Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – Update 153015

Welcome to an exciting update for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition! This patch addresses many pathfinding issues, also implementing a new “runaway/escape” feature, and improving the overall player experience. We are aware though, that the improvement will be an ongoing process and want to view this as the first of two major pathfinding patches. Be sure to dig down into the post below to get all of the smaller details before hopping in-game and checking them out firsthand.

While there are plenty of notable fixes and features to which to look forward in today’s build, here’s some of the big highlights coming with this month’s update:

• Bug fixes based on your feedback!

• Pathfinding improvements based on your feedback!

• Balance changes!

• New Maps and Map Updates!

• Quality of Life Features!

This is just a small taste of what is coming in the latest update. For a more complete list, please visit our site and check out our blog. Happy Gaming!

💬 DISCUSS: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Forum 🗣 JOIN: The Age of Empires Official Discord

Thank you again to our amazing community members, all of whom have helped to make Age of Empires what it is today!

—The Age of Empires Team

◆ Update 153015 ◆

Game

Stability & Performance

• Fixed a crash occurring when trying to launch the game when Steam is closed.

• Fixed a crash which could occur in prolonged games with AI players.

• Fixed an out of sync issue which was occuring on Great Wall real world map when playing with players on different game platforms.

Graphics

• Added a new running animation for Jaguars.

• Adjusted idle and walk animation settings for several animals to improve their appearance.

• Improved the fire visuals on Tarkan’s and Elite Tarkan’s torches.

• Herdable animals no longer lose their player color upon death.

• Added a chance for Hunnic Horse to use different Horse graphics instead of always using Horse A graphics.

• Terrain cracks graphics (eye candy object) can no longer appear above unit graphics.

• Updated the texture of “Ice, Navigable” terrain.

• Fences on Pastures no longer receive outlines when they are behind other buildings.

• Pastures placed on mangrove terrains now use rice farm terrain textures.

• Sheep graphics can no longer turn invisible in Return of Rome.

• Snow graphics are now correctly displayed on buildings placed on all types of snow terrains, as well as on terrains with layered snow terrain.

Audio

• Reduced the volume and frequency of The Three Kingdoms hero unit selection and command sounds.

• Adjusted the variation, frequency and volume of Chicken sounds.

• The Tarkan attack sound effect has been updated to use an enhanced version of the legacy effect (also known as “thump”), which is more audible than the previous one.

• Fixed an issue preventing the Narrator dictating the text in the Technology Tree menu.

• Narrator will now pronounce character-based words more consistently.

• Fixed issues with screen narration handling on the Multiplayer Lobby screen, Quick Taunts Selection screen, Clans screen, Mods screen, Credits screen, Help Index screens, Quick Play and Ranked screens.

• Cleaned up the menu narration system to improve menu narration.

• Fixed many minor narration issues.

UI

• Added negative regeneration rate display on UI for indication of lasting damage applied to the unit.

• Fixed an issue where an incorrect number of queued farms and fish traps was displayed when having several Mills or Docks selected.

• Fixed several instances of item display issues in the Technology Tree.