EE2, EE2X - Empire Earth II - Unofficial Patch 1.6 (2014+)

[Dr.MonaLisa]

Minor update 160014 has been released!

Update Type: Hotfix Update. Changes: https://www.ee2.eu/patch/changes/#160014

- Fixed a game crash (game closing on launch) that affected a small number of players. Some players experienced the "boost::interprocess_exception library_error" crash when the Launcher/GameHelper used the "managed_shared_memory" and/or "named_mutex" functions. It now falls back to an alternative Windows method for communication between the Launcher and the DLL. Additionally, you can set "DontUseBoostInterprocessLibraries=1" in the custom configuration command field in UP1.6 Settings if the fallback doesn't work automatically (though this should not happen).
- Fixed remaining issues with the "Garrison on CTRL press" feature:
* The right ALT key sometimes acted as CTRL+ALT on certain keyboard layouts, and the right CTRL key often froze (remained pressed). This was because UP1.6 first released any pressed CTRL keys to simulate the "G" key press (for Garrison), and then re-pressed the CTRL keys based on their previous state. Unfortunately, this was buggy and didn't always work correctly.
* In the fixed version, I found the location of the IES function CallNamedEventHandler("UIUnitCommand_Garrison", "") in the game executables, so UP15_GameHelper.dll can now simulate events without pressing keyboard keys. This fixes all keyboard-related problems and allows this feature to work even if the "G" key for Garrison has been remapped.

If you have got UP1.5.5+, you can update by clicking: empireearth2://FunctionMinorVersionInstall

[Dr.MonaLisa]

Minor update 160015 has been released!

Update Type: Monthly, Feature Update. Changes: https://www.ee2.eu/patch/changes/#160015

- In this update, we focus on using the CallNamedEventHandler() IES function, which Dr.MonaLisa has now found a way to call from the GameHelper.dll. Thanks to that, we can execute in-game events without simulating keyboard keys. It improves reliability and speeds up hotkey-related functions from UP1.6.
- NEW FEATURE: Added the new Mass Technologies Explore hotkeys (the research will start as long as you have Technology Points and meet the constructed buildings requirements):
* SHIFT + F1 = Start research of all Military technologies.
* SHIFT + F2 = Start research of all Economic technologies.
* SHIFT + F3 = Start research of all Imperial technologies.
* SHIFT + F4 = Start research of all Military, Economic, and Imperial technologies.
- In the "Playbacks Fast-Forward Speed" feature, the "Toggle Fast-Forward" is now toggled without simulating the CTRL+F key press.
- In the "Middle Mouse Button Actions" feature, the "Full Screen Mode Hotkey" and "Flare Hotkey" are now working without simulating keyboard keys.
- NEW ENHANCED FEATURE: Smart Building Hotkey Memory
* This feature allows you to use the TILDE` key (or the other key that is under ESC) on your keyboard to execute advanced, smart in-game tasks executed by Unofficial Patch 1.6. The tasks include: fast buildings construction mode, cloning buildings under the mouse cursor or selecting idle/all buildings of the same type. You can assign these new hotkeys to the extra buttons of your gaming mouse to enjoy it even more.
* TILDE`: A single TILDE` key press selects an idle citizen to construct the last remembered building (Barracks by default). Within the next 2.5 seconds, you can press any other building hotkey to change the selected building. Alternatively, within 10 seconds, you can select any building from the citizen's "Build Structures" menu to update the memorized building. When you press the TILDE` key again, the last used (memorized) building will be selected for construction. This feature works with the remapped buildings hotkeys, so it's not required to use the default ones.
* SHIFT + TILDE`: Starts the Boost Mode. In the Boost Mode, the next citizen will be automatically selected after you click the Left (Primary) Mouse Button. To stop the Boost Mode, simply click the Right (Secondary) Mouse Button, or press TILDE` again. When there are no idle citizens available, the Boost Mode will automatically stop, and using TILDA` won't select a new building to construct. It's to minimize the risk of leaving unfinished construction sites when citizens were unavailable.
* CTRL + TILDE`: Clones the building under the mouse and then executes the single TILDE` action. For example, if you however the mouse cursor over the outpost and press CTRL + TILDE`, the Smart Building Hotkey will select an idle citizen with Outpost construction.
* CTRL + SHIFT + TILDE`: Clones the building under the mouse, and starts the Boost Mode (as SHIFT + TILDE`).
* ALT + TILDE`: Selects all idle (not producing) buildings of the same type as the one under the mouse cursor.
* CTRL + ALT + TILDE`: Selects all buildings of the same type as the one under the mouse cursor.
* SHIFT + ALT + TILDE`: Selects all idle (not producing) buildings of the same type as the one under the mouse cursor and adds them to the previously selected ones. This feature uses the Control Group 0 to work, so this group will be cleared if you previously set it.
* SHIFT + CTRL + ALT + TILDE`: Selects all buildings of the same type as the one under the mouse cursor and adds them to the previously selected ones.
* You can enable or disable this feature in UP1.6 Settings under the "Special features for players who support the project" section.
* You can control which buildings are memorized using the custom configuration command in UP1.6 Settings: SmartBuildingHotkeyAllowedBuildings=Barracks, Airport, Airport2, Airport3, CityCenter, Dock, Fortress, House, Hospital, Farm, AirDefense, Mill, CoastalDefense, Missile_Silo, Mgm, Outpost, OilRig, Stable, HercFacility, Well, Granary, Radar, Temple, Machinegunnest, University, UraniumMine, Warehouse, Market, AMissileDefense, Road, Palisade, Wall
* You can modify the default hotkey change listening time (in milliseconds) using: SmartBuildingHotkeyMemoryListenTimeoutMs=2500
* You can remap the default TILDE` key using: SmartBuildingHotkeyMemoryTildeRemapKeyCode=0xC0
# The default "0xC0" is "~`". For Italian keyboards, you might need to use "0xDC", and for German: "0xA0". However, these different key codes should be automatically set by the Launcher, depending on your keyboard layout (so on 99% you don't need to change it, unless you want to remap it to some other keyboard key).
* This feature (as the other Enhanced Features) is only available for players who supported the project with donations.
* You can watch how this feature works on this YouTube video: https://smart-building-hotkey-memory.ee2.eu/
- The power saving feature: "PauseBinkVideoWhenGameWindowIsInactive" from update 159001 will now work after 5 seconds since the game was started, in order to prevent a visual issue where the game background could be black on game start.
- Changed the sleep time (game pause) when taking a screenshot with PrtScn key from 2000ms to 50ms in the Game Menu and Multiplayer Game/Lobby. The sleep time remains the same in Singleplayer games, as the "Capturing screen to file..." message is displayed, which might be helpful for new players who are unaware of the Documents/Empire Earth 2/screenshots folder. In Multiplayer games, taking screenshots was causing a game lag ("Waiting for [Player]..." message) for all players, so this change is a significant improvement.
- Fixed a rare game crash (present since ver. 1.0) that could occur at address EE2: 007BA605, AOS: 00822135 when using the drag-select while pressing other hotkeys or clicking the UI buttons.

If you have got UP1.5.5+, you can update by clicking: empireearth2://FunctionMinorVersionInstall

[goldgoblin]

Thanks for update v15!

Playing on a Mac (using Linux and Wine) and for some reason v14 borked it and it wouldn't start so I had to revert to an old update (maybe v3?) to get my EE2 fix. But v15 is working perfectly - so just wanted to give some positive feedback!

[Dr.MonaLisa]

Hi goldgoblin. Thanks for your feedback.

I think it's the update 160012 or 160014 that fixed the issue on Wine, not 160015:

https://ee2.eu/patch/changes/#160012

[160012 - 2024-06-16 - Type: Monthly Update]:
— Fixed a crash (game close on launch problem) on Steam Deck and Wine after update 160011.

https://ee2.eu/patch/changes/#160014

[160014 - 2024-06-24 - Type: Hotfix Update]:
...
— Fixed a game crash (game closing on launch) that affected a small number of players. Some players experienced the "boost::interprocess_exception library_error" crash when the Launcher/GameHelper used the "managed_shared_memory" and/or "named_mutex" functions. It now falls back to an alternative Windows method for communication between the Launcher and the DLL. Additionally, you can set "DontUseBoostInterprocessLibraries=1" in the custom configuration command field in UP1.6 Settings if the fallback doesn't work automatically (though this should not happen).

So you most likely returned to 160010 and older. But it's impossible that 160015 fixed anything related to Wine.

[Dr.MonaLisa]

Minor update 160016 has been released!

Update Type: Feature Update. Changes: https://www.ee2.eu/patch/changes/#160016

- Option "Smart Building Hotkey Memory" is now called: "Magic TILDE` Key and Smart Building Hotkey Memory":
* After using any TILDE` hotkey for construction, you have 2.5 seconds to press a number from 1 to 9 on your keyboard to select that number of idle citizens. In Boost Mode, this number will be remembered until interrupted with the Right Mouse Button. This is useful, for example, when you want to quickly build Warehouses, Oil Derricks, or Uranium Mines with exactly 6 citizens. YouTube video:


* MARKET: You can now buy or sell resources faster in the Market / Supermarket (1.6). Simply hover the mouse over the expected buy / sell icon, then press the TILDE` key (as many times as you like) to buy / sell 10 x 500 resources of this type, or SHIFT + TILDE` to buy / sell 10 x 1000 resources of this type.
* DIPLOMACY PANEL: You can now tribute resources faster in the Diplomacy Panel -> Resources. Hover the mouse over the numeric field, then press TILDE` to offer 1000 resources, SHIFT + TILDE` to offer 5000 resources, CTRL + TILDE` to demand 1000 resources or CTRL + SHIFT + TILDE` to demand 5000 resources.
* MISSILE SILO: When the Missile Silo or Ballistic Missile Silo (1.6) is currently selected, pressing TILDE` switches to the next Silo. When you use the Boost Mode (SHIT + TILDE`), the next Missile Silo will be automatically selected after you launch the ICBM using the Right Mouse Click, using the "L" hotkey, or after manually pressing and executing the "Launch ICBM" button. This should help you fire coordinated attacks without the advanced hotkeys knowledge.
* Improvement: If you press the "SHIFT + CTRL + TILDE`" instead of "CTRL + SHIFT + TILDE`" the selected building won't longer rotate. This helps when you assign the new hotkeys to the extra buttons of your gaming mouse.
* It's now possible to change the buildings using citizen's "Build Structures" menu during the Boost Mode (SHIFT + TILDE`). Thanks for the report to player "Calsch03".
- The "Cycle Select" hotkeys timeout (changed in update 160006) is now always 15 seconds when the Missile Silo or Ballistic Missile Silo (1.6) is currently selected.
- Fixed an issue where Logitech G HUB would not automatically switch the active profile when the game was launched in Borderless Windowed Mode, unless manually switched with ALT+TAB. As a workaround, UP1.6 now quickly sends the "SW_FORCEMINIMIZE" and "SW_RESTORE" messages, which seem to resolve the issue.
- If you have accidentally (or not) hidden the Game Calendar (CTRL + BACKSLASH\) or Game Clock (SHIFT + BACKSLASH\), Unofficial Patch 1.6 will automatically re-enable them upon game restart, so you don't need to search for a solution. Thanks for the idea to player "IndieRock00".

If you have got UP1.5.5+, you can update by clicking: empireearth2://FunctionMinorVersionInstall

[Dr.MonaLisa]

Minor update 160017 has been released!

Update Type: Hotfix Update. Changes: https://www.ee2.eu/patch/changes/#160017

- Fixed an issue where the installer and executables were not digitally signed in the previous update (released a few hours ago).
- Fixed a problem where using the new Magic TILDE` in the Diplomacy Panel did not work correctly for other players than the first one on the list. Thanks for the report to player "RA blindmonk".

If you have got UP1.5.5+, you can update by clicking: empireearth2://FunctionMinorVersionInstall

[Bl4ckM4n22]

Probable causes: My AV is called eset and I torrented (so it has minor update issues) it even though it is free a year ago, I also took adobe acrobat form M0nkrus then uninstalled, i also installed Avast free then uninstalled all recently. My only other game related issue is Riot client network not connecting directly after installing above two programs.

Win10 latest. sorry i have been messing around with this all day and if I go to sleep now I wont want to finish anyhting tmoz.

Game config settings wont' launch, only vanilla game with "Empire Earth II Win8 fix" config and bat files.
when i launch win 8fix by Dr Mona Lisa, (due to the added .bat i assume *see pastebin*) i see "you have unoffical 1.5 ... your screen res 1280x720 is supported by 1.5..." but my resolution is set to native 1080 on my external monitor, extended main display. and if i press "no" and continue to launch the game, the cmd doesn't detect if i launch EEX.exe (I can delete the bat and CFG files I added and then the cmd "fix" seems to do it's job and detects the game exit imediatly after launch) ...this is obvious just a side note sorry.
this here is my testing which didn't uncover much, includes versions and notes...https://pastebin.com/42R8X5AA
Test 6:
I change windows resolution to 1280x720 as well as settings.CFG, i also delete .bat and myconfig.CFG for both II and AoS Win 8 fix, and ... win 8 fix by Dr Mona Lisa still tells me i have 1.5 or 1.4 patch installed but it now detects the game launching ( it didn't the first time but seconds and third)

the VB Script Script file doesn't open like suggested in the FAQ, and in VScode it is almost empty @ 241 bytes.

Don;t worry about me, I need to re install windows soon anyway... I have way too many drivers for my CPU loaded...
if anything changes i'll get back.

[Dr.MonaLisa]

Hi. You don't need any Windows 8 / 10 Fix with Unofficial Patch 1.6.

You are supposed to simply install the patch from: https://ee2.eu/patch on your Empire Earth 2 installation and the game should run fine automatically.

If it doesn't, then your installation is most likely damaged or contains invalid files. So you should focus on installing EE2 from a reliable (and best legal) source and then use the patch with default settings.


Also I'm not sure what EE2.bat or multires.exe files you're using. They are not the part of EE2 nor Unofficial Patch 1.6. It's impossible to easily change screen resolutions in EE2 by any config files. Only Unofficial Patch 1.6 can do this properly, also setting the correct font size, Camera FOV and dozens of other factors.

[Dr.MonaLisa]

Minor update 160018 has been released!

Update Type: Monthly Update. Changes: https://www.ee2.eu/patch/changes/#160018

- Multiplayer: Added a message about game rules at the start of the game. It shows if the host player types "yes rules" or "no rules" in chat before the game starts.
- Fixed a rare crash that could occur for the host player when starting a Multiplayer game.
- Minor fixes for the "Magic TILDE` Key and Smart Building Hotkey Memory" feature when using the Diplomacy Panel or Market.
- Added a new custom configuration command: SmartBuildingHotkeyMemoryCallIdleCitizenSelectionTwice=1 (enabled by default), which aims to fix the issue of citizens leaving construction site "holes" when using the "Smart Building Hotkey Memory" function. This option selects idle citizens twice to ensure the previous request is not ignored by the game.
- Improved a fix from update 159001 to let other games running on the same monitor as EE2 constrain the mouse cursor for border scrolling.
- Added Launcher compatibility for the upcoming Loew's Pacific Campaign.

If you have got UP1.5.5+, you can update by clicking: empireearth2://FunctionMinorVersionInstall