Age of Empires III
Developer(s)	Ensemble Studios
Publisher(s)	Microsoft Game Studios (PC), MacSoft (Mac)
Designer(s)	Bruce Shelley
Series	Age of Empires
Version	1. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual that creates Video games A developer may specialize in a certain video Originally founded as an independent developer in 1995 Ensemble Studios has been a Microsoft -owned developer since 2001 Microsoft Game Studios ( MGS) branded with current logo and moniker in 2002 (formerly the Microsoft Game Division or Microsoft Games) is a Wholly MacSoft Games is a Plymouth Minnesota, United States -based Computer game publisher and porter specializing in Porting Microsoft Windows A "game designer" is a person who designs Video games or one who designs traditional games such as Board games Video Games Designer A video game designer Bruce Campbell Shelley is a Computer game designer who helped design Sid Meier's Civilization and Railroad Tycoon with MicroProse Age of Empires is a series of computer Video games developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. 12 (1. 0. 3 on Mac OS X)[1]
Platform(s)	Windows XP, Windows Vista (workaround available for Windows 2000), Mac OS X
Release date	October 18, 2005 November 4, 2005
Genre(s)	Real-time strategy
Mode(s)	Single player, MP over IPX, TCP/IP, Modem or Ensemble Studios Online 2 (ESO2). In Computing, a platform describes some sort of Hardware architecture or Software framework (including Application frameworks, that allows Windows XP is a family of 32-bit and 64-bit Operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on Personal computers including home and Windows Vista (ˈvɪstə is a line of Operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on Personal computers including home and business desktops Windows 2000 (also referred to as Win2K) is a preemptive, interruptible graphical and business-oriented Operating system designed to work with Mac OS X (mæk oʊ ɛs tɛn is a line of computer Operating systems developed marketed and sold by Apple Inc, the latest of which is pre-loaded on all currently Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction A real-time strategy ( RTS) Video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. In video gaming, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session A multiplayer video game is one which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time Internetwork Packet Exchange ( IPX) is the OSI-model Network layer protocol in the IPX/SPX Protocol stack. The Internet Protocol Suite (commonly TCP/IP) is the set of Communications protocols used for the Internet and other similar networks Modem (from mo dulator- dem odulator is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode Digital information (Mac users must use the GameRanger matching service instead of ESO2). GameRanger is an Internet gaming service for the Apple Macintosh computing platform
Rating(s)	BBFC: U ESRB: T PEGI: 12+ OFLC: PG
Media	CD (3), DVD (1)
System requirements	Windows XP, 1. A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of Video games into suitability-related groups The British Board of Film Classification ( BBFC) originally British Board of Film Censors, is the organisation responsible for Film, DVD The Entertainment Software Rating Board ( ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, Advertising guidelines and Pan European Game Information ( PEGI) is a European Video game content rating system. The Office of Film and Literature Classification is a Statutory Censorship and classification body which provides day to day administrative support for the Classification Digital media (as opposed to analog media) usually refers to Electronic media that work on digital Codes. A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is Windows XP is a family of 32-bit and 64-bit Operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on Personal computers including home and 4 GHz Processor that supports Streaming SIMD Extensions, 256 MB RAM, 64 MB video card capable of Hardware TnL, 2 GB free hard disk space (PC)[2]
Input methods	Keyboard, mouse

Age of Empires III (also called AoE III, or simply Age 3) is a real-time strategy (RTS) game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. S treaming '''S'''IMD E xtensions ( SSE) is a SIMD (Single Instruction Multiple Data Instruction set extension to the X86 A megabyte is a unit of Information or Computer storage equal to either 106 (1000000 Bytes or 220 (1048576 bytes depending on A video card, also known as a graphics accelerator card, display adapter, or graphics card, is a hardware component whose function is to In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys In Computing, a mouse (plural mice, mouse devices, or mouses) A real-time strategy ( RTS) Video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. Originally founded as an independent developer in 1995 Ensemble Studios has been a Microsoft -owned developer since 2001 Microsoft Game Studios ( MGS) branded with current logo and moniker in 2002 (formerly the Microsoft Game Division or Microsoft Games) is a Wholly Released on October 18, 2005 in North America, and on November 4 of the same year in Europe, it is the third title of the Age of Empires series, and the sequel to Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Age of Empires is a series of computer Video games developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Age of Empires II The Age of Kings (often shortened to The Age of Kings or AoK) is a Real-time strategy (RTS Video game developed The game portrays the European colonization of the Americas, between approximately AD 1500 and 1850. The start of the European colonization of the Americas is typically dated to 1492 although there was at least one earlier colonization effort Eight European civilizations are playable.

Age of Empires III has made a number of innovations in the series, as well as the RTS genre, in particular with the addition of the Home City, which combines real-time strategy and role-playing game (RPG) features. A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. Two expansion packs were released: the first, Age of Empires III: The War Chiefs, was released on October 17, 2006, and introduced three Native North American civilizations; the second, Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties, was released on October 23, 2007, and included three Asian civilizations. An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing Role-playing game, Tabletop game or Video game. Age of Empires III The WarChiefs (otherwise known as TWC or WC) is the first official expansion pack for the Real-time Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. Age of Empires III The Asian Dynasties is a real-time strategy (RTS Video game developed through a collaboration between Ensemble Studios Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC - Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Age of Empires III has sold over 2 million copies, as of May, 2008. As well as achieving favorable reviews, it has received a number of awards, including GameSpy's "Best RTS game of 2005", and was one of the best-selling games of 2005. See also Critic. A review is an evaluation of a publication such as a movie, Video game, Musical composition GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related This is a list of Video games that have sold or shipped at least one million copies including the top ten best-selling franchises. ^[3] In 2007, Age of Empires III was the seventh best-selling computer game, with over 313,000 copies sold. ^[4]

Contents 1 Synopsis 1.1 Multiplayer 1.2 Setting 2 Gameplay 2.1 Ages 2.2 Civilizations 2.3 Home cities 2.4 Units 2.5 Buildings 2.6 Campaign 2.6.1 Act I: Blood 2.6.2 Act II: Ice 2.6.3 Act III: Steel 3 Soundtrack 4 Development 4.1 Technical features 4.2 Release history 5 Reception 6 See also 7 Notes 8 External links 8.1 Official

Synopsis

Age of Empires III is mostly set in the New World during the colonial era, between approximately AD 1421 and 1850. The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. The early modern period is a term initially used by historians to refer mainly to the period roughly from 1500 to 1800 in Western Europe ( Early modern Europe) ^[5] In the style of previous titles of the series and genre, the game requires the player to develop a European nation's colony from a basic settlement to an empire, progressing through "Ages"—stages of technological development—and destroying the enemy base(s). There are two main branches to gameplay: the economy, characterized by the collection of resources, and production of civilian units—which usually gather resources; and the military which involves the production of military units, and the conflicts between armies of rival teams or factions. ^[6]

A match consists of a conflict between two or more teams that race to develop a powerful nation by creating and upgrading units and buildings, with one eventually defeating the other through combat or resignation; the game ends when there is only one player or team left standing on the map. Last man standing ( LMS) is a multiplayer gameplay mode featured in the majority of the more recent First-person shooter computer games. Along with these typical RTS features, a new addition is that the player may also ship troops, buildings, resources, and even improvements—such as military or economic bonuses—to aid them. A real-time strategy ( RTS) Video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. A game mechanic is a construct of rules intended to produce an enjoyable Game or Gameplay. ^[7]

There are three modes of game play: story-based campaigns, single player skirmishes (conflicts between teams), and online multiplayer skirmishes. A multiplayer video game is one which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time ^[8]

Single player skirmishes take place between human players and computer personalities, conforming to rules that are set up before the game. The map, AI skill level, and each player's resource gathering speed may be modified.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer matches can be played through the bundled Ensemble Studios Online (ESO) application or via a direct LAN or IP connection. Originally founded as an independent developer in 1995 Ensemble Studios has been a Microsoft -owned developer since 2001

Age of Empires III includes a free multiplayer account on Ensemble Studios Online. A multiplayer game is a Game which is played by several players. Similar in function to Blizzard Entertainment's Battle.net, ESO allows players to play matches and chat with other players. Blizzard Entertainment is an American Video game developer and publisher headquartered in Irvine California. Battlenet is an online gaming service provided by Blizzard Entertainment. Each copy of the game supports one ESO account.

On ESO, the player may establish Home Cities, as in single player, and is given the default military rank of Conscript. Age of Empires III (also called AOE III) is a real-time strategy (RTS game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by As the player defeats others in multiplayer battles, they can be promoted, gradually earning higher ranks, until the highest, Field Marshal, is achieved. A promotion is the advancement of rank or Position in an organizational Hierarchy system This ranking system is based on a "power rating" system^[9] that determines rank based on the difficulty of matches and activity in the game; for instance, more points are awarded for beating a player with a higher-level Home City than the victor. Likewise, more points are deducted for losing to a player with a lower rank.

ESO also supports the play of custom maps, originating several diverse game types such as "cats v. s. mice", "fort wars", "gold rush", "pirates of the Caribbean", etc.

Setting

Matches are fought on maps based on existing locations, and can be selected from a list of "seeded" or predefined maps. A random seed (or seed state, or just seed) is a Number (or vector) used to initialize a Pseudorandom number generator. Players also have the option of playing on an "Unknown" map, which is a random-generated map. Randomness is a lack of order Purpose, cause, or predictability Customisable variables mean that each seeded map is different. A variable (ˈvɛərɪəbl is an Attribute of a physical or an abstract System which may change its Value while it is under Observation.

Each map has features which are always present—such as location and type of Trade Posts—and characteristics, such as a paucity of trees. Treasures are scattered throughout the map, and may be claimed for various awards—such as a cache of resources. Treasure (from Greek θησαυρος Thesaurus, meaning "a treasure of the chest" is a Cognate) is a concentration of riches often one The resources available include Food, Wood, and Coin; Wood may only be gathered from trees, but Food and Coin have various sources. Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs main - title Coin keywords numismatics coin review Grazing animals—cows, llamas, and sheep— may be herded across the map and fatten up over time until they reach a maximum amount of Food; it is therefore more profitable to fatten them, though they may be slaughtered beforehand. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family The llama ( Lama glama) is a South American Camelid, widely used as a Pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes Wild game may be hunted and gathered as Food. The oceans contain fish, which may be collected for Food, and whales, which can be whaled as an inexhaustible source of Coin. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Whales are marine mammals which are neither Dolphins (ie members of the families Delphinidae or Platanistoidae) nor Porpoises Orcas Whaling is the hunting of Whales and dates back to at least 6000 BC Other infinite sources of resources include the Plantation,—from which villagers can gather Coin— the Mill,—similar to the plantation, but is a source of Food rather than Coin— Trading Posts provide a source of Food, Wood, Coin or Experience, the Bank,— which gradually feeds coin without villagers (only available to the Dutch)— and factories, which produce a resource of the player's choice, or Heavy artillery. Fundamentally a plantation is usually a large Farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country on which Cotton, Tobacco A grinding mill is a Unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces A banker or bank is a Financial institution whose primary activity is to act as a payment agent for customers and to borrow and lend money The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands A factory (previously manufactory) or manufacturing plant is an industrial Building where workers manufacture goods Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine

Custom-made maps are also playable, in both single player and multiplayer. Ensemble Studios released holiday-related maps during their respective seasons,^[10] and fan websites have free downloadable player-made custom scenarios. To download is to receive data from a remote or central system such as a Webserver, FTP server, mail server or other similar systems

Gameplay

Players begin with a constructed town center, an explorer and several settlers. The exact terrain of the map, position of opponents, native tribes and trade posts is obscured. Teammates, if any, are exposed. Players explore the map and begin gathering resources, Food, Coin or Wood which are spent to build additional units and buildings and to research upgraded technologies. Actions such as training units, constructing buildings, killing enemy units etc earn the player experience points. At certain experience point thresholds, players earn shipment cards that may be turned in for shipments from the players Home City. The game progresses like any RTS until one side resigns or is eliminated.

Ages

As in most RTS games, the player can advance through technological phases, which provide access to greater improvements, units, and buildings. A real-time strategy ( RTS) Video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. In Age of Empires III, these phases are called "Ages", and represent historical time periods. They are: the Discovery Age, which represents the discovery and exploration of the Americas by Europeans and allows the player to explore and develop their economy; the Colonial Age, which represents the European Expansion into the "New World" and unlocks early military units; the Fortress Age, which represents the fortification of the European colonies, unlocks forts, and allows the player to have a more complete military; the Industrial Age, which triggers a strong economy, due in part to factories—advanced buildings that produce resources or artillery—and unlocks all units and cards; and the Imperial Age, which unlocks all buildings and upgrades. The Age of Discovery or Age of Exploration was a period from the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which Europeans explored The start of the European colonization of the Americas is typically dated to 1492 although there was at least one earlier colonization effort Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the New Imperialism refers to the colonial expansion adopted by Europe 's powers and later Japan and the United States, during the 19th All Ages cost food to advance to, and all but one—the Colonial Age—cost coin as well. The price of age advancement is incremental, but doesn't vary between civilization.

Similar to the Age of Mythology minor gods system,^[11] Age of Empires III utilizes a "Politician System" as a method of granting bonuses on a successful advancement to another age. Age of Mythology (commonly abbreviated as AoM) is a Mythology -based Real-time strategy computer game developed by When a player chooses to advance to the next age, they are given the choice of two or more "Politicians" that will provide the player with a different bonus upon choosing them. The Politician is given a generalized title from the period that usually reflects the bonus that it gives: for example, "The Naturalist" gives the player four cows. As the player's Home City increases in level, more politicians are unlocked,—at a rate of one for every ten Home City levels—up to level 60.

Civilizations

Age of Empires III allows the player to play as eight different civilizations:^[12] Spanish, British, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, German, and Ottoman, in increasing order of difficulty. A Civilization is a society in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements The Spanish Empire (Imperio Español was one of the largest Empires in history and one of the first Global empires In the 15th and 16th centuries The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. France was a dominant empire in the world from the 1600s to the late 1960s possessing many colonies in various locations around the world The Portuguese Empire was the earliest and longest lived of the modern European colonial empires spanning almost six centuries from the capture of Ceuta The Dutch Empire was the territories controlled by The Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The German colonial empire was an overseas area formed in the late 19th century as part of the Hohenzollern dynasty's German Empire. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish ^[13] Each of the eight civilizations has its own strengths and weaknesses and unique units available only to that civilization. Specific units for each civilization are designated Royal Guard units, receiving greater bonuses on the Guard upgrade in the Industrial Age, but at an increased price. The player can change the name of their Home City, the Explorer name, and is given a pre-named leader from part of the period (for example Napoleon Bonaparte for the French and Suleiman the Magnificent for the Ottoman Empire). Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. Suleiman I (سليمان Sulaymān, Süleyman almost always Kanuni Sultan Süleyman) ( 6 November 1494 5/ 6 September 1566 Each civilization has unique shipments to aid its economy and military (for example, Germans have the only mercenary card available in the Colonial Age).

Flag	Civilization	Main Bonus[14][15]
	Spanish Queen Isabella I	The Spanish have many hand infantry and cavalry available, such as Rodeleros and Lancers, and are flexible early in the game due to their faster Home City shipments. The Spanish Empire (Imperio Español was one of the largest Empires in history and one of the first Global empires In the 15th and 16th centuries Rodeleros ("shield bearers" also called espadachines ("swordsmen" colloquially known as "Sword and Buckler Men" were A lancer ( Uhlan) was a type of Cavalryman who fought with a Lance. The Spanish explorer can train war dogs since the Discovery Age, when soldiers aren't buildable. Their unique units are Rodeleros and Lancers. A lancer ( Uhlan) was a type of Cavalryman who fought with a Lance. Their royal guards are Espada Rodeleros, Garrochista Lancers and Tercio Pikeman.
	British Queen Elizabeth I	The British build Manors, which spawn one free settler each, instead of the usual houses; this speeds up early game construction and gathering. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. A manor house or fortified manor-house is a Country house, which has historically formed the administrative centre of a manor (see Manorialism Their military is more focused on the later game, with a stronger economy in the early game. Their unique units are Longbowman and Rocket. To see other senses of this word see Longbow (disambiguation. Their Royal Guards are Redcoat Musketeer and King's Life Guard Hussar. A musketeer (mousquetaire was an early modern type of Infantry Soldier equipped with a Musket. Hussar (original Hungarian spelling huszár, plural huszárok, Husaria refers to a number of types of Light cavalry created in Hungary
	French Napoleon	The French train Coureurs des bois, stronger villagers which may eventually double as infantry. France was a dominant empire in the world from the 1600s to the late 1960s possessing many colonies in various locations around the world Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. A coureur des bois (runner of the woods was an individual who engaged in the Fur trade without permission from the French authorities This civilization can have many shipments related to Natives, and so it is the strongest at forging alliances. The French train the strongest cavalry unit of the game, the Cuirassier. Cuirassiers were mounted Cavalry Soldiers equipped with Armour and Firearms first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. Their unique units are Cuirassiers and Coureurs des Bois. Their Royal Guards are Gendarme Cuirassier and Voltigeur Skirmisher.
	Portuguese Henry the Navigator	The Portuguese receive a free covered wagon when on each age advancement. The Portuguese Empire was the earliest and longest lived of the modern European colonial empires spanning almost six centuries from the capture of Ceuta The Infante Henrique Duke of Viseu ( Porto, March 4, 1394 – Sagres, November 13, 1460) pron This civilization has extra exploring facilities, such as the option of shipping additional explorers and the "spyglass" ability which can reveal unexplored territory. They have a balanced military, which is supplemented by a strong navy and the unique organ gun artillery unit. A Ribauldequin, also known as a rabauld, ribault, ribaudkin, or organ gun, was a medieval Volley gun with many small Their unique units are Cassadore and Organ gun. A Ribauldequin, also known as a rabauld, ribault, ribaudkin, or organ gun, was a medieval Volley gun with many small Their Royal Guards are Jinete Dragoons and Guerreiro Musketeers.
	Dutch Maurice of Nassau	The Dutch settlers cost coin instead of food, making them dependent on this resource from the very start of the game; this disadvantage is, however, countered with the revenue produced by Banks, coin-generating buildings unique to the Dutch. The Dutch Empire was the territories controlled by The Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century Maurice of Nassau (Maurits van Nassau ( 14 November 1567 &ndash 23 April 1625) Prince of Orange (1618&ndash1625 Their unique units are Envoy, Ruyter and Fluyt. Their Royal Guards are Carabineer Ruyter and Nassau Halberdier.
	Russians Ivan the Terrible	The Russians train many units in groups, speeding up production - especially early in the game. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya This gives them the capacity to overwhelm other players with their large armies, which are supplemented by the low cost of their military and, for the most basic units, almost instant build time. Their unique units are Strelets, Cossack and Oprichniks. Streltsy (Стрельцы were the units of Russian guardsmen ( sl The Cossacks (Каза́ки́ Kazaki; Козаки́ Kozaki; Kozacy are a group of martial people living in the southern Steppe regions of Eastern An Oprichnik (опричник (plural Oprichniki) was a member of an organization established by Tsar Ivan the Terrible to govern the division Their Royal Guards are Tatar Cavalry Archer and Pavlov Grenadier. A grenadier (derived from the word Grenade) was originally a specialized soldier first established as a distinct role in the mid to late 17th century for the throwing of grenades
	Germans Frederick the Great	The Germans represent all of the Central European kingdoms of the time and start out with settler wagons instead of the normal European settlers. The German colonial empire was an overseas area formed in the late 19th century as part of the Hohenzollern dynasty's German Empire. Frederick II (Friedrich II January 24 1712 August 17 1786) was a King of Prussia (1740&ndash1786 from the The Germans have many unique soldiers, such as the doppelsoldner, Uhlan, War wagon, and have the free home city ability to spawn Landsknecht soldiers. Doppelsöldner ( Double mercenary) were Landsknechts in 16th-century Germany who were prepared to fight in the front line taking an extra risk in exchange Uhlans (in Polish: "Ułan" "Ulan" in German, from Turkish oğlan) were Polish light Cavalry armed with Landsknechts (singular Landsknecht, German plural Landsknechte, sometimes also in English publications were European most often German, Mercenary Their military develops steadily because Uhlan cavalry are given as a bonus along with most shipments. Uhlans (in Polish: "Ułan" "Ulan" in German, from Turkish oğlan) were Polish light Cavalry armed with Also, the Germans can ship mercenaries sooner than any other civilization. A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or a party to the conflict and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by Their unique units are Doppelsoldners, Uhlans, War Wagons and Settler Wagons. Uhlans (in Polish: "Ułan" "Ulan" in German, from Turkish oğlan) were Polish light Cavalry armed with Their Royal Guards are Prussian Needle Gunner Skrimisher and Czapka Uhlan.
	Ottomans Suleiman the Magnificent	The Ottoman economy is slow but constant, due to the fact that settlers are continually produced automatically at no cost but have the disadvantage of having limited settler production. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Suleiman I (سليمان Sulaymān, Süleyman almost always Kanuni Sultan Süleyman) ( 6 November 1494 5/ 6 September 1566 The Ottoman military makes heavy use of artillery units, many of them unique; they train the Great Bombard, the most powerful artillery unit in the game. The Great Turkish Bombard, also known as the Basilic, the Dardanelles Gun, the Hungarian Cannon, Muhammed's Great Gun and The Royal The Ottomans lack light infantry: the only infantry they are able to train is the Janissary. The Janissaries (derived from Ottoman Turkish ينيچرى ( yeniçeri) meaning "new soldier" comprised Infantry units that formed Jannisaries are like a more powerful type of musketeer. A musketeer (mousquetaire was an early modern type of Infantry Soldier equipped with a Musket. Their unique units are Janissary, Abus Gun, Spahi, Great Bombard, Galley and Imam. A galley (from Greek γαλέα - galea is an ancient Ship which can be propelled entirely by human oarsmen, used for Warfare An imam (إمام plural ائمة A'immah, امام is an Islamic leader often the leader of a Mosque and/or community Their Royal Guards are Gardener Hussar and Baructu Grenadier.

These are just some of the significant differences between civilizations. There are many other both minor and significant differences between the civilizations. There are other civilizations playable via the campaign, which include the The Knights of St. John, John Black's Mercenaries, and the Falcon Railroad Company (United States)^[16] which are played as the Spanish, German and British civilizations, respectively, with slight modifications. The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Non-playable campaign civilizations include the Pirates, the Circle of Ossus, and the Native Americans, although these civilizations are playable using the Scenario Editor. Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States.

Twelve different tribes of Native Americans are in the game as well, but these are not in themselves playable factions. A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use However, players can gain access to unique units and improvements by forming an alliance with the tribes by building a trading post at their camps. A military alliance is an agreement between two or more military factions related to Wartime planning commitments or contingencies such agreements can be both A trading post is a place where the trading of goods takes place Three of these tribes were made playable in the expansion pack Age of Empires III: The War Chiefs: the Iroquois, the Sioux and the Aztecs. Age of Empires III The WarChiefs (otherwise known as TWC or WC) is the first official expansion pack for the Real-time The Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the "League of Peace and Power" the "Five Nations" the "Six Nations" or the "People of the Longhouse Sioux (pronounced SUE are a Native American and First Nations people Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political These civilizations were removed as the smaller, alliance based tribes and were replaced by the Huron, Cheyenne, and the Zapotec, respectively. "Huron" redirects here For other uses see Huron (disambiguation. Cheyenne are a Native American nation of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taa'e (more commonly ^[17]

Home cities

Age of Empires III is the first game in the series to introduce the Home City Concept. ^[18]

The Home City functions as a second city, a powerhouse that is separated from the active game. It cannot be attacked or destroyed, although an Imperial Age upgrade called Blockade stops the player's opponents from receiving Home City shipments. Similar to a role-playing game character,^[19] the Home City is persistent between games, meaning that upgrades gained through separate games can be applied and stay applied for as long as that particular city exists (cities only cease to exist when they are deleted by the player from the game menu). A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. Multiple Home Cities can be created and maintained, although each Home City supports only one civilization.

The Home City is made up of five main buildings from which the player chooses their new shipment cards and customizations: The New World Trading Company, the Military Academy, the Cathedral, the Manufacturing Plant and the Harbor. ^[20]

Players can also access the Home City during a match by clicking on the Home City button represented on the HUD as the nation's flag. In Video gaming, the HUD is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's User interface. A flag is a piece of Cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used Symbolically for signaling or identification The Home City functions differently inside a game. Instead of customizing a Home City or choosing cards, a player can ship cards chosen before the game (and added to a deck).

During the course of a game, players gain XP (experience) by completing actions such as constructing buildings, training units, killing enemies, and collecting treasures. Whenever a certain amount of experience points are gained, the player can make use of a shipment from their respective Home City. Shipments slow down as the game goes on, since more XP is required with every consecutive shipment.

Players may gear their cards into three different combinations: Boom (economic combinations), Rush (military combinations), or Turtle (defensive combinations). In Economics, the term boom and bust refers to the movement of an economy through Economic cycles. ^[21]

The first few cards chosen are automatically added to the player's portfolio, where it may be copied onto a deck for use in a game. Later in the game, cards have to be manually chosen because of the limit of cards in one deck. Most cards are available to all civilizations, but some are unique to one.

If the Home City being played has more than one deck, the player must select which to use when the first shipment is sent. During a game, players keep this initial deck; this feature encourages players to build decks that are customized for the map being played on, or that counter other civilizations. The decks start out supporting 20 cards, but can eventually grow to 25 as the Home City level increases.

Customizations to the Home City change the visual aspects of the city, but do not affect gameplay. In customizing the Home City, players can add unique non-playable characters to the city (for example, a fruit vendor or a musician), change and upgrade the color schemes of buildings, or place objects and decorations throughout the city. A player gains a customization whenever the city gains a level.

Units

The units of Age of Empires III are based, as in previous iterations of the game, around military classes of the historic time period. UNIT ( U nited N ations I ntelligence T askforce later the UN ified I ntelligence T askforce is a fictional military A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking Early Modern warfare is associated with the start of the widespread use of Gunpowder and the development of suitable weapons to use the explosive The player controls a variety of civilian and military units, and uses them to expand and develop their civilization, as well as wage war against their opponents. A civilian under International humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her Country 's Armed forces. A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking A Civilization is a society in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements

The base unit of a game is the Settler (villager). A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there often to colonize the area These civilian units are responsible for gathering resources (through hunting, foraging, woodcutting, mining, and gathering from farms, livestock, and plantations) and constructing buildings, in order to improve the economy of the civilization. A civilian under International humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her Country 's Armed forces. Hunting is the practice of pursuing Animals for Food, Recreation, or Trade. Foraging theory is a branch of Behavioral ecology that studies the foraging behavior of animals in response to the environment in which the animal lives Logging is the process in which Trees are cut down for Forest management and Timber. Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body A farm is an area of land including various structures devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food ( Produce, Grains, or Livestock Livestock is the term used to refer (singularly or plurally to a Domesticated Animal intentionally reared in an agricultural setting to produce such as Food Fundamentally a plantation is usually a large Farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country on which Cotton, Tobacco An economy is the realized social system of production exchange distribution and consumption of goods and services of a country or other area

Military units are used for combat against other players. A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking The ComBat was an Aluminium Cricket bat and the subject of an incident that occurred at the WACA cricket ground in Perth in December 1979. Infantry are the cheapest unit type and all are land based, using weapons ranging from clubs to early rifles. A club is an association of people united by a common interest or goal A rifle is a Firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves ("rifling" cut into the barrel walls The heavier artillery classes also make use of ranged weapons, primarily cannon and mortars; however, there is also artillery armed with grenades. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine | NOTE Throughout this article "cannon" is used as BOTH the || singular and plural A mortar is a muzzle-loading Indirect fire weapon that fires shells at low velocities short ranges and high-arcing ballistic trajectories Mounted troops, are also present, and are armed with either hand weapons, such as swords, or ranged weapons, such as pistols. These units also have significant features, such as skirmishers which do bonus damage against infantry, and ranged cavalry does bonus damage against other cavalry. Skirmishers are Infantry or Cavalry Soldiers stationed ahead or alongside of a larger body of friendly troops

A new unit introduced in Age of Empires III is the Explorer, which is chiefly responsible for scouting and gathering treasure; it is also capable of building Trading Posts, and has a special attack, to be used at the players command. This unit cannot be killed, but can be rendered unconscious, to be revived when friendly units are within range; also, a ransom may be paid in order to have him reappear at his town center. Some shipment cards may increase the explorer’s effectiveness in game play, for example by providing him with "war dogs" which can aid with scouting and combat.

In Age of Empires III, ships are available on some maps; this military class makes use of cannon or flaming arrows. A ship /ʃɪp/ is a large vessel that floats on water Ships are generally distinguished from Boats based on size | NOTE Throughout this article "cannon" is used as BOTH the || singular and plural An arrow is a pointed Projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most Cultures. Some seagoing units also have the capacity to collect resources, such as food and coin, while others can transport units. A few types can also create land-based units.

Mercenaries, hired troops, may aid the player in their campaigns in the New World. A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or a party to the conflict and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. Mercenaries are not trained like standard units; they are shipped from the Home City in exchange for high amounts of coin, so that only economically powerful players can employ them. Most are powerful, but hiring them does not provide experience points, so mercenaries cannot effectively replace the player's standard army, and can negatively affect a player's economy if used excessively.

In most cases, a selection of Native American tribes populate game maps, and support their own brand of military units that can be trained once an alliance has been formed. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. Some native American military units use mêlée weapons, a few use indigenous ranged weapons, such as bows and arrows or atl-atls, while still others adopt ranged European gunpowder weapons. Melee (from the French mêlée meˈleː generally refers to disorganized Close combat involving a group of fighters Archery is the practice of using a bow or Crossbow to shoot Arrows Archery has historically been used in Hunting and Combat and has An atlatl (from Nahuatl ahtlatl; in English pronounced or) or spear-thrower is a Tool that uses Leverage to achieve greater velocity These units usually pertain to the infantry or cavalry classes, but, on maps with water, canoes are also available to the player through the dock. The French have certain facilities with their relation to the natives, so such alliances are more effective. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States.

The innovative hot air balloon, which is used for scouting, can be sent using a card from the Home City, and being trained by the explorer. The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying Flight technology Balloons may be made as many times as necessary, but there is a timer, limiting when the next may be trained.

The number of units a player can control in a scenario is limited by a "population limit", a common RTS game mechanic. A real-time strategy ( RTS) Video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. A game mechanic is a construct of rules intended to produce an enjoyable Game or Gameplay. Each unit that is produced increases the population count to a maximum of 200. Basic units such as settlers and infantry count as 1, but others, including most cavalry and mercenary infantry count as 2. A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there often to colonize the area The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists More powerful units, especially artillery or mercenary cavalry, can count for a population as high as 7. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine Native warriors, explorers, tamed and grazing animals, hot air balloons, and warships do not count towards the population limit, but generally have a build limit, allowing the player to deploy only a certain number of those specific units at a time. The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying Flight technology A warship is a Ship that is built and primarily intended for Combat.

Buildings

Buildings play a major role in gameplay, they are used for training civilian and military units, researching improvements, supporting population, providing structural defense or as resource providers.

The buildings portrayed in Age of Empires III resemble the architectural design of that era. All of the games in the series share a number of buildings, including the Town Center and Docks. The appearance and attributes of a building change as the player advances through the Ages, and some civilizations have their own unique buildings. The appearance of these buildings depends on the civilization, since, for instance, the Russian buildings look different from the French buildings; even though the appearance of a type of building may vary, its purpose does not.

There are certain architectural styles present in the game; architectural styles determine the appearance of in-game buildings. ^[22] Each civilization is automatically assigned its architectural style. These three architectural styles are: the Western European, which consists of classical styled wooden buildings and is shared by the British, the French and the Dutch; the Eastern European, which consists of quite precarious wooden and straw structures and is shared by the Germans and the Russians, and the Mediterranean, which consists of buildings apparently made of cement and/or dry brick and is shared by the Spanish, the Portuguese and the Ottomans

Campaign

The story-based campaign mode consists of related scenarios with preset objectives, such as destroying a given building. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish In Age of Empires III, the campaign follows the fictional Black family in a series of three "Acts", which divide the story arc into three generations.

Instead of playing as one of the standard civilizations, the player takes command of a special civilization that is linked to the character or period that each Act portrays.

Act I: Blood

Set in around 1650, the first act of the single-player campaign begins with the player in the role of Morgan Black^[23]—of the Knights of Saint John—defending the last stronghold on Malta from Sahin "The Falcon" of the Ottoman Empire (in a telling of the Great Siege of Malta). The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish For the 1940-42 siege see " Siege of Malta (World War II " The Siege of Malta (also known as the Great Siege of Malta) took The player must light a signal fire to call in supporting cavalry led by Morgan's superior, Alain Magnan, who fends off the Turks. The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on Morgan and Alain drive the Ottomans from Malta, and when they detonate Ottoman weapon caches in the nearby caves, they discover a hidden stone library telling the story of the "Lake of the Moon" and the secret society called the "Circle of Ossus" who seek it out. Morgan then sails to the New World, but lands in Cuba after a pirate attack. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la They find some navigation charts, land in Mexico, destroy an Ottoman base there. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. But the Spanish commander Francisco Juan Delgado de Leon captures Sahin and some other Turks. They defeat the Spanish, who are attacking the Aztecs. Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political He then sails to Florida, but is trapped in the Caribbean again and must earn Lizzie the Pirate's respect. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Once in Florida, Morgan captures some Spanish treasure ships, and Sahin joins him, telling him that the Circle think the Lake of the Moon is the Fountain of Youth. The Fountain of Youth is a legendary spring that reputedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks of its waters Delgado and his army are destroyed. Since the Spanish have been wiped out from Mexico, Sahin is freed and is then captured by Morgan. Alain tells Morgan to execute him but Sahin and Lizzie convince Morgan that Alain was actually the Circle's leader, and they decide to destroy the Fountain of Youth for revenge. They capture and retain an enormous stationary cannon called a Fixed Gun and use it and Lizzie's fire ships to down the Fountain. Alain Magnan attacks Morgan, however dies in battle. Sahin returns to his country, and Lizzie leaves for the Caribbean (although it is hinted that she reunites with Morgan several years later, possibly starting the Black family line). Morgan is last seen wondering about the significance of the Fountain and whether he should drink it's remaining water, although a very old man identical to Morgan appears in Act III, talking about The Circle (also when making a custom scenario, if a player places an old man on their side, and select it while playing, the character portrait is identical to Morgan including his hair being the same, and even wearing the same armour). During Act I, the player assumes command of the 'Knights of St. John', which resembles the Spanish civilization (even though the faction played is actually Maltese).

Act II: Ice

It is 1757,^[24] and Morgan's grandson, John Black, and his Native friend Kanyenke are on their way to Brunswick, Black's uncle Stuart’s colony, as he has called for help. After exchanging attacks with Cherokee raiders and war camps, they attempt to arrange a peace settlement. The Cherokee (ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ a-ni-yv-wi-ya, in the Cherokee language) are a people native to North America, who at the time of European contact When they reach the village, they are attacked by the British who capture the town. While planning a counter attack, they discover that John's uncle Stuart has been kidnapped; John concludes that the Circle of Ossus has returned. Kanyenke realizes that his sister, Nonahkee is in danger, too; but he is stunned to discover, after saving the Iroquois village in New England that she called home, that she and John were secretly in love. The Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the "League of Peace and Power" the "Five Nations" the "Six Nations" or the "People of the Longhouse Afterwards Kanyenke consents to their love and joins John in taking down the Circle. They fight with the French in the Seven Years' War and destroy a Circle base in the Great Lakes. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Seven Years' War (1756&ndash1763 involved all of the major European powers of the period causing 900000 to 1400000 deaths The Laurentian Great Lakes are a chain of freshwater lakes located in eastern North America, on the Canada–United States border. Warwick, the Circle's leader, is revealed to have killed Stewart, and flees to the western mountains. John and Kanyenke follow him, first earning the respect of the Great Plains tribes by gaining lots of experience from good deeds, then destroying a fortified Circle base in the mountains and large rock bridges to stop large cannons from getting through. The Great Plains are the broad expanse of Prairie and Steppe which lie east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada In the end John is shown setting up some TNTs. Warwick and several Circle Soldiers approach him. Warwick attempts to kill John but when the Circle Soldiers shoot him, John dodges the bullets and jumps at Warwick, knocking him to the ground then running to the TNT trigger and pushes it, exploding the bridge, killing John, the soldiers, Warwick, and starts and avalanche. The avalanche buries the Russians. During Act II a player plays as John Black's Mercenaries, which is modeled after a cross between the French and German civilizations. A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or a party to the conflict and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by This campaign is roughly similar to The Last of the Mohicans, as the year is 1757 in both stories, John Black is similar to Hawkeye, Kanyenke to the Mohicans, Warwick to Montcalm and the French, and the Cherokee to the Hurons. The Last of the Mohicans is a Historical novel by James Fenimore Cooper, first published in January 1826

Act III: Steel

It is now 1817,^[25] and the narrative shifts to Amelia Black, the granddaughter of John Black and heiress owner of The Falcon Company (possibly named after Sahin), a railroad company whose sights are set on expanding new railroad operations in the United States since the compensation given by the British and Americans for John Black's sacrifice has dried up. A railway company or railroad company is a Entity that operates a Railroad track and/or Trains Such a company can either be private A French prospector named Pierre Beaumont helps her and the railroad boss, Major Cooper, defeat a Mexican army attacking a fort. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. He then lures them to a northern mine, where a surprise visit from Kanyenke reveals Beaumont as the leader of Circle of Ossus. Amelia, Kanyenke, and Cooper chase him through the mines, where they find a map to the Lake of the Moon. They go there, but the lake has dried up and is now a swamp. They destroy a Circle base in the swamp. Cooper approaches Beaumont and Beaumont commands two wolves to attack him. Cooper shoots one of them with his pistol and the other kills him. Amelia now wants to avenge Cooper. The Seminoles tell Amelia and Kanyenke that there is an Inca city in Pacamayo Valley where several barrels of the fountain's water are. The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida and now residing in Florida and Oklahoma. Pacamayo Valley is a valley in the Peruvian Andes. It is where the last Inca city was located They sail to South America, where they help Simon Bolivar defeat the Spanish, then go through the Andes and discover the Inca city in Pacamayo Valley. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar Palacios y Blanco,Venezuelan or commonly known as Simón Bolívar ( July 24, 1783 &ndash They defend the city from the Circle, who have a base there that they destroy. But Beaumont escapes with some of the Fountain's water. Amelia and Kanyenke fight the Circle at their stronghold in Cuba, and after allying with the Spanish colony of Havana and awaiting the arrival of the U. Havana ( IPA: aˈβana officially Ciudad de La Habana, is the Capital city, major port and leading S. Navy, they destroy the Ossuary and the cannons guarding it. Amelia and Kanyenke go under a ledge, but Beaumont is hiding on top. Beaumont jumps down and attempts to stab Amelia. But Amelia dodges him and she and Kanyenke are knocked down. Beaumont charges at Amelia about to stab her, but when Beaumont gets near, she kicks him and Beaumont is pushed back. He quickly charges at her but she grabs her gun and shoots him. She later uses the Circle's stored treasure to revive the Falcon Company, and succeeds in building railroads to the west coast. During the credits, there is a final cutscene between Amelia and an Old Coot first introduced earlier in the campaign. After some conversation, he makes a reference to the Circle and how she was able to defeat them in only one lifetime. Amellia then asks what he just said said and the Old Coot replies don't miss your train then walks away. During Act III, the player plays as the U. S. civilization (only available in the campaign), which resembles the British civilization.

Soundtrack

Main article: Age of Empires III Original Soundtrack

Development

Technical features

Age of Empires III builds on and introduces new features to the Age of Mythology engine. Age of Mythology (commonly abbreviated as AoM) is a Mythology -based Real-time strategy computer game developed by A game engine is a software system designed for the creation and development of computer and video games One new feature is the inclusion of the Havok physics simulation middleware engine^[26] on the PC version and the similar PhysX engine on Mac OS X. Havok Physics, better known as simply Havok, is a Physics engine developed by Irish company Havok. Middleware is computer Software that connects Software components or applications PhysX is a proprietary Realtime Physics engine Middleware SDK developed by NVIDIA (originally by Ageia, This means that many events such as building destruction and tree falls will not be pre-created animations, but rather will be calculated according to the physics engine, in an innovation for the series. The bouncing ball animation (below consists of these 6 frames Other graphical features of the game include bloom lighting and support for pixel shader 3.0. A pixel shader is a shader program often executed on a Graphics processing unit. ^[27]

Release history

Following the announcement^[28] of the game on January 4, 2005, a trial version was released on September 7, 2005. A game demo is an often but not always freely distributed demonstration or preview of an upcoming or recently released computer or video game. This contained a cut-down version of the game, introducing new features, such as two campaign scenarios, two random map scenarios (New England and Texas) and access to two civilizations (British and Spanish), and a variety of modifications. History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Mod or modification is a term generally applied to Computer games especially First-person shooters RPGs and Real-time strategy games ^[29] An updated demo version was made available with the game's release on September 22, 2005.

The release of the game on September 22, 2005 saw two separate editions being made available. The standard edition included the game and manual, a collector's edition version in a presentation box that includes the official soundtrack, extra documentation, a hardback book entitled Art of Empires that contains concept art and 3D renders from the game and a DVD entitled The Making of Age of Empires III. The term special edition ( deluxe edition and collector's edition are also used is a term generally used as a Marketing incentive for various kinds of products

The release of the game has been followed by a series of patches that have fixed minor bugs in the software or added new features. A software bug (or just “bug” is an error flaw mistake Failure, fault or “undocumented feature” in a Computer program that prevents it

Ensemble Studios has released^[30] an expansion for the game named Age of Empires III: The War Chiefs which was released on October 17, 2006. Age of Empires III The WarChiefs (otherwise known as TWC or WC) is the first official expansion pack for the Real-time It contains 3 new native civilizations that can be completely controlled: The Iroquois Confederation, the Great Sioux Nation, and the Aztecs. The Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the "League of Peace and Power" the "Five Nations" the "Six Nations" or the "People of the Longhouse The Great Sioux Nation is a general term sometimes applied to the Sioux. Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political New content for existing European civilizations, maps and gameplay additions (such as the revolution feature, in which players can revolt from their mother country and start an active military coup in the game) was added. A revolution (from the Latin revolutio, "a turnaround" is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively Both the original game and the first expansion were made available in a single 'gold' edition on October 23 2007. ^[31]

A second expansion pack, Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties, was announced on May 18 2007 and features 3 Asian civilizations, the Japanese, Chinese, and Indians. Age of Empires III The Asian Dynasties is a real-time strategy (RTS Video game developed through a collaboration between Ensemble Studios ^[32] It was released on October 23 2007.

A Mac OS X port of the game was released on November 13, 2006 by MacSoft,^[33] followed by the first expansion on June 18 2007. Mac OS X (mæk oʊ ɛs tɛn is a line of computer Operating systems developed marketed and sold by Apple Inc, the latest of which is pre-loaded on all currently See also Software portability In Computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created MacSoft Games is a Plymouth Minnesota, United States -based Computer game publisher and porter specializing in Porting Microsoft Windows ^[34]

Reception

Age of Empires III was well received by critics and reviewers. Pro-G (shortened from Prodigious Gaming is a London based commercial website focused on Video game news reviews previews and videos The game received an average score of 86%, and is the seventy-first most popular personal computer game, according to Game Rankings. A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather Game Rankings is a Website which keeps track of Video game reviews from other sites and combines them to present an average rating for each game ^[45] Age of Empires III was listed as the eighth best-selling PC game of 2005,^[46] and over two million copies of it had been sold by May 2007. ^[3]

Reviewers had much to say about the new title in the Age of Empires franchise. Age of Empires is a series of computer Video games developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. GameSpot pointed out that "Age of Empires III has some very big shoes to fill,"^[47] and GameSpy remarked that it "may not redefine real-time strategy gaming, but it sets the bar so high that we will be comparing games to this for years. GameSpot is a video gaming Website that provides News, Reviews Previews Downloads and other information GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related "^[48] IGN also commented on the game, saying "Age of Empires III is a superbly balanced and polished game," and that "Discounting a few niggles in the interface, the whole presentation is rock solid. IGN (abbreviated and formerly known as I magine G ames N etwork is a multimedia news and reviews Website that focuses heavily on Video "^[38] WorthPlaying described Age of Empires III as "a must-have for anyone fond of. . . RTS gaming,"^[39] while Game Revolution complained that it is "as detailed as a history book, and about as much fun;"^[40] GameZone disagreed, and said it was "one purchase you will not come to regret. Game Revolution (formerly Game-Revolution) or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. GameZone is a multiplatform Videogame website GameZone's daily coverage includes reviews previews news hints & cheats and editorials "^[42]

The game's visuals were highly praised by all reviewers. In a preview, IGN said that "After seeing the screenshots, our jaws hit the floor at the amount of detail,"^[49] while in their review, 1UP described it as "one of the most beautiful games you will put on your computer for the foreseeable future;"^[43] GameSpy agreed, stating, "Age III's graphics are unmatched in the strategy genre. "^[37] GameSpot also admired the graphics, but had a negative comment as well; they said, "Were it not for the awkward unit behavior. . . Age of Empires III would look truly amazing. "^[47] GameSpy awarded Age of Empires III the "Best Graphics" award at GameSpy's "Game of the Year 2005," mentioning that the graphics engine boasted "all the high-end technology you had normally find in first-person shooters. A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War "^[50]

The in-game audio was also commented upon. GameZone praised the sound effects, saying that "you will feel the explosions of the cannon balls, the muskets firing their endless volleys, and the destruction of a building. It all sounds extremely realistic, and makes the game come that much more alive. "^[42] Eurogamer briefly said "AoE3. . . sounds fantastic,"^[41] while Game Revolution mentioned that "The ambient sounds, music and voice work all suit the colonial theme. "^[40] However, IGN was not as impressed, saying that the sound was "Good enough. . . but does not stand out. "^[38]

Reviewers were divided as to the single player campaign. GameSpot thought it was "standard for a real-time strategy game," but also complained that it had "less-than-stellar voice work and awkward cutscenes;"^[47] GameSpy agreed that Age of Empires III's campaign is not revolutionary, but thought that "the voice acting is great. "^[51] IGN praised the campaign's story, in that it gave the player a "nice sense of purpose"; they thought "The 24-mission campaign is very well designed. "^[52] Eurogamer said the campaign lacked originality, in because though it was "well-written and imaginatively framed" it "offers exactly the same kind of challenges that RTS campaigns have been offering for years;"^[41] Game Revolution disliked the campaign more than the other reviewers. Comparing it to Age of Empires II's campaign, they said: "The plot actually got worse. Age of Empires III. . . avoids all the interesting and prickly issues like genocide, epidemics and slavery, instead subbing in a wimpy tale of a family destined to protect the Holy Grail from a Satanic Cult. "^[40]

Age of Empires III's multiplayer was highly lauded, and the home city was so as well. In the WorthPlaying review, it was briefly mentioned that multiplayer is "the meat of AoE3. "^[39] The topic of multiplayer was touched by GameZone, who said "this game demands multiplayer mode, and Ensemble Studios provided this for the players,"^[42] while at 1UP, the reviewer said similarly that "Multiplayer support has been significantly upgraded with a slick interface, support for clans and a number of other useful features. "^[43] VideoGamer stated: "The multiplayer mode is likely to entertain well beyond the campaign and will no doubt keep you busy;" GameSpy merged the topics of multiplayer and the home city, saying, "One nice side effect. . . is that, even if you get totally ass-whupped in a multiplayer game, you probably still earned a lot of experience to. . . develop your city. "^[51] WorthPlaying also mentioned the home city, calling it "the best new feature in the game. "^[39] GameSpy commented on the home city as well, saying "the 'home city' system creates long-term depth and strategy. "^[36]The only negative comment about the home city was made by EuroGamer: "Stop with the gifts!. . . You do not need to let me flick to a home city screen every few minutes so that I can select a free unit or resource windfall. I'm not some spoilt toddler that needs to be bribed with endless sweeties. "^[41]

The game was presented with two awards by GameSpy in 2005: 'Real-time strategy game of the year'^[53] and 'Best Graphics'. GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related ^[54] It was also given an 'honorable mention' in the 'Best Music' category. ^[55] GameSpy was highly praising of the game overall, giving it 5 stars in its review,^[56] which was particularly positive about the graphics and multiplayer experience. The game was named 5th best game of 2005 by GameSpy. ^[57]

Other awards,^[58] including an 'Outstanding' from GameZone,^[59] reflect the positive critical reception of the game.

Yahoo!'s report^[60] had many positive features. They praised the effort put into the graphics and physics but maintained that these are essentially eye-candy. They were disappointed by the traditional economics-based strategy of the game and believed that this, coupled with the lack of useful formation and tactics, meant that the game does not stand up to other modern real-time strategy games. Eurogamer shared these final thoughts and described the new homecity shipments, along with all the treasures scattered around the map, as silly and childish ways of trying to complement the game's lack of strategy and tactical choices. Still, it recognized that Ensemble Studios was brave to implement "something quite different" from other real time strategy games, the homecity concept. ^[41]

In December 2006, the Governor of Texas chose Age of Empires III as his "featured game of the month. James Richard "Rick" Perry (born March 4, 1950) is a Republican Politician and the current Governor of Texas "^[61] Age of Empires III was the 8th best-selling PC game of 2005 despite its late release, and has sold over 2 million copies to date. ^[62][63]

See also

• Age of Empires
• Age of Empires III: The Warchiefs
• Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties

Notes

External links

Official

• Age of Empires III Official Website
• Age of Empires III Community site
• Age of Empires III Unit Database
• Age of Empires III at MobyGames

MobyGames is a Website devoted to cataloging computer and video games, both past and present

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