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Questions and Answers (QA)

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David Fernández Aldana edited this page May 27, 2025 · 93 revisions

General

Q: Can I play online?

A: A third-party VPN solution like ZeroTier, Radmin VPN or Hamachi is needed. The solution nmust support UDP broadcast (UDP multicast support is recommended too), at least support the number of users you will play together in a single network (at least 8 is recommended), and low latency for a lag-free gaming. Other features to look for could be Windows and Linux support and being free so everyone can join.

Note 1: Support is not provided with these software.

Note 2: See the terms to understand when this is acceptable.

Q: Can I use the server without launcher?

A: Absolutely, you will need to make sure the system resolves the server domain to the server IP instead of the official one:

  • Game before late 2023: aoe-api.reliclink.com with server version v1.7.3 or later (experimental).
  • Game after late 2023 (before april 2025 for AoE II): aoe-api.worldsedgelink.com.
  • AoE II after march 2025: pb-live-release1-api.worldsedgelink.com with server version v1.7.3 or later.

If you are unsure, you may map all just in case.

Also, you must trust the server certificate (as stored in resources/certificates/cert.pem).

Note: If using a compatible custom Steam launcher, you may use this.

Q: Does the server communicates with the internet?

A: No.

Q: Does the launcher communicates with the internet?

A: The only outbound connection is to cdn.ageofempires.com to check if the official server is on maintenance as it will make the game refuse to connect to the local server (the launcher will work regardless if there is no internet at all). It will also try to connect to aoe-api.reliclink.com, aoe-api.worldsedgelink.com and pb-live-release1-api.worldsedgelink.com to verify it's the LAN server, so could theoretically, in case of an issue, connect to internet.

Q: Does the server store any data?

A: No, the server is completely stateless regarding its operations (all is saved in the working memory), nothing is stored on disk about the user, except for the basic request logs (can be disabled).

Q: Does the launcher modify any game files?

A: No.

Q: Can using the launcher/server get me banned?

A: If using the original binaries according to our ToU, it should'nt, but there are no guarantees.

Q: My antivirus detect some of the executables as virus, why?

A: There are no viruses, some antivirus can falsely detect some binaries as virus. Being programmed in Go, some antivirus detect it as malware. Also, the launcher binaries are more likely to be detected due to modifying the host file and the certificate store. You may use VirusTotal to check with multiple antivirus and see that the vast majority (90%+) of Antiviruses do not flag it as a virus. If you are still not convinced, as this is an open-source project, you may review the code and build it yourself.

Q: What do all the binaries in server/launcher archives do?

A: Look for the respective README.md files:

Q: What do you mean with a "custom launcher"?

A: A Steam emulator like Goldberg that enables you to play without having connectivity to the Steam server. This will not be sufficient to play without internet as the game has additional checks in place. Check my other project for more info and a solution.

Q: Can you provide the so-called "custom launcher" to run the game without requiring the internet?

A: No, legal copyright laws don't allow me to do that as it also bypasses the need to have bought the game (and its DLC's) not just the offline requirement. However, instructions for you to download (and configure) it are available in my other project.

Q: Which are the compatible versions regarding the server and launcher?

A: See this table:

Server Launcher Notes
1.0.X - 1.1.X Matching minor version -
v1.2.X - v1.4.X v1.2.X - v1.4.X -
v1.5.X - v1.7.1 v1.2.X - v1.4.X Requires server [Announcement].Broadcast set to true and Games include age2.
v1.5.X - v1.7.1 v1.5.X - v1.7.1 -
v1.7.2 or higher v1.7.2 or higher -

Open a new issue if you need to use an older version.

Note: using an older and/or mismatching version is not supported nor recommended.

Q: Which connections do the launcher/server make?

A:

  • Server:
    • TCP: 443 (Inbound, Fixed) - interfaces depending on the Hosts set in the config.
    • UDP: 31978 (Broadcast, Outbound, Configurable) - if [Announcement].Broadcast is true; same interfaces as the previous.
    • UDP: 31978 (Multicast, Outbound, Configurable) - if [Announcement].Multicast is true; same interfaces as the previous.
  • Launcher:
    • TCP 443 (Unicast, Outbound):
      • ServerHost (Configurable) - ServerHost is auto if launcher started the server, otherwise [Server].Host set.
      • aoe-api.reliclink.com, aoe-api.worldsedgelink.com, and pb-live-release1-api.worldsedgelink.com: to test if the host mapping is successful. It should be the same as the previous.
      • cdn.ageofempires.com (IPv4, IPv6): to test if online server is on maintenance as it would make the game not want to connect to our LAN server.
    • UDP: 31978 (Broadcast, Inbound, Configurable) - only if [Server].AnnouncePorts is not empty; all interfaces.
    • UDP: 31978 (Multicast, Inbound, Configurable) - only if [Server].AnnounceMulticastGroups is not empty; all interfaces.
    • UDP: 9999 (AoE II-III) / 8888 (AoE I), (Broadcast, Fixed port) - only if [Config].CanBroadcastBattleServer resolves to true:
      • (Inbound, IPv4, IPv6) - most priority interface.
      • (Outbound) - all except the most priority interface.

Note: only aoe-api.reliclink.com, aoe-api.worldsedgelink.com, and pb-live-release1-api.worldsedgelink.com (resolved to ServerHost) 443 on TCP is mandatory.

Note 2: Unless otherwise stated, all is just IPv4.

Q: Which versions of the games are supported?

As of v1.7.2, experimental (older than late 2023) support for all versions is added, however:

  • AoE I: DE and AoE III: DE: Stay on the last version for best compatibility (as development is, pretty much, non existent).
  • AoE II: DE: Stay 1 (or 2) versions behind for best compatibility, specially around DLC releases. You need 1.7.2 (or higher) for versions at or after update 141935.

Q: Which other games could be supported in the future?

No other current World's Edge games support LAN match lobbies (or have been superseeded). Age of Mythology: Retold does indeed have a local Battle Server but no LAN lobbies support. Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition has neither. Original versions or previous remasters are out of scope.

Windows

Q: How do I disable the dialog that asks for confirmation when I try to run an executable/script?

A: You need to manually go in the properties of each exe/bat file (and their bin subdirectories) and unblock them.

Q: Can I run the software in Windows 7/Windows 8 (both 64-bit)?

While not supported officially by either this software, the games themselves, nor the Steam/Windows Store clients, you can probably make it run. You can try the following:

  • Get a proper (often old version) Steam version of the game and use a Steam emulator or similar Steam-less solution.
  • Use v1.7.2 or higher version of the my software. In order to run my software, see the next point or, alternatively, you may need to build it or patch it, for the patcher, you might need to use v1.6.8 of my software.
  • Use VxKex.

macOS

Q: Why is there no launcher?

A: Steam Proton (windows compatibility layer) which is needed to run Age games is not available since macOS Catalina (v10.15) and Steam no longer officially supports older versions than that (neither Go compiler). However, it could be made possible to run the game through Wine (9.17+) or any software based off it like CrossOver, Porting Kit... etc. PR's are welcome ;).

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Other

Q: Why is there no Console console version of the launcher?

A: The consoles are a locked down system which does not allow any of system/folder configurations changes required by the launcher. The minimum being resolving the host(s) to the LAN server (which could be worked around by using a local and custom DNS server), and installing a certificate which is not possible at all.

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