Does anybody here still play Age of Empires II

[Prince Cobra]

Just interested. Surprisingly I am still a fan of this game although it is a bit of errr... antique. Maybe because it was the first decent computer game I have played.

[Reenk Roink]

Oh man, I loved this game...

It is one of Reenk Roink's top 5 series of games:

Neverwinter Nights
Icewind Dale
Total War
Age of Empires
Freespace

I liked the first, but the second game was so amazing (the third had me a bit dissapointed though)...

Say, do you still play multiplayer on the Zone? Are people still playing Age of Kings there?

[Csargo]

I used to play it all the time its what really got me into history and warfare. But I haven't played it in a while cause my cd cracked and now it doesn't work

[Prince Cobra]

Reenk Roink. Actually I have not played in Multiplayer for ages (I am not very sure many people still play there but who knows...). And I have not played for a year ( this was a horrible year- busy, busy). And I really miss this game! I hope now I will have more time to play...

Csar It was similiar with me. It made me fond of history.

By the way do you have any favourite faction in AoE II? Mine is the Byzantines ( the first and the last- I began with it and it is still my favourite ).

[Husar]

Ah, now that you mention it, there are two things, that bugged me back in those days with AOE2:

1. in the addon, Cataphracts get to make trample damage, but I never really noticed a difference, did I miss something?

2. in previews I read before the game was out, almost all graphics were different, in fact, they looked a lot more detailed and nicer, less like a comic, does anyone know why they decided to put different graphics in the final game?

I still liked the game, but after seeing some amazing detail in previews of magazines, I was a little bit disappointed and apparently that still bugs me today.

[Kekvit Irae]

I loved AoEII for the fact that it had different super units for each kingdom, each with its own weaknesses and strengths. In the original AoE, once you built the Phalanx unit, the game was pretty much over.

[The Spartan (Returns)]

rarely. Stronghold series is far more superior imo. (dont look at Stronghold 2 though)

[IrishArmenian]

I played maybe a game or two at my brothers when visiting him in the US. Great game. I was the Celts for the rounds and I must say, I liked the strength/weakness and no natons are the same.

[Lehesu]

No.

[Prince Cobra]

1. in the addon, Cataphracts get to make trample damage, but I never really noticed a difference, did I miss something?

2. in previews I read before the game was out, almost all graphics were different, in fact, they looked a lot more detailed and nicer, less like a comic, does anyone know why they decided to put different graphics in the final game?

I think I know the answer ( I think you mean the AoE II: the Age of Conquerors). It was quite different from the original (the Age of Kings). There were a technology called logistics ( I think that was its name)- expensive but worths money. It makes the Catahracts really strong- even vs anti-cavalry units and moe efficient against the cavalry and infantry. Real Catanks.

If you meant the simple- Catas are really strong vs infantry ( excluding the anticavalry units and the Paladins). That is the reason to use combined armies of Paladins, Cataphracts and Hand Canooners with the Byzantines. And if you doubt the trample effect of the Cataphracts just send something other(exclude the elephants) in hand to hand combat against this killing machine called Teutonic knight.
...
P.S. ... Sorry, I started dreaming. I remembered about a favourite unit called War Elephant. They are never enemies even in your enemy's armies... ( My Byzantine monks are really fond of these cute creatures.. and the elephants like my monks too. A monk and an elephant- so picturesque .)

[Husar]

That answers my question on cataphracts, and yeah, that was in conquerors.

But the graphics difference was between those Alpha/Beta versions shown in previews before Age of Kings was released and the final version they released.
When I´m back at my parents, I can look whether I still have one of those very old magazines with a preview to show exactly what I mean.
In those screenshots, trebuchets for example looked like the Medieval trebuchets and had a different socket not allowing them to turn in place. Except for the terrain maybe, most stuff looked very different and more realistic.

edit: Hmm, I could´ve sworn the buildings were different, but here you can see the different trebuchets for example.

edit2: This preview has some screenshots with old unit graphics.

[Crazed Rabbit]

I don't, but I might reinstall it. It was a great game.

Crazed Rabbit

[AntiochusIII]

I don't. My discs (both Age of Kings and Conquerors) broke.

Those games brought back fond memories, though; I really loved them.

My favourite unit would be the Elephants. Those things, supported by monks and horse archers (to hunt enemy monks), are unbeatable. Though I've earned a soft spot for Hun Tarkans in my single player campaigns.

[roman pleb]

And if you doubt the trample effect of the Cataphracts just send something other(exclude the elephants) in hand to hand combat against this killing machine called Teutonic knight.
.)

AAAHH!!

Sorry, Teutonic Knights just bring back nightmares of seeing my troops get slaughtered while they tried to destroy the Teutons.

[Kekvit Irae]

I love using my longbow troops. Can kill most anything that gets close enough, and with all of the range upgrades they get, most dont survive. Unfortunately, husclarls give my longbowmen headaches.

[Reenk Roink]

Apparently the Zone no longer supports multiplayer for Age of Empires II though you can still play through GameSpy...

I had so many favorite civilizations in that game...

Of course, the British and Franks were all I used when I started out, but I really liked the Saracens, Vikings, Turks (those great unique units called Mamelukes, Janisaries, and the self healing Beserkers ).

In the Conquerors Expansion, the Spanish became too good to pass up...

And yes, I am aware of the awesome power of those Teutonic Knights... I once sent a full contingent of camels to deal with a handful of those machines, and wow...

[Csargo]

I think I might have to go buy a new copy of Age of Kings so I can play it. With all this talk about it I really wanna play again.

[The Spartan (Returns)]

on the way you should see AOM (Age of Mythology) imo best AOE game ever! (never played AOE3 though)

[Csargo]

on the way you should see AOM (Age of Mythology) imo best AOE game ever! (never played AOE3 though)

I still have AoM. Don't play it though

[Goalie]

I play AOE III every once in a while. There are a fair amount of people that play it. It is just a game that i cant play all the time though.

[Vladimir]

Interesting but no. Great memories and all but the economy was too limited. I would like to see a fusion of AoE II/Stronghold and Total War though. Founding new cities would be nice.

Byzantines were my favorite but the Spanish were awesome too.

[The Spartan (Returns)]

oh, that would be great!

[Hepcat]

I play it on LAN with friends, though we play it very differently from how it was meant to be played. There is far more politics, a huge build up period of peace and then one event will set the world aflame with war. Good Fun.

Though the main reason we play it is because some of the computers at the LANs can't run anything much better.

[Caius]

rarely. Stronghold series is far more superior imo. (dont look at Stronghold 2 though)

Yep, but in a pc Stronghold 2 tooks ten minutes for loading. You can have a cup of tea in the loading process

[The Spartan (Returns)]

really? took me a few secs!