AoE2Control: Lua Scripting Engine for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
AoE2Control is a Lua scripting engine and documentation hub for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. It reads live game state and sends commands directly without pixel scanning or mouse/keyboard simulation, making it suitable for automation, overlays, bots, and external AI agents.
What Is AoE2Control?
AoE2Control talks directly to the game, allowing developers to:
- Read game state (units, resources, players, map tiles, fog-aware object visibility)
- Send commands (train units, move armies, research technologies)
- Render custom overlays (HUD elements, minimap markers, world-space indicators)
- Configure one or more module instances via a built-in settings interface
Key Features for AoE2 Lua Scripting
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| AoE2Control - Launcher | Attaches the engine to the game |
| Extensive API | 100+ Commands, facts, render functions, and strategic components |
| Per-Player Modules | Configure one module slot for each player and run different modules in the same session |
| Custom Rendering | Draw shapes and text in screen, world, or minimap space |
| Menu Settings | Add checkboxes, sliders, dropdowns, keybinds, and color pickers |
| Multi-file Projects | Use require() for modular Lua code (depth limit: 3) |
| IPC for ML | Named pipes + JSON with module routing for external agents |
| Encrypted Modules | Precompiled .module files for code protection |
| VS Code Plugin | Available on Marketplace — IntelliSense, snippets, and API definitions |
| AI Reference Script | Copy or Download here — Provides formatted information about CONTROL, ready to be pasted into a Coding Agent Prompt |
Who This Documentation Is For
- Lua scripters — Build bots, overlays, or automation
- AI/ML developers — Connect external agents via IPC
- AoE2 modders — Create custom in-game tools
Prerequisites
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
- Basic Lua familiarity is helpful but not required
- Windows (64-bit)
Quick Links
- Download Latest Release — Launcher and packaged builds
- Getting Started — Installation and first script
- Quick Example — Minimal working module
- Game API — Commands and facts reference
- Render API — Drawing overlays