Pawperty Damage: How to Revert to Previous Game Version

Allow your Steam account to be linked with SteamDB[steamdb.info] ( https://steamdb.info ) for this process. That way you do not need to enter your credentials separately and your account stays safe. You can also unlink afterwards.

The link is needed to allow yourself downloading the so called “depot” files – archived Steam files on the Steam servers. You logging in is equal to you telling Steam you own the game so you are allowed to download those files. Consider it a legal confirmation of ownership of your license.

Look for Depot – App ID 1669000 (from Steam Store link)

Identify the correct package – here 1669001

At the time this guide was written, the latest version got released at 11.05.2023 – so our previous version is from 04.05.2023 -> ManifestID 9204736578788895102

You either put this line of code in your Steam’s client’s browser’s address bar, or in your standard browser’s address bar and it will redirect you correctly to the special Steam Console tab.

steam://nav/console

Enter this command into the console

download_depot 1669000 1669001 9204736578788895102

That will download the version 78130 from 04.05.2023

Important Notes
The download will not be shown in the download bar. Once finished there will be a console message. The download cannot be paused by normal means, but it will continue when you lose your internet connection. However, it will be aborted if you close your Steam client. You would have to restart the download from the beginning in such case.

The command means loosely translated “download files from game 1669000
(Age of Wonders 4) from files storage 1669001 in the version saved as 9204736578788895102.

A simple copy & paste of your local game files to somewhere else will do.

Delete the content of your game’s folder.

The finished download of the old version you can find in

..\Steam\steamapps\content\app_1669000\depot_1669001

My Steam folder is located on a special SSD dedicated to games only. If you kept the default settings during installation of Steam, you might find yours at your OS storage drive within

C:\Program Files (x86)\

It would be something like this

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\content\app_1669000\depot_1669001

Copy & paste the content of the depot download to the empty original game files folder.

..\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Age of Wonders 4\Config\PlatformSettings0.cfg

If you did everything correct, the game will start in the version you desired.
Remember that this only works in Steam Offline Mode and you cannot play multiplayer.