Introduction
I wrote this article in support of my latest AOE 3 project, The Trials, since I think mods have an unwarranted reputation among AOE 3 players. More often than not, players will hesitate to install and play modded projects for fear the files will harm their game, do damage to their computers, or hamper on- line play. While mods will cause OOS (out-of-sync) errors if a player tries to play on line or watch replays, this is a safeguard Ensemble Studios has built into the game to insure client versions match. It wouldn't be much fun if people could make simple changes to their proto file and boost their units while the opponent is restricted to the original content. OOS errors aren't serious, they simply prevent you from playing on-line or watching replays while mods are installed.
The good news is, most mods are really easy to install and un-install, so OOS errors and client mis-matches can be avoided. Furthermore, since mods give us custom content beyond the stock game, wonderful opportunities for new game experiences present themselves, so anyone looking to discover new things within the game will find mods an endless source of new, fresh content.
What is a Mod?
A mod is short for modification, and a modded project simply means the author has altered the original game files. Mods can be as simple as adding a new song to the sound folder, or more complex like adding an entirely new civilization. Some common mods include:
- a new proto.xml file: used to add new units or alter existing ones
- a new stringtable.xml: used to alter rollover text and the names of units
- a new techtree.xml: used to alter technologies, for example what units a building can train
- new .ddt files: used to add or alter images within the game, the most common being unit texture replacement
- new typetest.xml: used to add custom triggers
Note that some mods like a new proto.xml, stringtable.xml and techtree.xml will cause OOS and client mismatches, while others like adding custom music and replacing textures will not. Therefore not all modded material has to be removed before playing on-line. If you want to be absolutely sure, once you've finished playing the custom map, un-installing all its components will insure a clean, vanilla game ready for on-line play. (continued on next page)
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