The born of Age of Mythology Most of the informations from this artcile come more from websites AoM Heaven and gamespot which are still online and get a lot of arcticles with news from 2001. So i invite you to consult those website if you want to read eveything which has been post at the AoM period. In this article I ll try to make a resum about those informations and tell you about the Born of AoM.The titan will be talked in an other article. Good read!.
It is the 30th of october 2002 who sign officialy the born of AoM(the 11th november in France). Developped by Ensemble Studios for Microsoft Games this game was very waited by a lot of players. First of all,and if it isnt a direct next of the game,players of Age of Empires II who hoped an "Age of" dign of this name and from a lot of PC players like the licence "Ageof" was one of the most popular.
It was so a really moment and the succes was here like the game has been sold at more than 1million during the first 4th months. We will talk again about sold in an other article,for the moment spot for the first artcile about the born and the devloppment of the games and the first announcments.
Développement et premières annoncesThe first devloppment for AoM come from 1997 when devloppers started their job on the 3D motor of the game named "BANG!" . They didnt know yet in which kind of game they will turn on but this was the first base for their future project. The intern project has been names "RTS3" and it is more later(16th april 2001)the name Age Of Mythology will become public.
In the DvD in the collector version and in the interviews , ES talk about a real devloppment who spent 3years and start in 1999.It was their project the most important and the harder,without mesure with the serie of the Age of Empires most beacause of the cinematics and the 3D motor.Remember we were in the 90th years and it wasnt the same technology as today.
ES didnt rlly know the theme of the game because they wanted to change the history registre of the Age of Empires serie while stay on the style they liked. After a lot of discution the Theme of the mythology has been kept because of the lot of units choice,the gameplay and the liberty for the campaign.
It is the 30th January 2001 when Tony Goodman,the leader of ES,has showed the first informations on AOM(still names RTS3 at this period)in a Gamespot interview.The Interview doesnt show a lot of thing but it was the first confirmation of a new "Age of".A lot of fans were waiting Age of Empires III but it wasnt this one and they had to wait 2005 to have their new AOE.
2months after , the 30th March 2001,Gamespot show the first picture of RTS3 where we can see some units.We are far of the final like the game was still in devloppment at this moment and will be sold only 19months after.
The first picture of the game showed the 30March 2001 ! Eggy Units with the anubite and the leviathan .
A second picture will be shown the 9april with this time buildings and new units.
Buildings and Units greek at the honnor for this 2nd picture.
It is finally the 16th april 2001 that ES Decided to make public the official name : Age of Mythology . An annoucnment will be showed a few days after with a new picture with a few more units.
norse vs eggy with a sanglier and a giant mountain
Even if it wont have any thing for AoM, one of the most important moment of Ensemble Studios was the bought by Microsoft Games in May 2001. A story which will end in 2009 but this will be aborded in an other article.The good job at this period for MSG like ES had at this moment sold more than 8millions game and was already a studio with succes.After this annoucment the communoty will have only a few picture to wait 1year.
other pictures here http://www.ages-strategie.com/age-of-mythology/2002-2012-10-ans-daom/lhistoire-aom-et-tt/la-naissance-de-age-of-mythology/
2001 will end on a really bad new for the fans.An information of the 17th december announce the report of the public date.Normally for the begining of 2002(2nd trimestre) it has been repoussed by ES who took late and had to show back their plans:
"According to Shelley, the primary reason for the schedule change is that the game's single-player campaign is going to take longer than originally anticipated since several elements such as art and other game systems must be completed before the campaign can be completed. When asked if the game would really make the new release date, Shelley said he felt 'really confident' that the game would be ready by September. Approximately 80 percent of the developers at Ensemble are currently working on the game, with the remaining 20 percent working on another unannounced project."
Begining of 2002 things run and real informations start to come. Gamespot propose the showcase of Zeus,the first article of presentation about a new serie of 9gods like there will be one by god.Every showcase introduce the game and one god while going in the detail in how play him and differents bonus and advantage he has . Those articles are a real gold mine for the details about each civs and allow to make a first idea on the gameplay on the game and each god.This serie of article will become public during all 2002(one by month)to keep fans on all the game.
showcases and pictures here: http://www.ages-strategie.com/age-of-mythology/2002-2012-10-ans-daom/lhistoire-aom-et-tt/la-naissance-de-age-of-mythology/
Alpha phase
Later,july put a really important moment for AoM with the coming of an Alpha public,very waited by players.The most impatients and lucky could test the game by the Alpha on line opened by Microsoft for 10.000 players:
"Microsoft Game Studios and Ensemble Studios today announced that the Age of Mythology 10,000-player online multiplayer test will begin in early July, and sign-up forms are now online. Gamers are are encouraged to sign up no later than Sunday, June 30 for a chance to be among the first to experience this highly anticipated real-time strategy game. This limited alpha version of Age of Mythology will contain two of the nine civilizations that will be available when the game is released this October. Up to four players will be able to compete head-to-head as a follower of either Zeus or Poseidon on one of two multiplayer maps."
It wasnt the complete game like only Zeus and Poseidon were played.This is one of the reason why a lot of players played Poseidon at the start of AOM.
Subject: The born of Age of Mythology 
Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:58 am
