When the game begins, there are a few steps that must be done in very quick succession:
- Immediately create 4 villagers from the town center, depleting all 200 food. The default hotkeys are H for town center and C to create a villager (only after selecting the town center). Thus, the fastest way to do this is to press H and then press shift-C. The shift selects 5 at a time. This pattern is perhaps the most important hotkey pattern in the game.
- Have two villagers build two houses. This will temporarily increase the population to 15, allowing more villagers to be created. Do not have one villager build one house each - both villagers build one house at a time in order to keep the steady flow of villager creation. Once the two houses are completed, have the two villagers build a lumber camp near a forest (your scout should have already found at least one by now).
- Select your scout and scout around what is currently visible to you. Finding the 4 initial sheep is critical in the Dark Age - the earlier they are sighted, the better. Occasionally, one of the sheep may already be visible in the fog. If this occurs, have the scout go to where the sheep is. The 4 sheep will be converted to your colors and you can continue scouting for the other 4 sheep (in pairs) that are farther away, the berries, two boars, deer (not available on some maps), gold mines, and stone mines.
- Have the other villager chop wood near the town center.
What you need to know
My view into 10 of the best age of empires II civilizations with a focus on each one's strengths and weaknesses. I talk about what might be the actual best civilization in Age of Empires II and give emphasis on my personal favorite civs.
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition may be right around the corner.
- The game will feature upgraded visuals and much more.
- It'll be playable at E3 2019 on the show floor.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is an upcoming remaster of the original. It features upgraded visuals, a new soundtrack, and much more. A lot of gamers have been eagerly awaiting the game's release, and everything points to the fact that it should be out soon. We should know more by E3 2019, hopefully. Microsoft's Xbox media briefing is only a few days away!
If you're going to E3, you'll be happy to know that the game will be playable on the show floor. The developers said the following on the game's website.
Recently, we announced three of our definitive editions will be coming to Steam, giving our community the choice of where they want to play. With E3 fast approaching, kicking off with Microsoft's Keynote on... June 9, we are excited to announce that we will be on the floor with Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition! Attendees will be able to experience stunning 4K... graphics, a new, fully remastered soundtrack, and four new civilizations during an on-hands demo of the game. Not attending E3? Not a problem... sign up as an Age of Empires Insider and stay up to date on all things... announced during the conference.
Recently, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition was rated 'T for Teen.' This points to an imminent release, so hopefully Microsoft will provide that during its event. However, only time will tell.
Are you interested in the upgraded version? Let us know.
The classic returns
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition
A fresh coat of paint
Age of Empires, the pivotal strategy game that launched a twenty-year legacy returns in definitive form for Windows 10. Bringing together all of the officially released content with modernized gameplay, all-new visuals, and a host of other new features, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is the complete package.
Cheap PC accessories we love
Take a gander at these awesome PC accessories, all of which will enhance your Windows experience.
Anker 4 port USB 3.0 hub($10 at Amazon)
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Ikea Fixa Cable Management System($11 at Amazon)
This IKEA cable management kit is your ticket to a clean setup. It's simple and functional.
NZXT Puck($20 at Amazon)
This clever little accessory has powerful magnets on the rear to make it stick to any of the metal panels on your PC case or anything else. It's great for hanging accessories like headsets.
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