Does Microsoft have the source code to remaster AoE 1?

I remember it was lost when Ensemble Studios closed, not sure if someone found it?

Pretty sure it was backed up. It would be silly if it was lost. The proof is the Definitive Edition since they are using the same codebase basically.

Of course they have it. The devs mentioned how working with the same code base 21 years later was a strange feeling. It wasn’t lost, just locked away.

They have genie engine. And were successful modding AOK.

@Nonamer25 said:
I remember it was lost when Ensemble Studios closed, not sure if someone found it?

At the tráiler, the game co-founder (or Founder?), Tony Goodman, had a whole cabinet dedicated to AOE Franchise, I feel like there was a CD containing the original codes of the game :slight_smile:

@AKC_HellStriker said:
Pretty sure it was backed up. It would be silly if it was lost. The proof is the Definitive Edition since they are using the same codebase basically.

It happens, though. The games industry was still in its pioneering stage when Age of Empires was made, and back then the industry was in full steam ahead mode, and developers weren’t really expecting their games to be remastered in the future, because nobody had done it, yet. And until 2007, game developers were in a mad race to outdo each other with pushing ahead technologically - and having better graphics than everything that came before was a major selling point that developers tried to be able to boast with each new game. There wasn’t a lot of looking back in those days.

There also wasn’t as much nostalgia and appreciation for older games at that time, because everything was constantly new and better - a lot of people just thought it would always continue to be that way. And with the pace that graphics technology and core game designs were advancing in those days, if you’d suggested to a developer that in 20 years they might remaster their game, they might have found the idea unbelievable. Why wouldn’t they, or someone else just make a new game that’s even better? The makeup of the games industry was more creative, daring, and inspired, and less influenced by mainstream thinking in those days - there wasn’t even an established mainstream for gaming back then.

Also, back then, games tended to have a post-release support period, after which they weren’t ever touched again by the developer. Some developers just discarded their old workstation PCs with the data for their previous games still on it, not expecting it to have any lasting value.

Game companies regularly made bad business deals with their IPs and companies back then, and often found themselves losing control over either or both. And game publishing was a nasty business (maybe it still is) of exploitation.

The industry has changed a lot, and these days is more normalized and rigid, less creative, and more corporate. IPs and their related data are treated like locked-down company equity for exploitation however possible, rather than merely the data for games that were made to be fun and hopefully sell lots before moving on to the next game project.

@“Beegor Bucleor” said:

@AKC_HellStriker said:
Pretty sure it was backed up. It would be silly if it was lost. The proof is the Definitive Edition since they are using the same codebase basically.

It happens, though. The games industry was still in its pioneering stage when Age of Empires was made, and back then the industry was in full steam ahead mode, and developers weren’t really expecting their games to be remastered in the future, because nobody had done it, yet. And until 2007, game developers were in a mad race to outdo each other with pushing ahead technologically - and having better graphics than everything that came before was a major selling point that developers tried to be able to boast with each new game. There wasn’t a lot of looking back in those days.

There also wasn’t as much nostalgia and appreciation for older games at that time, because everything was constantly new and better - a lot of people just thought it would always continue to be that way. And with the pace that graphics technology and core game designs were advancing in those days, if you’d suggested to a developer that in 20 years they might remaster their game, they might have found the idea unbelievable. Why wouldn’t they, or someone else just make a new game that’s even better? The makeup of the games industry was more creative, daring, and inspired, and less influenced by mainstream thinking in those days - there wasn’t even an established mainstream for gaming back then.

Also, back then, games tended to have a post-release support period, after which they weren’t ever touched again by the developer. Some developers just discarded their old workstation PCs with the data for their previous games still on it, not expecting it to have any lasting value.

Game companies regularly made bad business deals with their IPs and companies back then, and often found themselves losing control over either or both. And game publishing was a nasty business (maybe it still is) of exploitation.

The industry has changed a lot, and these days is more normalized and rigid, less creative, and more corporate. IPs and their related data are treated like locked-down company equity for exploitation however possible, rather than merely the data for games that were made to be fun and hopefully sell lots before moving on to the next game project.

If thats the case why dont many game developers try to earn their freedom from publishers? People Can Fly did it, though I don’t think Ensemble Studios could have tried to get their freedom back, I think most who are acquired just give up because they are not financially responsible for their crap anymore. Like a lame duck position.

@Augustusman said:
They have genie engine. And were successful modding AOK.

That is owned by Ensemble Studios, and what is AOK? Ensemble was a legally separate entity, otherwise Microsoft could have been liable for their debts and pierced corporate veil, which means that Microsoft had to ask Ensemble’s permission to remake AoE using their Genie engine? Subsidiary Domination is key here Microsoft wants to prevent. Ensemble Studios closed themselves.

AoK is Age of Kings aka Age of Empires 2. Turtle Pack allows you to easily replace things and modify things, in both AoE 1 and 2, so they know enough already XD

AOK = Age of Kings = AOE 2 mate :slight_smile:

And no, as Wikipedia says: “Ensemble Studios is a video game developer initially established in 1995 as an independent company by Tony Goodman, Rick Goodman, Bruce Shelley, Brian Sullivan and John Boog-Scott, and was acquired by Microsoft in 2001 and operated as an internal studio until 2009, when its development capabilities was officially disbanded, now it operates as support.”

So ES was under MS control and that means they had to respond for every financial move.

Yes they do, unlike certain other studios, who lost the code for their older games.

Ensemble studios don’t exist anymore.
Mostly of their people are retired or working in other Studios.

@Augustusman said:
Ensemble studios don’t exist anymore.
Mostly of their people are retired or working in other Studios.

The game and engine/code all belongs to the studios and Microsoft.

Not employees.

@Pyefam said:

@Augustusman said:
Ensemble studios don’t exist anymore.
Mostly of their people are retired or working in other Studios.

The game and engine/code all belongs to the studios and Microsoft.

Not employees.

Indeed I’m not saying the otherwise.

@Augustusman said:
Ensemble studios don’t exist anymore.
Mostly of their people are retired or working in other Studios.

heh their website is still up, ensemblestudios.com, and also ESO is still working too, they must still be alive?

@Augustusman said:
Ensemble studios don’t exist anymore.
Mostly of their people are retired or working in other Studios.

Microsoft can always reactivate them

@Nonamer25 said:

@Augustusman said:
Ensemble studios don’t exist anymore.
Mostly of their people are retired or working in other Studios.

Microsoft can always reactivate them

No at all.

@Augustusman said:

@Nonamer25 said:

@Augustusman said:
Ensemble studios don’t exist anymore.
Mostly of their people are retired or working in other Studios.

Microsoft can always reactivate them

No at all.

I mean an in name only unit, or allow Forgotten Empires to dba Ensemble Studios… that way microsoft doesn’t loose the trademark

They don’t need ES they can bring the games with The Forgotten Studios or Relic Entertainment or other third party.