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Return of Rome: Mod Updates

  • Updated

Welcome to the Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Mod Update! This update will roll out at the same time as Return of Rome and is bringing many new updates & fixes that will enhance the modding experience in both Age of Empires II: DE and the Return of Rome DLC.

To learn more about modding in Age of Empires II: DE, check out our How-to Mods and Scenarios page!

Data Mod Support

  • It is now possible to modify previously hardcoded civilization settings in civilizations.json file:
    • The amount of civilizations in the data mod (the minimum number of non-gaia civilizations that can be present is 1; the current maximum is the amount of civilizations in the official dataset)
    • Civilization interface style (used in the interface material names)
    • Civilization name string IDs and AI leader name string range
    • Internal civilization names used by the technology tree, future items display, and civilization icon and emblem widgetui material names
    • Image file names used by the civilization selection and loading screens
    • Civilization loading symbols, unique unit and technology IDs for AIs
  • It is now possible to include custom widgetui/icons.json and widgetui/materials.json files in data mods.
  • It is now possible to include custom hotkeys and hotkey groups through hotkeys.json in data mods.
  • It is now possible to define custom drop site rules through dropsites.json in data mods.
  • It is now possible to define custom button action definitions through buttons.json in data mods.
  • It is now possible to define custom audio file or sound event mappings for UI sounds through sounds.json in data mods.
  • It is now possible to define custom random map pools through maps.json in data mods.
  • Fixed an issue where civTechTrees.json and futuravailableunits.json included in data mods were not loaded.
  • Custom audio files that are not data-bound can now also be used in scenarios that are part of data mods.
    • Custom music and audio overrides can now be included in data mods. Lobby music, if included, will play immediately as soon as the custom dataset is applied.
  • Mod-specific loading symbols can now be defined for AIs in AIConsts.json file and for random maps in the string 8739.

General

  • It is now possible to include widgetui/morematerials.json in a non-data mod which will add material definitions on top of the original materials.json file.
  • Technology tree width now properly reflects the amount of content in the technology tree.
  • Allowed adding items to the technology tree with Age ID parameter set to -1, which can be used as displayed requirements for other items, but won’t have their own displayed nodes.
  • Added new parameters to techtreepreviewpanel.json to control previously hardcoded settings:
    • UnitId - sets the unit ID which icon will be displayed instead of the technology's icon
    • CivIds - specifies for which civilization the item will be displayed
    • ExcludeCivs - show the item for all civilizations except the ones specified by CivIds
    • TeamBonus - used for team bonus items
    • FullTechTree - display the item for all civilizations in full tech tree mode, not only for specificed in CivIds
  • Allowed 4-staged items in the technology tree preview
  • Units with the same string ID and class will now be selected together by double-click.
  • Carried by villagers resources will be deposited into the player’s stockpile upon garrisoning into a building if this building is in drop_site_list in dropsites.json.
  • Command panel button 15 in all buildings and buttons 6, 11 in Market can now be used by units and technologies.
  • Allowed sprite variations for building objects with several angles in their graphics.
  • Added new attributes to control previously hardcoded properties:
    • Minimum Conversion Time Modifier (adds to the minimum time to convert the unit).
    • Maximum Conversion Time Modifier (adds to the maximum time to convert the unit).
    • Conversion Chance Modifier (reduces the chance to convert the unit per conversion roll).
    • Formation Category (0: not using formation, 1: mobile, 2: body, 3: ranged, 4: long ranged, 5: protected).
    • Formation Spacing (controls the spacing between units when in formation).
    • Blast Damage (multiplier to the percentage of blast damage the non-directly targeted units receive if positive value, fixed number damage if negative).
  • Allowed modifying several more unit attributes by Effect Amount, Modify Attribute trigger effect and technologies in data. Check tooltips in Advanced Genie Editor for more information about them.
    • Can be Built on (see AGE).
    • Foundation Terrain (see AGE).
    • Graphic IDs for Attack, Standing, 2nd Standing, Dying, Undead, Walking, Running, Special graphics.
  • The appearance of items in Units → Other tab in scenario editor can now be controlled by the new Hide in Editor attribute flag 2.
  • Removed Blast Attack Level attribute flags 4, 8, 16, 32 as their functionality is now handled by the new Blast Damage attribute.
  • Allowed defining convert, repair, and heal tasks for specific units and classes which will be used instead of the default task.
  • Work value 1 set to 0 in repair and heal tasks will disallow repairing/healing of the specified unit or class.
  • Added additional options for the convert tasks:
    • Work range allows to set the conversion range which is different from the default range.
    • Unused Resource can now be used to choose the required for conversion resource. Having more than 0 value of the assigned resource allows the conversion, more than 1 allows to use the default range instead of the range specified in work range field.
    • Search wait time field allows setting the string ID of the notification which will be shown if conversion is not allowed (when having 0 of the conversion requirement resource).
  • Added a new task 155 which allows units to provide power up to other units. The unit has to have Combat Ability flag 32 in order for the task to function. The available settings:
    • Unit or Class - unit or class to affect with power up.
    • Search wait time - attribute ID to increase; currently supported: attack (9), reload time (10), work rate (13), regeneration rate (109), movement speed (5).
    • Work value 1 - attribute increase at the maximum power up.
    • Work value 2 - units required for the maximum power up.
    • Work range - range of the effect.
    • Target diplomacy - players whose objects will be affected.
    • Unused flag - flags to enable additional settings, can be combined with each other. 1: use the amount in work value 1 as multiplier, 2: round area of power up, 4: display the range indicator.
  • Allowed using 32-bit numbers for technology name and description IDs.
  • Enable Tech command type used by Effect Amount (ID 7, -8 for gaia) has been replaced by Spawn Unit, which functions similarly to the data version of this effect type.
  • Modify Technology effect is now able to set the state of technology. It can be used to disable, enable, force enable or research the specified technology ID.
  • Relic-requiring technologies are no longer hardcoded to IDs 699-703 (used by the Lithuanian cavalry attack bonus). To receive this functionality a technology needs to have its first cost type set to Relics Captured.
  • The unit cost addition (multiplying the cost attributes by -1) or removal (multiplying the cost attributes by -2) can now be used by technology effects in data.
  • Fixed an issue where the enemy versions of Modify Tech, Spawn Unit, and Upgrade Unit effect types were not affecting enemy players during treaty.
  • Expanded the functionality of Full Tech Mode technology attribute to be able to restrict the technology to the specific game setting. Negating the number will disable the technology in this setting. The currently available conditions:
    • 2: Random Map
    • 3: Death Match
    • 4: Empire Wars or Empire Wars Mode
    • 5: Wonder Race
    • 6: Defend the Wonder
    • 7: Sudden Death or Sudden Death Mode
    • 8: King of the Hill
    • 9: Capture the Relic
    • 10: Battle Royale
    • 11: Regicide
    • 12: Turbo Mode
    • 13: Scenario or Campaign game
    • 14: Regicide Mode
    • 15: Scenario Editor
    • 16: D3
    • 17: Solid Farms
    • 18: Shared Exploration
    • 19: Default Starting Resources
    • 20: Low Starting Resources
    • 21: Medium Starting Resources
    • 22: High Starting Resources
    • 23: Ultra-High Starting Resources
    • 24: Infinite Starting Resources
    • 25: Random Starting Resources

Scenario Editor

  • Added Gazelle - a new prey animal unit.
  • Previously existing Centurion and Legionary units have been renamed into Imperial Centurion and Imperial Legionary.

Random Map Scripting

  • nomad_resources parameter now reimburses the Town Center's cost (with the cost bonuses taken into account) instead of always adding 275 wood and 100 stone to the starting resources.

XS Scripting

  • Fixed an issue where units were not getting upgraded correctly by xsEffectAmount command.

Further Reading...

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