A step-by-step guide to setting up auto splits using image correlation for Age of Mythology: Retold

# A step-by-step guide to setting up auto splits using image correlation for Age of Mythology: Retold

In this guide, we will learn how to create an auto splitter for individual level runs. The same method can be applied to full campaigns run (and even age up runs) and this document will discuss the main road blocks of such an implementation.

## Required software:

- A splitting software. [LiveSplit](https://livesplit.org/) will be used in this guide.
- An image processing software that can be used to create transparency on an image. [GIMP](https://www.gimp.org) is the open-source software that will be used in this guide.
- [AutoSplit](https://github.com/Toufool/AutoSplit), the image comparison based auto splitter used.

## 1. Setting up a working folder

The first step will be to create a folder. Extract the AutoSplit zip in this folder. Then create a “screenshot” folder and a “IL_images” folder. You should then have a file that looks like that.

![](/static/blob/yzrog5jz.png)

## 2. **Setting up the image capture using AutoSplit**

The second step is to set up AutoSplit to detect the game. Therefore, you will have to launch the AutoSplit exe file and Age of Mythology Retold. In the AutoSplit go to the settings in the file menu.

![](/static/blob/rz2518kz.png)

Then setup the capture method to be Direct3D Desktop Duplication and enter the path to your “Screenshots” folder.

![](/static/blob/3ekxy7mn.png)

Then click on the Select Window and click on your Age of Mythology Retold game window. Your game should appear on the left under the Capture Region caption as shown below.

![](/static/blob/xz05g30n.png)

## 3. Creating the comparison images

The third step is to create the images the software will use to compare against the capture region. We will need 4 main images: an image of any campaign with the HUD active, a victory screen, a campaign menu and a restart mission screen (the fourth one is optional). Each of the images will be used for one function. The first one will be used to detect the apparition of the HUD in order to start the timer. The second one will be used to detect when you finish the mission in order to stop the timer. The third one will be used to detect when you come back to the mission selecting screen to reset the timer. The fourth one Is optional and may be used to instantaneously resetting the timer once you open the “restart mission” popup.

![](/static/blob/qzp7mwlz.png)

![](/static/blob/5e14p8ve.png)![](/static/blob/oeog2wvn.png)![](/static/blob/3ekxy0mn.png)

It is recommended you use the take screenshot button in the AutoSplit window to create these images. You can also use screen captures or the snipping tool, but there might be discrepancies that will hinder the image correlation process. The images will then be stored in the “Screenshots” folder set up in the previous parts.

Then we will create transparency on the selected images so that we don’t have to use the full image for the correlation process (because some parts of the screen are not matching). To achieve this step, we will open each image using GIMP.

Once the image is open, ensure that there is an alpha channel by right clicking the image in the bottom right. Then click on the add alpha channel. Then remove all the elements that might change from run to run (or level to level) from the images. Moreover, I have also experienced that complex patterns (like the one on top of the victory banner) tend to lead to weaker correlation and should not be included if possible. Eventually, export the file as an AutoSplit supported filetype such as PNG, JPEG, etc. The complete list can be found at this [link](https://docs.opencv.org/4.8.0/d4/da8/group__imgcodecs.html#imread). I personally use PNG. This file should be saved to the “IL_images” folder.

![](/static/blob/xz05g80n.png)

![](/static/blob/kzwrxqye.png)

Here are the images I used and their motivation. The first one is supposed to start the timer, just after the cinematic so I used the apparition of the HUD. Moreover, I chose only HUD elements that are unchanged from mission to mission (i.e. no resource counters, no mini-map, etc.). The second image is only the text of the victory banner. The third only uses the campaign text. The fourth one uses the whole restart window.

![](/static/blob/kzwrx1ye.png)

![](/static/blob/xzd451qz.png)![](/static/blob/1n5704me.png)![](/static/blob/1n73dl0e.png)

Then you have to rename the images. The image that starts the timer must include the sequence “start_auto_splitter”. The images that apply the split function must be ordered starting from “001” and going from there. The reset image must have “reset” in the name.

The reason why the campaign is image is also a splitter is to save the splits, which requires to hit the split button once again.

![](/static/blob/7n64w9jz.png)

If instead of doing an individual level run, you wished to make a full campaign run, you could add as many victory screens as there is there is mission in the campaign. Moreover, you should switch the reset picture. So, for the golden gift campaign you would have the following files (with all the xxx_Win.png being the same victory file):

- Start_auto_splitter_HUD.png
- 001_Win.png
- 002_Win.png
- 003_Win.png
- 004_Win.png
- 005_Campaign_title.png

## 4. Setting hotkeys and LiveSplit integration

This section describes the setup required so that AutoSplit can send information to LiveSplit. Section 6 presents a different method where AutoSplit and LiveSplit are embedded which is more functional. However during the conception stage, I recommend working with this method as it is easier to modify and test on the fly.

First, open LiveSplit and AutoSplit. Go to both the settings menu (AutoSplit : File → Settings; LiveSplit : Right mouse click → Settings). Then bind your “Split” and “Reset” hotkeys to the same values in both software and enable Global Hotkeys in LiveSplit. The information will be transferred from AutoSplit to LiveSplit by a simulated key press.

![](/static/blob/7e9j704n.png)![](/static/blob/ynl2j7qe.png)

## 5. Setting up the image comparison in AutoSplit

Now that we have our comparison images and the dependency with Live split is set up, we can set up the AutoSplit to check for image recognition. First, we need to indicate the path for the folder with our images, which is “IL_images”. Once this is done, the starting image should appear.

![](/static/blob/7z36o46z.png)

Then we will modify the image settings in AutoSplit, the comparison method with L2 Norm seem to be the most effective. I have found that a similarity threshold of 0.88 is low enough to ensure detection and high enough to prevent erroneous splits. Finaly for the pause timer, I used 8 seconds. The pause timer is really important because it defines a time interval between a successfully recognized image and the next comparison. It prevents the system from splitting every frame on which the victory banner appears for example.

![](/static/blob/4zjw369e.png)

Then save your AutoSplit profile to a toml file, you can create as many profile as you need (one profile for individual levels, one for Golden Gift, etc.) by using save as. Now everything is setup, you can now try it out. Don’t forget that you need to keep AutoSplit open.

## 6. Further LiveSplit integration

Further LiveSplit integration can be achieved by integrating AutoSplit in the LiveSplit components. Doing this has major advantages:

- This will ensure AutoSplit launches at the same time as LiveSplit and closes when LiveSplit is closed.
- This allows to link directly AutoSplit and LiveSplit. In practice, it means that you can unbind the hotkeys from AutoSplit (meaning you don’t create artificial inputs) and deactivate Global Hotkeys from LiveSplit (which eliminates the risks of tapping the key accidentally). This also allows LiveSplit to communicate with AutoSplit, this is useful so that you can reset a run (or skip a split) in LiveSplit, and it resets (or skips the next image) in AutoSplit.
- You need less images as the “Start as reset” option in AutoSplit transfers an order that will save the runs time. For example, for individual levels it allows you to remove the campaign image and to reduce the pause time so that you can reset in the 8 first seconds of the level (otherwise impossible because you need that buffer for the end of a level).

Here are to follow for this integration:

- Delete the image number 002 of the campaign menu.
- Modify the profile settings by ticking “Start also Resets”, reducing the pause time to 500ms and to remove the hotkeys. Then save the profile to a toml file.

![](/static/blob/yzrog24z.png)![](/static/blob/5ngdq0jn.png)

- Download the LiveSplit integrating dll component available at this [link](https://github.com/Toufool/LiveSplit.AutoSplitIntegration/raw/main/update/Components/LiveSplit.AutoSplitIntegration.dll) (if this link is outdated, you can find it in the end of the [GitHub AutoSplit page](https://github.com/Toufool/AutoSplit)).
- Find your “LiveSplit” folder and place the dll file in the subfolder “Components”.

![](/static/blob/qzp7m9lz.png)

- Open LiveSplit and disable Global hotkey if you want. Then edit the layout by adding to it the AutoSplit Integration. Then in layout settings in the AutoSplit tab, fill out the AutoSplit.exe directory and the Settings Path (which is the tolm file we saved in part 5).

![](/static/blob/5e14p5ve.png)![](/static/blob/oeog27vn.png)

- Save your LiveSplit layout and you should be able to test it out.

For full campaign run increase the pause time to 8s again and use one victory screen per mission. Finally, if you want to have a reset button, you can use the campaign menu as a reset image.

I hope this guide was helpful. Don’t hesitate to contact me on this website or on the community discord if you think something is unclear. I am also opened to suggestions to improve this guide. A big thanks to the team that developed AutoSplit. If you have any problem, you can also try to consult their [GitHub page](https://github.com/Toufool/AutoSplit).

Sarsart

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Age of Mythology: Retold

Fall of the Trident: The Jackal's Stronghold

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