# Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome — a function-matched beta decompilation

> Reconstructs the 17 July 1998 beta of Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome as C++ source compiled with Visual C++ 5.0. The project checks individual functions against the original empiresx.exe and uses recorded gameplay inputs to compare behavior; the author reports 5,013 byte-identical functions, with other functions still differing.

- Type: Case study
- Targets: Game
- Category: Independent reconstruction cases
- Relationship: Independent reconstruction project
- Sources reviewed: 2026-11-06
- Added to the catalog: 2026-11-09
- Original resource: <https://github.com/dcostap/aoe1-decomp>
- Primary source: <https://github.com/dcostap/aoe1-decomp/blob/6d6d8b14023aa74e6ac30a6c88229d5b818fb805/README.md>
- Catalog page: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/age-of-empires-rise-of-rome-beta-decomp-case/>
- Record JSON: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/age-of-empires-rise-of-rome-beta-decomp-case/record.json>
- Chinese version: [简体中文](https://awesomerea.org/zh/resources/age-of-empires-rise-of-rome-beta-decomp-case/index.md)

## Requirements & limits

- **Prerequisites:** Windows, Python 3.12, Visual C++ 5.0, MASM ml.exe 14.36, and DirectPlay libraries from Visual C++ 6.0 are required.
- **Prerequisites:** A retail Age of Empires and Rise of Rome installation supplies the game data; comparison needs the beta empiresx.exe, and research tools need its PDB.
- **Limits:** The author reports 56 functions remain nonmatching.
- **License:** CC0-1.0.

## Primary sources

1. <https://github.com/dcostap/aoe1-decomp/blob/6d6d8b14023aa74e6ac30a6c88229d5b818fb805/README.md>
2. <https://github.com/dcostap/aoe1-decomp/blob/6d6d8b14023aa74e6ac30a6c88229d5b818fb805/orig/README.md>

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## About this entry

The description was reviewed against primary sources.
Original editorial content: MIT. Linked projects, papers and assets retain their own rights and licenses.