80/100
Players7 ratings

Where to get it

2021 · Stanislas Dolcini · Historical · Indie

0 A.D.

0 A.D. is a free, open-source, historical Real Time Strategy (RTS) game currently under development by a global group of volunteer game developers. As the leader of an ancient civilization, you must gather the resources you need to raise a military force and dominate your enemies.

Released: 21 February 2021
Platforms: Berkeley Software Distribution Linux Windows macOS
Genres: Historical Indie Puzzle Real-time strategy Strategy
Developers: Stanislas Dolcini
Publishers: —
Modes: Multiplayer Single-player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric
Themes: Fantasy Historical Warfare 4X (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate)
Engine: Pyrogenesis
Country: United States
Languages: English

About

0 A.D. is a real-time strategy video game under development by Wildfire Games. It is a historical war and economy game focusing on the years between 500 BC and 1 BC, with the years between 1 AD and 500 AD planned to be developed in the future. The game is cross-platform, playable on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD. It is free and open-source, composed entirely of free software and free media, using the GNU GPLv2 (or later) license for the game engine source code, and the CC BY-SA license for the game art and music.

Keywords

medieval
open-source
free-to-play
digital distribution
bow and arrow

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

0 A.D. features the traditional real-time strategy gameplay components of building a base, developing an economy, training an army, engaging in combat, and researching new technologies. The game includes multiple units and buildings specific to each civilization as well as both land and naval units.

During the game, the player advances from "village phase", to "town phase", to "city phase". The phases represent the sizes of settlements in history, and every phase unlocks new units, buildings, and technologies.

Development

0 A.D. originated in 2001 as a comprehensive total conversion mod concept for Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. The development team later decided that making the project as a mod was too limiting to their creative freedom, and elected to move their art and ideas to an in-house engine, making it a standalone game. Matei Zaharia was a noted member of the team.

The historical accuracy of game elements has been the highest development priority. Unit and building names are shown in the original language of the civilization they belong to, and they are also translated into the language in which the user is playing the game. There is also a strong focus on attempting to provide high visual accuracy of unit armor, weapons, and buildings.