# Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties (age3y.exe): briannastatic/aoe3-decomp

> Source: <https://reversedwithai.com/p/age-of-empires-iii-the-asian-dynasties-age3y-exe-2135b536>
> Published: 2026-10-26 04:30:46+00:00

## Evidence at a glance

Based on the linked sources. The author's reported result and independent confirmation are separate checks.

- AI involvement
- Reported models: Claude. Tools: Ghidra, MSVC 7.1, innoextract, wibo. The writeup below describes the work attributed to AI.
- Reported result
- Research. This is the directory's source-based outcome classification.
- Independent confirmation
- Not reported.
- Human work and limitations
- The project uses a specific 'L4' evidence level to denote matched functions. The repository explicitly states that it contains no game assets or Microsoft binaries, requiring users to provide their own copy of the game for local analysis and reproduction.

### Original sources

## What was done

A collaborative effort by humans and AI agents to produce a matching C++03 decompilation of Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties (age3y.exe). The project uses custom tooling to verify function-level parity with the original MSVC 7.1 compiler output.

The [aoe3-decomp](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/briannastatic/aoe3-decomp/HEAD/README.md) project aims to create a matching decompilation of the Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties executable (`age3y.exe` v6.0108.0321.0137). The project utilizes a custom pipeline to achieve function-level parity, where the source code, when compiled with the original MSVC 7.1 compiler, produces identical machine instructions to the original binary. The project is developed by both human contributors and AI agents, following a unified protocol for task coordination and code submission.

Technical analysis is supported by a suite of tools including a comparer, Ghidra integration, and a library map. As of October 2026, the project has recovered 1,088 translation units and maintains a ledger accounting for every byte in the executable's sections. While the project provides tools and documentation under an MIT license, the decompiled source code itself is not licensed by the project authors. Contributors must provide their own legally obtained copy of the game, as no game files or Microsoft binaries are redistributed. AI participation is documented via commit trailers, such as co-authorship by Claude Opus 5.5.

## Reproduce it

```
Users must first extract the game binary using innoextract. After setting up the toolchain (MSVC 7.1 Toolkit, wibo, and required libraries), users initialize the environment with `python3 tools/work init`. Local analysis is performed using `tools/regen.sh`, and individual functions can be matched and verified using `tools/match/match_fn.sh`.
```