Multiplayer

There are many ways to play Age of Wonders II. Besides the single-player game, there are several multiplayer formats as well, such as play-by-email (PBEM), hot seat, online multiplayer, LAN or over the Internet using the Gamespy Arcade match-up lobby. Up to 8 people can play multiplayer games. AoW2 Heaven sponsors and organizes multiplayer and PBEM Tourneys on a regular basis. We will also soon be running a Forumer’s Ladder.

Single-Player
If you prefer solo-gaming, there is an involving multi-scenario campaign that takes you through the main storyline of AoW2. There also 27 stand-alone scenarios that come with the game. AoW2 ships with a powerful scenario editor and the scenario design community is well underway creating hundreds of custom-made maps for your solo-gaming enjoyment. Check out AoW2 Heaven’s Downloads section for user-created scenarios.

Online Multiplayer/LAN/Gamespy Arcade
A popular way to play AoW2 is online over the Internet using simultaneous turns, where players move at the same time. For a turn-based strategy game, the action moves along pretty quickly! The game allows you to place a limit on the amount of time people have to play their turn (e.g., 1 minute, 5 minutes, no limit). There are several ways to play online, such as over a LAN (local area network) or through a direct IP connection. Many players use the instant chat program ICQ and MSN Messenger to see when other players are online and available for a game. You can also log-in to the Gamespy Arcade lobby to see who’s online and looking for a game. Visit our Multiplayer Match-up Forum to set up a game and tell people when you’re going to be available to play.

Play-By-Email (PBEM)
PBEM is a great alternative if you enjoy playing against human opponents or playing a “co-op” game (several human players vs. the computer AI), but don’t like the frantic pace of online multiplayer. In a PBEM game, each human player takes a turn, saves it, and then sends the scenario’s saved game file to the next human player in an email file attachment. PBEM games require Internet email access. Depending on the number of people involved (4-6 recommended) and how fast people play their turns, PBEM games can take anywhere from one to several months to finish. Being involved in several PBEM games helps to ensure you have a steady stream of gaming every day. Visit our PBEM Forum for help setting up–or to join–a PBEM game. Participants usually post a small summary of their turn on the forums, which is not only fun for the other players to read, but also allows everyone to keep track of who’s played their turn and who hasn’t.

Hot Seat
Hot seat allows multiple human opponents to play against each other using a single computer. Each player takes their respective turn at the computer, then lets the next player sit down and player his or her turn. Thus the “hot seat” as players continuously rotate taking their turns sitting in the same chair.