Bonne nouvelle ! Philippe Thibaut a révélé il y a quelques jours le prochain jeu d’AGEOD : Alea Jacta Est. Ce futur wargame sur le thème de l’empire romain s’appuiera sur le moteur de jeu ayant fait le succès des précédents titres du studio, tout en ajoutant de nouvelles fonctionnalités dont vous trouverez un résumé dans le communiqué ci-dessous. Au programme cinq campagnes, un vrai manuel, une VF, mais aussi ultérieurement une extension (Birth of … Rome) et des « scenario packs » couvrant chacun un théâtre d’opération spécifique.
La sortie de Alea Jacta Est est prévu dans le courant du troisième trimestre 2012 (les add-ons arriveront eux par la suite, entre 2012 et 2013). En attendant de premières images ainsi que d’en savoir plus voyez par exemple cette discussion dans le forum officiel.
Annonce
Iacta alea est, or also Alea Jacta Est is Latin for « The Die is Cast ». The quote is attributed to Caesar when he announced his decision to cross the Rubicon River in 49 BC, thereby starting the most famous Roman civil war…
Features
The game enjoys most of the features and improvement from previous AGEOD games, plus some brand new specific features:• Ancient Command and Supply System (based on the Wars in America system), allowing for a good representation of historical army command in the Roman era.
• Quick and simple system of Construction of Units, allowing players to choose and purchase their forces as they wish (or can) during the annual and grand campaigns.
• Decision features, playable on the map, like wild card assets.
• Diversified set of historical events, allowing multiple choices events and options, thereby enhancing flexibility and re-playability.
• Different updates and other rules, in particular a combat system adapted to ancient warfare and sieges.
• Map: all of the Roman Empire and neighboring lands, with over 2800 different regions and seas, giving a lot of room for maneuvers.
• Over a thousand of new leaders (main leaders have individual portraits) and hundreds units with accurate pictures.Scenarios
Five scenarios, starting 87 BC till 200 AD, including the well-known “Caesar vs. Pompey” civil war between 50 and 40 BC, or the infamous “Year of the Four Emperors 68 AD”Scenarios vary in length from a few months to quite a few years (in a monthly turn scale)
Languages: The game will be released in French, English, Spanish and German; including a full 80 pages manual. Translations were provided by expert players and gamers well-known from the AGEOD forums.
Release: Expected Q3 2012, based on the progress of the current Beta.
Price: it has to be confirmed, as the potential distributor has his say here, and talks are still under way now. Will be reasonable though…
First Expansion Pack
After the AJE release, the team developing the game has pledged to commit to its first Expansion Pack (Birth of Rome 312 to 236 BC, with many new scenarios and campaigns in the beginnings of the Republic), which will become available in a date to be announced after the game’s release, the first of a series of planned expansions aimed at covering most of the Roman Empire history.Scenario Packs
Also, in preparation, they have various sets of Thematic Scenario Packs, each covering scenarios or campaigns in a specific theater of operation or versus a particular foe of Rome (in various stages of production now: Longuinqua Britannia, Furor Germanicus, Regnum Dacicum and Bellum Parthicum, planned to be released in sequence over 2012 and 2013)Modders Scenario Packs
Also, the team would love that some key beta and players have their say in producing original scenarios of their own choosing…the Roman era is large and long enough for this. The game Databases will be available shortly after release to help the volunteers…The Team
The original team that created AJE consists of Bohémond, El Nino and GPepper & Pangi (artworks), all forum veterans and AGE experts. In addition, a few key forumites here are giving them help and assistance in finalizing the game…Can’t name them all, but they are from the most experienced of our players.I take this announcement opportunity to thank them all