Slitherine releases Field of Glory Legions Triumphant Expansion Pack

Field of Glory Legions Triumphant (Field of Glory Expansion Pack) is now available to download from Slitherine

Relive the glory years of Rome in this latest Field of Glory expansion. Developed by Hexwar, Legions Triumphant is the fifth installment in the Field of Glory series of add-ons, following on from Rise of Rome, Storm of Arrows, Swords and Scimitars, and Immortal Fire.

The expansion releases on both PC and Mac formats and comes with a huge number of changes incorporated in the latest product update 1.5.0 which is launching alongside Legions Triumphant. Some new features coming in the 1.5.0 update include the release of the Digital Army Generator to all owners Field of Glory (including those who don’t own any expansions!), new D.A.G. army lists especially for owners of Rise of Rome, and a few more new things.

Field of Glory Legions Triumphant covers the armies of the Roman Empire and its opponents from 25 BC to 493 AD: From the first Emperor, Augustus, until the final demise of the Western Roman Empire. Legions Triumphant lets you relive the glory years of Rome, when the Roman army became a seemingly unstoppable juggernaut, spreading the Empire across the known world. This is an essential companion to the Field of Glory experience. Choose to play as the Roman Legions and conquer the world, or try to change history by taking up the reins of one of Rome's enemies and defeating the greatest empire the world had ever seen.

New features include:

• A new map selections tool. The player winning the initiative can now select their preferred battlefield.
• 14 new random maps to the D.A.G. battles system. There are now 41 small maps, 111 medium sized maps and 73 large maps in the D.A.G. system.
• 22 Legions Triumphant D.A.G. lists in 47 variations from Principate Roman to Hephthalite Hunnic.
• 15 new battles stretching from Bibracte (58BC) to Mons Badonicus (517AD)

For a short time Slitherine is also offering a 20% discount on orders.

Romance of Rome Hidden Object Game for IPhone/IPad due Feb 17

Travel to every corner of the ancient city of Rome like Coliseum, Thermae, Forum and more, collect skillfully hidden items, earn money, get original trophies and complete challenging quests to earn love and worship of Roman citizens.  - Awem Studios

Gamers get to embark on an exciting journey along with Marcus as he makes his way to Rome in order to find the emperor’s valuable imperial relics and win his daughter’s hand in marriage. Merchants encountered along the way provide special items which are purchasable by gamers.

Romance of Rome boasts of including 30 dazzling levels as well as 7 adventurous episodes. All these events are strewn across 17 stunning locations all over Rome. - G5 Entertainment

I've actually  found hidden object games a fun way to spend time waiting in lines or at doctor's offices.  They're especially fun when the game developers use a historical setting as a backdrop.  I purchased one that features a search of the Vatican and downloaded another that takes place in ancient Mesopotamia.  I'll be setting a reminder to download this one on February 17!

        

Caesary online MMORPG released by Aeria Games

Aeria Games, an online gaming company based in Japan, has released a browser-based game entitled "Caesary" that resembles one of my old favorites, Caesar III.  Apparently you can play the game online for free and does not require a download.  I wondered how the company produces revenue so I did some research and found that, although they allow players to play the game for free, they have advertising "in world" and offer game-related items for sale in virtual malls that accept micropayments.  This sounds like the type of malls you find throughout many environments created in Second Life.

Here's the official game trailer from YouTube:

"Rome" movie to offer decent series wrapup

I was browsing Steven Saylor's website today and saw a blurb about Bruno Heller working on a movie script for "Rome" to serve as a decent wrapup of the original HBO miniseries.

[Image: Ray Stevenson as Titus Pullo. Courtesy of HBO]

I am ecstatic! Like many "Rome" fans, I couldn't believe HBO made such a monumental mistake when they canceled the series. I guess HBO has come to that realization as well:

"The lavish period drama ran for two seasons on HBO, which co-produced the series with the BBC. With the final season of "The Sopranos" as its lead-in, the first season was solidly rated. But the show's hefty $100 million production cost presented the network with a tough call on the pickup. HBO opted for a second season to help get more value from its initial investment but not a third, effectively canceling the show in summer 2006 before the second season debuted the following January. The "Rome" sets were destroyed, and the actors were released from their contracts, making the network's decision all but irreversible.

But season 2 of "Rome" was a surprise. Although slightly lower rated than the first, the show did much better than HBO expected without its "Sopranos" lead-in (averaging roughly 6.5 million viewers, nearly the same as "True Blood"). Plus it won awards, which is important to a pay network that attracts subscribers by offering premium programming: Post-cancellation, the first season received four Emmy Awards, and then another seven Emmys were heaped upon the final season.

Suddenly "Rome" was a Greek tragedy: a successful show with no future. The broadcast nets quickly snatched up the show's leads for top fall pilots.

HBO executives have since admitted that axing the show probably was a mistake. - More: The Live Feed

Apparently, Heller is considering picking up the story some years later in Palestine.

"Heller would not discuss plot ideas, but the original series outline for "Rome" next called for the hedonistic Roman leaders to deal with the rise of a certain problematic rabbi -- a story line that would have put a new Roman-perspective spin on the Greatest Story Ever Told and potentially bring "Rome" a larger audience." - - More: The Live Feed

I'm not sure this tactic would attract any religious viewers (if that's what Heller means) unless Heller tones down the visceral reality factor in the series. I hope he doesn't do that, though, for the sake of broadening audience appeal. It's the gritty nature of the series that made it stand out from the syrupy visions of the ancient world of many previous sword and sandal flicks. Of course its outstanding production qualities certainly helped as well. It garnered emmys for art direction, cinematography, costumes, hair design (must have been all of those wonderfully outrageous styles and wigs worn by Atia!) and visual effects.

I also found a brief interview on MovieWeb with actor Ray Stevenson who played Pullo in the HBO miniseries indicating the script is nearing completion:

Is the Rome movie still moving ahead?

Ray Stevenson: Apparently so. It is no longer a smoke and mirrors rumor. The script is in full development. As you are probably aware, this is a pretty strange process. We could go into production in a year, or it could be as quick as six months. Who knows? It will happen. At least it is no longer a rumor. From what I have heard, they are nearing the end of script development. We shall see. We shall see.

How excited are you to go back and play Titus all over again.

Ray Stevenson: I can't wait to dust off the cobwebs of old Pullo. The guy is going to come in with a high body count. I love Pullo. I love him to pieces. I had such a great time playing him. And I got to do it in Italy and Rome. He is very special to me. He is a very special part of my history. I was very blessed to get that part. - More: MovieWeb

I'll keep my fingers crossed and my eyes peeled! 2010 looks like its going to be my kind of year with a "Rome" movie sequel, "Agora", a movie about Hypatia starring Rachel Weisz and a Spartacus series on Starz!

Comic Book Artist Brendan McGinley Tackles Roman History

For those of you who may have found reading about the Punic Wars a bit dry, you may wish to take a look at Brendan McGinley's online web comic, "Hannibal Goes to Rome". I found the graphics quite energizing and appreciate his efforts at bringing Roman history to readers who prefer a visual approach to learning!

"I've always loved comics," Brendan explains, "and comics helped me fall in love with history. I can only recommend Larry Gonick's CARTOON HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE series, which taught me gobs about Roman history! But it was my inexplicable love of Carthage that led me to write Hannibal Goes to Rome. I guess I'm just fascinated by the idea that such a prevalent culture could be swept completely off the map, and even worse -- the history books. It made me wonder what other zeniths of human society are just whispers to the wind now. "

"You really have to respect Hannibal -- love, hate or fear him, he made for some audacious history! "

Check it out:

Shadowline Web Comics

James Nares' Rome 78 screened at Anthology Film Archives in New York

Not far into Rome 78, James Nares's unlikely rendering of a sword-and-sandal costume drama on the minuscule format of Super-8 sound film, two soldiers clad in armor and togas lean against what one might generously imagine to be the walls of the Roman Senate, but is more likely a cheaply renovated East Village apartment. The pair discusses the increasingly erratic actions of Emperor Caligula without the genre's usual pseudo-Shakespearean gravitas; they sound like two deadbeat downtowners bullshitting at a bar. "

Rarely screened, Rome 78—part of this week's James Nares retro at Anthology Film Archives—has nevertheless built up its own aura over the years, no doubt due to its subcultural provenance. The cast includes a crowd that the British-born Nares remembers today as "all sort of downtown personalities": James Chance and Pat Place of the Contortions (for which Nares himself played guitar), fellow musicians John Lurie and Lydia Lunch, club heroine Patti Astor, television survivor Lance Loud, and filmmaker Eric Mitchell. Today, Nares is best known as a painter: His large-brush abstractions partake of a coolly controlled happenstance that one might faintly relate to Rome 78's more ragged insouciance.

Punctuated by in-camera flash-frames, off-kilter shots, and inappropriate laughter, Rome 78 (1978) embraces shabby-chic as a formal objective. Nares mocks up Ancient Rome by shooting in faux-classical sites like Grant's Tomb and Tribeca's American Thread Building, where a decrepit penthouse loft with a peeling-paint dome serves as an echoey stand-in for the imperial palace. The latter location required ingenuity: Posing as potential renters, Nares and associates asked the manager to show them the apartment, then unlocked the windows on the way out; a few hours later, they broke back into the space, full cast and crew in tow, to shoot the necessary scenes.

At every moment in the film, New York circa 1978 bleeds uncontrollably into a flimsy pretense of first-century Rome. Scheming courtiers allude to intrigues in Gaul, Brittany, and the Lower East Side; Mitchell chain-smokes while seducing a black-lingerie-clad Lunch on a zebra-skin rug; the Emperor himself—astonishingly portrayed by twitchy, gap-toothed ectomorph David McDermott—declares his own divinity at Grant's Tomb by screaming above the honks and engine rumbles of the West Side Highway.

Seen now, Rome 78 collapses three layers of dead civilization: The script conveys the waning days of the Roman imperium; the sets evoke the Empire State's 19th-century robber-baron capitalism; and the cast memorializes the last days of urban bohemia's counter-kingdom. "I don't think I was the first to draw a connection between the Roman Empire and the American empire," Nares states. "At that time, it really felt like things were falling apart. A real 'decline and fall' seemed very obvious, with the blocks of abandoned buildings and so forth. It was an easy call, really . . . .

"It's my only attempt at a narrative film with actors. It has its moments—quite funny at times, quite beautiful at times, too.

Europa Universalis: Rome demo now available

Europa Universalis: Rome demo is now available for download. The demo offers Rome and Carthage as the opposing civilizations engaged in the Second Punic War.

Imperium Romanum Makes Its Debut

As an educator and a history buff I was particularly excited to read about the "History mode" version of this new Roman Empire city-building title. The graphics look terrific too!

Review by Emmanuel Brown

Imperium takes up arms against the preconception of Roman city-building titles, being at once incredibly deep and historically accurate yet also streamlined and extremely user-friendly. If you're at all interested in Roman history, or indeed just want to give the strategy genre a tryout, you can do far worse than to give this some time.

So, covering all the bases then, Imperium is at heart a city-building game, pure and simple. Whilst there are three different single-player modes to get stuck into (more on those later), each one essentially boils down to laying out buildings and resources in your chosen pattern, and attempting to resolve the need for wealth and expansion whilst keeping your citizens happy and safe. It's a balancing act right away though, with even the tiniest decisions bringing about consequences further down the line.

Settlements occasionally need to be conquered		Graphical quality is excellent for a strategy title

As this is Rome that we're dealing with, the building types are all of a fairly primitive nature compared to modern cities. Basic amenities such as food and water need to be taken care of with wells, pig farms and the like, whilst clothing requires buildings such as flax farms and tailor shops. Housing is built at a primitive level initially and eventually upgrades according to the wealth of the inhabitants, which is in turn affected by a number of factors such as the surrounding area and the ability to work. Buildings in disarray due to a lack of maintenance (a constant supply of stone is important here) are at risk of catching fire, and people unable to find work will eventually turn to crime, sometimes starting the fires themselves.

As mentioned in the preview however, as this is Rome we're dealing with, it isn't just a basic way of life that needs to be provided. As your city expands and the population becomes more prosperous, other types of decorative elements take precedence in the build queue. This isn't a game simply about making everything work to a satisfactory level, it's about building an attractive and wealthy city, and basking in the results as your influence expands.

Over time your empire will grow to a considerable size, and fortunately Imperium features a decent enough interface for keeping track of everything. Numerous statistical graphs are available to sift through for problematic areas, and neglected sections of the map soon begin to take on a darker hue as citizens leave or businesses are unable to find a proper workforce. In that manner, it's always fairly obvious which neighbourhoods need attention, and issues can normally be cured with the addition of whatever resource is lacking in that particular area.

Fires can be dealt with in a couple of different ways		Seems familiar...

Of course none of this comes for free, and you'll need a constant supply of Denarii (the game's overall currency) in order to keep building new structures, and to fund expansion. Taxation is a key element here, with wealthy citizens providing more resources for the public coffers, whilst trade routes can also be examined, and goods bought and sold outside of the city. Completing goals such as attracting a particular number of people to your city, or keeping the satisfaction rating above a certain level, also brings about financial rewards from the senate.

There are three play modes available by default, with each one offering up a different approach to the core subject matter. History mode is perhaps the most interesting, starting off at the beginning of the Roman timeline with the foundations of the great city by Romulus and Remus in 509BC, and continues to develop all the way through to 120AD. Branching paths are offered as your city builds, taking in most of the major events throughout Roman history. Playing through this mode is as educating as it is challenging, with points of interest narrated and explained as you build up the might of Rome in an accurate fashion.

'Rome' mode recreates the basic layout of the titular city and terrain, minus some of the important historical buildings. It'll be your job to recreate each of these, building up resources and keeping the population happy along the way. Each task is delegated with the unique 'tablet' system (in use throughout all storyline modes), with players able to take as many as three simultaneous goals at any time, or keep it to a single focus if so desired. Finally, the Scenario mode allows you the option of a starting plot in a number of cities spread throughout Italy and the empire, and allows you to build your own city entirely from scratch. Each map offers up a varying difficulty level in the form of resource availability and frequency of attack from barbarian tribes.

You'll end up proud of your city		The gladiator arena is a central piece in any larger city

And on that note, unfortunately the conflict with barbarians is where the majority of the problems lie with Imperium. Combat simply isn't well-developed, with a paltry selection of formations, and none of the standard control options of even a basic RTS game. You simply build squadrons of soldiers, archers or mounted soldiers, and send them to a specific place on the map. From that point it's literally a case of choosing attack or retreat, and success largely depends on numerical advantages. Whilst combat can be scaled back to a point that it's completely non-essential, it would have been nice to have seen an increased focus in this area. After all, Rome was build on a legacy of war and military might, not just the incredible development of civic services and societal improvements.

Also, it's worth noting here that Imperium is definitely not a game for those that like to get into micro-management detail. Many of the more laborious tasks are simply glossed over, with workers going about their business automatically, citizens assigning themselves to jobs, and in general the only intervention needed in your city will be to build new units and study the balance sheets. This is both a positive and negative aspect depending on how you look at strategy games. On a personal note, I couldn't be more happy that the microscopic detail takes care of itself, as I'd rather be free to concentrate on the overall picture, however, some hardcore players will definitely be in danger of feeling like the game plays on auto-pilot at times.

Overall though it's difficult to fault the blending of elements on offer here. Graphical detail is excellent on high-level systems, whilst the engine is flexible enough to scale down to more modest rigs with ease. The level of historical detail on offer will be enviable to even the more established franchises, and whilst Imperium doesn't do anything to reinvent the genre as a whole, it's certainly a well-refined product that's worth a look to veteran players.

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by Emmanuel Brown

Europa Universalis: Rome to be released April 2008

This game will encompass the years 280 BC through 27 BC. Producer Johan Andersson describes the games and its features:

"The Roman era depicts some of the greatest cultural and military civilizations that have ever existed. We felt there was so much more of this era to explore, and that the time period lends itself perfectly to the type of deep and challenging strategy we have specialized in. In addition, we are all fans of the era, which helps immensely, since we will be well familiar with every inch of it after finalizing this project....There will be more than 50 playable nations ranging from Rome itself to smaller Gallic tribes. Of course, we have nations like Carthage, Egypt, and Macedonia as well. We chose 280 BC as our starting point because there was a type of balance between several major nations at that time, and essentially any of those major nations could have created an empire similar to that of Rome. Players will have different resources, geographical locations, characters, and governments at their disposal, which will define their strengths and the capabilities of the nations.

Players can set up trade routes to get access to other resources, appoint characters to various positions in their nation, elect different national ideas depending on their government type...and [they'll have] many more options. The outcome of Europa Universalis: Rome will completely depend on players' strategic and tactical choices.

There are six different units available in the game: militia (standard peasant levy); heavy infantry (such as the legionary); archers (missile troops, such as slingers); cavalry; horse archers (Parthians); and elephant cavalry.

The 3D map and improved terrain adds substantially to the look and feel of the game, and in some instances it will play into [certain] strategies. It's more difficult to open trade routes if your nations are separated by mountains, or to wage war over sea, unless you have a strong fleet. What will be visible to players will depend greatly on the strategies applied.

We've found what we believe is the perfect balance between a game with great strategic depth and scope, as well as a certain degree of complexity type, and a game that is easier for players to get into. We've also seen the importance of an intuitive interface, as that means gameplay can be kept intelligent and challenging at the same time as it can be welcoming to new players."

Caligula Imperial Edition an Imperial Disappointment

For a number of years I have heard about the squabble over the lack of an X-rating for "Caligula" a movie based on a script by Gore Vidal. With such luminary actors as Malcolm McDowell, Peter O'Toole, Helen Mirren, and John Gielgud, I couldn't imagine it could be anywhere close to a modern rating of "X". When the Imperial Edition was released I couldn't help but see for myself so I pre-ordered it on Amazon.

Unfortunately, I watched the unrated edition first and was revolted by the inclusion of gratuitous sex scenes that had no purpose at all to advance the plot. The wardrobe department must have scrounged costumes from some old follies show and Vidal must not have spent much time reviewing historical accounts of the period either since there actually was a time when Caligula first ascended the thrown that he was reasonable to an extent and was generally liked by the Roman mob. I also think a contextual background would have helped viewers to understand why Caligula spun out of control when given the chance to be the most powerful man on earth. Of course I was particularly irritated by the opening statement about "Pagan Rome" inferring that the events would not have happened if Rome had been Christian at the time. Oh, please!!! The brutality of Christian Rome could match that of Pagan Rome blow for blow!

I did enjoy reading about the background of the making of this "epic":

"Caligula is the stuff, or rather the spunk, of legend. The 1979 epic T&A-fest is based on real-life legend: the rapid ascendancy and downfall of Roman Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (“Little Boots” for short). Caligula is also a Hollywood legend, revered and ridiculed from the moment of its cinematic conception. The film’s production history is difficult to piece together, but goes something like this:

Gore Vidal wrote a screenplay. Unable to secure adequate funding, he appealed to Penthouse founder Bob Guccione. Fiduciary aid was provided on one condition—that Caligula take the orgy to the next level. Vidal accepted Emperor Guccione’s demands. Italian director Tinto Brass, of Salon Kitty (1976) fame, signed on. Danilo Donati, a favorite of Fellini’s, was hired to construct ostentatious sets and render trompe l’oeil backgrounds. An all-star cast was assembled. Debaucheries were orchestrated and shot. Chaos soon descended. Guccione championed the inclusion of several minutes of hard-core pornography. Vidal and Brass both renounced the film, at different times and for different reasons. Malcolm McDowell has described his experience of Caligula as rape-like. Helen Mirren has more positively invoked an acid trip."- by Sarah Kessler, The Brooklyn Rail

Last Legion suffers from Weak Lead and Weak Director

Well, I saw The Last Legion on Saturday afternoon and must admit, even though I wasn't expecting a lot, it was still a bit of a disappointment. It was supposedly based on Manfredi's book but the screenwriter used only the beginning and the end and skipped all of the hair raising journey across Gaul and narrow escapes from Wulfila. Kevin McKidd's screen intensity as Wulfila outshone almost everyone else and instead of capitalizing on it, the director chose to limit his screen time and spend an inordinate amount of time focusing on the PG-13 adolescent fencing between Aurelius and the woman warrior, Mira.

I'm afraid I also found Colin Firth less than charismatic and his performance rather lackluster. There was no sense of comradeship with little band of men and not enough screen development of each member of the group to generate pathos when one of them died.

The young man that played Romulus Augustulus, Thomas Sangster, was good and those piercing eyes should serve him well if he should make acting a long term career choice. I see he already has quite a start on an impressive filmography even at his young age.

Although a little low key at times, Ben Kingsley did a good job as Ambrosinus/Merlin and could join the ranks of Liam Neeson and Ian McKellen as a believable "wise mentor" figure. Indian actress Aishwarya Rai was beautiful and quite physically energetic despite the confines of a PG-13 script. It's just too bad she didn't have someone to play opposite that could engender more screen chemistry.

I'm disappointed that Alexander Siddig, another fine actor as evidenced by his turn in Syriana, was given practically a cameo role as the Byzantine ambassador who was quickly dispatched after revealing that the emperor of the East had chosen to recognize Odoacer rather than give refuge to the boy Romulus. And, John Hannah was totally miscast as complicit Senator Nestor. In fact, a friend of mine said she wondered if his death scene was supposed to be humorous!

As for director, Doug Lefler, he'd better not give up his day job as a storyboard artist.

The Last Legion promoters gearing up for August release

The marketing blitz for "The Last Legion" has started with the release of it's official movie poster.

"Rome, 476AD. The Roman Empire is under threat. A mighty force for almost 500 years, at its height Rome’s power spread from Mesopotamia in the east to the Iberian peninsula in the west, from the Rhine and Danube in the north to Egypt in the south. This story follows the events surrounding the historical capture of Romulus Augustus and his imprisonment on the island of Capri.

On the eve of the ceremony to crown twelve-year-old Romulus Augustus as the new emperor, the Barbarian general Odoacer arrives in Rome to make a deal with Orestes, patrician and father of the young Caesar. Odoacer makes demands on the power of the Roman Empire, in fair exchange for his decade-long support of the Roman legions in the east. Orestes refuses.

On the day of the coronation, as the whole of Rome gathers to watch the proceedings, Ambrosinus, the shaman who is a mentor and tutor to Romulus, predicts danger. Orestes is worried for his son’s safety and appoints Aurelius, the tribune of the fourth legion, as his personal guard. That night Aurelius and his legionnaires are confronted by a real danger—Odoacer and his army of Goths have returned to the outskirts of Rome to conquer the city.

With a deafening roar, the Barbarian army storm the city. A terrible battle ensues, the brutal invaders show no mercy and blood flows through the streets.

With Orestes and his wife Julia slaughtered, Romulus is captured along with Ambrosinus and both are taken to the island fortress of Capri built by the emperor Tiberius. It is there that Romulus finds the mythical sword of Caesar that holds the prophecy ‘One edge to defend, one to defeat; In Britannia was I forged…to fit the hand of he...who is destined to rule’."

I read the book by Valerio Manfredi and found it well paced and the characters better developed than those in Manfredi's previous books. Of course I'm also anxious to see Kevin McKidd, our dear Vorenus from HBO's Rome, playing the relentless villain, Wulfila. This film is scheduled for an August 17 release in the US.

History Channel and maker of "Legion" team up for "Great Battles of Rome"

"With a name like The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome, it's not too difficult to figure out what this game is about. Developed by Slitherine Software, Great Battles of Rome is a tactical battle simulator that lets you control Roman legions in battle against their many foes. Like Slitherine's previous games, Great Battles of Rome focuses just on battles. There's no strategic layer that presents you with a map of the Roman world, so you don't have to worry about moving armies around the map or managing cities. All you have to worry about is managing your army, both in and between battles.

There will be more than 100 battles in the game, divided among 14 Roman campaigns. They're all linear, too, so you must win a battle in order to progress to the next one. Most battles will be won and lost in the planning phase, before the fighting even begins. During the planning phase, you deploy your troops onto the battlefield, taking into account terrain and tactics. You'll then give them initial orders and formations for when the battle starts. For instance, you might want infantry to hold in place, and cavalry to move forward and charge. Your opening moves and stances will be critical, because once the battle begins you won't be able to micromanage it. Instead, you'll have only a limited number of points, which you can use to issue orders. That's to model the difficulty of generals to manage a battle once it has begun.

Should you win the battle, you'll move on to the army management screen, which lets you recruit and customize squads. You can control up to 20 different squads, consisting of more than 20 troop types. There are infantry, cavalry, archers, and whatever else you'd expect from this era in history, such as elephants. You earn gold for winning battles, and you can use it to purchase new squads, replace losses in existing squads, pay for specialized training for squads, or buy better weapons and equipment for your troops. The amount of customization and training is extensive, so you can really make your squads feel like your own. Once everything is set up the way you want, you'll launch into the next battle.

The battles are historically based, so you may battle Germanic barbarians in the North or campaign in much warmer climes. Each battle presents a different tactical challenge thanks to the terrain. Rough terrain might make things difficult for mounted units and ideal for infantry, while open terrain reverses the situation. Woods or hills might create obstacles that can be used to your advantage. You'll also need to study the composition of the enemy force and its deployments. If you see a weakness in their lines, figure a way to exploit it. You don't need to kill everyone in order to win a battle. That rarely happens in history. Instead, you just need to kill enough of them to make the survivors panic and flee."

Playmobil's version of the Roman Empire displayed in Belgium

Playmobil does its best to introduce little ones to the Roman Empire at a young age:

"If you haven't heard of Playmobil then take me to your leader so that I can persuade him not to destroy this helpless planet of ours. Space exploration is one of the only aspects of human existence not covered by the Playmobil Expo in Verviers. Displayed on three floors of the former Wool Factory, dramas have been re-enacted behind Perspex, case after case lit with colour and character(s).

A small boy ran around the Roman Empire exhibit incongruously uttering modern sounds of war while other children followed a quiz set by the organisers; one little girl was clearly tired of quizzing her little brother on the characters' occupations – "No, he's obviously a plumber!"

Dutifully, I visited each and every display, stepping with ease from the Arctic to the Sahara, travelling from ancient Egyptian to the Viking era, leaping from a pirate galleon to a 747. But I stopped dead in my tracks – as did every male of every height – at the panorama that was the Wild West."

Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising slated for Summer 07 completion

Recently the folks at Gamespot had a chance to try out the developing combat system driving the upcoming game "Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising".

"Sony Online Entertainment and Perpetual Entertainment want you to start thinking about the upcoming Gods & Heroes not as a massively multiplayer role-playing game but as an action adventure massively multiplayer role-playing game. That's because the style of gameplay in Gods & Heroes is inspired by fighting such games as Mortal Kombat. When you attack something in Gods & Heroes, it looks like you're actually attacking it, and that translates into a much more intense feel to the combat." - Game spot

What I thought was particularly interesting is the inclusion of a character builder:

Characters can only be human, but you can choose a gender and a class, including gladiator, soldier, priest, and healer. The class that you select will determine which two Roman gods you can choose from to worship, and that will play a significant role throughout the game. After that, you can customize the appearance of your character, from various facial features using sliders (such as the size of eyes, the separation distance between them, and their color), to hairstyle, body build, skin tone, and more. In no time flat, we made a sleek female Roman soldier, as well as an albino male gladiator. - Gamespot

Real World Places in Second Life: Ancient Rome

This sounds like great fun! I also like the learning potential of such a simulation. I had written to the producers of the Caesar III PC game and suggested they incorporate some of the features Mr. Golding has incorporated into his sim like being able to attend a play once you have built a theater in your virtual city, being able to attend a chariot race if you have added a hippodrome, or being able to watch a gladiator match. Mr. Golding has all of these activities included in his sim as well as the ability to drive a chariot or be a gladiator!


The Click Heard Round The World: "Torin Golding's outstanding sim called simply 'Roma' is a feast for the senses and a powerful demonstration of the potential for virtual environments to immerse you in historic places.

Upon arrival at the Roma "customs house", you are presented with a number of orientation materials as well as a free toga to help you fit in better, and get into the spirit of the locale.

Roma is a no-fly zone, so bring your walking sandals and a good map or be prepared to get lost. There are handy "magic fountains" everywhere, which when touched rez fancy litters that transport you to various spots on the sim. You can also wear a free HUD map of the city, that helped me in my meanderings.

The sim is dominated by a giant legion fortress and official structures that rise high atop the Palatine Hill. There's also a wharf area, marketplace, museum, and lush gardens.

Lots of nice accents add to the immersiveness and context of what you are experiencing. Clicking on the red markers on various sites brings up notecards that give you historical background on the structures around you. Legionaires, Roman citizens and gladiators walking around greet you with a hearty "Ave!" as you pass by. I learned more than I thought I would at the museum on Palatine Hill, which features an exhibition on sexual mores in Roman times.

You can do things you only imagined doing in the real life Rome, like climbing Trajan's column! There's a free "play" you can watch in the amphitheater, which is quite cleverly done using text, images and sound. There's action afoot in the chariot races. You can also enter the gladiator pit and duke it out with other would-be warriors. Or sit in the stands and render judgement with a thumbs up or down."