomly crash
  
• Removing a unit from a queue should no longer randomly crash
  
• Spectators opening the tech tree in the game lobby should no longer crash
  
• Repeatedly loading into treaty mode games will no longer crash
  
• Monk tool tip should no longer crash in Russian localization
  
• Saving during a game should no longer cause a desync when watching the replay
  
• Unit selection circles now behave correctly when unloading transport ships
  
• Line of site circles should now correctly follow units (in rare cases they would be misaligned)
  
• Villagers should no longer stop and attack wolves (ordering a move command will now take priority so users can move villagers if desired)
  
• Player units should be less likely to get stuck in forests or teleport through walls
  
• Full Random should no longer select maps that players do not own
  
• Rise of Rajas main menu music should now randomly be selected
  
• Custom campaigns should now unlock in order rather that always being unlocked by default
  
• Custom campaign instruction images should now display correctly
  
• Custom campaign instruction scrollbar should now display correctly and not hide text
  
• Loading a saved campaign file and completing the scenario should now correctly unlock the next scenario

Community Focused AI Improvements:

• AI Huns housing bonus should now function correctly with the original dataset
  
• AI pathing around walls and gates is improved to avoid teleporting through them
  
• AI should now attack correctly and no longer freeze during a game
  
• AI improvements when sn-enable-patrol-attack set to 1
  
  • Soldiers should no longer get stuck in animation loops
    
  • Soldiers should now attack the wonder correctly
    
  • Villagers should now respond to weak units attacking
    
  • Villagers should now attack towers correctly inside town-size

Campaign Fixes:

• Saladin 2 allied trade carts now travel to the correct market
  
• Dracula 4 should now advance correctly after completing the first objective
  
• Dracula 4 no longer gets stuck due to the AI monk during the Poenari cinematic
  
• Sforza 1 should now reward soldiers after completing the Guitano's sidequest
  
• Sforza 3 has a visually changed to clearly show the path to the monastery
  
• Sforza 3 has improved AI resign logic, players no longer need to destroy all enemy assets
  
• Dos Pilas triggers should now behave correctly
  
• Prithviraj 2 should finish correctly even if the purple player is the last to be defeated
  
• Sundjata 4 should now complete the rescue princess objective correctly
  
• Sundjata 5 should now be easier
  
• Yodit 2 AI should now function and attack correctly
  
• Yodit 3 triggers should now function correctly when Dagnajan reaches the mountain pass
  
• Yodit 3 ending dialogue should now appear correctly
  
• Yodit 3 Begemder AI should not be easier to defeat
  
• Yodit 4 should now complete the appropriate quest when conquering all nearby tribes
  
• Yodit 4 Stelae should all provide resources now
  
• Yodit 4 Stelae should correctly change ownership to the AI when their troops are next to it
  
• Yodit 5 petard trigger should no longer fire twice
  
• Le Loi 5 AI should now attack correctly
  
• Bayinnaung 1 cinematics should now appear correctly

Balance Improvements:

• Malay cheaper fishing ship cost removed
  
• Malay Battle elephants 25% cheaper (rather than 20%)
  
• Malay age up bonus decreased from 100% to 80%
  
• Elite Rattan Archers +1 bonus attack vs infantry removed
  
• Elite Camel Archers +1 bonus attack vs infantry removed
  
• Elite Karambit warrior pierce armor reduced from 2 to 1
  
• Arquebus speed modifier on bombard cannons and bombard towers removed
  
• Harbors reload time increased from 2.5s to 3s
  
• Harbors HP reduced from 2200 to 2000 (docks are 1800)
  
• Elite Arambai search radius increased by 2 (so they target easier)

Patch 5.3 has left open beta, and is now live for all players! Thanks to all who participated in this open beta; we really appreciate your patience, and your input has been essential to ensuring this build is ready for live release! We’ll post a new announcement here when the open beta for Patch 5.4 has begun, so keep your eyes peeled!

As always, we will continue to monitor the forums and we look forward to hearing your feedback in this discussion thread!



Improved Network Speeds:

• Removed the added network delay on game start
  
• Tuned the calculations involving network speed granularity to address the issue players were seeing where the game felt too fast or too slow
  
• Lowered the minimum command delay to allow max performance on faster machines
  
• Improved the throttling system to allow for faster network speeds (where applicable)
  
• In game ping/lag icons have been updated to appear in the correct situations
  
  • Yellow ping circles appear for players above 200ms ping
    
  • Red ping circles appear for players above 400ms ping (previously 700ms)
    
  • Turtle icons appear for each player that cannot maintain 90% of the simulation frame rate (previously only showed for the slowest player)

Community Focused Bug Fixes:

• Repeatedly pressing hot keys during loading screens will no longer crash
  
• Using standard AI and the original dataset will no longer randomly crash
  
• Removing a unit from a queue should no longer randomly crash
  
• Spectators opening the tech tree in the game lobby should no longer crash
  
• Repeatedly loading into treaty mode games will no longer crash
  
• Monk tool tip should no longer crash in Russian localization
  
• Saving during a game should no longer cause a desync when watching the replay
  
• Unit selection circles now behave correctly when unloading transport ships
  
• Line of site circles should now correctly follow units (in rare cases they would be misaligned)
  
• Villagers should no longer stop and attack wolves (ordering a move command will now take priority so users can move villagers if desired)
  
• Player units should be less likely to get stuck in forests or teleport through walls
  
• Full Random should no longer select maps that players do not own
  
• Rise of Rajas main menu music should now randomly be selected
  
• Custom campaigns should now unlock in order rather that always being unlocked by default
  
• Custom campaign instruction images should now display correctly
  
• Custom campaign instruction scrollbar should now display correctly and not hide text
  
• Loading a saved campaign file and completing the scenario should now correctly unlock the next scenario

Community Focused AI Improvements:

• AI Huns housing bonus should now function correctly with the original dataset
  
• AI pathing around walls and gates is improved to avoid teleporting through them
  
• AI should now attack correctly and no longer freeze during a game
  
• AI improvements when sn-enable-patrol-attack set to 1
  
  • Soldiers should no longer get stuck in animation loops
    
  • Soldiers should now attack the wonder correctly
    
  • Villagers should now respond to weak units attacking
    
  • Villagers should now attack towers correctly inside town-size

Campaign Fixes:

• Saladin 2 allied trade carts now travel to the correct market
  
• Dracula 4 should now advance correctly after completing the first objective
  
• Dracula 4 no longer gets stuck due to the AI monk during the Poenari cinematic
  
• Sforza 1 should now reward soldiers after completing the Guitano's sidequest
  
• Sforza 3 has a visually changed to clearly show the path to the monastery
  
• Sforza 3 has improved AI resign logic, players no longer need to destroy all enemy assets
  
• Dos Pilas triggers should now behave correctly
  
• Prithviraj 2 should finish correctly even if the purple player is the last to be defeated
  
• Sundjata 4 should now complete the rescue princess objective correctly
  
• Sundjata 5 should now be easier
  
• Yodit 2 AI should now function and attack correctly
  
• Yodit 3 triggers should now function correctly when Dagnajan reaches the mountain pass
  
• Yodit 3 ending dialogue should now appear correctly
  
• Yodit 3 Begemder AI should not be easier to defeat
  
• Yodit 4 should now complete the appropriate quest when conquering all nearby tribes
  
• Yodit 4 Stelae should all provide resources now
  
• Yodit 4 Stelae should correctly change ownership to the AI when their troops are next to it
  
• Yodit 5 petard trigger should no longer fire twice
  
• Le Loi 5 AI should now attack correctly
  
• Bayinnaung 1 cinematics should now appear correctly

Balance Improvements:

• Malay cheaper fishing ship cost removed
  
• Malay Battle elephants 25% cheaper (rather than 20%)
  
• Malay age up bonus decreased from 100% to 80%
  
• Elite Rattan Archers +1 bonus attack vs infantry removed
  
• Elite Camel Archers +1 bonus attack vs infantry removed
  
• Elite Karambit warrior pierce armor reduced from 2 to 1
  
• Arquebus speed modifier on bombard cannons and bombard towers removed
  
• Harbors reload time increased from 2.5s to 3s
  
• Harbors HP reduced from 2200 to 2000 (docks are 1800)
  
• Elite Arambai search radius increased by 2 (so they target easier)