Open the properties to the ROR shortcut. At the end of the command line:

C:\Programs\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires\empiresx.exe

insert "Limit=x" x being the pop limit, from 50 to 200.

I'm not sure that will work.

Welcome to the forums

Andrea, isn't that only for MP?

Anyway, if I'm playing RM (or DM, which is rare) I go to Multiplayer and change he pop setting from there. I can either practice with the computer or play with somebody else.

I use one of the programs here at AoEH, it was made in 1998.

Quoted from Dr Lorenzo:

Well, I tried this only once, but it worked fine. I tested this command with AoE, not RoR, however it should work for both games.

Quoted from Duan Xuan:

Yes, it only works with MP. That isn't a big problem, since you can play against the CPU in MP as well.

Quoted from PL_Guderian:

No doubt that's a good solution, however he said that he want to reach pop200 without using any utility.

In that case, I don't think you would need to change the command line for the RoR shortcut (I don't even know if it works). Just change it in the game if you're playing MP. Isn't that much easier? You won't be able to change the pop limit in SP though, and applies for both AoE and RoR. That means, better go MP.

And computers won't use any multipliers, etc. for 200 popcap, they will stick to their popcap of 50. (I haven't tried to make solutions for this, though)

Yes, no matter what you do, you won't be able to change the computer pop limit. That's why I prefer playing with humans. I remember hearing something about a way to edit the computer limit, but it's only for AoE.

MULTIPLAYER (true Multiplayer)

---------------------------------
Age of Empires (original):
---------------------------------

For Multiplayer in the Internet, etc:

Change the following registry value in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive:

SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DirectPlay\Applications\Age of Empires\CommandLine

to:

lobby -nomusic -limit=200

Note: The "-nomusic" is not needed - but it will stop the annoying stops between the musics!... Try it, it will help with lag and eliminate the stops.

----------------------------------------
Age of Empires - Rise of Rome Expansion
----------------------------------------

For Multiplayer in the Internet, etc:

Change the following registry value in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive:

SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DirectPlay\Applications\Age of Empires Expansion\CommandLine

to:

lobby -nomusic -limit=200

Note: The "-nomusic" is not needed - but it will stop the annoying stops between the musics!... Try it, it will help with lag and eliminate the stops.

SINGLE PAYER (Emulate Multiplayer with several Computers) - for BOTH games:

Here you will be able to set up a random game or deathmatch against up to 7 Computers.

They will not make more than 50 units each, but, in comparison, you may be pitted up against 7x50=350 units!...

Ok, in this case:

The Command line, which you get by right-clicking on the games' shortcuts and then choosing "Properties", will have to be modified by ADDING AFTER to the program name the following:

-limit=200 -nomusic -nostartup

You must not modify the program name and path, so be careful.

The string above contains 3 settings that I reccommend:

-limit=200 (this is the one we are discussing now)

-momusic (this one ends the stops and speeds up the game - in single player it's not that bad, so it's a matter of taste).

-nostartup - Does what it says: Does not present the introductory movies, which you'll have seen a thousand times by now and stops wasting your time, taking you directly to the game menu.

I hope I have been of help.

[This message has been edited by Wise_Max (edited 10-18-2004 @ 01:28 PM).]

I use the little population editor program that is right here in the downloads section of aoe heaven. It's a old program and works perfectly. Never had any problems at all from it. What's the name of that program? I forget, download the program when someone please reminds us of the name.

Why is it impossible to change the population limit in SP? It should be somewhere in the code of the game, just find it and change the number to what you like and do other changes if neccesary.
Arenīt here any uber-coders that have the ability?

Also, we could just email Microsoft for a small update that makes the population limit for SP configurable. That shouldnīt take more than an hour for an experienced coder or a MS worker.
(no maximum would be total kickass!!)

No matter what there must be a limit, or your computer would crash handling all those units running all over the map. Anyway, I'm sure the M$ folks wouldn't even bother to take that one hour to do something for a game that's 7 years old.

How is a 7 year old game with hundreds of enemies going to crash a 2004 computer?

Then the engine AoE uses canīt handle them, the computer can.

Btw, thereīs always an alternative, we just havenīt found it yet. I wish more people were looking for it/them.

I believe you can play 200 pop limit SP.

All you do is set up a multiplayer game with just you as a human player. You can then change the limit to 200 aganist the CP. If you edit the AI files you can make the CP build up to the 200 pop limit. I've done that and Age of Empires never crashed. Mind, I've only ever player 1v1 though.

That might work.
But itīd still be good if you could change it in SP too.

Doesnīt anyone here know a Microsoft worker or a friend of a Microsoft worker e.t.c.? :P

Then we MIGHT have a hope...

There really unfortunately isn't. People started complaining about this years ago and nothing was done, even through three patches.

Then all the patches did was to create even more problems than they fixed.

AoE does admittedly have a lot of bugs and annoying things you can't change. But that's what makes it great sometimes. Sometimes those bugs open up a great new world for scenario design.

how would i change the command line or were can i get one of thos utilities.

The utilities only make the default 200 for multiplayer. None of them change the single player limit of 50. As has been stated you can set the game up as multiplayer but just with computer opponents and then you can go to 200 but the CPs will not build over 50. Not even with AI and Per tweaks, both of which I have attempted. Occasionally the CP would get maybe 60 or 70 units if you were lucky, but never even 100.

ok then were can i get the multiplayer utilitie.

I just donīt get it why coders canīt recode the code like anything else.

This game is very old so I donīt blame MS for beeing too lazy to make the pop. limit free for editing.
But they should take care of their users.

If you wanted to change it you would more than likely have to disassemble the program, which we cannot support.

Is it illegal?
What if one gets permission from MS?

Quote:

Good luck.

Of course it's illegal, and HG doesn't support altering game engines. Anyway, I'll bet with my head that you won't get any permission whatsoever from M$. I doubt they'll even bother to send a reply if you send a request to them.

I wonīt even try. Since itīs just too much trouble for such a small thing.