Does that pic looks cool or what? What do you
mean what is it? It's the 3 pyramids at Giza, found on the Terraserver by Jayhawk
and kindly posted in the forum. Here's what he had to say about it:
"The top
of the picture shows a bit of Nile valley with lots of houses. Just right of the
road (black line) the Sphinx is clearly visible. Also there are the three large
pyramids, which as can be seen do not line up perfectly, i.e. not a straight line. In
shape and size (magnitude ) the line up with Orion/Osiris belt. Next to the largest
pyramid (right) the solar boat museum can be seen."
Find out more about this pic in the forum. Actually, while we're on the subject of the forums, then
you might remember me posting a news item a couple of days back about a Pharaoh preview at
Game Tropics. Well, there's been quite a bit of follow-up on that in the
aforementioned forum, with some being not terribly impressed by what Ogre wrote. Get
the full story here.
Heard of the Electronic
Entertainment Expo (E3 for
short)? If not, then suffice to say that it's one of the most important exhibitions
in the gaming year. Loads of new games first see the light of day there, and updates
are often given about those in development. Impressions and Sierra will certainly be there, showcasing Pharaoh and a couple of other new
games. The bad news is that it's an event for the press only. However, never
fear, because there are at least 3 Angels who'll be there, taking notes and letting us who
are less fortunate know what they find. So, stay tuned to HGS Main
News and the other HGS sites for
the latest stuff direct from the guys in NY!
Great news comes from Columbia today, where Angel Alexander I has been trying for the past couple of months to get a decent
connection to the Net. Well, I was able to chat to him on ICQ for about an hour last
night (despite the lag), and he says that he might (note: might) be back soon. Cool,
eh? I bet you've all had enough of me anyway;).
If all this talk about Pharaoh has whetted your
appetite to find out more about the real-life ancient Egypt covered by the game, then the
best place to look is in the forum. Our 2 most regular guests, Jayhawk
and Innovandora, have come up with a sort of reading list for you to look
at if you want to uncover all the great secrets of Egypt. Here are a few of the
recommended books:
Innovandora:
How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs by Mark Collier Sept 1998 --Compared to most of the hieroglyph books which are
reprints from the 1930s and difficult to read, this book is a breath of fresh air. Having
been used by the authors for 8 years in a college setting evolving as class notes, the
book is well laid out, clear, and concentrates on what museum visitors will most likely
actually use. Highly recommended above all others on the subject, this book will not
discourage. Monarchs of the Nile by Aidan Dodson 1995. The most recent overview of Egypt's Pharaohs, by an editor of
KMT magazine. Almost a "Cliff Note's" version of each reign. Some of the
author's personal line drawings are amateurish, but the text is excellent so don't be
turned off by this. Best source of current info, worth buying for the "recommended
reading" section alone. (Those wanting info on the lessor pharaohs may also want to
check out Chronicle of the Pharaohs by Clayton, which has garnered mixed reviews on amazon.com) Penguin Guide to Ancient Egypt by William J. Murnane 1997 version. --Good intro guide, emminently affordable. Often
revised, make sure to get the latest version.
Jayhawk:
Two bits of novelised history that I
enjoyed reading:
Lord of Two Lands and Throne of Isis, both by Judith Tarr. The first is set during
Alexander the Great's takeover of Egypt, the second during the last days of Cleopatra
(just after Caesar's death). The writing is a pleasure and the writer seems to know her
history quite well.
But that's not all - there are absolutely tons of
books mentioned. To get the full list, click here. Also, if you know of any websites or books which deal with
the period covered by Pharaoh, then head over to the forum and let us know!
Our cool hosts, GameStats, have posted a new contest and some rather cool
information. First, the latter. Ever looked at a website and thought "I
can do that!"? Well, now's your chance to find out if you can, because GS are
on the lookout for cool, motivated people who want to join an ever-growing network.
If you think you've got what's needed to make it in the mad world of cyberspace, then
either click on the image to the right or click here.
And now on to the new contest. Has your game been slipping lately? You missed a few frags
that would have been child's play for you to get a month ago? Quite obviously you
are off your game because that business suit you are wearing just does not quite give you
the freedom of movement you need to truly kick the living hell out of someone. Click here
to win a solution.
The guys at Game
Tropics have given Pharaoh a bit
of a preview in the past day or so. However, it is not entirely complimentary.
Ogre, the guy who wrote the review (actually, he worked at Age of
Empires Heaven until last week)
clearly thinks that it's just going to be Caesar III in disguise. Well, everyone's
entitled to his\her own opinion in a free society. However, I'm not sure that I
fully agree with what the preview says. See for yourself here.
Yes folks, the Pyramids refuse to go away, and
feature prominently in the forums again:). This time, one of our PH regulars,
Innovandora, has found a rather cool sounding book dealing with the ideas behing the
construction of the Pyramids. Here's a bit of what Innovandora had to say...
There is also a series of sections on construction. Rather than
attempt a best choice, the author exposes the several competing theories current. There
are three theories offered for how to create a right angle. (The good old 3-4-5 triangle
being my favorite) There is an illustration of NINE proposed different ramp
configurations.
Sounds cool, eh? More information to be found
here.
A couple of days back, I let y'all know about some
controversy in the forums about whether the Egyptians built the Pyramids or the Sphinx.
Well, we've got another similar thing in there today, namely, whether the Egyptians
were able to see into the future. Get the initial arguments and a couple of
subsequent ones here.
One more forum tidbit for today:). There's
also a nice little discussion brewing about the nature of games nowadays, more
specifically whether too much work is put into the intro sequence, leading to the game
falling below the required standard. Get the full story here.
Disclaimer Pharaoh is a game by Sierra Studios & Impressions Software. All trademarks (graphics, information etc.)
are the sole property of their respective owners. All Materials in Pharaoh Heaven used
with permission. All other materials are the property of Heaven's Gaming Sites and require
permission for use on other sites! Links do not necessarily suggest endorsement. Names,
trademarks, and copyrights are the property of the originating companies and web sites.
Best viewed in 800 X 600 Graphics Mode - 16bit color, with IE 4.0.
) the line up with Orion/Osiris belt. Next to the largest
pyramid (right) the solar boat museum can be seen."
