Windows Client TechCenter >
Windows 7 Forums
>
Windows 7 Application Compatibility
>
Age of Empires 2 on Windows 7 = color issuse
Age of Empires 2 on Windows 7 = color issuse
- Hello, i want to run Age of Empires 2 on my Windows 7 rc computer. But there are color issuse when i run it, the grass aren't green and the water isent blue. How should i do to fix this? I have try to run it complatify with windows xp service pack 2, and installd some driexct 9 drivers. but not result to better colors. I hope someone have a good answer, because i love this game.
Frozzare, Scout in Sweden
Answers
- Go into task manager select the processes tab and end explorer.exe then alt-tab back into age of empires
Note: this will make your task bar disapear and any open folders
To restart explorer open the task manager agian in the aplications tab hit new task and type explorer in the box
The colours change because of the Aero theme's poor handling of colours
Edit:
You can also make a batch file with the following lines and place it in the same location as your age of empires 2 executable
taskkill /F /IM Explorer.exe
age2_x1.exe
Start explorer.exe
All Replies
- Frozzare,
Try minimizing the game with Windows + M and then maximizing it again. It's not a perfect fix, but Wikipedia seems to think that it'll work okay.
This forum post (http://www.sevenforums.com/gaming/2790-age-empires-2-aoc-expansion.html) reports that fix only working under Vista, and not W7, however.
Alternately, you could use a little app called D3D Windower (available here: http://www.brothersoft.com/d3dwindower-238977.html), which runs all fullscreen DirectX apps with software emulation. It's been great for playing X-Com under Windows XP and newer (including Windows 7), so I imagine it might help you out here! - Well, Windows + M don't work, because i get the same colors issuse. I have the latetst drivers for my videocard(nvidia)
And the D3D Windower don't work, it's dosent start the game. It don't hapen anything. And the language(english), don't work well on D3D on W7
Frozzare, Scout in Sweden - I have the some problem with Ati 4850 , and tried all the solutions on every forum ... none works :(
- I hope someone came up with a good solutions so we can get aoe to work under windows 7!
Frozzare, Scout in Sweden - I have the same issue when I had W7 beta Is there a compatiblilty mode or something you could try running it in?
- Go into task manager select the processes tab and end explorer.exe then alt-tab back into age of empires
Note: this will make your task bar disapear and any open folders
To restart explorer open the task manager agian in the aplications tab hit new task and type explorer in the box
The colours change because of the Aero theme's poor handling of colours
Edit:
You can also make a batch file with the following lines and place it in the same location as your age of empires 2 executable
taskkill /F /IM Explorer.exe
age2_x1.exe
Start explorer.exe Additionally, by right clicking the program executable, you can select "Disable Visual Themes" under the compatibility tab to avoid having to do what Amakuni suggests every time you start the game :-)
Best regards,
Sigurd Flaatten- Proposed As Answer bySigurd Flaatten - EDB.com Friday, May 29, 2009 12:46 PM
That method doesnt always seem to work, i have 2 computers at my house that are currently dual booted with windows 7 it works on one but not the other :\Additionally, by right clicking the program executable, you can select "Disable Visual Themes" under the compatibility tab to avoid having to do what Amakuni suggests every time you start the game :-)
Best regards,
Sigurd Flaatten- Hi I was wondering if you could provide the content in the batch file for Age of Empires II to start and end explorer. Can you post it on this forum the coding thanks. I tried making my own batch file but only managed to end explorer thanks
- Amazing! I found a long sought after solution for this that REALLY WORKS!
You can run Age of Empires II Age of Kings in a WINDOW using the mod downloadable from this site in Brazil:
http://www.ageofempires2.com.br/?pag=download-aoc-janela and click on "faça o download aqui" to download.
Unzip to your Age directory and launch the AoC.exe to run. Nothing else necessary!- Proposed As Answer bylun_0 Monday, July 13, 2009 5:58 PM
Go into task manager select the processes tab and end explorer.exe then alt-tab back into age of empires
Note: this will make your task bar disapear and any open folders
To restart explorer open the task manager agian in the aplications tab hit new task and type explorer in the box
The colours change because of the Aero theme's poor handling of colours
Edit:
You can also make a batch file with the following lines and place it in the same location as your age of empires 2 executable
taskkill /F /IM Explorer.exe
age2_x1.exe
Start explorer.exe
How do I make the batch file?- Thank You Amankuni!
It worked flawlessly for me to run StarCraft under Windows 7!!!
Cheers!!
Save the 3 commands on a "text file".. place on the same directory as age2_x1.exe and name it "age2.cmd" ;) Cheers!Go into task manager select the processes tab and end explorer.exe then alt-tab back into age of empires
Note: this will make your task bar disapear and any open folders
To restart explorer open the task manager agian in the aplications tab hit new task and type explorer in the box
The colours change because of the Aero theme's poor handling of colours
Edit:
You can also make a batch file with the following lines and place it in the same location as your age of empires 2 executable
taskkill /F /IM Explorer.exe
age2_x1.exe
Start explorer.exe
How do I make the batch file?- Proposed As Answer byHarald.O Saturday, August 01, 2009 5:44 PM
I can't find "age2_x1.exe" in any of the folders in "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires II". Is this wrong folder?
Save the 3 commands on a "text file".. place on the same directory as age2_x1.exe and name it "age2.cmd" ;) Cheers!
I can't find "age2_x1.exe" in any of the folders in "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires II". Is this wrong folder?
Save the 3 commands on a "text file".. place on the same directory as age2_x1.exe and name it "age2.cmd" ;) Cheers!
Take a look on the properties of your shortcut to see the right folder and file name.- Unfortunately, this works fine if you are using the game CD but when using a virtual cd it can't find the virtual drive where the image is mounted
Poppy22
Asus Striker II - Intel Core 2 E8400 - nvidia 8600GTS SLI - thank you.
that worked for me ....... - thank you, been looking for this!
working like a charm!
EDIT:
when you have age of empires the age of kings (not the conquerors), you make this batch file:
taskkill /F /IM Explorer.exe
empires2.exe
Start explorer.exe
put it in the same directory as empires2.exe, and off you go! - Believe it or not, another way of avoiding the messed up colors, is to open the resolution changer window before starting the game... Yep, works.
Don't ask me, ask the geniuses at Redmond- Proposed As Answer byWHF00202 Saturday, November 21, 2009 6:49 AM
Believe it or not, another way of avoiding the messed up colors, is to open the resolution changer window before starting the game... Yep, works.
Sorry, I didn't believe it, but YES-YES-YES... it works! Thank you very much for this "simple" solution. greetz from southern germany :-)
Don't ask me, ask the geniuses at Redmond- Ok After trying go get several methods to work, I found the right way to do this. I used the batch file method which automatically turns off the explorer when the game launches. HOWEVER, the instructions are lacking and partially incorrect. Below will give the exact instructions for making the correct file.Start Button --> Run --> Type "notepad" ---> OKNote: If you cant find the Run button, right click on the start button --> Properties --> Start Menu tab --> Customize... button --> Scroll 3/4 down and check the box that says "Run Command". The Run button will now be in the start menu.In the notepad, copy and paste the following lines into the notepad:taskkill /F /IM Explorer.exe
age2_x1.exe
Start explorer.exeGo to File --> Save AsFile Name: age2.batSave as type: All Files (VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SELECT THIS, OR IT WILL BE SAVED AS A TEXT FILE)Place the file in this directory:C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires II\age2_x1Make sure the age2_x1 file is in this directory as well. It should be there already from installing the game.You are done. When the game launches, your explorer will close and the colors in game will be fine. Once the game closes, explorer will come back online. Hope this is easy for everyone to understand. - I have posted this elsewhere - hopefully someone here has seen this issue and solved it.
My problem comes after I install the "C" patch. Before that, the batch file works fine. After that, I get a message instructing me to insert the correct CC-ROM, which is already inserted. After I close the box, explorer restarts and I am back to square one.
Thanks for any help. - Simple solution with windows 7
1.Change desktop theme to windows basic, followed by:
2.Open the screen resolution window. - 10nx to @Amakuni for the solution and for the idea with the batch file
- Change desktop theme to windows classic, and then bring up windows screen resolution, and then load the game, no closing explorer or any complicated stuff, quick and easy.
- Don't be so ridiculous, that can't possibly... still, no harm in trying. What? What is this I see? Green grass? I don't know how or why, but thank you! God knows what on earth could be going through my computers mind... Thank you!
- Hi I'm from Floridablanca, Colombia
I have found a solution without kill explorer.exe. It works for old games as The House of Dead, Diablo II and AoE
You have to create a shortcut for each game with this problem (for the .exe file). In properties, you have to add to the end of game path this: -d3d -d3d_setup (This execute the control panel of direct 3D, you have to check the option Force low resolutions and any game will work). This is only for the first time.
With another game you only have to add -d3d at the path in the shortcut and it works.
(I apologyze for grammatical mistakes)
:)- Proposed As Answer byVMora Friday, November 20, 2009 8:50 PM
- MyD00M has the answer.
It sounds silly at first, and I told myself that this would not work, but I gave it a shot and it actually works like a charm. Simply right click on the desktop, open the Screen Resolution menu, and leave it open. Then start up the game and play with normal colors again.
I use Windows 7 RC (x64).
