Once you start into battle everything escalates. I found this helpful especially when the battles begin. This allows you to keep track of what is going on without having to watch everything so closely.

Each building and process has a different sound. There is a nice effect with a little ghost rising up the color of the ghost indicates whether it was your man lost or your opponentвЂ™s that was lost.

The battle scenes have no blood and no bodies left over. The whole look has a cartoon quality that both my 6-year-old and I enjoyed. There is unique animation for each type of building, which is fun to watch even when you are not actively doing anything. I liked all three and find it difficult to pick a favorite, but I lean a little more toward the Egyptian since I have always been fascinated with pyramids and the culture. The buildings built by each race have an authentic look. At first glance this is a little confusing but as you get used to the differences you will find this aids you in maintaining your settlementвЂ™s productivity. Each type of villager/worker has a unique look. Let me hit the highlights and leave the rest to your imagination or playing the game yourself. There is so much to talk about, I do not know where to start. Redundant towers close together are very effective in protecting each other. One of my favorite features is the ability to garrison your towers with additional men, which makes the fortifications easier to defend. Go after the towers around your opponentвЂ™s mines and food production and you will cripple him/her very quickly. One thing I learned the hard way is that if you lose control of the towers that protect your town you lose all the buildings that the tower protects. You do not want to be looking for an option in the heat of battle, so be prepared. You will want to spend some time working with the menus to become quick and proficient in using all the options available. Each menu allows you to build any building or track your population. The complexity of this game stretches your abilities to keep track of it all. There is a very nice graphic interface and it is all point-and-click. At first I was concerned with how slowly I was building up, but everyone else is going at the same speed, so not to worry. The game pace is slow to start, but this changes once the fighting begins. This aspect of gameplay is much improved over Settlers II and the detail in the graphics allows you to track your needs and helps you make decisions. There is a lot to be said for where you build and how close the building is to essential complementary buildings. You donвЂ™t have to leave the tutorial mode when the formalized tutorial is over - you can stay on, experimenting with different types of buildings without having to worry about foes (who all died during the tutorial). I recommend playing the tutorial multiple times to get used to this process. While there is plenty to keep you occupied in the standard package (I have not even finished all the original missions that came with Settlers III), the mission CD will really test your skills and creativity.Дeciding what, when, and where to build is the hardest part of the game. The options are limitless with the addition of the mission pack. These can also be shared with your friends or over the Internet. The Mission Pack adds eight huge missions, along with a level editor so you can make your own levels and worlds, this allows the serious game player to expand on the game and keep things fresh. Blue Byte announced at E3 in May that there will soon be a fourth race of Amazons (all women), which should make the game even more interesting. Each seems to play a little differently, so try them all. You can play as three different civilizations - Roman, Asian, and Egyptian. Make sure you know what your neighbors are doing or your land will soon become their new annex, and you will only be a memory. Spies help you keep up with your neighbors. If you want to see beyond your boundaries you can build more or you can use a network of spies. Whether you build small guard towers or large castles you will see your staked claims move out and the fog will lift. Get your claims staked, then use any and all force necessary to hold your claims, and then take more. This process reminds me of the late 1800s Oklahoma land grab. You will have to expand your holdings or run out of room to build, but watch out because everyone else is doing the same. Throughout the game you have a third person view of your world. This is your chance - and the game - to get it all, or have it all taken away. ItвЂ™s a small world, and you NEED more than your fair share (hey, who doesnвЂ™t want more?).

Settlers 3 known bugs