Category: video-games

Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest and the journey into Space War

In the year 2002, Empire Earth got its only expansion pack, the Art of Conquest. The main addition to the maps in the game was the inclusion of space maps. The main issue with the maps is that it just didn’t fit with the engine of the game. Trying to graph a space geography onto what was a game ostensibly set on Earth throughout human history, was just going to be a satisfying product in my opinion. However, the developers made an effort, which is more than can be said for most games made in the current era.

In many ways, the Empire Earth engine also for a unique depiction of space combat here. There is no other game similar to this in the industry. Had Empire Earth continued as franchise, we would probably have had a more realistic looking space age. The developers’ efforts for an expansion done just a year after release is impressive. With more time, they could have smoothed out the gameplay even more and the game would have been even better.

There is one important aspect to Art of Conquest. It is an expansion that did not take years to make. The content in this game is comparable to many games now. While not the best quality, it shows that video games should not take a decade to make. I want games to come out more similar to Call of Duty not Grand Theft Auto VI. While GTA VI will be innovative, the amount of time passing to make such games is causing the video game industry to wrap around these titles.

What we see here is an ability to get projects done quickly and competently.

This is what the video game industry should be approaching making their games and maybe it will seem like it is not moving like molasses but having actual change and growth.

Empire Earth: The Nano Age and the Architecture of an Epoch

Starting in the Digital Age in Empire Earth, the architecture suddenly shifts to a futuristic style. The Capitol for instance, isn’t trying to replicate the St. Basil’s Cathedral in London now, but some theoretical capital in the future. Its architecture is rounded, like it belongs on some distant planet and not on Earth. The culture that it represents is one that worships efficiency over the idea of human culture. Compare that to the Colosseum wonder being built next to it.

The Colosseum was an expression of Roman culture using the technology they had in order to construct it. It also represented their many abstract ideas of how to organize their society. The Digital Age capital in Empire Earth is a representation of the technology overtaking the expression of human culture. What we see in the buildings in the future epochs is really a continuation of what saw beginning with the Modern Epochs; architecture is now functional. Now architecture is basically just housing technology within those structures.

Here is the great idea behind Cyber Labatory which is right behind the Colosseum; it isn’t about the structure which is mattering in here, its the technology which matters here. Gameplay wise, the Cyber Labatory is representing something new in military affairs in the game. These Cybers are made specifically to counter other Cybers not the remaining human units. This is Cyber on Cyber conflict not human.

This is the essence of the Nano Age.

Tech is more important than when we use it to make culture.

It is not surprising that the houses in the Nano Age do not have any distinctive cultural aspects to it. Art and Culture is subordinate to the interests of efficiency, or more specifically, how we use technology to interact with our epoch.

That is the essence of the Digital and more importantly, the Nano Ages in Empire Earth.

The Original Oblivion still looks beautiful in 2025

The Imperial City in The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion
The Original Oblivion still looks incredible.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion got a remastered version in April of this year. It was quite a treat as the game has given what I consider to be my favorite version of the Elder Scrolls a boost in visibility. A game that was in the shadows of the massive titan of Skyrim, was now getting in its place in the sun

After I played the Oblivion Remastered, I went back to original Oblivion and I was impressed still with the graphics. They have aged in some areas but I think what is most important is that the game has is the style of the graphics. This is an area that many groundbreaking games tend to have issues with having a timeless style as they are so focused on impressing people who want to benchmark their computers not think about the artistic style.

The Imperial City vantage point is from Bleaker's Way.
The Imperial City vantage point is from Bleaker’s Way.

The village of Bleaker’s Way is larger than most of the equivalent villages in Skyrim. Its location is quite angelic in a sense. It is nestled in the hills, hidden away from any major buildings. However, you get great views of the imperial City from these screenshots that I have taken. This is just a great place to take screenshots. This is what the game is great at here. Skyrim seems to have improved upon it but I love Oblivion’s vistas more. I think it’s because Skyrim is more in line with browns and its greenery is closer to Riften which is much further to the South. Skyrim does not have a great variety of greenery within its snowy and cold climate. However, it’s just too earthy for me, probably because it just doesn’t look as good in a game.

Oblivion has the right style to me.

The Heartlands were always the best looking part of the game in my opinion. While all the other regions have their charm, it is in the center of Cyrodil where the game really shines here. It makes sense as this where the player would first see the incredible environments of Oblivion after leaving the dark areas of the sewers. This is what makes Oblivion so unique in the sense of games at this time. Many games were becoming brownish in the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 generation era. Oblivion stood as a symbol of Arthurian color in a sea of browns and grays.

The village of Bleaker’s Way, even in the original version is so beautiful to glance at. You want to take time just to glance the rustic beauty of the houses and colors of the flowers. It is truly a place that one can touch grass and enjoy the roses.

Even closer up, the Imperial City and water gives off such majesty.

Even with its rustic simplicity in some of the villages, Oblivion has a style that is timeless and makes cherish it every time I keep playing the game even if Skyrim is technically more sophisticated than it.

There is just something about the style that keeps it interesting to players in our age.