GAME
Stability & Performance
Fixed a crash that occurred when typing certain numbers on the lobby search bar in multiplayer menus.
Fixed a crash that occurred when attempting to launch the title on Steam when another instance of the game from the Microsoft Store was already running.
Fixed a crash that could occur when playing custom lobbies with AI if the object tracker and world object list got desynchronized.
Graphics
Units standing behind Mule Carts now display outlines.
Audio
Fixed an issue where Gaia attack notifications would not play on Custom Maps.
UI
QoL: The option âExtended Unit Statsâ was added to the Interface Settings. Toggling this setting on will make the command panel show additional stats when selecting a unit or a building.
Keep technology, Watch Tower, Guard Tower, Stone Wall, Pavilion A buildings now have unique icons.
Added blue versions to several small buttons in Return of Rome mode.
Settings
Fixed an issue where the Safe Delete pop-up would only trigger if the last unit a player selected was a hero.
Hotkeys
Fixed an issue where Wood Upgrades technology hotkey was not working for Two-Man Saw.
Recorded games & Spectator
Fixed an issue where holding down Shift and left-clicking an object from another player wasnât switching the POV to the objectâs owner.
Multiplayer
Changed Enter interaction in menus so that taunts only fire when the Enter key is released, instead of every frame the key is down.
Changed the behavior of Pause during Multiplayer so that players can no longer scroll, zoom or interact with the minimap while the game is paused.
GAMEPLAY
General
Gates can now be locked before their construction is finished.
Deer and other Prey Animals now have more consistency in how long they pause before moving again.
Monks now instantly search for new healing targets instead of waiting for 3 seconds.
Fixes
Fixed an issue where Trebuchets would ignore shift commands when attacking buildings.
Fixed an issue where rams grouped with other units would stop moving before reaching an enemy target when the player issued an attack move.
Fixed an issue where Villagers would lose their field of view, and Mule Carts (if completed) would become invisible if the player rung the town bell when the Mule Carts were under construction.
Fixed an issue where if a player has converted Monks and then researches Block Printing, the player would be granted vision in an area around the converted Monks the moment the tech finished.
Fixed a rare issue where the Go Back to Work hotkey would sometimes cause Villagers to become stuck inside a building.
Fixed an issue where moving large groups of units would cause some units to stop reacting to group commands.
Fixed an issue where using the Guard command switched units formations to Line Formation.
Fixed an issue where Villagers would stay selected when using CTRL to select military.
Fixed a rare issue where units would slide across untraversable terrain when being patrolled on Stand Ground.
Warrior Priests in no attack stance can now heal allied units.
Villagers no longer can drop off resources into buildings with a Mule Cart garrisoned inside.
Campaign
General
Joan of Arc is no longer able to heal units.
Campaign Missions
Attila the Hun #1: The Scourge of God: Fixed an issue where the wrong dialogue could play after defeating Bleda.
Attila the Hun #6: The Fall of Rome: The enemy factions will now resign correctly and are no longer kept alive by Wonder or Town Center foundations.
Barbarossa #2: Henry the Lion: Player now has the correct population limit.
Bayinnaung #2: The Mandalay Cobra: Fixed an issue where some starting units would disappear shortly after closing the initial Objectives pop up.
Ismail #1: The Red Hats: Farrukh Yasar no longer splits from his army when moving out.
Ismail #4: The Fallen Amir: Shaybani Khanâs units, if they have been bypassed, can now track the playerâs units and find them more easely.
Ivaylo #1: A Most Unlikely Man: Fixed an issue where a rock formation in the right side of the map was not displayed as expected.
Sforza #4: Blood and Betrayal: Fixed an issue where some gates would not be fully destroyed after reducing their HP to 0.
Suryavarman I #5: Nirvanapada: Fixed an issue where the game statistics at the end of the mission could show negative values.
Tamar #1: Takeover: Armeniaâs villagers next to mule carts will no longer walk away to hunt ###### if the player waits before meeting Zakare.
Tamar #3: The Protectorate: Yury will now become aggressive if the player chooses to attack the Turkomans first instead of liberating the city.
Thoros #1: Outlawed: Fixed an issue where players would receive more food in tribute than needed in order to research the infantry upgrades at the start of the mission.
Thoros #3: Caught in the Crossfire: The player is now allowed to research Fereters after advancing to the Imperial Age.
Thoros #4: Bloody Crestwaves: The player now needs to research Fereters on their own (except on Standard difficulty).
Thoros #5: Of Turncoats and Traitors:
The player is no longer attacked by the Byzantines right away after the fleeing to Mlehâs camp.
Church Sanctuary achievement no longer requires keeping the villagers alive after they have changed ownership.
Co-op campaigns
Tamerlane #5: Scourge of the Levant: Changed civilizations of Cilician Armenia and Georgia to Armenians and Georgians, respectively.
Balance Changes
General
Monk conversion consistency:
Monk conversion chance 25% 40%, interval 4-10 5-9.
Previously 40% of conversions would happen at either 4 seconds or 10 seconds, creating highly volatile and RNG dependent interactions. With these changes, 80% of conversions will happen between 5 and 7 seconds.
Below are some ancillary changes. Here, the average conversion time remains unchanged compared to before, but now with the more consistent conversion behavior.
Scout resistance set to +3 min conversion time, +1 max conversion time, +2 conversion resistance.
Ships resistance set to +2 min, +2 max.
Teutons resistance set to +3 min, +2 max.
First Crusade resistance set to +4 min, +4 max.
Developer Note: âThe goal of the conversion change + supporting changes is to keep the average conversion time the same but reduce the variability, creating more consistency in how long it takes conversions to occur. Our aim is to reduce the frustrating elements of conversions while keeping the relative power level the same.â
New Technology available in the Castle Age for all civilizations at the Monastery: Devotion. Required for Faith.
Devotion (100 food 150 gold): unit conversion resistance set to +1 min, +1 max. (Units are 15% harder for enemy Monks to convert)
Faith cost decreased from 750 food 1000 gold 550 food 750 gold.
Faith conversion resistance set to +4 min, +4 max. (Units are 50% harder for enemy Monks to convert).
The combination of Devotion + Faith is equivalent to the previous version of Faith.
Dromon projectile attack rebalanced to deal equal damage with all individual projectiles instead of full damage on a main projectile with mostly cosmetic secondary projectiles.
Damage reduced from 50 10.
Bonus damage vs. Buildings reduced 135 35.
Bonus damage vs. Siege reduced 20 4.
Bonus damage vs. Castles 0 12.
Increased projectile spread area.
Cavalier upgrade time reduced from 100 seconds 80 seconds.
Mule Carts are now targeted with lower priority than units (same as other buildings).
Mule Cart cost reduced from 100 wood 20 food 80 wood 20 food.
Armenians
Mule Cart technologies are 25% more effective Mule Cart technologies are 40% more effective
Lose access to Two-Man Saw.
Galley-line fires two projectiles Civilization Bonus changed Galley-line and Dromons fire an additional projectile.
Galley-line secondary projectile changed to always be an arrow for better readability of the bonus.
Warrior Priest with Relic no longer incorrectly receives extra line of sight from Block Printing technology.
Cilician Fleet Blast Radius Increase reduced from 33% to 20%.
Bengalis
(Elite) Ratha Cavalry Archer armor increased from 0 1.
(Elite) Ratha now deals 20% trample damage in melee mode.
Bohemians
Hussite Wagon HP reduced from 180 160.
Hussite Wagon main projectile damage reduced from 11 10.
(Elite) Hussite Wagon train time increased from 21 seconds 26 seconds.
Chinese
Town Center Civilization Bonus increased from +10 population space and +5 LOS +15 population space and +7 LOS.
Georgians
Buildings cost 50% fewer resources to repair Team Bonus reduced Buildings cost 25% fewer resources to repair.
Fortified Churches Workrate boost reduced from 10 Tiles to 8 Tiles
(Elite) Monaspa no longer incorrectly receives extra damage against buildings, archers, skirmishers, camels and Shotel Warriors when grouped.
Hindustanis
Villager discount Civilization Bonus increased from -5%/-10%/-15%/-20% -8%/-13%/-18%/-23%.
Huns
(Elite) Tarkan base movement speed increased from 1.35 1.4.
Huns now start with a unique scouting horse on nomad style maps once their starting Town Center is completed.
Koreans
(Elite) Turtle Ship receives attack ground ability.
Persians
Cavalry +5 gold per killed military unit bonus removed.
Savar bonus damage vs. Archers reduced from 3 2.
Savar upgrade research time increased from 150 seconds 160 seconds.
Poles
Folwark cost decreased from 125 wood 100 wood.
Portuguese
(Elite) Organ Gun damage decreased from 7 (9) 6 (8).
(Elite) Organ Gun bonus damage vs Infantry and Skirmishers increased from 1 2.
Vikings
Defeating Warrior Priests with infantry units now correctly generates a gold reward when Chieftains is researched.
Return of Rome
General
Scout cost reduced from 100 food 90 food.
Mysticism technology effect changed from double priest hitpoints priests +20 HP (effect reduced by 5 HP)
City Watch research time reduced from 45 seconds 15 seconds.
Stone Thrower, Catapult, and Heavy Catapult Melee Armor reduced from 0 -2.
Tower build time decreased from 72 seconds 65 seconds.
Carthaginians
Team bonus changed from Fire Galleys +1 Pierce Armor Academies work 20% faster.
Egyptians
Priests range bonus decreased from +3 +2/3 in Bronze/Iron Ages.
Lac Viet
Forager gather bonus decreased from 20% 15% faster Foragers.
Macedonians
House HP team bonus increased from +25 HP +50 HP.
Minoans
Ships cost bonus adjusted from -30% -15/20/25/30% in Stone/Tool/Bronze/Iron Age.
Yamato
Ship HP bonus changed from +20% HP +10/15/20/25% HP per Age.
AI
General
Fixed an issue where AI explorers may not find an unexplored tile for enemy object/home and will fall idle, we now fallback to unit AI scouting.
Scenario Editor
âChange Object Civilization Nameâ, âChange Object Player Colorâ and âChange Object Player Nameâ trigger effects now reset on the object ownership change, so the new ownership is correctly presented.
LOCALIZATION
Return of Rome: Added localized VO for the Legacy Age of Empires campaigns.