Some people were talking about the good old game: Age of Empires. And then the topic of playing the game with some friends came up. I have the means to allow people to play over the internet.

So the question is... Do I have any challengers?

We would need to figure out a time that would work, right now I'm thinking a Friday or Saturday would work best.

Would anyone want to see a monthly game or two become a reality?

It sounds interesting, Welt. (Although I don't know anything about that particular game..care to describe it briefly?)

*tears into thread at the speed of a chariot on fire* YES!! I'm in! I'm in! My two brothers might also be in too.

Saturday night for you guys would probably be best for me because that would make it a Sunday afternoon. Any time you guys pick it would probably have to be around the 7-8pm mark. Would that work?

@ Bush

I knew you would be in for a game.

@ Millicent
Age of Empires is a real time strategy or RTS game. In an RTS the players position and maneuver units and structures under their control to secure areas of the map and/or destroy their opponents' assets. But unlike a turn-based game, players are not bound by only completing actions during their turn.

Age of empires focuses on building towns, gathering resources, creating armies, and destroying enemy units and buildings. Players conquer rival towns and empires as they advance one of 13 civilizations through four "Ages": the Dark Age, the Feudal Age, the Castle Age (The Middle Ages), and the Imperial Age, reminiscent of the Renaissance—a 1000 year time-frame.

I wish I could play! If I ever get that game...I'll be back. What version are you guys playing?

@ Lycanis

Amazon has a pack of AOE1 and AOE2 + their expansion packs, and it is just 10$ shipped

Thanks for that info, I forgot to add, I'd need the mac version, and I can't seem to find that version for a very good price. So you guys are using AOE 2?

AOE2 is what I usually play with friends. But I do have all 4 versions, so I'm ready for any game.

Well, as mac versions go, the best deal is AOE III for $40 (unless I missed a better one, which is possible). So if I ever find myself with the money and get it, I'll hit you up!

Oooooh! If our AOE2 CD isn't scratched too badly, or if we can get a new copy, and if I get the OK from Mom, I'd LOVE too!!! I'm not sure if it's our kings version or conquered one that's scratched, and which version we have... I'll have to check. I'll probably lose, but I LOVE that game!

Thanks for organizing this!

Also just released on steam today:

Age of empires online:

Free to play

http://store.steampowered.com/app/105430/

Or you can get it from their site:

http://www.ageofempiresonline.com/en/

I won't be in town this Friday or Saturday, but I would love to play Age of Kings: The Conquerors (AOE2) with you guys at a future date...

Yes, AOE2 (Age of Conquerors) is definitely the best version in my humble opinion.

The online version looks supremely tacky...

That looks cool! It'll be awhile before I can get it set up though, my PC situation is quite awkward...I'll come say so once it is set up though if anyone wants to play this version.

Any of you guys play the related Age of Mythology?

Not I, I'm a traditionalist.

OK then. So evidently I'm some kind of left-liberal for playing 3D games.

*chuckles* I was half in jest. I like the AOE games because of the historical aspect; I don't go for the mythology side of things, generally.

Sounds like fun! I don't have these games though sadly. (If I'm honest I've never heard of them!)

The object of the game is to build an empire; a civilization. It's all set in a historic time period so you can be a people such as Franks, Mongols, Byzantines, etc. You then wage war against other empires. It is a very historically accurate game, and one must be a good strategist to succeed at it. It's awesome fun: no two games are alike! It had withstood the test of time for our family.

With all due respect, historical accuracy takes a serious back seat in these games. The geography is randomly generated, and everyone starts out with just one building, a few animals, a scout and a few settlers. No account is taken (except in Regicide, my favorite game mode) of rulers for your civilization, everyone is at war with everyone else all the time (unless you're allied), the "neutral" setting in fact attacks enemy military units on sight (but leaves their civilians alone), so it's basically still war, the goal of every war is to eradicate all your enemy's civilians and military to the last man and raze every useful building, the same individual soldiers fight from the Dark Age through the Imperial Age, etc.

I'm sorry, I didn't give a proper explanation. The historically accurate part I was referring to was each nationality's culture, ie. their unique units, and how their culture is portrayed with the differently designed buildings and units, etc. that was something I appreciated, anyway.

That sounds cool. It'd be a pretty boring game if it was totally realistic...imagine taking months to prepare, days to get to the battle, and possibly a whole day or more for the actual battle! Not to mention a lot of other things....

Well, Europa Universalis III is that way, and it's not boring at all. It's one of my favorites. Of course, time is accelerated, and some concessions to gameplay and processing power are made (units instantly upgrading, more micromanagement potential than a real national ruler would have had, etc.), but overall it's quite realistic. You have to raise armies, and they cost money to keep, not just to recruit. Then if you want to fight, you have to declare war, and if you don't have a recognized justification, you destabilize your country and gain infamy (which causes bad events, and if you have enough of it, anyone has a justification for war against you). You can also make alliances, royal marriages, inherit other countries' thrones, etc.

That does sound cool.

That does sound very cool, but it also sounds like the kinda game I'd get sucked into

It serves well to time yourself on it, to be sure. We've had to do it, else you could be at it for hours.

I agree with both of you! And Bush, if I was at it for hours I probably would really look like

So here's the instructions on getting online play to work with AOE2

If you need any help, I will be hanging out on g+ as well as Gtalk from 7 onward.

GAME TIME is TONIGHT/DAY:

3/31/12 at:
8 PM CST
6 PM PDT
9 PM EST
11 AM AUS

(NOTE: Only FIVE players can be on per server. That is the limit before I need to pay for an account. If there are more than 5 people who want to play, just let me know and I'll setup another server.)

step 1:
Install the game using your CD.

step 2:
Update your game.
Here is the link for the Conquers Exp. download. (just run it once it downloads.)
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/de ... x?id=20049

step 3:
Download hamachi here: (make sure to get the "Unmanaged" version)
https://secure.logmein.com/products/ham ... nload.aspx

step 4:
Setup hamachi.
Install hamachi, and start the program up after the install is finished.

Once it starts hit the power button in hamachi, and when it asks for a client name, just leave it as what it is.

step 5:
Connect to the other players.

Click on join a existing network, and Use these credentials:

Network ID: Holyworlds AOE server
Password: Gamenight

step 6:
Play the game
Start up AOE2. Once in game, go to multi-player. Select Internet TCP/IP. Look for the game.

I would be up for the challenge but I am banning myself from online games for good.

Game recap:

The Players:
Lady Kitra Mimetes - as team red
Lady Vilisse Mimetes - as team yellow
Welt Vormalig - as team blue

The Map:
Arabia - giant

The Winner:
Welt Vormalig with a Wonder

Stats:
Game length: 1.5 hours

And a good time was had by all.

To glitter, or not to glitter, that is the question. But I also have the answer. GLITTER!

GUESS WHAT?! My Age of Kings came in, and my Age of Conquerors is installing! So I should be able to play with y'all the next time we schedule a game.

If we get a second conquerors expansion disc, my older sister may want to play, too. We'll see.

I'm afraid I won't be able to play with you guys after all; I have a Mac. Mac vs PC multiplayer doesn't work. Although...Wolf, you have a Mac, right? Did you ever get this game?

Not yet, but I might sometime, possibly in a month or two (if I ask someone for it for my birthday I might have it by the end of May).
But I thought I looked it up and someone said that you could do mac v. pc multiplayer, were they wrong?

I have also been looking into other options for games. Since we ran into a few issues with AOE2 last time.

The top choice right now for a new game is called 0 A.D.

It plays just like AOE.
It's free.
It has Windows, Linux, and Mac versions
It's free.

Only problem is it's in beta right now. (I have played a few games and it seems rather stable though. )

The website for the game is here:
http://wildfiregames.com/0ad/

You may have a doozie of a time. On Amazon the lowest price for it is almost $75.



Definitely. You can't. The Mac MP uses GameRanger, the PC MP does not. On a LAN maybe you can, I don't know, but for sure you cannot on the Internet.

Awwwww. Why couldn't we do AOE2 again, Welt? I was looking so forward to it! Oh well... I guess I could just play with my sister.

Ah, I had forgotten about that part. Never mind then. *shrugs*

That looks pretty awesome...I haven't been able to try it yet, though. I'm wondering if, once they finish developing it, the mac, pc and linux versions will be able to connect for multiplayer? Or will everyone need to be using the same plateform?

Wow, that 0 AD game looks fantastic. Downloading and installing No idea if I'll have time to play, but a nice thing should I ever find the time

Andrew

Okay I've downloaded it and stuff, but I can't figure out how to play, the instructions are helpful, but I can't figure out how I'm supposed to gather wood, it starts me out with female citizens that can gather food and build buildings, but apparently can't chop down trees, and I can't figure out from the instructions what I need to do to be able to chop down the trees for wood...

*edit* I finally figured it out, never mind. That is a really fun game! Once I have a bit more of it figured out I'd like to play it if anyone here wants to.

I would love to play with others. If there was a weekly/monthly game I could probably make it sometimes.

Though, I still must ask, are we officially switching over? Because I'd really like to do Age of Empires II still, as I missed the first game.

Or could we even do both? Depending on who wants to play what, we could have both games going on the same night each month, and then we can choose which one we want to do.

Just a thought.

Now that I've figured out a little more of the game, I'm going to say with more confidence that I'd really like to do multiplayer with anyone that wants too.

And even though I don't have AOE II, if I get my windows xp connected to wireless, I might get the windows versions, and then I could play with you, Capt. Nemo!...but I'm not sure that I will yet, but if I do I'll let you know! (have you tried 0 A.D. yet, though? You might like it! though I don't know how it measures up to AOE since I haven't played AOE...)

We can run different servers, for different games.
Right now I have two servers setup and it only takes a few minutes for me to setup another.

We could play both games next time. Remember we can only have 4-5 players max per server.

Please note: If you did install the update for AOE2 you will need to have the CD in your drive the entire time we play. It might be easier to just re-install the game and just not use the update.

Also I have looked into it, and Mac and PC might be able to play together, but that is a big if right now. In theory it should work, but people say there have been problems.

Otherwise are people up for another game this weekend? starting a little earlier than last time. Saturday at 6 pm CST. Have your games installed, and your AOE2 CD's ready if your going to play AOE2.

That might work... I'm going to be at a tournament Saturday, but I think I'll be back in time for the game... I'll have to double check with Mom.

Also... I didn't download the update. Is that a problem?

And hopefully my older sister can play with us, too. Our second Conquerors disk is on its way.

I would've liked to (if anyone was going to play 0 A.D.), but I'm going to be at someone's house.