Macintosh FAQ

Age of Empires II comes in a Macintosh format for all of the mac users. If you’re having difficulties using the mac edition of the game, welcome to the Macintosh FAQ list!

• First of all, *does* Age of Empires II run on a Mac?
• Some campaigns I download have sound files with them, but I
  can’t find where to put them!
• I tried to use a custom AI file in my scenario, but it
  crashed and now I can’t load it again!
• I read something about a healing HP trick, but I can’t
  type a – sign in the Editor!
• The character limit for the Send Chat and
  Display Instructions box is shorter than in Windows. How can I change
  this?
• Can I use a ModPack or GeniEd 2 on a Mac?
• What if I cannot find an answer I was looking for in this
  FAQ?

First of all, *does* Age of Empires II run on a Mac?

Yep. Age of Empires II Gold Edition (which includes The
Conquerors) is available for Macintosh and can be purchased at
Amazon.com.

Some campaigns I download have sound files
with them, but I can’t find where to put them!

Unfortunately, the Mac editor does not include
the correct sound folders. What you have to do is create a folder in the main
Age of Empires II folder called SOUND (in caps). Then, in it, make another
folder called Scenario. This is where you place the sound files. Also, any
sound file in this folder now show up in the Scenario Editor.

I tried to use a custom AI file in my
scenario, but it crashed and now I can’t load it again!

This may be the single most annoying bug in the Mac version
of the game. Unfortunately, your scenario is ruined. Start over and make a
backup copy. What you can do is when you need to add an AI is email the finished
file to a friend who has Windows, and get him to add the AI for you.

I read something about a healing HP trick,
but I can’t type a – sign in the Editor!

Unfortunately, there is not way to get a minus sign in the
Editor. But there is another way around this problem. The magic number for HP
is 4294967296. So, if you add the number of HP you want the unit to heal to
that number in the Damage Object effect, it should overflow and heal the unit
that amount.

The character limit for the Send Chat and
Display Instructions box is shorter than in Windows. How can I change this?

This is a common error. Any Windows campaign played will have
the same amount of text as usual, but the text boxes within the Mac editor will
not allow as many characters. It is unchangeable to our knowledge.

Can I use a ModPack or run GeniEd 2 on a Mac?

No. You need ModPack Studio to run Mods and it is a
Windows-only program, and GeniEd 2 is a Windows-only program too.

What if I cannot find an answer I was looking
for in this FAQ?

Visit our General & Strategy Discussion
to ask it if it’s a Strategy question, or visit our Scenario Design
forum if it’s a Scenario Editor question. Please be aware, however, that the
Mac version is used less than the Windows version and people might not know
the answer to your question.

Special thanks to Raptor the Good for helping us put
this FAQ together!