Civilization IV to introduce religion management

(Gamespot)"How does religion work, exactly? Do you have to research an individual religion before you can convert to it, much like you had to research different government types in earlier Civ games? And once you have religion, how do you defend against encroaching religions so they don't convert your cities?"

(Barry Caudill, Civ IV's senior producer) "The first person to discover certain technologies will find the religion associated with that technology, so you don't have to have the technology to convert. The easiest way to keep other people's missionaries out of your territory is by eliminating any open border treaties you might have. That would mean that the missionary unit could not cross your border without its owner declaring war first. Keeping your religion strong by aggressively building religious buildings and being aggressive in pushing your own religion with missionaries will also help."

Tin Soldiers: Alexander the Great

"Tin Soldiers: Alexander the Great? is wargaming with a classic style. Easy to learn but difficult to master, it places you in the role of Alexander the Great during his conquest of the known world. Guide Alexander through his grand campaign from inheriting his father's legacy at the battle of Thebes to his conquest of Darius III and the Persian Empire through his last great battle at the Hydaspes, in the heart of Asia against the Indian army of King Porus.


Tin Soldiers: Alexander the Great? is pioneering many new and exciting features. Favoring the grandeur and hand crafted look of miniature figures we are eschewing the current gaming trend toward ultra realism. Our artists spend their time drawing hundreds of individually adorned soldiers rather than countless hours animating clones of identically clad animations scratching their backsides! The game plays like a beautiful miniatures battle from the historical units down to the table terrain, but with the advantages of a computer opponent and a more dynamic turn structure.

Tin Soldiers: Alexander the Great? is indeed turn based, but with a twist. We have developed an engine for simultaneous turn based strategy. A player does not take turns with his opponents, instead each opponent plans out their strategy and issues orders to their units simultaneously, then presses a play button and the battle rages as all the units execute their orders for that turn in unison - just like RTS, but for the twitch impaired. In addition, our unique "reaction" system enables mid-turn adjustments to battle strategy.

The campaign unfolds with 3D panoramas of the different battlefields. The battle scenarios and troop placements are based on real historic events with entertaining, educational, and non-fiction cut-scene storytelling. More than just a set of separate battles, the campaign allows you to make decisions in between battles on which units to reinforce, whether to recruit new units and how many of your resources to focus on training. Commanders can be replaced and "battle cards" with a variety of game effects can be stockpiled against future need. Fight as Alexander as you face off against Greeks, Persians, Egyptians and the Indian Army with its Elephants."

Tin Soldiers: Julius Caesar

Matrix Games"Tin Soldiers: Julius Caesar brings a completely new 3D engine into the battle, allowing users to zoom in, out, and rotate the map for a better view of the battlefield. The artwork overhaul features over 100 different replicas of hand-painted miniatures, including the fearsome legions of Caesar himself. On the inside of the game the AI has been overhauled as well to support a variety of battle formations while the legions of Caesar have been expanded from the normal block of four units to a more powerful block of six. This allows you to replicate the power and strength the Roman legions possessed.

* The complete conquests of Julius Caesar including his Gallic War campaign (58 B.C.E. to 50 B.C.E) and the Roman Civil War (49 B.C.E. to 44 B.C.E.)
* 14 battles including: Helvetii, Ariovistus, Britain, Gergovia, Nervii, Avaricum, Alesia, Ilerda, Dyrrachium, Pharsalus, Egypt, Zela, Thapsus and Munda
* Complete your conquest through a non-linear campaign
* Historic battlefields and units
* Fully rendered in beautiful 3D with free camera rotation
* Based on a unique miniature tabletop look and game play
* Fast action rules with support for legions and legion formation
* Command the entire army of Julius Caesar with an emphasis on tactical warfare
* Objective-based scenarios giving you the opportunity to defend, capture and assassinate your opponents
* Over 150 individually detailed units from Caesar?s famous Legion X to the tribes of Gaul
* Modern AI that is the master of tactical strategy ? adjusts to three levels of difficulty
* Internet/LAN multiplayer support"

Walkthru Models of Roman Architecture Available Online

I came across a marvelous site with 3D models of hundreds of buildings from around the world. Some of the Roman buildings included:

The Pantheon:

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Pantheon.html

The Colosseum:

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Roman_Colosseum.html

The Tomb of Caecilia Metella:

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Tomb_of_Caecilia_Metella.html

To walk through these models you need to download free software:

http://www.artifice.com/dw_lite.html

When I have some time to explore the software even more I hope to be able to use my photographs that I took in Italy in March to map detail onto the models I have downloaded. I have also contacted the coordinator for the site to see if they are interested in including my images in their collection. I would still control the copyright and I have granted free use for educational and non-commercial use.

My photosets:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44124324682@N01/sets/

TunisUSA offers reasonably priced tours of Carthage and other Roman sites

My trip to Rome must have really stirred up my wanderlust. I keep finding websites describing fascinating tours of ancient Roman sites. Here's another one:

TunisUSA is offering a seven night package concentrating on the northern portion of Tunisia and the legacy of the Roman period. The adventure includes a visit to the Bardo Museum.

"Housed in a former palace of the Ottoman Bey, the Bardo houses a world-class collection of mosaics, along with many remains found in sites throughout Tunisia."

It also includes Bulla Regia and Dougga.

"Dating from the fourth century, BC, Bulla Regia has beautifully preserved underground villas, built to provide an escape from the hot summers. Dougga is Tunisia's largest Roman site, covering some sixty acres. Known as the city of temples, its existence is thought to date back to the 4th century B.C."

You will also have the opportunity to visit the Roman coliseum of El Jem.

"Known in Punic and Roman times as Thysdrus, the approach to El Jem offers a scene of contrasts, due to the setting of the site amidst the barren and simple surroundings of the present day town. The coliseum appears better preserved than the one in Rome and certainly, has seen far less numbers of tourists over the years."

At a price of $1,695 including all meals, lodging, transportation, and admissions for eight days, it's a pretty reasonable excursion.

"Hercules movie for TV keeps monsters but cuts gods

Well, I tried to stay awake for the three-hour movie "Hercules" on NBC last night but couldn't quite make it. Despite its length, the effort suffered from some inadequate story background. To set the stage for the animosity between Hercules father Amphitryon and his mother Alcmene, I think it would have been better to begin the film a little earlier with a few scenes of their relationship or that of their families. Also, I think the film gives the uninitiated an erroneous understanding of the conflict between Zeus and Hera. It portrayed the events as a rivalry between them for ultimate control of the universe when Hera's actions were, once again, merely reaction to Zeus' eternal philandering. Someone who knew nothing about Greek mythology wouldn't even know they were actually husband and wife from the ravings of the characters in the film.

The young actor selected to portray Hercules had a decent physique but still resembled a "pretty" surfer boy instead of the mature Hercules portrayed in all the sculptures I saw on my trip to Rome. He was obviously chosen to appeal to the younger demographic with exposure to the Kevin Sorbo television series.

My favorite character was Chiron but in this tale, Chiron was not immortal and was killed in battle. I was also dissatisfied with the apparent lack of blame Hercules expressed when he learned that he had been affected by a potion when he killed his sons. Throughout the film we are given glimpses of Hercules problem with his temper and the deadly results but somehow he never seems to comes to terms with his own shortcomings in any meaningful way. I would hate to think that children would come away from this movie with an assumption that when you do something inappropriate it really isn't your fault. I also thought the villification of Alcmene and Megara was a poor method to use to avoid the depiction of the interventions by Olympic gods and goddesses. Much like the movie "Troy", the Olympians are mentioned by main characters, but they are given no substance so viewers can simply discredit their existence.

Costumes for ancient-themed parties

Want to own your very own expandable Asp armband or a headpiece that resembles at least Hollywood's version of something that possibly adorned the locks of Cleopatra? (It looks like you might even double for Helen of Troy!) All Costumes might be just the site for you. Their offerings include a variety of ancient-themed wear for your next toga party from a Roman tunic to a gown inspired by Greek goddesses.

Greek Hoplite joins Ignite figure lineup

Ignite Industrial Co., Ltd."Hoplites were the heavy infantry of the Greek city-states who fought in the columnar formation of the phalanx. Fighting in mass was hardly original ycenean and Near Eastern armies had done that for centuries. But from the eighth century b.c. , the Greeks of the polis (city-state) refined the earlier loosely organized mob into neater lines and files, each propertied citizen now claiming an equal slot in the phalanx, a seat in the council chamber, and a plot in the countryside."

The Ignite figure features a real metal muscle cuirass, Corinthian helmet, sword, and greaves along with a spear with a real metal spear point. The preferred customer preorder price at Michigan Toy Soldier has been quoted at $63.70 plus $8.50 shipping.

God of War (PS2) released

Winnipeg Sun: "You are cast (and cast is the best word, since the game is truly cinematic in its production values) as Kratos, a skilled and ruthless general in the Spartan army who strikes a deal with Ares, the god of war: Help me win a battle against a barbarian horde, and I'll be your willing servant forever.

But Ares turns Kratos into his earthly one-man killing machine, and only after the scarred, smooth-pated warrior has spilled oceans of innocent blood does he finally rebel against his master and embark on an epic quest to track down and slay a god.

As you travel from Athens to the home of the gods themselves, you'll fight mythic Greek monsters like minotaurs, harpies, medusae, cyclops, sirens, cerberuses (cerburi?) and legions of undead soldiers. The creatures are so radically different from one another that you'll quickly learn which weapons, magic and tactics are the most effective against each."

Sega announces Spartan: Total Warrior to be released on Xbox on XBox

TotalVideoGames.com "Sega of Europe has today announced that they have signed a deal with Total War developers Creative Assembly to publish the team?s forthcoming console title, Spartan: Total Warrior.

The game, which is set for release on Xbox, PlayStation2 and GameCube in September 2005, switches the action away from the strategy PC franchise to a third-person action/adventure strategy game set in the battles of the Roman Empire."

If the game is set in the battles of the Roman Empire, I wonder why they are calling the game "Spartan: Total Warrior" since the Spartans were Greeks?

Midway Announces Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War

Midway : "Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War is the latest creation from award-winning developer Stainless Steel Studios and renowned game designer Rick Goodman. Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War is a detailed real-time strategy game that lets players completely command one of the four mightiest empires of the ancient world: Greece, Rome, Egypt, and Persia. Rise & Fall allows players to fight alongside their troops as one of history's eight greatest heroes, and bring victory to their nation on the battlefield.

'Stainless Steel Studios is known for creating revolutionary, real-time strategy games that appeal to a worldwide audience,' said David F. Zucker, president and chief executive officer of Midway. 'This relationship and the upcoming launch of Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War will further establish Midway in the premium PC market.'

'We are very excited to be working with Midway, a publisher who is truly committed to creating the highest quality games in the industry,' said Rick Goodman, president of Stainless Steel Studios. 'With its unprecedented gameplay, historical accuracy and unique elements, Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War will be one of the most ambitious RTS games to date.'"

Roma Victor nears release

Roma Victor for PC at GameSpot: "Formally known as Gladius Online, Roma Victor is a role-playing game set in Europe during the heyday of the Roman Empire."

The Settlers: Heritage of Kings to be released this month

GameSpot: "The Settlers: Heritage of Kings will take place in a world that tends more to the medieval than to the mythological, along with a form of 'credible magic'. The maps will incorporate active terrain that includes things like changing weather and seasons as well as smaller environmental details, like forests populated with deer and ranging wolves. Resources that you can collect will include iron (used to help build your military), stone (used to help build towns and important structures), sulfur (used in the art of alchemy, which is akin to magic), and silver. Working serfs will collect resources as well as construct buildings; they'll also carry out other tasks. There will be 70 different kinds of buildings and 40 different kinds of people present in the game. Serfs will indicate their needs, like food and rest, via thought bubbles that will appear above their heads, in addition to making verbal utterances. The closer your workers are to their sources of food and shelter, the more efficiently they will work.

There will be 20 dynamic scenarios in the game, and there will be multiple successful paths you can take to complete your missions, including engaging your enemies in battle. If you've built a barracks, you'll be able to recruit leaders who will, in turn, recruit squads of troops for you. Types of troops will include men who use swords, spears, and bows and cavalry and artillery units. In addition, there will be 'hero' units that possess special abilities. You'll be able to train your troops at your barracks as well, increasing their levels and making them more successful in combat. Certain characters will also have the ability to use alchemy, which can actually be used to predict the weather. Weather will affect troop movement. So, for example, a cold, wintry setting will cause bodies of water, like rivers, to freeze, thus allowing your men to cross them quickly."

It's Alexander Madness!

It's Alexander Madness!Alexander is the officially licensed real-time strategy PC game tied to Oliver Stone?s upcoming ?Alexander? movie starring Colin Farrell.

Integrating exclusive footage from the motion picture, the game immerses players in the era of Alexander the Great.

Like Alexander, players will face the challenges of managing vast resources, a multitude of units, buildings and advancements, while his enemies always seem to have more of everything.

Blood will be spilt on the battlefield and honor will be put to the test, as the courage and cunning of each decision will determine success.

Triumph in epic real-time battles using formations, morale, and authentic battle tactics.

On sale now for only $9.90

Rome Total War Patch provides tool to script and "film" battles

DailyGame.net: "I notice that the new 1.2 version patch for Activision's Rome Total War includes several new developer tools that allow players to create their own battles, script said battles and create custom videos of those battles. This provides a wonderful opportunity for history educators to produce their own versions of battle sequences like those broadcast by the History Channel in their Decisive Battle series."

The Eye Of Isis and Mystery of the Mummy on sale

GoGamer Madness!GoGamer has been offering quite a few games featuring ancient themes in their 48-hour madness specials lately. Today I received an email notice of two more ancient adventure games offered for less than half price and I haven't even received my shipment of the two others I ordered earlier this week.

This time it's the Eye of Isis and Mystery of the Mummy, both titles are adventure games published by Dreamcatcher.

"Curse is a game that will take you from grim Victorian London, to the inside of an ancient Egyptian pyramid. And everywhere in between.

On the way, the very objects around you will make attempts on your life, and only you, with help from your friend and cohort Victoria Sutton, the beautiful clairvoyant, can return the statuette and stop the evil.

But not all of humanity welcomes your intervention. Ruthless henchmen, led by the vicious Mullins, have their own plans for the statuette and are a dangerous complication in an already highly perilous mission.

Hordes of living dead inhabit the game, all reanimated in horrific ways by the awesome power of the Curse, and their hideous monster masters are screaming for their chance to destroy you.

And, if these foes aren?t enough to deter you, the Curse itself has a surprise in store... "

In Mystery of the Mummy, you "become Sherlock Holmes as you embark on a remarkable adventure. Investigate a mysterious case, full of suspense, of the disappearance of a famous archaeologist and a valuable Egyptian Mummy, in turn-of-the-century England.

What begins as a simple case quickly becomes a web of intrigue, robbery, priceless artifacts, and potentially, a murder.

Inspired by the writings and characters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. An involving storyline in true Sherlock Holmes style.

Wonderfully appointed, atmospheric and graphically detailed mansion. 5 different levels of gameplay.

Many rooms to search, all uniquely decorated and furnished. Numerous interesting objects to search for, collect and use during gameplay.

Exceptional puzzles of differing complexity. Interesting characters to interact with."

It's Riddle Of The Sphinx 2: Omega Stone now only $9.90

It's Riddle Of The Sphinx 2: Omega Stone Madness!After years of digging, noted archaeologist, Sir Gil Blythe Geoffreys uncovered a secret chamber and an ancient papyrus scroll overlooked for centuries that revealed the whereabouts of a treasure sought after throughout the millennia, the Ark of the Covenant.

Further exploration led to the discovery of another prophetic scroll, the contents of which unravels an ominous mystery.

Sir Gil Blythe Geoffreys, calls on you to lead the exploration and examination of the origins of this sacred scroll, whose symbols point to cultures of great intelligence and refined intellects.

Features
Stunningly realistic 3D replications of the world?s most mysterious sites including Chichen Itza, Stonehenge, Easter Island, Devil?s Triangle including Bimni, and the ruins of Atlantis.

Unrestricted access and exploration of archaeological sites currently off limits to tourists. A haunting original score evoking the unique but primitively similar spirit of each environment.

Real-time environmental effects.. rain, sun, water, with full 360° environment exploration. Over 50 hours of immersive gameplay with puzzles and challenges throughout.

Uncompromising graphical details. Breathtaking underwater dive scenes and exploration. Historically and archaeologically accurate reference material at each location.

Egyptian Prophecy now only $9.90

It's Egyptian Prophecy Madness!: "Ramses II is dying and with him the glory of Egypt shall fall. Amon-Ra, the Sun-God, promises to extend his life in exchange for the most magnificent temple ever built.

Trouble is not far away as the building site for the temple is affected by a number of sinister incidents.

Maia, a young priestess, must solve the mystery behind these events and save the life of the Pharaoh.

Features
Travel along the Nile and explore magnificent locations and monuments such as Karnak, Memphis, and the labyrinth of Ptah.

Interact with various characters and encounter Egyptian gods, including Osiris, Seth, Isis and Ptah.

Decipher an array of intriguing 3D real-time puzzles set in breath-taking environments.

Easily concoct sacred potions and perform ancient Egyptian rituals using the customized game interface and inventory.

Scour the in-game encyclopedia for historically accurate information on rituals, ancient monuments and artifacts, and Egyptian mythology."

Hadrian's Wall model

Hadrian's Wall: Geoblox offers a free download of a section of Hadrian's wall.

"At this scale, you will need 79 wall segments to make one Roman mile. To build the whole wall you would need 6400 models stretching 6/10 of a mile!" this picture shows one of the turrets although the free download is just the wall.

A book containing the complete wall along with other models from the ancient world for reproduction in the classroom is available for $26.

The Gallo-Roman Town of Glanum: Scale Architectual Paper Model

by Jean-Marie Lemaire and Anne-Marie Piaulet: "A precision three-dimensional paper model of the reconstructed town of Glanum, which is unique in the world. The roofs of the baths and that of one of the houses lift off to offer an insight of the interior layouts. An illustrated text gives historical information and step by step instructions for assembly, in English, French, German and Italian. There are 30 colored sheets to cut-out in order to build the model (scale 1:200, base 17.5 x 39.5 inches, height 6 inches)."