A Rise of Nations: Extended Edition graphics overhaul targets its opening stutters

Image credit: 0corexpsx.

There's something wonderful about seeing people continue to improve an old strategy game long after most of the industry has moved on. Rise of Nations has been around for more than two decades, and its modding community apparently isn't finished fussing over how the place looks.

0corexpsx's Rise of Nation Enhanced Edition brings dynamic weather, changing daylight, clouds, storms, and illuminated buildings to Rise of Nations: Extended Edition. The latest update concentrates on a less glamorous but potentially welcome improvement: the creator reports reducing shader-compilation stutters and freezes when water first appears, while also adding update checking to the launcher.

Those performance improvements are creator-reported rather than independently benchmarked, and some planned lighting features remain unfinished. But for players who enjoy the project's visual changes and have been running into those early loading hiccups, this is the kind of update that could make the experience considerably more pleasant.