Comments on: Age of Empires (1997)

By: Bruce Shelley a Hall of Famer

Bruce Shelley a Hall of Famer — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:43:59 +0000

[...] Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. I spoke to Mr. Shelley a few weeks ago, and he was very generous with his time when I was writing my series on ancient games. [...]

By: Nobody Likes You When You’re Strange

Nobody Likes You When You’re Strange — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:49:45 +0000

[...] Bruce Shelley noted in my interview with him regarding Age of Empires, people know what an archer is for and that swords are better than clubs. You might not know [...]

By: Troy

Troy — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:50:41 +0000

I just don’t think of it as an ancients game. It’s just pretending to be one, isn’t it? It's an ancients themed game, just like Caesar and Centurion were. To a great extent, as far as games are concerned this time period more than any other (except maybe the middle ages) is all about trappings more than truth, spectacle more than specifics. Games are always pretending to be something they are not, after all.

By: roberton

roberton — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:46:26 +0000

Good article, as usual.

I’d forgotten just how innovative it was when it came out. And I like your point about how it stood out in the RTS rush of the nineties. I definitely think it deserved its success.

One minor “nit” though; within your series of Ancients games AoE stands out to me (and maybe only me!) as being the odd one out. I just don’t think of it as an ancients game. It’s just pretending to be one, isn’t it?

Roberto/.

By: Troy

Troy — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:30:00 +0000

I’m with both of you on AoM. It’s one of my favorite RTSes of all time, and it shows how Ensemble can really cut loose with the crazy when they want to. It is a beautiful design in so many ways, with two separate interlocking rock/paper/scissors circles. Not to mention just how different all of the nations played.

By: Natus

Natus — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 01:44:27 +0000

Great article. I’ve been frustrated, as my Natus vs Tom knockdown-drag-outs years ago would indicate, with Ensemble’s inability to keep patching and tuning their games years after publication, but damn! I’m still playing them! I can sneer at AoE3:tAD’s menagerie of strange animals that fight for you, but it’s still a great game, and I get a charge out of them like no other game.

I agree with Jason. AoM for the win!