Caesar IV
Encyclopedia
Caesar IV is a city-building game
set in ancient Rome
, developed by Tilted Mill Entertainment
. The game was released on September 26, 2006 in North America
. The game features a three-dimensional
game engine
and individual modeling of game character behaviors
.
Like its original release Caesar
in 1993, the game simulates city administration in historical Rome. Like its sibling release Children of the Nile in 2004, the game continues a new trend in the city building game genre
to use more interactive and detailed game design
and play
.
A demo was released by Tilted Mill on August 16, 2006.
3D. This means more realistic landscapes and city views, and the ability for players to better see and use game building space. In addition, buildings and roads may be placed at 45 degree angles to the playing grid, as well as aligned with the grid, allowing game players more options in creating efficient and visually appealing city layouts.
, the game tries to stay as close to proper Roman lifestyles as possible. To this end, Sierra
Games did detailed research
into Roman lifestyles using secondary sources and primary sources.
: "Kingdom
", "Republic
" and "Empire
". The Kingdom part is a tutorial, while the Republic and Empire parts make up the campaign, where one can choose between peaceful and military assignments.
There are still five more scenarios that are sandboxes: Amida
, Corduba, Cyrene
, Djedu and Roma
. The last is only available for people who pre-ordered the game directly from Tilted Mill Entertainment
. In all these scenarios the rank that is used is "Quaestor
". There is also a level editor
available for the game.
problems and repetitive game play. Positive aspects mentioned were the visually appealing 3D graphics and professional sound and music.
The Australian video game talk show Good Game
s two reviewers gave the game a 6/10 and 8/10.
City-building game
City-building games are a genre of strategy computer game where players act as the overall planner and leader of a city, looking down on it from above, and being responsible for its growth and management...
set in ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, developed by Tilted Mill Entertainment
Tilted Mill Entertainment
Tilted Mill Entertainment is a video game developer located in Framingham, Massachusetts. It was founded in 2001 by former Impressions Games lead designer and general manager Chris Beatrice, business manager Peter Haffenreffer, and designer Jeff Fiske....
. The game was released on September 26, 2006 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The game features a three-dimensional
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
and individual modeling of game character behaviors
Human behavior
Human behavior refers to the range of behaviors exhibited by humans and which are influenced by culture, attitudes, emotions, values, ethics, authority, rapport, hypnosis, persuasion, coercion and/or genetics....
.
Like its original release Caesar
Caesar (video game)
Caesar is a city-building computer game where the player undertakes the role of a Roman governor, building ancient Roman cities.Released in 1992 on the Amiga, ported the next year to Atari ST, PC and Macintosh, the game was similar to SimCity...
in 1993, the game simulates city administration in historical Rome. Like its sibling release Children of the Nile in 2004, the game continues a new trend in the city building game genre
Computer and video game genres
Video game genres are used to categorize video games based on their gameplay interaction rather than visual or narrative differences. A video game genre is defined by a set of gameplay challenges. They are classified independent of their setting or game-world content, unlike other works of fiction...
to use more interactive and detailed game design
Game design
Game design, a subset of game development, is the process of designing the content and rules of a game in the pre-production stage and design of gameplay, environment, storyline, and characters during production stage. The term is also used to describe both the game design embodied in a game as...
and play
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
.
A demo was released by Tilted Mill on August 16, 2006.
Gameplay
In a departure from older versions in the series, Caesar IV is equipped with variable, realistic 3D instead of fixed, isometricIsometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
3D. This means more realistic landscapes and city views, and the ability for players to better see and use game building space. In addition, buildings and roads may be placed at 45 degree angles to the playing grid, as well as aligned with the grid, allowing game players more options in creating efficient and visually appealing city layouts.
Housing
In an attempt at historical realismHistorical realism
Historical realism requires the writer’s critical knowledge of the historicist who has a different interpretation of the historical events. Hegel’s dialectical theory affected many thinkers concerned with social issues16. Both realist and modernist writers wanted to reflect the very changes in...
, the game tries to stay as close to proper Roman lifestyles as possible. To this end, Sierra
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
Games did detailed research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
into Roman lifestyles using secondary sources and primary sources.
Scenarios
The game is divided in three parts, named after the three traditional eras of Ancient RomeAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
: "Kingdom
Roman Kingdom
The Roman Kingdom was the period of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a monarchical form of government of the city of Rome and its territories....
", "Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
" and "Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
". The Kingdom part is a tutorial, while the Republic and Empire parts make up the campaign, where one can choose between peaceful and military assignments.
There are still five more scenarios that are sandboxes: Amida
Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
, Corduba, Cyrene
Cyrene, Libya
Cyrene was an ancient Greek colony and then a Roman city in present-day Shahhat, Libya, the oldest and most important of the five Greek cities in the region. It gave eastern Libya the classical name Cyrenaica that it has retained to modern times.Cyrene lies in a lush valley in the Jebel Akhdar...
, Djedu and Roma
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
. The last is only available for people who pre-ordered the game directly from Tilted Mill Entertainment
Tilted Mill Entertainment
Tilted Mill Entertainment is a video game developer located in Framingham, Massachusetts. It was founded in 2001 by former Impressions Games lead designer and general manager Chris Beatrice, business manager Peter Haffenreffer, and designer Jeff Fiske....
. In all these scenarios the rank that is used is "Quaestor
Quaestor
A Quaestor was a type of public official in the "Cursus honorum" system who supervised financial affairs. In the Roman Republic a quaestor was an elected official whereas, with the autocratic government of the Roman Empire, quaestors were simply appointed....
". There is also a level editor
Level editor
A level editor is a software tool used to design levels, maps, campaigns, etc and virtual worlds for a video game. In some cases the creator of a video game releases an official level editor for a game, but other times the community of fans step in to fill the void...
available for the game.
Reception
Caesar IV has received mixed reviews. Most of the complaints center around crashes, user interface issues, lagLag
Lag is a common word meaning to fail to keep up or to fall behind. In real-time applications, the term is used when the application fails to respond in a timely fashion to inputs...
problems and repetitive game play. Positive aspects mentioned were the visually appealing 3D graphics and professional sound and music.
The Australian video game talk show Good Game
Good Game
Good Game is an Australian video gaming talk show television programme created by Janet Carr and Jeremy Ray currently on ABC2. It premiered on ABC on 19 September 2006...
s two reviewers gave the game a 6/10 and 8/10.