A novel idea of hosting a multiplayer strategy game has been hatched by the 1000ad game. The browser game is text based with the player giving instructions for building a city and destroying other cities. It is a strategy war game set in the medieval times. Playing the game helps the player to learn about the making of a civilization and how it may be conquered by another civilization. Each player develops his own town and then groups with other players to form alliances. The town center infrastructure is developed through a turn based system. The players strategize on how to use resources like builders and wood to achieve important constructions in the town. Structures such as markets are completed in every era called a turn.

The gamer is able to amass builders and army units for each town. When the town becomes big enough to conquer other lands, the war aspect of the browser game emerges. But preceding that is the period of empire building that expands mining,farming and hunting over mountains, plains and forests. The basic resources of food and wood are used to get iron and gold. All the resources are used up by the buildings, builders, toolmakers and the armies. The town begins to have a bustling population. The turn based strategy aims at constructing a fortified city with a great wall and towers. An army is then supplied with weapons and food rations.

The whole business of building the empire is concluded within 300 to 500 turns. Points and resources are gained by how efficiently the turn based strategy is used. At that point the city forms alliances with other cities, which means other gamers in the multiplayer strategy game. Those alliances warm up to a showdown of war with other alliances. They train their army units and refine their research on all aspects of living. The research is done in constructions known as mate towers. This element of research is consistent with warrior civilizations in history. It makes 1000ad a realistic historical war game. Some of the weapons are for Paladins, Vikings and Japanese swordsmen. There is a lot of exploration by horsemen who scale the mountains, forests and plains. The turn based strategy is seasonal with farming from April to November and hunting on the winter.

The gamer must manage all industrial and political aspects. He must make sure that people don't freeze during winter as well as choosing the right alliances. Once the army is trained and all resources are ready, conquering can begin.

After founding the cities and forming alliances, the prowess at war is tested. The same strategic mentality is used to conquer new lands. Moves made in the strategy war game are based on information on the other civilization. The contesting alliance may be conquered by sheer military force or by strategic destruction of its resources. Strategies can be formulated to take advantage of weak points in other alliances. The alliances in the multiplayer war game must be well coordinated when confronting their rivals.

Jack Jones is the author of this article on Text Based Game.
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