0 A.D. (video game)

0 A.D.[lower-alpha 1] is a free and open-source 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.[2][3] The game is cross-platform, playable on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD.[4] It is 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.[5][6]

0 A.D.
Developer(s)Wildfire Games
Initial releaseApril 1, 2010 (2010-04-01)
Preview release
0.0.26[1] Edit this on Wikidata / 24 September 2022 (24 September 2022)
Repositorytrac.wildfiregames.com/browser/ps/trunk/
Written inC++, JavaScript, JSON, XML
EnginePyrogenesis
Operating systemFreeBSD, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, OpenBSD
Size1.25 GB (Download), 3.31 GB (Installed)
TypeReal-time strategy
License
Websiteplay0ad.com

Gameplay
A Roman town (Alpha 23)
The Cycladic Archipelago island map (2012)

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.[7][3] The game includes multiple units and buildings specific to each civilization as well as both land and naval units.[8]

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.

Multiplayer functionality is implemented using peer-to-peer networking, without a central server.[9]

Development

0 A.D. originally began in 2001 as a comprehensive total conversion mod concept for Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.[10] 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.[11]

The historical accuracy of the 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.[10]

On 10 July 2009, Wildfire Games released the source code for 0 A.D. under the GNU GPLv2 (or later) license, and made the artwork available under the CC BY-SA license.[5][6]

There were around ten to fifteen people working on 0 A.D. around 23 March 2010; but since development started, over 100 people have contributed to the project.[12] On 5 September 2013, an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign was started with a US$160,000 goal. They raised a total of US$33,251 to be used to hire a programmer.[13][14] The majority of the project's finances are managed by the Software in the Public Interest organization. There is no official release date set for the finished version of the game.[15]

The composers of the music in the game are Omri Lahav, Jeff Willet, Mike Skalandunas, and Shlomi Nogay. A 26-track soundtrack was released on 8 June 2018.[16]

Reception

In 2012, 0 A.D. received second place in the IndieDB Player's Choice Upcoming Indie Game of the Year competition.[17] 0 A.D. has been generally well received.[18] It was voted as LinuxQuestions.org "Open Source Game of the Year for 2013".[19] Between 2010 and June 2021, the game was downloaded from SourceForge.net over 1.3 million times.[20]

See also

Notes
  1. Stylized with the 0 replaced with a sun cross.

References
  1. "New Release: 0 A.D. Alpha 26: Zhuangzi". Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  2. Yaron, Oded (8 August 2010). "0AD: לוקחים את ההיסטוריה ברצינות" [0 A.D.: Taking History Seriously] (in Hebrew). Ha'aretz. Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  3. McElroy, Justin (13 July 2010). "The Joystiq Indie Pitch: 0 A.D." Joystiq. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  4. Tozzi, Christopher (13 October 2009). "0 A.D. Promises Real Gaming for Ubuntu". The Var Guy. Archived from the original on 20 August 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  5. "0 A.D. Goes Open Source". Slashdot. 15 July 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  6. "Real-time strategy game 0 A.D. goes open source". The H Open Source. 14 July 2009. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  7. "0 A.D. – PC". IGN. Archived from the original on 14 August 2004. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  8. Knight, John (1 January 2011). "0 A.D.—Stunning Real-Time Strategy Game". Linux Journal. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  9. Scipii (17 December 2009). "Wildfire Games Interview". HeavenGames. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  10. Adams, Jason (14 June 2006). "A First-Look at 0 A.D." GameDev.net. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  11. "The Story of 0 A.D." play0ad.com. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  12. Tozzi, Christopher (23 May 2010). "RTS Game 0 A.D. Needs You!". The Var Guy. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  13. Dubowy, Liane M. (5 September 2013). "Neues Release des Echtzeitstrategiespiels 0 A.D." (in German). Heise.de. Retrieved 31 August 2019. Die Spieleschmiede Wildfire Games hat eine neue Version ihres klassischen Echtzeitstrategiespiels 0 A.D. für Linux, Windows und Mac OS X veröffentlicht. Mit Hilfe einer Crowdfunding-Kampagne soll außerdem die Entwicklung des Spiels beschleunigt werden.
  14. "0 A.D. Fundraiser (now closed)". Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  15. Ridgwell, Ian (20 June 2011). "An interview with Wildfire Games". Geek Haven. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  16. "0 A.D. (Original Game Soundtrack)". Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  17. "IOTY Players Choice Upcoming 2012 feature". 23 December 2012. Archived from the original on 18 April 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  18. Brookes, Tim (25 October 2010). "8 Awesome Free Open-Source Games You Can Enjoy on Windows, Mac and Linux". Make Use Of. Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  19. "2013 LinuxQuestions.org Members Choice Award Winners". 5 February 2014. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  20. "Download Statistics for 0 A.D. from 2010-01-01 to 2021-06-01". Source Forge. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
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