Request for a mod to increase the 25-card deck limit in Age of Empires 3 Definitive Edition
Request for a mod to increase the 25-card deck limit in Age of Empires 3 Definitive Edition
There are players interested in expanding the card limit in Age of Empires 3 Definitive Edition. Many are seeking ways to increase the deck capacity beyond the standard 25 cards. Current searches only apply to the original version, and attempts to modify saved games have failed because changes reset automatically. Someone could create a mod or provide instructions for adjusting the maximum deck size to 70 cards or merging decks together in AOE 3 DE. Your request is appreciated.
Looking for a specific thread about AoE 3 DE on Redit, moddb, Nexus, and similar platforms. We should focus on a relevant topic directly tied to that game.
Hey everyone, I created this account just for this project. I’ve been looking everywhere for details about modifications like the one you mentioned, but couldn’t find anything on my own. I’ve learned a bit myself, tried things out, and what you’re asking is something I can definitely share. As shown in the screenshot I posted, the Inca civilization now holds 40 cards from a deck of 75, with 10 cards per row. I’m also working on a workaround for that. If you want to try it yourself, follow these steps:
First, always back up your data file.bar—it holds all the game information and is crucial in case something goes wrong. Usually it’s saved at: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\AoE3DE\Game\Data. Make a duplicate there.
Next, open this file with Resource Manager (search online for it). It helps you manage all the files easily. We’ll need to change the “homecity{civname}.xml.xmb” file for your chosen civilization. After editing, open the original “homecity{civname}.xml” in a text editor like Notepad++. Just add:
“<maxcardsperdeck>{number of cards per deck you wish</maxcardsperdeck>”
and place it under the <level>#</level> line. Save the changes.
Then, convert the .XML file back to XMB (DE) using Resource Manager. Remove the edited XML file since we’re creating a fresh one. Finally, rebuild the data.bar file:
1. Delete the newly created XML file.
2. In Resource Manager, go to “File”, choose “Create…”, pick the Definitive Edition, and select the Data folder you used.
3. Save the updated data.bar.
Once done, your changes will appear in the new data.bar file, which is now located one folder up from where you extracted the XMB files. You can explore it fully with Resource Manager.
I’ve already tried a few things—like adding Spahi from Stables, Church units, and population stats—and more updates are coming soon. Hope this helps anyone out. I’m not sure about the mods right now, so I’m not really motivated to upload them. Edit: I cleaned up the post quickly and provided a manual. It was late here.
Thanks for your work. The main idea stays the same as before, just files are now saved in different locations. I believe cards with 35-40 per deck are sufficient and lowering the cost for mercenaries would help. Settlers could be free of pop if possible. If you adjust these settings and upload them to moddb or nexus, it would be great. Thanks again, I’ll give it a try. Edited April 16, 2021 by gare87
I adjusted the cards per deck, but nothing altered during play. Unclear what might be the issue—I followed all instructions, updated the bar file, then recreated it at the original location. It still displays my changes, though I can’t see more cards in the deck builder. Could you clarify where the 'populationcount' field is for settlers across all nations? I only saw 'protoy' and wasn’t sure if it covers all settlers or just specific ones. In Age 3 regular there were three proto files: one original and two DLCs with extra letters X and Y. For Age 3 DE, it seems the protoy file is the only one available. Thanks!
Hey @gare87, everything is clear now. The core idea remains unchanged. Instead of scattered files, data is stored in data.bar. With the help of the Resource Manager, we can extract them and switch from .XMB to .XML format. These XML files are the ones we can easily modify. I find it sufficient for my needs, but changes depend on available options. I’d like to have a complete form for filling out the deck, similar to what we did in the original AOE 3 with expansions. Adjusting population costs is straightforward. I plan to draft a manual next week. As I mentioned, I’m not sure if mods are still functioning well lately, so I’m hesitant about uploading them right now. Besides, this approach might help others understand the process and make their own tweaks. Interesting! I also tested for the Swedes and got the expected results from the screenshot. Did you put the recreated data.bar back into the game’s data folder? (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\AoE3DE\Game\Data). That’s the only part I can’t see in your image, and everything else looks fine. Regarding the original AOE 3, I have no idea if this will work. I never applied this exact modification before. The settlement population cost is defined in protoy.xml.xmb. Any updates to 'Settler' will affect all civilizations with settlers as well—so units like Pilgrim, Citizen, Coureur des Bois, Villager, Cree Coureur des Bois, etc., must be adjusted individually if you want your changes to spread across the board. The three proto files for AOE III with both expansions are precisely what’s needed. If you’re playing Asian Dynasties with both expansions enabled, the game only uses protoy.xml.xmb.
@Arosc of course i did man, i mean, first i opened data.bar to check if modifications are there, and they are, then i also put XMB files that i modified in Data folder just to see will it work that way, but nope, it still does not show deck increase. I also reinstalled the game, for everything to be clean and replaced data.bar file, but still it does not work, though no cost population works, gonna test if settler population cost did not break AI. But i would like to fix this deck modification primarily. What version is your game, maybe thats the problem!? As for last resort, i would use your data.bar instead of mine to see will it work. Thank you.
You're on V. 100.12.23511.0, and it seems to function before the latest update. The Population cost note highlights that Ottomans and Russians have distinct traits in how they recruit settlers. Changing the cost to zero would disrupt both civilizations.
You can share your data.bar file first. I'll review it to determine if I can resolve the issue.