TECHNICAL GUIDE · BROWSER DEMO
Ages of Conflict Browser Troubleshooting
Most loading problems come from a blocked itch.io frame, disabled WebGL or hardware acceleration, stale game files, or fullscreen restrictions. Work through the fixes in order.
Try these fixes first
- Click the game cover once.The itch.io game frame loads only after you interact with the play area.
- Wait for the Unity build.On a first visit, leave the tab active while the browser downloads and initializes the game.
- Press Restart below the game.This reloads the embedded frame without forcing you to refresh the entire guide page.
- Disable blockers for this page.Privacy or content-blocking extensions may block itch.io or html-classic.itch.zone resources.
- Try a current desktop browser.Update Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari and confirm hardware acceleration is available.
Black or blank game area
A cover image before you interact is normal. The site delays the third-party iframe to keep the first page load lighter. After you click or move the pointer over the play area, the cover should be replaced by the itch.io Unity frame. A temporary dark area during initialization is also normal.
If it stays blank, press Restartonce and keep the tab visible. Then open your browser's site controls and allow required site data for agesofconflict.org and itch.io. You do not need to allow notifications, camera, microphone, or location.
Menu loads, but the map goes black
If your menu appears and the failure happens only after Start, record that sequence. It distinguishes this symptom from a frame that never loads at all. Stop the game if flashing is uncomfortable; do not repeatedly trigger it just to capture a report.
| What you observe | What to check next | What the result tells you |
|---|---|---|
| No menu ever appears | Open the demo on itch.io using the same browser | If it works there, investigate this page's embedded requests or site-specific blocking first. |
| Menu loads; map then goes black | Record the map, browser, and exact point of failure; compare a second browser | A difference narrows the investigation to the browser environment; it does not identify the root cause. |
| Both sites fail in both browsers | Record any visible error before reporting it | The failure may involve the device, network, or game delivery. It is not enough evidence to blame this website alone. |
WebGL or graphics errors
Ages of Conflict uses a Unity WebGL build. WebGL depends on the browser, graphics driver, and hardware acceleration. If the frame reports a graphics error, update the browser, restart it, and check that hardware acceleration has not been disabled in browser settings.
- Close other graphics-heavy tabs or applications if the device is low on memory.
- Disconnect a battery-saving or remote-desktop mode that disables accelerated graphics.
- Update the operating system or graphics driver if every WebGL game fails, not only this one.
- Test in a second current browser to separate a browser-profile problem from a device problem.
If the game works in another browser, the cause is usually an extension, browser flag, cached site data, or graphics setting in the original profile.
Fullscreen does not open or looks cropped
Wait until the main game menu appears, then use the Fullscreen button in the toolbar below the frame. Browsers normally require fullscreen to follow a direct click, so an automatic fullscreen request will be blocked. Press Escape or the on-screen exit button to leave fullscreen.
If the map is cropped, exit fullscreen, restore browser zoom to 100%, and enter again. On smaller laptops, hide the browser bookmarks bar or use the operating system's display scaling rather than browser zoom. Mobile browsers may provide less reliable Unity fullscreen support; a desktop browser is the recommended fallback.
No sound or controls do not respond
Browsers often block audio until the page receives a click. Click inside the game frame and check both the in-game volume and the tab's mute state. If the keyboard does not respond, click the frame again so it has focus. Browser shortcuts can still take priority over game input, particularly when using function keys or fullscreen keys.
Network, school, or privacy-blocker problems
The page and the game come from different domains. A network may allow agesofconflict.org but block the itch.io frame or its game-file domain. Allowing only the main site is therefore not enough. If you manage the network, check requests to itch.io, static.itch.io, and html-classic.itch.zone.
On a managed school or workplace device, do not bypass an administrator's restrictions. Use a permitted personal connection or ask the network administrator whether embedded game content is allowed. If a privacy extension is the cause, allow the game only on this page instead of disabling protection globally.
Will Restart erase progress?
Restart reloads the embedded demo and begins a new game session. The browser build should be treated as temporary: custom maps and current simulations are not a dependable persistent save. Before restarting a session you care about, take a screenshot of the world or notes about the result.
Clearing cookies or site data is a last-resort troubleshooting step because it can remove stored preferences. Try Restart, a second browser, and blocker settings before clearing data.
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