aoe_scout
Clubman
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posted
07-03-15 05:58 PM
ET (US)
1476 / 1956
I finally got the time to finish the changelog and here it is (includes both the changes and the new features, no need to check previous posts). Remember, it lists only changes since Beta2 (I left few details, but all gameplay changes are fully included). As you will probably notice, some of the most important gameplay changes were posted and discussed before. A lot of things were restored or brought closer to default and everything is much more polished.
I already started working on the short and full list of changes (since the original game), the modding guide and the rest of the info will follow. I plan to add F.A.Q. at some point too, to avoid repeated questions. All the information will be sorted in an easy to navigate list of links and will be posted on the new site. I'll regularly post links here when each any new part of info is completed. All this will take time, so please be patient.
Changelog: UPatch HD 1.1 Beta2 --> UPatch HD 1.1 Final
----- New features - HD interface graphics - interface background screens enhanced to HD quality! No more upscaled blurry low resolution/low quality screens. The original graphics were cleaned, enhanced and restored carefully in high definition (filters are not good for 256 color images, because they destroy too much details). The difference between the original graphics and the new ones is HUGE (check images here), especially in high resolution. It took me months to complete all of them, with a lot of reworks, but I think it was worthed! - The AOE logo on the main screen is redone in high quality! - UPatch HD includes the original Rise of Rome CD soundtrack in mp3, replacing the midi version! - Original soundtrack (now in mp3) enhanced for less centered sound. Appropriate for all configurations: headphones, stereo speakers and multichannel speakers. - 2 new random map types! The new maps are: Rivers: Similar to Highlands with rivers, but much better. Rivers are twice wider and have more fish. Computer players will properly recognize the map type and build Docks and ships (unlike Highland). Rivers may or may not separate all players. Oasis: An all desert map with most of the wood concentrated in several oases. This map is very open, with less wood and few berries, but much more Gold, so expect some fierce battles.
 - The original AOE and ROR trial campaigns (Reign of the Hittites, First Punic War) and scenarios (Multiplayer Rumble, Multiplayer Mediterranean) are now installed with UPatch HD. These were created by Ensemble Studios and should be part of the game. - New HD Launcher - a remake of the original game launcher (do you remember it?), now a central place for all UPatch HD settings and the Mod Manager. - New Mod Manager and modding system - allows you to apply mods without affecting the original game. It also gives mod creators the ability to create proper mods with small size, containing only the changes from the original game, without replacing any original files. NOTE: More information about the Mod Manager and detailed guide on how to use the new system will be posted soon. Please do not ask me anything regarding modding before I release the entire guide. It will take time to write everything, please be patient.
--- New UPatch HD settings (open the new HD Launcher and select "Settings"): - Player Name: allows you to change your default name in the game. Previously you could only use your custom name in Multiplayer, but UPatch HD allows you to use it in Single Player as well - just enable the additional checkbox "Use in Single Player". When used in Single Player, your custom name replaces the default "You" (or the word used in your language). This option does not replace custom names/profiles for campaigns. For Single Player scenarios - this option will not overwrite player names chosen by the scenario designer - you will see your custom name only if the player name was left empty in the scenario (same as with "You" before). - Game Language: allows you to easily change your game language without reinstalling the game or the patch. - File Check: new option to check your game installation for missing/corrupted files. You should always run this check before reporting any problems to ensure your game installation isn't the problem. Please read the information here for details.
- The game now properly saves screenshots (CTRL+F12) to a new dedicated folder /screenshots, instead of filling your main game folder with files. - All ai related files .ai./per/.cty now reside in the new dedicated /ai folder. This doesn't affect scenarios/campaigns that are already saved, but for new scenarios (or when editing old ones) create your files in the new folder. - The new HD Launcher supports high DPI. The game also works properly under high DPI settings. - Windows 10 is now supported.
----- Gameplay and other changes: - Chariot Archer - range and hitpoints are restored to default (as discussed before, many users didn't like these changes). - Archer fire rate restored to default, except for Chariot Archer (7% slower). - All archers, except Bowman, are 10% slower to train (previously Horse Archer and Heavy Horse Archer had slower fire rate instead; Elephant Archer is unchanged). - Elephant Archer cost to 180F, 45G (was 180F, 50G in Beta2). - Short Sword directly available in Bronze Age without any previous researches. - All swordsmen (including Legion) -2 sec. train time. - Researching Broad Sword takes +10 sec. - Improved Bow researched faster (-15 sec.) - Wheel researched slower (+15 sec.). Wheel is important upgrade and shouldn't be faster to research than other Market upgrades. - Writing is researched in half the time. - Logistics extra effect (train time) removed, now back to default. - Jihad: re-added villager speed bonus (+10%), villager carry capacity penalty reduced. - Hunter carry capacity back to default 10 (work rate remains +15%). - Camel train time to +2 sec (was +5 sec in Beta2). Camels are still much faster to train than Cavalry. - All catapults to 15% slower reload (compared to default); same as Beta1, previously 18% slower in Beta2. - Catapult Trireme and Juggernaught to 12% slower reload (was 15% slower in Beta2). - Catapult Trireme and Juggernaught move 10% faster (previously they were a little too slow). - Helepolis: 4% faster fire rate (still much slower than default, but attack remains 50). - Ballista Tower 6% faster fire rate (closer to default, but still slightly slower). Don't forget that ballista projectiles (bolts) and catapult projectiles (stones) are faster than those in the original game and harder to avoid, that's why fire rates were reduced (this haven't changed since before Beta1). - All Towers (except Ballista Tower) have the same fire rate as foot archers (= 7% faster). Previously it was slower. - Cataphract attack reload restored to default; attack vs infantry to 6 (was 5).
- Minoan archer bonus restored to default (= Composite Bowmen +2 range in Bronze Age). - Minoan Farm bonus removed. - Hittite: Metallurgy, Ballista Tower and Tower Shield restored (the latter doesn't matter much). - Choson: the added in Beta1 swordsmen bonus in Bronze Age now removed, Iron Age bonus back to +50% (was +40%). - Choson: get Nobility. - Assyrian and Sumerian restored to their default Egyptian tileset (building architecture and interface graphics). - Babylonian tower bonus to +75% HP in all ages. - Greek: Academy units 20% cheaper (previously 25% cheaper in Beta2). - Phoenician: the added in Beta1 Dock trading bonus is removed (it affected only other players trading with your Dock). - Heavy Transport availability for civilizations back to default. - Highland maps no longer have rivers (use the new Rivers map instead). - Narrows maps always have rivers (otherwise too similar to Continental). - Continental maps no longer have rivers (too little space available for player land, use Narrows instead). - Gold Mines back to default 400 Gold in each piece. - Increased Gold on maps. - Multiplayer maximum pop limit to 400. - The Low starting resources option to: 200 Wood, all other resources 0; appropriate for Nomad start. - Added bonus computer player resources for Hard difficulty (+500). This makes computer players a little closer to human development speed and is the recommended difficulty. - Computer player bonus resources for Hardest difficulty to +1500 (default: +2000, Beta2: +1000). This setting is for those who like the challenge. - Farm upgrades no longer affect gathering speed (back to default; they had very small work rate increase in Beta2); food bonuses remain the same as in previous versions. - Wonder hitpoints restored to default. - Most Hero and special unit stats restored to default (except for fixes that don't affect scenarios). Only "Hero" (previously known as "Hero 12") remains the same as in Beta2.
----- Bug fixes and improvements: - Improved player colors and mini map colors: orange and red are now much more distinguishable.
 - Fixed the walking animation of many units! For example swordsmen previously looked too much like running in one place, while Axemen looked too much like "sliding" when walking. - Dock work rates redone to function properly. Dock work rate now increases gradually (~ +15% in Bronze and Iron Age); in the original game it jumped to 30% faster in Bronze Age (this was never documented). - Dock unit train times and research times fixed (they were quite messed up in the original game). - Fix: Fanaticism to 50% faster recharge rate (as it should be), was +75%. Text description improved to be more clear. - Fix: Babylonian rejuvenation is +30% as it should be (was +35%). - Wood upgrades set to multiplication (Gold and Stone already are). - Fisherman work rate now same as Hunter (it was slightly slower in Beta2, by default it was improperly faster). - The repeated scenario unit name Rock8 changed to Rock27, leading zeros added (0#) for better sorting in Units menu. - Few small fixes on terrain data. - Some small fixes and tweaks for random maps. - Bird speed retweaked to be more realistic (slightly faster than default). - Siege weapons selection radius improved. - Tree selection radius improved. - Some additional checks added to the game to ensure everything works correctly, this will also prevent some types of cheats. - Multiplayer games can better detect version mismatch (this will prevent some possible out of sync errors). - Path Finding buttons now in correct order (Medium/High/Very High). - The 2 new random map types added to all menus (initial findings to enable the first map: by chab with fixes by LucTieuPhung). - Some wrong unit descriptions were fixed, some menu descriptions improved. - kill9 cheat code corrected to kill8 - Beta2 fix: Full tech tree incorrectly added +1 range for Scout Ship and War Galley in Iron Age. - When hit by ally, computer players will change their diplomacy if the player attacking them has switched their diplomacy to enemy (no changes, just a more accurate description). Accidental hits by allies don't count. - Fixed Beta2 Fire Galley bug with Alchemy/Carthage - it gave 3 extra attack vs ships. - The game can now read mp3 files, instead of midi (thanks to LucTieuPhung). - Fixed delays when loading next music track. - Music volume slider now works properly (thanks to LucTieuPhung). - Improved save game fix (thanks to JustTesting). The old one worked too, but this one is more proper. - Fixed an ai bug that can block some researches in scenarios (thanks to chab). - Mouse is no longer auto centered when starting a game or the Scenario Editor (thanks to chab for finding the function). - Fixed some possible scenario/campaign crashes on loading/ending a scenario (happened mostly in languages different than English with high resolution). - Some data was redone to work more properly (with no significant changes in functionality). - Few small adjustments on some ai files (to accommodate the new changes).[This message has been edited by aoe_scout (edited 07-03-2015 @ 06:13 PM).]
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