Age of Empires 2 on Windows 7 has color issues

Anonymous
2009-05-15T17:57:15+00:00

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

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Gaming

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2009-05-29T12:28:55+00:00

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

Was this answer helpful?

200+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

201 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2010-06-06T20:10:16+00:00

    The color issues are most probably due to outdated video drivers or a poor video card.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2010-06-06T19:35:52+00:00

    I've had the same problems. Water is purple, grass is grainy, and teal is yellow while purple is blue (on the map that is).

    I've got II without the expansion(s?) and both the "disable visual themes" method and the "open up screen resolution window" method have not worked...

    I'd try the batch method, but seeing as this is a family computer, whenever I alt-tab out of AoE it is because somebody needs to check their email or similar and having to reboot explorer and close it again would just get annoying...

    What other methods have I not tried that do not involve closing explorer?

    EDIT: Earlier I didn't see the step involving going to a windows classic theme. Doing that and opening screen resolution did the trick...

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2010-06-02T20:13:21+00:00

    Hi all,

    I have written an application "AOE 2 TC color FIX", which helps you with color issue on AOE 2 The Conquerors. The application can run at the windows backgroung and "watches" in process list, if age2_x1.exe has started. If so, the application AUTOMATICALLY suspends or kills (depends on method you choose) the explorer and relieves it back, when AOC is closed. Test it!

    Looking forward for your tests and replies :)

    Download: http://www.ulozto.own.cz/./files/cb93a74cfe1691dbd7e343d1dfbdcaba.zip

    enjoy

    de Bill

    P.S.: Virus FREE :-D

    OMG! THIS WORKED PERFECTLY!!!

     

    Thank you so much!

     

    All I had to do is simply run the game, Alt Tab out, run this program and use the Killer Option, and Tab back to the game (AoC) and the colors look great!

     

    very nice job!

    Thank you :), I am very appreciated you like it!

    BUT, you don't need to "simply run the game, Alt Tab out, run this program and use the Killer Option, and Tab back to the game" - THIS IS NOT NECCESSARY AT ALL :). Just run the color FIX once whenever you want. Set it up. Use run after system startup option, hide to system tray or to processes and don't forget to click APPLY/START button at the end .. Once, you set the program up, you don't need to run it everytime again or skip fom game to desktop. Color FIX AUTOMATICALY watches all processes and whenever you simply run the game (Age2_x1.exe), color FIX automaticaly recognizes it and kill/suspend the explorer. It is very easy :). No effort around is neccessary ;). Check the readme file.

    Here, try to update color FIX app. with the new version 1.2: http://www.ulozto.own.cz/./files/cb93a74cfe1691dbd7e343d1dfbdcaba.zip

    ... in first versions, there were some critical bugs (references in included readme file)

    Cheers, de Bill

    I tried this and it worked perfectly. Now I just don't know how to set it up to go back to normal if I ALT+Tab out of AOE or something like that.  Thanks.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2010-06-02T19:51:56+00:00

    Didn't work for me.  The only thing that worked for me was to open the screen resolution and change the background to classic. I dunno.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments