All the Cheats and Hints for Computer Strategy - Age of Empires 3 - Game Files Altering

Introduction

Age of Empires is a notable real-time strategy game – with the latest AOEIII considered by some as the best real-time strategy. Either if you agree or not – it is obvious, the game is real fun to play. And it can become even more fun with some cheats – giving you an edge over a computer opponent and enabling you to explore the game hidden features. Personally, I am an adept at “playing fair” and would never use those cheats…well, maybe a little – just to see what would happen, if…. Oh, whom am I kidding? Cheats Are fun!

Altering Game Files

There are several hidden features that can make your game easier. One way of exploring the game’s features is changing the content of initial game configuration files. To take advantage of those options you can go, for example, to the folder

My Documents\My Games\Age of Empires 3\Savegame

Now, open the homecity file (which is called sp_YOURCITYNAME_homecity.xml (the YOURCITYNAME should be replaced with the name of the home city, of course). It is VERY advisable to back up the prior to editing.

Game Cards

In the homecity file, look for the line:

line [activetechs]

These are all the cards than you can use in the game.

Now, for instance, take this tag:

[tech dbid =\“2030\”]HCExtensiveFortifications[/tech]

and paste this tag between the tags [cards] [/cards]

Then change the tag [tech into [card and [/tech] into [/card], so it would read:

[card dbid =\“2030\”]HCExtensiveFortifications[/card]

Save the file. When you start a new deathmatch game you will see that you have …. 21 cards out of 20… Funny, isn’t it?

So, any card that is available in the file - you can have it placed in your deck. The only restriction is that you shouldn’t have more than eleven different cards for each of the 4 ages, otherwise the game will crash. Thus, a maximum of 44 cards is possible (which is actually a lot!).

Skillpoints

Another thing that can be changed in the file are the skillpoints.

There is a line that should look like this:

[skillpoints) NUMBER [/skillpoints), where NUMBER is your current skillpoint level.

Changing it to another number (much greater, of course) is a useful feature. Change it to 500, save the files 999 – and the next time you manage your city (in the next skirmish game) you will have 500 points used to various things for your home city.

Crates Of

In the “Data” directory of a game folder, there is a file, named “proto.xml”. It is read-only, so you have to enable editing by unchecking the “Read-only” tag in the file properties. Now, open it with a text editor (such as Notepad or wordpad). Look for the text “CrateOf”. Once again, creating abackup of the file is almost mandatory.

The result will be CrateofFood, CrateofCoin, CrateofWood, CrateofFoodLarge, CrafteofCoinLarge, and CrateofWoodLarge.

All these lines have the tag “InitialResourceCount” that is set to 100.000 or 300.000

You can change the amount – so the number of goods that comes with each home city delivery is much greater.