POREX
From GenieWiki
POREX is a gold-like material found in Age of Empires II that causes villagers to become invisible. The effect was discovered in December 2000 by Enrique Orduno [1] through random map scripting.
The name most likely name stands for 'Pile of Ore X' as it is similar to other 'pile of' units both in behavior and in internal naming [2]. It therefore appears that it could have been a possible new resource that never made it into the final game. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that villagers can carry and drop it off without it increasing any stockpile. Whether the game stores the amount of POREX a player has collected is not clear.
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Mechanics
The difference between POREX and gold is that porex only has 1 ore, which causes the villager who mined it to become invisible and unselectable by conventional methods (though the period hotkey still works). When the villager is tasked to do something else, e.g. chop wood, it returns to its normal appearance. This also applies when it drops the POREX off, or even when the villager is instructed to stop. This is probably because POREX is only a beta unit and the game does not have a graphic for a villager holding POREX. This is similar to but not the same as the invisible tile. Villagers also attempt to drop the POREX off at drop sites after collecting it, but will not continue to collect more POREX even if it is available. Interestingly, though the villager appears to be carrying a resource in its unit box, the player doesn't actually gain any gold after the villager drops off the resource.
Another peculiarity is that like other 'pile of' objects POREX is discarded when a villager is tasked (e.g. to board a transport, repair a building), unlike when holding conventionally obtained resources. This means a renamed villager cannot be made to appear out of a transport, building etc, because it cannot be tasked inside of it without losing its invisibility.
Use in scenario design
Placement
POREX is a beta unit, therefore it cannot be placed from the standard map editor as the unit has been hidden in the data files. To place POREX the designer may use one of three methods - using a template scenario that has POREX in it already (see External links) and using map copy; using an edited version of the game data files that unhide the unit (such as GeniED2); or manipulating the scenario file directly through AOK Trigger Studio.
Because POREX has no size radius other objects can be placed over it in the map editor. Similarly, units can walk over it, build over it etc when playing.
Examples of use
Please expand this section
An invisible 'porex villy' has been used for many things. The villager could be used as an invisible target for archers (or other soldiers), or as a cutscene member (though much better things have been used).
- Renaming hidden villagers (the first method used to rename hidden units, discovered by Philip Dunscombe [3]
More uses of villagers and porex mine... by Shiva has more suggestions for use.
See also
External links
- Using Porex Effectively - A utility by Berserker Jerker explaining POREX and showing some applications
- New units and new objects template - POREX became available with this utility by Enrique Orduno
- List of threads on POREX at AoKH
