Age of Empires II HD – The Forgotten expansion gets release date

Age of Empires II expands further with the announcement that Age of Empires II HD – The Forgotten will be coming to Steam on 7 November following it’s reveal back in August.

This expansion has been developed by Vancouver based studio SkyBox Lab and  Forgotten Empires who started the project as a fan-made mod. There’s a stack of new features including Steam workshop support, new expansion rankings, Twitch.tv Streaming, new maps, campaigns, civilisations, and steam trading cards.

It’s the first “official” expansion in over a decade which should at least please AOE fans. Here’s what’s on offer…

Civilizations

Explore five ‘forgotten empires’, and master their unique units and technologies.

• Italians
• Indians
• Slavs
• Magyars
• Incas

New Campaigns

Test your mettle with four campaigns and over a dozen never-seen-before missions.

• Alaric
• Sforza
• Bari
• Dracula

Game Modes:

Master new skirmish and multiplayer game modes!
Popularized in later titles, the economically focused “Treaty” gametype will be available in AoF. Also commonly known as “No Rush”, Treaty mode enables a limited duration of battle-free early growth before focusing on military might.
For a quick paced, action oriented battle the new “Capture the Relic” will see players rushing with their monks to take control of a single treasure and return it safely to base.

New Maps

Explore the unknown with new maps available through The Forgotten expansion. Defend your fortress perched on a hill or embrace the unpredictable in MegaRandom. Feeling claustrophobic? Quadruple the space and stretch out in the new LudiKRIS sized maps! Design expansive scenarios across vast stretches of terrain with editor support for up to 500 units, and share your creations with the community through the Steam workshop.

New AI
AoF will incorporate smarter, advanced AI designed to give even the best players a challenge. Designed to adapt to changing units and situations like real players, you’ll actually be able to learn effective strategies for PVP from the computer. Advanced control also allow unprecedented human / AI collaboration and teamwork for more exciting scenarios than ever before.

Observer Mode
The taste of victory is always sweeter when someone is watching. Start the game as a spectator and keep an eye on the action from multiple viewpoints, or invite your friend in to watch as you dominate the opponent with a new build.

Direct Twitch.tv Streaming

Streaming has never been easier with one click broadcasting directly through Age of Empires II: HD – The Forgotten. Demo latest scenario creation, game mod, or an intense multiplayer battle. If shout-casting is your forte, stream from Observer mode to highlight the very best in competitive play!