Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings (Windows, Mac OS Classic, Mac OS X)

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
Developers: Ensemble Studios, Westlake Interactive (Mac OS Classic) Publishers: Microsoft Game Studios, MacSoft (Mac OS Classic, Mac OS X) Platforms: Windows, Mac OS Classic (up to 1.0.5), Mac OS X (1.0.5 onward) Released in JP: November 26, 1999 Released in US: September 1999 Released in EU: November 1999 This game has unused playable characters. This game has unused code. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused sounds. This game has unused text. This game has a prototype article

This game/console's online features are no longer supported. While this game/console's online features were once accessible, they are (as of June 19, 2006) no longer officially supported and online-exclusive features may be documented as now-unseen content.

To do: Document alpha/beta versions and design doc.

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings refines the formula set in the prequel, allowing you to take one of 13 civilizations through the Middle Ages and defeat your opponents. It was, and still is, considered one of the best RTS games of all time.

NOTICE: This article deals with the original 1999 release and the 2000 expansion pack, The Conquerors. This will not cover any aspects exclusive to the HD versions of the game.

Sub-Page

Prototype Info

Civilization Differences

Chinese Gunpowder

Originally the Chinese were meant to have Gunpowder units but this was changed late in development. The third Mongol mission "Into China" features capturing Chinese Bombard cannons, as well as the Jin faction having an AI script to produce Gunpowder units, something the Chinese are incapable of.

Unused Graphics

A placeholder icon.

Various unused technology icons.

Unused	Used

An unused dock with far more detail to it than a typical dock is present in the game's files. It most closely resembles the Western European dock.

An unused sea tower, notice the buggy looks. In the HD version, It's sprite was refined and it appears in one campaign scenario, which is part of that version's DLC, The Forgotten, DE used them much more to the point they can now be used in the "Shoals" random map setting.

(Graphic rips: Saint Michaels)

Placeholder church/cathedral graphic.

Unused Terrain

Ice

To do: Add the unused ice sprite along with the used version for comparison. Maybe check if the functionality is different too?

The original game without The Conquerors expansion had the Ice terrain as a hidden terrain type meant to be placed upon water. It was used in the sixth mission of the Genghis Khan campaign and had a different, more realistic appearance.

The Conquerors officially added ice, updated the appearance, and also added snow.

Unused Units

These units are hidden in the editor and be accessed with a custom scenario featuring them, or using a tool that mods DAT files. (like Advanced Genie Editor)

Halberdman

Before being expanded upon in The Conquerors, the Halberdman was an unused unit in the base game. The unused version has broken graphics, turning into an Age of Empires Centurion upon moving or attacking.

Advanced Heavy Crossbowman

A cut unit with only an idle sprite. It's fully functional, but upon firing or dying, its appearance changes to the Composite Bowman from the original AoE.

Berserk

This unit has the same name as the unique unit of the Vikings, but it has a completely different appearance. It is a melee unit, but upon attacking and dying its appearance changes to that of the original AoE's Axeman.

OUTLW

These are Gaia Archer units. They act like other neutral hostile mobs, just with ranged attacks.

ABGAL/BDGAL

Two unused galley ships. They could convert enemy ship units, like monks.

Heavy Swordsman

This unit lacks unique graphics, opting to use the original AoE's Broad Swordsman graphics. If it faces certain directions, it turns invisible.

This unit was cleaned up and made available in the HD Edition.

Junk

This unit also lacks unique graphics, resembling the original AoE's Trade Boat. The unit, as originally implemented, would attack and then vanish, reappearing afterwards.

The HD Edition expanded on the unit, still resembling the Trade Boat, but removing its attack and restoring its trading functions. In the Definitive Edition, it's still a trade boat but now looks like an Asian Junker.

STRBO

This unit behaves identically to the original Junk unit, except it turns into a Rowboat upon moving.

OMTBO

Despite looking like a massive shipwreck, it's an unused ship unit.

Relic Cart

A mobile relic. In the HD Edition, cart graphics were added.

FISH5

An unused fish type. If added to a scenario, it instantly despawns.

PMANG

A Packed Mangonel. It can unpack just fine, but if it uses its unused attack, it crashes the game.

Port

A dock that resembles an advanced Western dock. Will appear as shown above if owned by Aztecs, Goths, Huns, Mayans, Teutons or Vikings. It has a garrison capacity displayed as 10 and cannot create any units.

Sea Tower

A tower that can only be placed on water. It works like a normal tower, despite its unique appearance. The Sea Tower has an unused description in the language files:

 Build <b> Sea Tower<b> (<cost>) Automatically attacks enemy units and buildings within range. <hp> <attack> <armor> <piercearmor> <range> 

This and the Sea Wall & Gate were made available in the HD Edition in the scenario editor, Definitive Edition would then feature the Sea Towers in the "Shoals" random map setting.

Sea Wall

A wall that can only be placed on water. It looks identical to a Palisade. Previous to the HD edition it was featured in a few campaign scenarios, It's included in the scenario editor starting from HD.

Sea Gate

The gate for the above Sea Wall. This gate's graphics were repurposed for the HD Edition as the Palisade gate. Previous to the HD edition it was featured in a few campaign scenarios, It's included in the scenario editor starting from HD.

TWAL

This is an unused city wall. It has incomplete graphics, and when built in certain directions, it appears as black chunks. It was fixed and made fully available in the HD edition.

Unused Campaign Dialogue

• The sound files for the William Wallace campaign consist of several unused voice clips by an American-accented narrator. From "Feeding the Army", there is "Good! You found some gold." (which is used by the narrator in the final game); from "Training the Troops", there is "Now that you have a few soldiers, you will be able to defend this area against British attacks." (which is also used by the narrator in the final game, but with "British" replaced with "English"); and from "Forge an Alliance", there is "A wild boar is routing through one of your Farms. You'd better dispose of him before he ruins your crops." "The Battle of Stirling", on the other hand, has multiple unused voice clips:
  • "You have more than 500 food now, so you can advance to the Feudal Age. Remember, you need to have two Dark Age buildings first."
  • "When moving soldiers, you can command them to follow a curved or zigzag path by placing waypoints."
  • "To place a waypoint, click a soldier, and then hold down Shift before you right-click. A small flag indicates the waypoint. Set several waypoints, then right click the soldier's final destination."
  • "To prepare for an English attack, train infantry at your Barracks. You can also build an Archery Range to train archers, or a Stable to train cavalry."
  • "In the Feudal Age, you can build Watch Towers and Stone Walls. Go build a Watch Tower on the hill to the west with the dead tree on it. The Watch Tower will help protect the entrance to your town."
  • "Wild boar can be hunted for food, but unlike deer, wild boar fight back. Send at least 6 villagers to hunt the boar, or else the wild boar could kill some of them."
  • "Your soldiers will be more powerful if you improve their armour or weapons. Armour and weapons can be researched if you build a Blacksmith."
  • "To win this scenario, build an army, locate the English base, and destroy it."
• This same American-accented voice is used for three additional voice clips that appear to be unused, but are actually from a scenario hidden in the Goodies folder of the CD:
  • "Your armies are too close to my city. Stand down, or I will be forced to declare war!"
  • "So be it! War it is, then! You will live to regret your invasion."
  • "You have defeated me in honourable combat. If you can spare my life, I will give you all of my remaining resources."
• In "The Maid of Orléans", if one of the Trade Carts is destroyed, a French soldier was supposed to say, "We have failed in our mission! Orléans will not get the supplies it needs!" While it is triggered to play, the "You have been defeated!" splash screen occurs before it can show up.
• There is an unused voice clip in the sound files for "The Siege of Paris" of a French soldier saying, "Burgundy is coming! You are vastly outnumbered! Get the refugees into the fortress!"
• In "A Perfect Martyr", the British were supposed to say "Do I smell something burning?" at one point. There is no accompanying voice clip in the sound files.
• In "Lord of Arabia", Reynald's Raiders were supposed to say "Maird!" (or "Merde", French for "shit") when defeated. It was cut from the final game, likely for being a profanity, and there is no accompanying voice clip in the sound files.
• There is an unused "Charge!" voice clip in the sound files for "Pax Mongolia". In the final game, it instead uses the "Charge!" voice clip from "The Rising" and "Jihad!".
• In "Pope and Antipope", if Milan's cathedral is destroyed instead of converted, a Teutonic soldier was supposed to say, "We were supposed to make the cathedral our own, not turn it into a ruin! Now the Italians are sure to sympathise with the Pope, rather than with our emperor!" While it is triggered to play, the "You have been defeated!" splash screen occurs before it can show up.