Age of Empires III – Server Status, Multiplayer FAQ & Troubleshooting

MS Ryz0n · 01-05-2012, 12:00 PM

Age of Empires III – Multiplayer FAQ & Troubleshooting

This article contains ESO Server Status, Connectivity Information, ESO Accounts & Multiplayer FAQ

View the ESO Online Gaming Policy

Ensemble Studios Online (ESO) Service & Connectivity

Weekly AOEIII ESO server maintenance occurs Tuesday at 10AM – 12PM Pacific
The current Age of Empires III ESO Server Status can be found online here. I also frequently provide updates during downtime via twitter: @RChaply
Do I need to allow AOEIII as an exception to my firewall?
Yes, Age of Empires III should be added as an exception in your local firewall for improved connectivity. Forwarding the necessary ports on your router is also highly recommended (see below).
What ports are required for Age of Empires III?
The following ports are required for Age of Empires III, and manually port forwarding them is recommended for improved internet connectivity. To manually override the ports AOEIII uses to connect, please see this link.
- 2300-2310 TCP
- 2300-2310 UDP
- 80 TCP & UDP
I get “Invalid IP Address” when attempting to connect to ESO or join games.
Power cycle the PC and router. If that does not resolve the issue, additional troubleshooting steps can be found at this link
I get “failed to Join” when attempting to connect to a game
This error can occur if any individuals in a group have connectivity issues. Troubleshooting varies depending on software, hardware, and network configurations, however the following are important to check:
- Verify Age of empires III is an exception in local firewalls
- Verify the required ports are forwarded on the router (See Above)
- Restart System & Routing Equipment
Additional information and troubleshooting tips can be found here and here
I receive an Out of Sync (OOS) error while playing multiplayer games
This can be caused by several things.
- Make sure you do not have any mods installed, or have not modified any game files.
- If you have a corrupt installation, game mods, etc, remove the mods and re install the game through steam.
- If the game is going out of sync late game (generally when you're about to win), and the system incorrectly reports a loss, the opponent may intentionally be 'droptricking'. If this is the case, report the user to age3support@microsoft.com. It is considered a form of cheating.

Ensemble Studios Online (ESO) Accounts & Multiplayer FAQ

NEVER give out your ESO account password and do NOT share ESO accounts.
Some providers have trouble receiving password resets, including @comcast, @sbcglobal, @aol, and @aim email addresses. It is not recommended to use them when creating an ESO account.
How do I create an online account?
Ensemble Studio Online (ESO) accounts for Age of Empires III can be created from within the game. From the main menu of the game or expansion, select “Multiplayer” followed by “ES Online”. The next screen will have a button that says ‘new account?’ . Simply select that and fill in the information to create your account.
How many ESO accounts may I have?
Each copy of Age of Empires III: Complete Collection on Steam may have 1 ESO account. A single account works on the game and both expansions.
Can I change my name, delete and restart my account, or reset my stats?
ESO account names cannot be changed, deleted, or reset after creation.
How do I request a password reset, change my ESO account email, or recover a forgotten username?
Visit www.agecommunity.com and use the ESO account tools to make account settings changes. You may need your PID to reset the password. The PID can be found in game. From the main menu select “Help and tools” followed by “About”.
I forgot my password and have a new email, or I need advanced account verification and recovery.
For advanced ESO account recovery, email age3support@microsoft.com with as much of the following information as possible. While not all is required, the more information you can provide, the quicker the recovery process will be.
- ESO Name
- Age3 PID (You can find it in game under “help and tools” => “about”)
- Hint question/answer
- Date you created the account
- Date you last accessed the account
- The external / public IP address used to create the account. You should be able to use a site like http://whatismyipaddress.com/ to find the address we would see.
- The MAC address of the machine that created the account.
- Old email address
- New email address
Clans, Friends, and Power Rankings – see this article for more information
Some behavior to avoid (and may result in account bans)
- Offensive, racist, or vulgar account names, clans, game names, chat room names, or chat speech
- Harassing other players or moderators
- Cheating / hacking in games
- Cheating on in-game ladders (point trading)
- Intentionally freely losing games to devalue rank
- Leaving games prior to completion with the intent of avoiding a rating decrease
- Impersonating employees / moderators

Any additional account questions should be directed to age3support@microsoft.com

Pingpong0101 · 01-05-2012, 12:37 PM

Why does sometimes my online go "Game out of sync" and it goes back to the main menu and i lose all my progress in the online game..?

MS Ryz0n · 01-05-2012, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pingpong0101

Why does sometimes my online go "Game out of sync" and it goes back to the main menu and i lose all my progress in the online game..?

If this is related to Age of Empires III, please note I've updated the FAQ with some information for OOS.
If your comment is related to Age of Empires Online, visit the AOEO forums at www.AgeofEmpiresOnline.com

Olimos · 01-06-2012, 05:40 AM

Hello, i have created new topic with my issue, i dont want to spam, but here it is
"Hello, i've just bought this game via steam, downloaded and installed it. I wanted to play online, so i was creating my new ES account and an error appeared "Account creation failed: [101] This CDKey cannot be used to create any further accounts." What i have to do? I just bought this game and my cd key is already in use.
Thanks for help."

Smee2u · 01-06-2012, 01:48 PM

Question. I purchased the complete edition on the GFWL platform. Is it possible to port my product key over to steam?

DarkLiberator · 01-06-2012, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smee2u

Question. I purchased the complete edition on the GFWL platform. Is it possible to port my product key over to steam?

He's already addressed the issue, they have no plans for that apparently.

Smee2u · 01-06-2012, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkLiberator

He's already addressed the issue, they have no plans for that apparently.

It's a digital copy rather than a retail. I still get the game but it'd be much more convenient to have one platform manage it all. I really don't use my hotmail/live account for anything.

Windu190 · 01-13-2012, 02:50 PM

My friend just bought it but keeps getting "Failed to create account" when he tries to create an ES account.

I had no problems (I have the non-steam version).

MS Ryz0n · 01-15-2012, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olimos

Hello, i have created new topic with my issue, i dont want to spam, but here it is
"Hello, i've just bought this game via steam, downloaded and installed it. I wanted to play online, so i was creating my new ES account and an error appeared "Account creation failed: [101] This CDKey cannot be used to create any further accounts." What i have to do? I just bought this game and my cd key is already in use.
Thanks for help."

Please email me the PID to your account and reference to this post at age3support@microsoft.com
To get the PID launch AOE3 from the main menu and go to options --> Help and tools --> "About". The PID will be in the bottom of the screen that appears. Make sure to use the core AOE3 game and not the expansions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windu190

My friend just bought it but keeps getting "Failed to create account" when he tries to create an ES account.
I had no problems (I have the non-steam version).

Is your friend not letting the game run as admin? The game must run as administrator in order to create the account.

Spacewolf78 · 01-21-2012, 01:08 PM

I've gone to incredible lengths to try and fix the "Failed to join game" issue I'm having with my roommate. We both owned boxed copies of the game, and couldn't get it to work. It is allowed on both our firewalls, the ports are forwarded, and our games are the same version. We bought used copies, and so couldn't make new ESO accounts, but we recently bought the steam version in the hopes it would fix it. He's currently waiting for it to download, and so we'll try that and make ESO accounts to try and play via the online multiplayer, but is there anything else I can try to fix the LAN?

caramelldansen · 07-23-2012, 07:05 PM

I've been having problems creating an ESO account. I bought the games a few days ago and everytime I try to create ESO account I get a message saying that the CD key had already beeen used. Any ideas?

MS Ryz0n · 07-24-2012, 11:09 AM

SpaceWolf, if you are playing on ESO you'll need to use the port override feature if you are both on the same network.

Caramelldansen, please send me your PID in a PM. To find the PID start AOE3 without any expansions, go to help and tools - 'about'.

01-05-2012, 12:00 PM	#1
MS Ryz0n Microsoft Games Studios Join Date: Dec 2011 Reputation: 157 Posts: 373	Age of Empires III – Server Status, Multiplayer FAQ & Troubleshooting Age of Empires III – Multiplayer FAQ & Troubleshooting This article contains ESO Server Status, Connectivity Information, ESO Accounts & Multiplayer FAQ View the ESO Online Gaming Policy Ensemble Studios Online (ESO) Service & Connectivity Weekly AOEIII ESO server maintenance occurs Tuesday at 10AM – 12PM Pacific The current Age of Empires III ESO Server Status can be found online here. I also frequently provide updates during downtime via twitter: @RChaply Do I need to allow AOEIII as an exception to my firewall? Yes, Age of Empires III should be added as an exception in your local firewall for improved connectivity. Forwarding the necessary ports on your router is also highly recommended (see below). What ports are required for Age of Empires III? The following ports are required for Age of Empires III, and manually port forwarding them is recommended for improved internet connectivity. To manually override the ports AOEIII uses to connect, please see this link. 2300-2310 TCP 2300-2310 UDP 80 TCP & UDP I get “Invalid IP Address” when attempting to connect to ESO or join games. Power cycle the PC and router. If that does not resolve the issue, additional troubleshooting steps can be found at this link I get “failed to Join” when attempting to connect to a game This error can occur if any individuals in a group have connectivity issues. Troubleshooting varies depending on software, hardware, and network configurations, however the following are important to check: Verify Age of empires III is an exception in local firewalls Verify the required ports are forwarded on the router (See Above) Restart System & Routing Equipment Additional information and troubleshooting tips can be found here and here I receive an Out of Sync (OOS) error while playing multiplayer games This can be caused by several things. Make sure you do not have any mods installed, or have not modified any game files. If you have a corrupt installation, game mods, etc, remove the mods and re install the game through steam. If the game is going out of sync late game (generally when you're about to win), and the system incorrectly reports a loss, the opponent may intentionally be 'droptricking'. If this is the case, report the user to age3support@microsoft.com. It is considered a form of cheating. Ensemble Studios Online (ESO) Accounts & Multiplayer FAQ NEVER give out your ESO account password and do NOT share ESO accounts. Some providers have trouble receiving password resets, including @comcast, @sbcglobal, @aol, and @aim email addresses. It is not recommended to use them when creating an ESO account. How do I create an online account? Ensemble Studio Online (ESO) accounts for Age of Empires III can be created from within the game. From the main menu of the game or expansion, select “Multiplayer” followed by “ES Online”. The next screen will have a button that says ‘new account?’ . Simply select that and fill in the information to create your account. How many ESO accounts may I have? Each copy of Age of Empires III: Complete Collection on Steam may have 1 ESO account. A single account works on the game and both expansions. Can I change my name, delete and restart my account, or reset my stats? ESO account names cannot be changed, deleted, or reset after creation. How do I request a password reset, change my ESO account email, or recover a forgotten username? Visit www.agecommunity.com and use the ESO account tools to make account settings changes. You may need your PID to reset the password. The PID can be found in game. From the main menu select “Help and tools” followed by “About”. I forgot my password and have a new email, or I need advanced account verification and recovery. For advanced ESO account recovery, email age3support@microsoft.com with as much of the following information as possible. While not all is required, the more information you can provide, the quicker the recovery process will be. ESO Name Age3 PID (You can find it in game under “help and tools” => “about”) Hint question/answer Date you created the account Date you last accessed the account The external / public IP address used to create the account. You should be able to use a site like http://whatismyipaddress.com/ to find the address we would see. The MAC address of the machine that created the account. Old email address New email address Clans, Friends, and Power Rankings – see this article for more information Some behavior to avoid (and may result in account bans) Offensive, racist, or vulgar account names, clans, game names, chat room names, or chat speech Harassing other players or moderators Cheating / hacking in games Cheating on in-game ladders (point trading) Intentionally freely losing games to devalue rank Leaving games prior to completion with the intent of avoiding a rating decrease Impersonating employees / moderators Any additional account questions should be directed to age3support@microsoft.com Last edited by MS Ryz0n: 01-07-2012 at 10:07 AM.

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01-05-2012, 12:37 PM	#2
Pingpong0101 Banned Join Date: Jul 2011 Reputation: 5 Posts: 228	Why does sometimes my online go "Game out of sync" and it goes back to the main menu and i lose all my progress in the online game..?

01-06-2012, 05:40 AM	#4
Olimos Join Date: Jan 2011 Reputation: 0 Posts: 4	Hello, i have created new topic with my issue, i dont want to spam, but here it is "Hello, i've just bought this game via steam, downloaded and installed it. I wanted to play online, so i was creating my new ES account and an error appeared "Account creation failed: [101] This CDKey cannot be used to create any further accounts." What i have to do? I just bought this game and my cd key is already in use. Thanks for help."

01-06-2012, 01:48 PM	#5
Smee2u Join Date: Jan 2006 Reputation: 72 Posts: 216	Question. I purchased the complete edition on the GFWL platform. Is it possible to port my product key over to steam?

01-13-2012, 02:50 PM	#8
Windu190 Join Date: Oct 2010 Reputation: 4 Posts: 173	My friend just bought it but keeps getting "Failed to create account" when he tries to create an ES account. I had no problems (I have the non-steam version).

01-21-2012, 01:08 PM	#10
Spacewolf78 Join Date: Aug 2009 Reputation: 0 Posts: 12	I've gone to incredible lengths to try and fix the "Failed to join game" issue I'm having with my roommate. We both owned boxed copies of the game, and couldn't get it to work. It is allowed on both our firewalls, the ports are forwarded, and our games are the same version. We bought used copies, and so couldn't make new ESO accounts, but we recently bought the steam version in the hopes it would fix it. He's currently waiting for it to download, and so we'll try that and make ESO accounts to try and play via the online multiplayer, but is there anything else I can try to fix the LAN?

07-23-2012, 07:05 PM	#11
caramelldansen Join Date: Jul 2012 Reputation: 0 Posts: 1	I've been having problems creating an ESO account. I bought the games a few days ago and everytime I try to create ESO account I get a message saying that the CD key had already beeen used. Any ideas?

07-24-2012, 11:09 AM	#12
MS Ryz0n Microsoft Games Studios Join Date: Dec 2011 Reputation: 157 Posts: 373	SpaceWolf, if you are playing on ESO you'll need to use the port override feature if you are both on the same network. Caramelldansen, please send me your PID in a PM. To find the PID start AOE3 without any expansions, go to help and tools - 'about'.