Pharaoh (video game) and User:Lexein/AbleNET: Difference between pages

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Revision as of 01:39, 11 July 2007

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{{Notability|date=March 2007}}

{{Infobox CVG| title = Pharaoh

'''AbleNET''' is an [[Internet Relay Chat|IRC]] network. It was founded, May 2001, by [[AfterNET]] Co-Founder and long-time Admin Anthony Sanchez and several others from that network. The network was set up primarily as a chat network for friends, and as a response to growing disillusionment with the policies of some of the [[AfterNET]] administrators. Several users from AbleNET were involved in the creation of [[AfterNET]]; some even tracing their usage back to [[TheNET]] and [[InnerNET]].

|image = [[Image:PharaohGameCover.jpg|200px]]

|developer = [[Impressions Games]]

|publisher = [[Sierra Entertainment]]

|designer =

|engine =

|version =

|released = [[1999 in video gaming|1999]]

|genre = [[Strategy]]/[[Simulation]]

|modes = Single Player

|ratings =

|platforms = [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]

|media = [[CD ROM]]

|requirements =

|input = Mouse + Keyboard

}}

{{Infobox CVG| title = Cleopatra

|image = [[Image:CleopatraGameCover.jpg|200px]]

|developer = [[Impressions Games]]

|publisher = [[Sierra Entertainment]]

|designer =

|engine = [[Isometric projection]]

|version =

|released = [[2000 in video gaming|2000]]

|genre = [[City-building game]]

|modes = Single Player

|ratings = [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]] Everyone

|platforms = [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]

|media = [[CD-ROM]]

|requirements =

|input = Mouse + Keyboard

}}

'''''Pharaoh and Cleopatra''''' is an [[isometric]] [[city-building game|city-building]] game set in [[Ancient Egypt]] by [[Impressions Games]] and published by [[Sierra Entertainment]] for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]-based computers . It involves the construction and management of settlements and cities in ancient Egypt, and is the first such themed game in the [[City Building Series|City Building series]].

AbleNET is a small network with an average of 150-300 users online at any given time. The [[Undernet]]-compatible [[IRCu]] [[Daemon (computer software)|daemon]] software is used on the servers. [[IRC_Services|Channel services]] are provided using [[srvx]]; the user authentication service is named AuthServ and the channel service is named X.

The original game '''''Pharaoh''''' was released on [[October 31]], [[1999 in video gaming|1999]], and complimented with an [[expansion pack]], '''''Queen of the Nile: Cleopatra''''', released by [[BreakAway Games]] the following year. Both the original game and expansion pack and commonly referred to, and my be purchased as one, under the title '''''Pharoh and Cleopatra'''''

AbleNET is noted for its distinct lack of [[IRCOp]]s, instead using various services to control the flow of network stability and activity. Additionally, the Network is noted for its high standards of access, regarding the limit of multiple connections and unverifiable "bots".

==Game description==

:''See [[City Building Series#Series concepts and mechanics|this section]] of the [[City Building Series]] article for a gameplay overview.''

The network can be reached using irc.ablenet.org.

''Pharaoh'' is based on the same game engine as ''[[Caesar III]]'', also by [[Sierra Entertainment]], and operates on the same principles, but has many improvements and exceptions which will be described in this article.

== Historical Timeline ==

===Winning conditions===

* May 2001, AbleNET is born and has served as a meeting place for chatters ever since.

[[Image:PharaohGame4.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A bustling city]]

* May 2003, with the looming threat of the [http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/[e-mail] Fizzer Worm] AbleNET joins with a vast collection of [[IRC]] networks and news communities to form [http://www.irc-unity.org/ IRC-Unity]<ref>http://www.irc-unity.org/</ref>.

Each city must be "won" before the next city in the campaign can be accessed and played. Each mission sets five targets for the city, each being a value on a rating scale. A higher target along the scale represents a higher difficulty level for the city.

* December 2005, AbleNET becomes the first IRC Network to offer "blogging" to their community.

== Founder ==

Anthony Sanchez has been using and administering IRC Networks since 1995, starting as an IRCop with InnerNET subsequently [[NewNET]] during it's founding year. Later he went on to Admin servers for [[TheNET]], [[AfterNET]] and finally AbleNET.

Anthony was, coincidentally, the first to publish the story of the raid on and subsequent shutdown of the popular [[Lineage II]] private server, L2Extreme, on the AbleNET website.<ref>http://anthony.blogs.ablenet.org/l2extreme_fbi_shutdown</ref>

== External links ==

There are five rating scales: population, representing simply the number of residents in the city; the culture rating, representing the population's access to city services; monuments, which represents monument completion; the prosperity rating, which represents the city's financial success; and the kingdom rating, representing the city's relations with the [[Pharaoh]] and other cities in the kingdom.

* [http://www.ablenet.org/ AbleNET IRC Website]

* [http://wiki.ablenet.org/wiki/SRVX SRVX Help Files & Command List]

* [http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/Chat/IRC/Networks/A/ Google Directory]

* [http://searchirc.com/network/AbleNET Search Irc]

* [http://irc.netsplit.de/networks/details.php?net=AbleNET NetSplit.de]

* [http://www.srvx.net/ SRVX IRC Services]

* [http://irc-unity.org/]

===Religion= References ==

{{Reflist}}

The gods present in ''Pharaoh'' are:

[[Category:IRC networks]]

*[[Osiris]], god of the Nile flood

{{IRC networks}}

*[[Ra]], god of the kingdom

*[[Ptah]], god of industry and workers

*[[Set (mythology)|Seth]], god of war

*[[Bast (goddess)|Bast]], goddess of the home

Some cities worship only a selection of these gods, and all cities have a 'patron god' which must be worshipped more than others and is harder to please. In addition to temple-building, festivals may be thrown to specific gods to appease them.

If a god is angry, it may effect a disaster upon the city, relevant to the god's ___domain. Osiris, for example, will reduce the Nile flood, thus reducing agricultural yields.

===Trade===

[[Image:PharaohGame3.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Industry, with nearby docks]]

Trade is an essential part of the game and for most cities a primary source of income. ''Pharaoh'' has a highly sophisticated trade system, allowing the player to micro-manage the flow of commodities into and out of his city.

Excessive importing of a product can be prevented by instructing merchants to only deliver products to city storage yards if those storage yards have not exceeded a given stockpile. Similarly, exports can be limited so that the city does not run out of a given commodity. Additionally, instructions given to each individual storage yard can ensure that trade deliveries to one particular ___location are quickly distributed over the city, which is important for trade by water as cities usually only have one suitable site for [[dock (maritime)|dock]]s.

The player can also order the city to stockpile a commodity by temporarily preventing export or consumption.

===Industry and agriculture===

[[Image:PharaohGame2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Farms on a Nile flood plain]]

In ''Pharaoh'', industry is not only necessary for the production of commodities but also plays a big role in the mining of construction materials, which are used in monuments.

''Pharaoh'' also has a complex agricultural system based on the annual inundation of the [[Nile]]. Some areas of the city map next to the river are designated as flood plain areas, which are covered by water once each in-game year and where only [[farm]]s and [[road]]s may be built. The extent of the flood determines how fertile the farms are when they are planted after the flood, and this determines the yield of the farm at the harvest season.

{| width:80%; border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"

|-

! Primary industry || Raw Product || Secondary industry || Product || Uses

|-

|style="width:115px"|[[Wood]] Cutter

|style="width:115px"|Wood

|style="width:100px"|Chariot maker

|style="width:80px"|[[Chariot]]s

|Wood for [[Shipbuilding]]; [[scaffolding]] (for monument construction); Chariots as equipment for Recruiter building for training chariot-riders

|-

|[[Clay]] Pit

|Clay

|[[Potter]] and Brickworks require Clay to function

|[[Pottery]]; [[Brick]]s

|Pottery used as domestic product for housing evolution, Bricks used in monument construction

|-

|[[Reed (plant)|Reed]] Gatherer

|Reeds

|[[Papyrus]] Maker

|Papyrus

|[[Library]] and [[School]] service buildings

|-

|[[Barley]] Farm

|Barley

|[[Brewery]]

|[[Beer]]

|

*Domestic product for housing evolution

*[[Senet]] House service building

|-

|[[Flax]] Farm

|Flax

|[[Weaver]]

|[[Linen]]

|

*Domestic product for housing evolution

*[[Mortuary]] service building

|-

|

[[Chickpea]] Farm,<br/>

[[Lettuce]] Farm,<br/>

[[Fig]] Farm,<br/>

[[Pomegranate]] Farm,<br/>

[[Grain]] Farm,<br/>

[[Fishing]] Wharf

|

Chickpeas,<br/>

Lettuce,<br/>

Figs,<br/>

Pomegranates,<br/>

[[Wheat]] and [[Straw]],<br/>

Fish

|[[Cattle]] Ranch and Brickworks require Straw to function

|[[Meat]] and Bricks

|Food supplies; Bricks (for monument construction)

|-

|[[Gemstone]] Mine

|Gemstones

|Jeweler

|[[Jewelry]]

|Domestic product for housing evolution

|-

|[[Copper]] Mine

|Copper

|Weaponsmith

|[[Weapon]]s

|Equipment for Recruiter building for training spearmen

|-

|[[Gold]] Mine

|Gold

|N/A

|N/A

|Delivered directly to city treasury to supplement funds

|-

|[[Granite]] Quarry

|Granite

|N/A

|N/A

|Monument construction - Obelisks

|-

|[[Limestone]] Quarry

|Limestone

|N/A

|N/A

|Monument construction - Pyramids

|-

|Plain stone Quarry

|Plain stone

|N/A

|N/A

|Monument construction - Pyramids

|-

|[[Sandstone]] Quarry

|Sandstone

|N/A

|N/A

|Monument construction - Sun Temples

|}

===Military===

[[Image:PharaohGame1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A stepped pyramid, with quarries nearby]]

Some cities are susceptible to attack by other civilizations, and the player must counter this threat by building defenses. A maximum of six armies can be recruited from the general population, each consisting solely of spearmen, archers, or chariot-riders. Walls, gates, and towers, limited only by costs, can also be built to defend the city. Warships can also be constructed for naval defense.

In addition to defense, the player will sometimes be asked by other cities to provide reinforcements for a battle elsewhere.

It should be noted that police officers can also fight enemy armies but usually very unsuccessfully.

===Monuments===

[[Image:Knickpyramide-Pharaoh (computer game).JPG|right|250px|A [[bent pyramid]]]]

Some cities require that specific monuments be constructed before the player may move onto the next city in the campaign. These monuments can be [[obelisk]]s, [[mastaba]] tombs, [[pyramid]]s or [[sphinx]]es, and generally require a lot of time, effort and space to complete. The most time-consuming stage of monument construction is the acquisition of building materials, mostly granite, limestone or plain stone. These can be obtained at quarries, which require a large workforce.

==Historical accuracy==

[[Image:Sphinx-Pharaoh (computer game).JPG|right|250px|A [[sphinx]]]]

Although the [[puzzle]]-like aspect of ''Pharaoh'' keeps the simulation far from realistic, the game stays true to the chronological order and timing of major events in the history of Egypt, including monument construction, wars and national disasters, the births and deaths of notable leaders, and the founding and fall of ancient cities.

The game also provides limited encyclopeadic information about ancient Egyptian practices within its help menu. The instructional booklet includes a much more thorough but short history of Egypt.

==Campaign structure==

Throughout the game the player takes the role of successive generations of a particular family, progressing from city to city and ascending in rank from village elder to pharaoh. In most cases, the player is given the option of two cities to choose from to complete the next level. Usually one is more focused on domestic challenges, while the other involves military campaigns.

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"

|-

! Era || Rank || Peaceful assignment || Military assignment || Start Year || Reigning Pharoah || Primary Goal

|-

| rowspan=3| [[Predynastic Egypt|Predynastic Period]]

| rowspan=3| Village Elder

| colspan=2 align="center"| [[Naqada|Nubt (Naqada)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 3500 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"| None

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Establish the first Egyptian village in history

|-

| colspan=2 align="center"| [[Thinis, Egypt|Thinis]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 3100 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Thinite Nobles

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Establish a local capitol in [[Lower Egypt]]

|-

| colspan=2 align="center"| [[Buto|Perwadjyt (Buto)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 3050 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"| [[Thinite Confederacy]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Discover [[irrigation]] and [[inundation]] methods

|-

| rowspan=4| [[Early Dynastic Period of Egypt|Archaic Period]]

| rowspan=2| Village Noble

| colspan=2 align="center"| [[Nekhen|Nekhen (Hierakonpolis)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 3000 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"| [[Narmer]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Build a city to unify Egypt

|-

| colspan=2 align="center"| [[Memphis, Egypt|Men-nefer (Memphis)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2900 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"| [[Hor-Aha]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Build the first Egyptian capitol

|-

| rowspan=2| Royal Scholar

| colspan=2 align="center"| [[Timna valley|Timna]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2850 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"| [[Den (Pharaoh)|Den]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Build a mining military outpost

|-

|[[Abydos, Egypt|Abedju (Abydos)]]

|[[Edfu|Behdet (Apollinopolis)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2685 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"| [[Khasekhemwy]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Establish the first [[Egyptian Navy]]

|-

| rowspan=10| [[Old Kingdom]]

| Royal Scribe

| [[Elephantine|Abu (Elephantine)]]

| [[Selima Oasis]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2650 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Establish a rich trading center/Build a military outpost

|-

| Royal Judge

| colspan=2 align="center"| [[Saqqara]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2630 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"| [[Djoser]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Build the [[Pyramid of Djoser|Stepped Pyramid]]

|-

| rowspan=2| Royal Mayor

| [[Meidum]]

| [[Serabit el-Khadim|Serabit Khadim]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2600 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Build a royal burial complex/Reconquer a lost military outpost

|-

| South [[Dahshur]]

| [[Buhen]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2575 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Build the [[Bent Pyramid]]

|-

| rowspan=4| Royal Governor

| colspan=2 align="center"| North [[Dahshur]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2563 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Build the first [[Egyptian pyramids|True Pyramid]]

|-

| [[Heliopolis (ancient)|On (Heliopolis)]]

| [[Dendera Temple complex|Iunet (Dendera)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2551 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|-

| colspan=2 align="center"| [[Giza pyramid complex|Rostja (Giza)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2508 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

| rowspan=1 align="center"| Build the [[Great Pyramid]] and the [[Sphinx]]

|-

| [[Abusir|Djedu (Abusir)]]

| [[Bahariya Oasis]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2465 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|-

| Nomarch

| -

| -

| -

| -

|-

| Chancellor

| [[Dakhla, Egypt|Dakhla Oasis]]

| [[Dunqul Oasis]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2246 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|-

| rowspan=5| [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Middle Kingdom]]

| rowspan=2| Vizier

| [[Thebes, Egypt|Waset (Thebes)]]

| [[Eleventh dynasty of Egypt|Thinis]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 2216 - 2215 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|-

| [[Beni Hasan|Menat Khufu (Beni Hassan)]]

| [[Qift|Kebet (Coptos)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 1952 - 1951 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|-

| rowspan=6| Pharaoh

| colspan=2 align="center"| [[Itjtawy]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 1880 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|-

| [[Mersa Gawasis|Sawu (Mersa Gawasis)]]

| [[Mirgissa|Iken (Mirgissa)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 1800 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|-

| [[Bubastis]]

| [[Semna (Nubia)|Heh (Semna)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 1710 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|-

| rowspan=3| [[New Kingdom of Egypt|New Kingdom]]

| [[Lykopolis|Sauty (Lykopolis)]]

| [[Hermopolis|Khmun (Hermopolis)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 1541 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|-

| [[Quban|Baki (Kuban)]]

| [[Byblos]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 1480 - 1479 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|-

| [[El-Lahun|Hetepsenusret (Kahun)]]

| [[Avaris|Rowarty (Avaris)]]

| rowspan=1 align="center"| 1372 - 1279 BC

| rowspan=1 align="center"|

|}

==Platforms==

Windows 95 and subsequent. There was a Macintosh version planned(the manual provides Mac alternatives for a single button mouse).

===System requirements===

Win95, Pentium 133 (200 recommended), 32MB RAM (64MB recommended), 4X CDROM, 360MB free HDD space (600MB recommended) including 100MB free space on Windows HDD, 1MB VGA video card (2MB SVGA recommended).

'''Important Note:''' The game has an internal speed setting, ranging from 10-100%, increases in increments of 10.

==External links==

*[http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/pharaoh Pharaoh entry] at [[MobyGames]]

*[http://www.gameswarehouse.com.au/longpage.asp?gameid=7988 Pharaoh description] including system requirements.

*[http://pharaoh.heavengames.com/ Pharaoh] at [[HeavenGames]]

{{ City building series}}

[[Category:City building games]]

[[Category:Windows games]]

[[Category:1999 computer and video games]]

[[de:Pharao (Computerspiel)]]

[[fr:Pharaon (jeu vidéo)]]

[[pl:Faraon (gra komputerowa)]]

[[sv:Farao (datorspel)]]