# \[Tutorial\] How to export an AOE1 DE unit or building into AOE2 DE **URL:** \ **Category:** II - Modding\ **Created:** [May 3, 2020, 3:46am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176 "2020-05-03T03:46:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amburio](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/amburio/32/29599_2.png) [@Amburio](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/Amburio)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 3:46am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/1 "2020-05-03T03:46:48Z")
Hi! In this tutorial I will show how to export an AOE1 DE unit or building into AOE2 DE. Remember to do backups of anything you edit or replace. You will need SLX Studio, Advanced Genie Editor, and an image processing program such as Photoshop. **Extracting SLP Files** First, copy the SLP Files you want to extract and paste it in any folder you want. Those files are located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\AoEDE\Assets\SLP Open SLX Studio and set Format to BMP, as it’ll make it easier to edit the image later. Then go to Graphics, Batch Extract SLP to SLX. Select the folder where your assets are located. If you get an error message, just click continue. ![DSC_0331](https://cdn.ageofempires.com/aoe-forums/original/3X/3/c/3c80eb2ceb9648bfcfded4c4865100c2faa0df1f.jpeg) You will see that a folder is created, containing the images of the asset you extracted, and an SLX File. In my case I have extracted Greek Government destruction animation SLP, and it contains many images. An unit would include thousands of images. ![DSC_0331](https://cdn.ageofempires.com/aoe-forums/original/3X/c/d/cddd0cb28d9d3f66a8f8aa1e4b86604b0bff3511.jpeg) Then open the SLX File you’ve just created. AOE1 files include the images of different ages, while AOE2 has one SMX file per age. In my case I want to use the Iron Age Government buidling, so I select all the pictures of the Bronze age building and then delete them. ![DSC_0331](https://cdn.ageofempires.com/aoe-forums/original/3X/d/4/d4c19cc65156825d5580b91137ce61fc99126871.jpeg) **Size Matters** AOE1 Files come in three sizes: x1, x2 and x4. x1 is too small and x4 too big, so I use x2 files. Too have a glance of how the asset will fit AOE2, go to View, Selection Box, and select one of the options. In this case, selecting 5x5 makes the building fit perfectly. You can say 4x4 fits too, since the part left outside the selection box its not building per se, it’s just the surrounding floor. ![DSC_0331](https://cdn.ageofempires.com/aoe-forums/original/3X/5/d/5d1165c2f2de835fb04882d602dfaee4ad1d560d.jpeg) So depending on what use you want to give the building, or if you want to export an unit, you might need to resize the image. For that you will need to resize the images. Look at the picture below, this is how an x2 AOE1 Hoplite looks compared to an AOE2 Elephant, a Champion and an AOE1 x1 Holpite. So unless you want to end up fighting giants or dwarves, you will need to resize the images. ![DSC_0331](https://cdn.ageofempires.com/aoe-forums/original/3X/1/e/1ed713ffeb8ff399d0c05484391cdba83e6fb7f5.jpeg) For units, a 60% size of the AOE1 image will make it fit perfectly. For buildings, it depends. 67% worked fine to make a building 3x3, and 80% to make it 4x4, but there are always exceptions. When you resize an image, the anchor points become all wrong. The anchor point marks where the center of the building is and it will determinate if the building is fitting the selection box. We can perfectly move the anchor point of an image in SLX, but destroying animations have 60 images and units 1440, so it’s impossible to move all of them. What is worse, in units or destroying animations, each frame has a different anchor point, depending on the size of the image canvas, so you can’t set all of the anchor points to be the same. What I’ve done to solve this issue, was enlaring the image canvas with photoshop after reduction. Photoshop lets you batch process tons of images automaticaly, so you can easily edit thousands of images. Look how I added black space at the left and top of this asian stable, so it can fit the 3x3 selection box without moving the anchor point. ![DSC_0331](https://cdn.ageofempires.com/aoe-forums/original/3X/8/3/83c01fa72e8602bd09ea966ef68664d4a45a861b.jpeg) **Creating the SMX File** In my Greek example, I’m planning to use the building as a castle, so it’d be a 4x4 size. We saw it kinda fits 4x4, besides castles are huge in AOE2, so I won’t be needing to resize the image in this case. So lets proceed to creating the SMX File. Take into account that destroying animations have 100 frames in AOE2, while 60 in AOE1. If you want to replace an existing AOE2 SMX file with a new one, you’ll have to duplicate the last frame of your file, so it fits the 100 frames. (Castle destruction has 150 frames) Otherwise, you can use Genie Editor to add the created 60 frame SMX file into the game making the animation shorter. Then, in SLX Studio, we go to File, Export, to save the file as an SMX. We select Object type as Building since this is a building. If you want to save an unit, you’ll need to check the box Draw outlines, and set the number of directions to 32. AOE2 also has an SMX for rubble, so I’ll just duplicate the SLX file of the destroying animation, and delete all of its frames except for the last one. Then export it as the SMX for the building rubble. You now should have 3 files, one for the building, other for the destruction and other for the rubble. You can simply rename them as the SMX files you want to replace in AOE2. Then paste them at the route C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\AoE2DE A\resources\_common\drs\graphics and you’ll be good to go. **Using the Genie** If you don’t want to get rid of the original file, you can use to genie editor to add the building into the game. If you want to replace an unit, you’ll be forced to use the genie editor anyway, since AOE2 units have 16 directions and AOE1 32. Look at the picture below. I decided to replace the Slavic Castle with the greek gov building. First I renamed the SLP name, set the frames per angle to 60, and the anim duration to 5. If you are replacing an unit, you’ll need to set the correct Frames per Angle, and the Angle Count at the bottom. Angle count at the AOE1 units you make is 32. For the rubble and the main building I only need to change the SLP name. ![DSC_0331](https://cdn.ageofempires.com/aoe-forums/original/3X/2/0/206c87399269cc8007f16edde7cd4fb3350c25a2.jpeg) Then click save and you’ll be ready to find the new building in game. ![DSC_0331](https://cdn.ageofempires.com/aoe-forums/original/3X/6/f/6f2a685e7cb6179802f0f28c24d3bd5a5d35685e.jpeg) **Collaborate** If you want to share your new AOE1 into AOE2 SMX Files, I have reated a Slack group, where I’ve already uploaded some Babilonian buildings. If you are interested in collaborating with the AOE1 into AOE2 mod, feel free to PM me, in order to coordinate efforts. As you can see, resizing is the hardest part, and you’d need to know some basics with photoshop or any other image processing program. I’m more than open to offer any further help if needed, if you want to contribuite with this project. You can join the group following this link: [https://join.slack.com/t/aoe2modding/shared\_invite/zt-e1ki1kn6-CKYX5vywgRI765TYG7GXFQ](https://join.slack.com/t/aoe2modding/shared_invite/zt-e1ki1kn6-CKYX5vywgRI765TYG7GXFQ) ---
**Author:** ![DmitryO325](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/dmitryo325/32/29791_2.png) [@DmitryO325](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/DmitryO325)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 1:48pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/2 "2020-09-26T13:48:41Z")
Good afternoon. I have after clicking “Graphics” -\> “Batch SLP to SLX” files are not converted and writes at the bottom “File skipped… is unrecognizable” what’s the matter?! ![2020-09-26_16-47-22](https://cdn.ageofempires.com/aoe-forums/original/3X/a/3/a3c4ea92f7603c3965fc257b54b012a2ce21311d.png) SMX to SLX is working well ---
**Author:** ![thieftdp8498](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/thieftdp8498/32/34716_2.png) [@thieftdp8498](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/thieftdp8498)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 4:43am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/3 "2020-09-28T04:43:39Z")
the new slp file from AOE1DE is compassed differently i believe. slx studio needs an update for that. AOE1DE did some update which causes this. unless you’re talking about old slp from aoc/aok heaven then im not sure. ---
**Author:** ![TommoChocolate](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/tommochocolate/32/197278_2.png) [@TommoChocolate](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/TommoChocolate)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 7:34pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/4 "2021-06-04T19:34:53Z")
This is a great guide, thanks for sharing! Unfortunately, I can’t even get past the first step of extracting the SLPs. If I try to batch extract, I get a message saying “There were no SLP files within the selected path”, although it is definitely pointing at a folder with SLP files in. If I try to import an individual SLP file, I get a different error: “Unhandled exception has occurred in your application. … Could not find a part of the path ‘C:\Users[username]\AppData\Local\Temp\slx studio[a non-existent folder with the name of the SLP followed by a number]’.” Presumably this is why you said “If you get an error message, just click continue”, but if I click continue SLX Studio just freezes. Any idea what might have gone wrong or how to fix it? (I can get SLX Studio to import and extract other SLPs, e.g. from the original AoE or AoK, no problem, so I think it must be something to do with these SLPs specifically.) ---
**Author:** ![CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/cutmanfs/32/78820_2.png) [@CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/CutmanFS)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 1:38am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/5 "2021-06-15T01:38:25Z")
yeah ive found the same issue. im going to lool into that update for slx studio the guy above you mentioned ---
**Author:** ![TruisticInk1096](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/truisticink1096/32/62657_2.png) [@TruisticInk1096](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/TruisticInk1096)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 5:46am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/6 "2021-06-15T05:46:22Z")
> [@Amburio](#): > > When you resize an image, the anchor points become all wrong. The anchor point marks where the center of the building is and it will determinate if the building is fitting the selection box. We can perfectly move the anchor point of an image in SLX, but destroying animations have 60 images and units 1440, so it’s impossible to move all of them. What is worse, in units or destroying animations, each frame has a different anchor point, depending on the size of the image canvas, so you can’t set all of the anchor points to be the same. How are you resizing the images? The anchor points should be resized as well, doesn’t make sense to leave them where they are. Or is the resizing of anchor points broken? You have a nice workaround, but it seems unnecessary. And I’m not sure what impact it has on performance, translucent pixels are still pixels, they take up some some memory and processing. I might look into this. ---
**Author:** ![CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/cutmanfs/32/78820_2.png) [@CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/CutmanFS)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/7 "2021-06-15T21:59:17Z")
seems like with the compression of slp files added in an aoe1 slx studio can no longer read them and you must roll back your version of aoede to a patch before they did that. info is available on the slx studio discord. ---
**Author:** ![CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/cutmanfs/32/78820_2.png) [@CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/CutmanFS)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 11:28pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/8 "2021-06-24T23:28:42Z")
Figured it out! I feel dumb. There’s a folder in the AOE2DE program files called TOOL BUILDS in there is convert\_slp.bat or something similar, and a folder called SLP. Put the slp u want to convert in that folder, then run the .bat and viola, aoe1DE slp connverted to AOE2DE SMX ---
**Author:** ![RadiatingBlade](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/radiatingblade/32/143170_2.png) [@RadiatingBlade](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/RadiatingBlade)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 11:51am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/10 "2021-06-29T11:51:20Z")
---
**Author:** ![TommoChocolate](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/tommochocolate/32/197278_2.png) [@TommoChocolate](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/TommoChocolate)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 4:21pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/11 "2021-06-29T16:21:33Z")
Thanks – but I tried this and got an error message: > C:\Steam\steamapps\common\AoE2DE\Tools\_Builds\>DEAssetTool.exe “slp” > DEAssetTool: PSD & SLP to SMP Converter Ver 3.81 (Mar 23 2020 - 23:46:51) > Converting SLP File: slp\n\_all\_treeAsh\_x2.slp > > C:\Steam\steamapps\common\AoE2DE\Tools\_Builds\>DEAssetTool.exe -compress “slp\*.smp” > DEAssetTool: PSD & SLP to SMP Converter Ver 3.81 (Mar 23 2020 - 23:46:51) > > \*\*\* Error: Unable to find any files that matched: ‘slp\*.smp’ > > C:\Steam\steamapps\common\AoE2DE\Tools\_Builds\>pause > Press any key to continue . . . If I press any key, it just quits the program, and doesn’t convert any SLPs. Any ideas what’s going on? ---
**Author:** ![CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/cutmanfs/32/78820_2.png) [@CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/CutmanFS)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/12 "2021-06-30T02:14:17Z")
use the genie and convert.bat ---
**Author:** ![TommoChocolate](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/tommochocolate/32/197278_2.png) [@TommoChocolate](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/TommoChocolate)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 4:56pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/13 "2021-07-01T16:56:45Z")
I’m not sure what you mean – the error message I posted is what I get when I run convert\_slp.bat. ---
**Author:** ![CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/cutmanfs/32/78820_2.png) [@CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/CutmanFS)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 10:23pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/14 "2021-07-01T22:23:43Z")
apologies. are you placing the .slmpx whatever in the slp folder? you should be able to view the slp in AOE1DE genie editor, if u can do that u can save using the editor if needed(but they are just sitting in the games files) that worked for me, sorry i could be missing something, 20+ hrs of .json particle madness has me feeling extra dense. ---
**Author:** ![TommoChocolate](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/tommochocolate/32/197278_2.png) [@TommoChocolate](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/TommoChocolate)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 5:03pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/15 "2021-07-04T17:03:30Z")
Yes, I only have .slp files. If I put them in the SLP folder and then run convert\_slp.bat, I get the error message I posted. Both the folder and the batch file are in my AoE2DE folder. I can’t find genie editor or any other modding tools in my AoE1DE folder, but it’s the Microsoft Store version, so it’s possible that not everything is in that folder. I can’t figure out how to open a .slp in Advanced Genie Editor 3, which is the version in my AoE2DE folder. ---
**Author:** ![CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/cutmanfs/32/78820_2.png) [@CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/CutmanFS)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 3:22am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/16 "2021-07-05T03:22:57Z")
ok, the aoe1de .slp files in the original, x1,x2,x4 folders are not working right now… those are resizes of original files and for some reaaon i cant convert them either… but the new and redone graphics i think they are in smx format? those can be converted using the convert.bat. you can open genie and click the aoe1de button when the paths window pops up and u sld be able to view the gfx that way, but not the.slp files. im also trying to figure that part out. also unsure about the ms store version, many say its hard to mod with that version. ---
**Author:** ![TommoChocolate](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/tommochocolate/32/197278_2.png) [@TommoChocolate](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/TommoChocolate)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 5:17pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/17 "2021-07-05T17:17:21Z")
Ah, ok. As far as I can tell, my version only has those .slp files. I can’t find any .smx or .slx files. I found graphics.drs, but it turned out to be the one containing the original graphics, not the DE graphics! Likewise in Genie Editor I could only figure out how to view the original graphics. Maybe there’s some other folder with the .smx files in somewhere. The game folder was pretty well hidden (there’s no indication in the name that it’s AoE1DE) so who knows? I think the moral is that I should have got the Steam version rather than the Microsoft Store version – but I think Microsoft Store was the only option when I bought it. ---
**Author:** ![CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/cutmanfs/32/78820_2.png) [@CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/CutmanFS)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/18 "2021-07-05T21:41:10Z")
well if you view the original graphics you can use genie to save it as\* or save image as\* so maybe you need both versions if you can you want to get to both of them because on the steam version i cant even do that. the original graphics are good enough for me at this point. ---
**Author:** ![PeakHornet46539](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/peakhornet46539/32/187877_2.png) [@PeakHornet46539](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/PeakHornet46539)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 2:40pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/19 "2021-08-08T14:40:27Z")
Since the last patch the buildings I imported into the game do not show up anymore…What’s happened? Units are still appearing… ![image](https://forums.ageofempires.com/uploads/default/original/3X/1/e/1ed4a9abeb818bee3ec4d18c23fa919cb278b9fd.png) ---
**Author:** ![CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/cutmanfs/32/78820_2.png) [@CutmanFS](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/CutmanFS)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2021, 11:24am UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/20 "2021-08-11T11:24:52Z")
thre x4 is one thing i see that could confuse the game since aoe2 only has the x1 for normal and x2 for the enhanced graphics ---
**Author:** ![PeakHornet46539](https://forums.ageofempires.com/user_avatar/forums.ageofempires.com/peakhornet46539/32/187877_2.png) [@PeakHornet46539](https://forums.ageofempires.com/u/PeakHornet46539)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2021, 1:48pm UTC](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176/21 "2021-08-29T13:48:07Z")
They have been named as such in the past prior to this current update/patch. What has changed? [Next page](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/tutorial-how-to-export-an-aoe1-de-unit-or-building-into-aoe2-de/81176.md?page=2)