![]() The gameplay mechanics of ATITD are incredibly well thought-out. Building your own pyramid, for instance, sees you prospecting for limestone using special glass rods, and then assembling a team of people (there are no slaves of course - this is a family game) to help you get the damn thing put up. Once you start advancing through the disciplines the tasks get harder and you have to band together with your guild-mates to achieve them. Or if you feel like venturing down the road of the Body you must first run an assault course. For example, to be initiated into the discipline of Leadership you have to get 20 people to sign a petition saying you are a jolly good chap or chappess. There are also discipline schools where you can learn and master a variety of abilities after passing a specified test - usually requiring different objects to be brought to the school. It was widely believed throughout ancient Egypt that if man could achieve perfection in all seven disciplines, then he would achieve immortality.Įach of the disciplines ingame has associated universities where you can obtain new skills and equipment. Much of the game's theme revolves around the ancient Seven Disciplines of Man: Leadership, Architecture, Thought, the Human Body, Worship, Conflict and Art. The community aspect, plus the focus on creativity rather than destruction is maybe the reason the game has gained many female participants, as well as explaining the fact that the average player is in their mid-20s. Consequently, ATITD has a very helpful and friendly atmosphere. Players also vote for their own laws and can banish those who break them. Joining and helping to build a community is a must, and allows you access to guild-owned buildings and materials. What drives ATITD is the dependence on other players. There are also regular chat channels to allow constant contact with other players and guilds, as well as to view in-game announcements. They aid you in establishing a base, make you feel less of a single grain in an entire sandpit, and help you make the most of your free 24 Once you get into the game, however, it's fairly easy to find a mentor (another experienced player) who'll teach you the basics and help you understand how the game works. It's one that works incredibly well and is every bit as addictive as twatting things with a big sword, as we've become used to doing in just about every other MMOG out there.įrom the outset, Egypt is quite daunting, especially its size, and it's estimated that it'd take at least 12 hours to cross it on foot, although you do get to set waypoints later. ![]() It's a bit like an interactive episode of The Good Life but on an epic scale. In fact, you do everything you'd expect to do in an emerging civilisation, apart from fight. You fish, you farm, you spin flax, you makeīricks, you build pyramids, you go on pilgrimages, you raise sheep and chickens and you play games of luck with other players. The premise is simple: you live in the world of ancient Egypt, learning the ways of the land, co-operating with your fellow inhabitants in order to achieve financial, spiritual and bodily advancement. The beauty about a game like A Tale In The Desert is that it's all about creation - the creation of a civilisation in fact - using little more than what you see in the world around you. If you suddenly dropped off the face of the earth, what would be your legacy? A pile of dirty clothes? Some kids, maybe? A pencil holder in the shape of a crocodile that you made when you were five and your mum never had the heart to throw out? That's the thing about being a 21 st century consumer - we don't really contribute a whole lot to the world, instead concentrating on destroying it bit by bit.
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