[Singollo]

I think you may be sticking to a too-rigid definition of "technology". (Either that, or I'm using it too loosely, or both.) As with any conVersion of the magnitude that you've proposed, lots of stuff will have to give, be re-interpreted, redefined, etc. I wasn't thinking of "technology" in a precise literal sense, for this Ancient Wars game. Rather, I was thinking of some way to provide a unique element to the different cultures available. Some of it could manifest itself as actual technology, such as the Oxus and Indus civilizations' sanitary prowess. Some of it could manifest itself as an enlightened political system, such as the (early) Roman state. It need not be actual scientific technology for the analogy to work.

In fact, this more loose definition is incorporated into SE4 already. The very concept of "religious technology" is something of a misnomer...I don't think of the Death Shrine, Nature Shrine, etc. as literal technological advances. Rather, they are a reflection of Religious empires' unique viewpoint and abilities.

So, the things that you are talking about--powerful culture, strong beliefs, etc.--are all included in the sense of "technology" that I mean here. I guess I made a mistake in referring only to the five technologies, and not to all of the Empire characteristics, such as Industrialists, etc. It's more a sense of the latter that I'm trying to get across.

[ August 19, 2002, 19:28: Message edited by: Singollo ]