Latest News
- Merry Christmas
- Posted by Possidon on December 25th, 2024 @ 04:24 a.m.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
It’s the 25th of December which means all around the world people are waking up and celebrating Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas to everyone at AOKH and beyond. Thank you for all the increase of activity over the last few weeks and let’s hope that 2025 will strike an era of renewal at our beloved heaven no matter how small or large that may be.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Possidon
- Blacksmith Feature: Struggle for Japan (12.1.24)
- Posted by Possidon on December 01st, 2024 @ 3:41 p.m.
The blacksmith feature returns once again!
For those of you who don’t know, the Blacksmith Feature is a semi-regular write-up where I highlight particular files from our extensive blacksmith downloads section to bring to your attention. This may be new files, popular files and even some files which I believe have gone under the radar and deserve more attention. It’s a feature that has been around for a very long time and you can find an up to date list of all of our features right here on our main page.
For this feature I’m going to be talking to you about a scenario made for the Definitive Edition which was one of the earlier scenario released for that version, back in 2020. This scenario is set in feudal Japan and features some very unique and interesting gameplay. Ladies and Gentlemen I present – Hammister’s Struggle for Japan!
Struggle for Japan is set in feudal Japan during a civil war when the different clans are fighting for dominance of the entire country. The player has the choice to command one of four different clans, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. By using mixture of diplomacy, trade, warfare and stealth, the player must defeat the other three clans and the Shogun seated in the capital city of Kyoto. Dozens of new unique technologies and a specialised new Ninja unit with unique abilities create an exciting and immerse gaming experience.
Set on and accurate and realistic map of Japan and using historical themes this scenario is easily one of the most creative you will play and really highlights the difference of designing with the new tools from the Definitive Edition. Whilst the more experienced players may find the scenario on the easier side of the competitive scale the scenario is definitely worth a go for it creative gameplay alone. The fact that you can choice your clan also gives it great replayability as next time you can try again with a different clan.
Now what are you waiting for – DOWNLOAD IT NOW!
- Future Plans
- Posted by Possidon on November 02nd, 2024 @ 02:19 a.m.
- I won’t to have an open conversation about the state of our heaven and the plans that I have in place in order to try and maintain the site and hopefully spark a bit of new life.
For starters my biggest priority is to bring back regular conversation within the forums. I’d love to see more posts about… well anything but especially people talking about new projects they are creating or playing and the forums being a place for people to come and ask for support or feedback.
An area within the site that has always been difficult to manage is the sense of nostalgia and upgrading all of our guides and talk around the definitive edition which is now by far the most popular version of the game. I’m already in the process of updating what I can but due to team life do not have much experience playing this version of the game (not by choice I just haven’t had the time to play as much since it was released). If anybody would like to contribute to this area of the website please do talk to me and I can happily bring you on board either as a volunteer or possibly even an official staff member.
Current Projects
I am currently in the process of updating the main site by ensuring all of the features lists are up to date and our guides are as accessible and up to date as possible. This is an ongoing job that I suspect will take some time. I am also talking to the HG tech team to update the home page to add some new features to show that there is still life is this humble community.
Next I plan to host a new design contest with prizes to encourage new members and hopefully bring back some of the old as well. I will advertise this around the socials as best as I can.
I also now have admin privileges in the blacksmith. It turns out that nobody active has had access for a couple of years and it was the HG higher ups who have been managing it recently. This resulted in long waits for files and reviews to be approved. This will now change and files will be available with a few days of upload. Hopefully this will encourage more use of the blacksmith and continue to build the most extensive archive of custom creations for Age of Empires 2
Finally I’m always on the lookout for others to join me in this journey to keep this amazing place alive and kicking. I’d love to hire another member of staff to join myself and Major Helper to support the site. There are many ways you can do this but I’m particularly looking for anybody who may be able to help support us with updating the site to be more supportive of the DE edition, host and judges contests, and being a vocal advocate of AOKH within the wider gaming community. If you would like to support us in any of these areas, or any other area you can think of please let me know. There’s no criteria needed, no commitments to do anything regular and no experience required.
In conclusion I’m excited about this new area for AOKH and in the end if my tenure as seraph at least keep the site in the most up to date extensive archive of AOK’s glory days and custom creations then I will be happy.
- Age of Empires Mobile – Released!
- Posted by Possidon on October 29th, 2024 @ 6:00 p.m.
The immersive medieval war strategy mobile game from the iconic Age of Empires franchise is here! Age of Empires Mobile combines the familiar elements of Age of Empires with strategic gameplay crafted specifically for the mobile platform to give fans of the genre a brand-new way to enjoy the beloved franchise.
The latest instalment of the great Age of Empires franchise has now been released – and best of all you can play it whenever and wherever you like – directly on your mobile phone.
Age of Empires Mobile features massive scale siege battles and epic immersive battlefields with thousands of players on the screen at the same time. Choose from 8 different civilisations: French, Romans, Byzantines, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, British and Egyptians and a vast array of historical figures such as King Arthur, Saladin and Tribhuwana.
“Age of Empires Mobile, tailored for mobile play, promises a unique experience blending elements from the original PC series and introducing new features to deliver strategic and simulated battles across various modes.”– Vulture Beat
“Like the PC games, Age of Empires mobile will feature base building, empire building, combat, and RTS elements. But it’s not strictly an RTS game – rather, it’s a mix of different strategy mechanics, and will also see certain elements of customization for mobile devices.”– ING
Have you got this latest edition to our wonderful franchise yet? If so let us know your thoughts below. And if you haven’t got it yet. What are you waiting for?
- The Dawn of an New Era
- Posted by Possidon on October 26th, 2024 @ 2:21 p.m.
- I think it’s fair to admit that over the past few years our beloved heaven has been a bit neglected. However, all of that is soon to change.
Whilst I may not have looked active over the last few years I have been busy doing what I can behind the scenes. However, as a modest cherub my powers were limited. That is now changing.
I am delighted to announce that the top dogs at heaven games have promoted me to be the new seraph of our humble heaven. This will hopeful give me all of the powers I need to try and keep this sight updated and hopefully bring a bit of life back to the site and establish our great community again.
Over the past few months I have been encouraged to see new projects announced, old members return and new uploads to our amazing blacksmith. Lets keep this coming as we enter the final months of our 25th year as the greats Age of Empires community.
- The Return of Rome
- Posted by Possidon on November 04th, 2022 @ 05:23 a.m.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of our beloved Age of Empires II, Microsoft and Forgotten Empires have announced a brand new expansion for the Definitive Edition.
Though not much has been confirmed yet, the expansion pack will act almost like a port to bring the original Age of Empires era into it’s far-superior sequel, as some would say.
Rumours circulate the the expansion will include three new civilisations The Romans, Egyptians and Babylonians.
This is not the first time the age of antiquity has been brought to the game, with the popular fan made mods Rome at War and All Road Lead to Rome bringing us the Roman era. There have also been many attempts to convert the original Age of Empires to the sequel’s game engine. So demand for a Roman era expansion is definitely there. It will be interesting to see if the developers borrow any ideas from these popular Mods.
Are you excited about this news? What do you hope to see in this new expansion?
- Pretty Town Contest 2022 – Winner Declared
- Posted by Possidon on November 04th, 2022 @ 05:13 a.m.
The latest instalment of our most popular contest has come to a close. The contest has given us some beautiful showcase scenarios that push the new Definitive Edition’s editor to the limit.
Veteran PTC contestants Julius999 and Lord Basse stepped away from designing to take up the judging. This year we had four fantastic entries but I am delighted to announce that this years winner has been announced as Mr Wednesday! Our other veteran PTC winner has taken his third PTC crown with a fantastic scenario that follows the journey of a father and son on the road to the city of Roramork.
Congratulate Mr Wednesday over at the PTC thread and download all of this years entries here.
- Dynasties of India – New Expansion Released!
- Posted by Possidon on April 29th, 2022 @ 03:26 a.m.
The third expansion to the Definitive Edition has now been released. Dynasties of India takes a similar direction as the HD edition third expansion and focuses on Eastern Asian, but this time heading southwards toward the Indian peninsula.
Civilizations
The new DLC adds three new civilzations and drastically reworks the Indian civilzation to pretty much create an entirley new fourht civ.- Bengalis – Navigate the winding rivers and dense jungles of Bengal as you build a thriving economy to fuel unstoppable armies of elephants. The Bengali unique unit is the Ratha, a sturdy chariot that can switch between melee and ranged attack modes.
- Dravidians – Seize control of the lucrative Indian Ocean trade routes and utilize advanced metallurgy as you build one of the wealthiest sea empires of medieval Asia. The Dravidian unique units are the Urumi Swordsman, a warrior wielding a scathing flexible sword, and the Thirisadai, a massive vessel that dominates the high seas.
- Gurjaras – Ride swift mounts across the fertile fields and open plains of western India and unleash diverse armies of sturdy warriors upon your enemies. The Gurjara unique units are the Shrivamsha Rider, a speedy cavalry unit that can dodge enemy attacks, and the Chakram Thrower, an infantry unit that unleashes volleys of deadly metal discs.
- Hindustanis – Stake your claim to populous, diverse lands and lucrative trade routes as you parry foreign invasions – or step into the invader’s shoes yourself. The Hindustani unique units are the Ghulam, a heavily armored infantry unit adept against masses of archers, and the Imperial Camel Rider, a powerful unique upgrade to the Heavy Camel Rider.
Campaigns
Three new campaigns are also added, no doubt made to an excellent standard by some well known and highly regarded designers.- Babur (Tatars/Hindustanis) – Nearly a century after Tamerlane’s death, his descendants are still fighting for supremacy in Transoxiana and Persia. The youngest among them is Zahir ud-Din Muhammad – also known as Babur, ‘the tiger’. He dreams of restoring the crumbled empire, but another wave of invading horsemen from the northern steppes is about to change everything. In this campaign, you will play as the Tatars and Hindustanis.
- Rajendra (Dravidians) – The dread of inevitable corruption plagues the ambitious Rajendra Chola as he navigates the harsh political climate of south India. Can Rajendra escape moral decay as he expands the empire that he inherited from his father, or is his fear of corruption the true enemy within? In this campaign, you will play as the Dravidians.
- Devapala (Bengalis) – Guided by the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, Devapala rules a rich and vibrant empire. However, as dangerous rivals threaten his realm, the ambitious emperor finds it increasingly difficult to balance his policies with his morals. Will the ends ultimately justify the means, or will Devapala’s quest for his own enlightenment and that of his subjects fail? In this campaign, you will play as the Bengalis.
Check out the new expansion now on Steam or the Age of Empires Website.
- Hidden Gems V: We're Going to the Zoo
- Posted by Possidon on March 07th, 2022 @ 07:05 a.m.
We’re Going to the Zoo
For our next instalment of Hidden Gems I’m going to show you a couple of cool Mod Packs which will really spice up the nature of your scenarios. So come and take a trip down to the AOKH Zoo and discover some of the coolest animals mods to be found.
Lets start in the Aquarium where we will discover some of the most dangerous aquatic creatures in the world.
Shark – by The Vampire Slayer
Our first aquatic creature is the Shark mod by The Vampire Slayer. This little mod as you can see below represents a shark’s fin circling around in the water. This can be used as cool little bit of eye-candy for those large open seas to spice up the design and can be also used a cool little storytelling device. Imagine your boat load of heroes being circled in the open ocean by this? How would they escape? The graphic is simple but it creates a great effect and is a really nice add-on to any piece of aquatic map design.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
Shark – by Gallas
The Vampire Slayer’s shark mod is a really nice piece of eye candy but what if you wanted a shark as an actual unit, which you could control and attack with. That’s where Gallas’ mod pack comes into play. This unit has all of SLPs you’ll need to make a shark unit (idle, attack, die, rot and move). The graphics are coloured in a way to make it look as though the shark is being seen through water, rather than gliding on top of it, with just the sharks fin sticking out of the water. With the correct editing you can make this shark a player owned unit to control (much like the hunting wolf) or a wild animal that can hunt down a players boats.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
Whale – by Mithrandir
Our final aquatic animal of our trip is Mithrandir’s Whale Mod. It give the appearance of a whale popping its head out the water and then diving back under with its tail fin tossing out and in again. Its look very realistic and can add another great piece of eye candy to the oceans of your maps. Its graphics are well designed and add a nice little effect. You’ll have to utilises this one well because it can look a little weird looping around multiple times in the same place, but it can be a great addition for a little cutscene based onboard a ship.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
Continuing our tour of the zoo let us enter the Prehistoric area and see what wonders lie ahead.
Dinosaur – by TopKnot
Yep, here we have a Dinosaur unit. Now this may be a unit that doesn’t really fit the theme of most AOK a creative designer might be compelled to design a scenario set in the age of the dinosaurs and cavemen (yeah I know it’s not entirely scientifically accurate) or maybe even a fantasy/sci-fi scenario in which dinosaurs are brought into the future via magic. The design of this unit is great with all the SLPs you will need to create a fully functioning units. If you extract it correctly from the AKX files you will also be able to find a custom icon and custom sounds for the dinosaur as well.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
Sabretooth Tiger – by Peter88
Something a little different here, and that’s because it is a unit extracted from another game. Now personally I’m not the greatest fan of graphics converted from other games because I feel as though a lot of them don’t fit in well with the original graphics of AOK. However, there are one or two exceptions to this and I believe that this is one of them. Whilst it’s not perfect it is a good unit that has some decent uses. The graphics are great, they blend in well with the rest of the game and can be used in all sorts of different ways. As a sabre tooth tiger it will be perfect for a unique scenario set in Earth’s earliest history, but it could also be used as a more generic fantasy monster for a unique scenario, maybe even a warlord’s vicious pet that allows him to command with fear.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
Now we’re entering the nocturnal suite where we get to see a fearsome flying beast.
Bat – by dark_blade
Here’s a unit that can spice up your storylines, especially if you ever have a scene set within a dark spooky cave. Dark_Blade’s bat unit is a really simple graphic but represent a flying bat really well. Just imagine the scene. Your character steps inside the cave and a swarm of these fly out and swarm him. Will he have to fight his way out or simply let them pass by him. Maybe you’ve got a fantasy scenario where you have a vampire character who can transform into a bat for fast travel.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
Finally we are going over to the Farm. We’ve already seen a couple of livestock animals in the game, Sheep and Turkey’s and we even got a Cow in the HD edition. But what about probably one of the most common farm animals ever?
Pig- by Mahazona
This cute little unit from Mahazona is exactly as you would expect. A pig unit that can be added onto farms and fields to create additional life into those farmstead. It creates a great little bit of additional eye candy and you can even give it a food substance to spice up the gameplay from simply only using sheep and cows. How many films have you seen where the main character has to go and find somebody only to find them out back sleeping with the pigs? Well now you can recreate those types of scenes for yourself using this mod. It’s only drawback – a lack of player colour so it will be difficult to know who owns which pig.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
That concludes our trip to the Zoo. Which animals did you enjoy seeing the most and will you be taking any of them home to add to your mod packs and scenarios? There’s no limit to what you can do with these types of units if your use your imagination.
- Pretty Town Contest 2022
- Posted by Possidon on February 08th, 2022 @ 07:52 a.m.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Pretty Town Contest and what better way to celebrate it than with another bit of friendly competition. That’s right, the Pretty Town Contest is back for another round.
Sign up now and see what amazing designs you can come up with! Maybe you could be the one to knock the troublesome threesome of Lord Basse, Julius, and Mr. Wednesday off the podium. Don’t worry you’ll have plenty of time with a May 31st Deadline to work towards.
Sign Up for the Contest over at the official thread and get designing. We can’t wait to see the finished results!