Sybex Publishes Age of Empires II®: The Age of Kings™ 

Official Scenario Design Toolkit

For Immediate Release

Contact: Elspeth Forder

Sybex, Inc.

(510) 523-8233 ext. 397

San Francisco, CA, February 18, 2000 – In the wake of the release of one of the biggest PC games of the year, Sybex is proud to publish Microsoft® Age of Empires II®: The Age of Kings™ Official Scenario Design Toolkit ($24.99, 288 pages). The Toolkit’s text and accompanying CD-ROM provide gamers with all the tools and information they’ll need to get the most out of Age of Kings built-in Map Editor. Written by a team of experienced game developers, this unique book/CD combination teaches readers how to create world-class Age of Kings maps, scenarios, and campaigns for both single- and multiplayer games.

Topics covered include:

·        Creating authentic maps with real-world terrain and elevation

·        Populating battlefields with a unique array of resources and units

·        Setting up challenging victory conditions and triggers

·        Mastering the major parameters and configurations needed to execute fail-safe scenarios

·        Crafting cunning artificial intelligence scripts and creating original computer players

The Toolkit also features a fully loaded CD-ROM packed with essential tools and resources, including:

·        New sound files and backdrop images to jumpstart original scenarios

·        Single- and multiplayer tutorial scenarios

·        Maps and trigger templates 

·        Sample A.I. scripts 

·        Goldwave v4.11 shareware, NoteTab Light v4.6 freeware, and evaluation versions of Paint Shop Pro v6.0 and WinZip v7.0 to help the reader edit and save their sound and graphic files

·        The Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings trial version and patches

In his foreword to the book, Age of Kings co-designer Bruce Shelley writes, “We concentrated on creation of the software, which is where our talents lie, and the Sybex team concentrated on analyzing the tools, describing their functions, and then suggesting ways for using them effectively. By employing professional writers and designers with loads of analytical experience, the strengths and subtleties of our editors and scripts are revealed for all.” He goes on to encourage Age of Empires II gamers to delve into the world of game design; “Don’t just play, design. And have even more fun.”

The original Age of Empires was developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft in October 1997. The franchise continues to be one of the most popular real-time strategy games of all time, selling over 3 million units worldwide. Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, released for holiday season 1999 is one of the best-selling games of the year and has already sold-in over 2 million copies worldwide.

Founded in 1976, Sybex, Inc. was the first publisher to specialize in computer books. It is one of the leading publishers of books for video game and computer game players. In addition to its U.S. presence, Sybex has affiliate offices in France, Germany, and The Netherlands, as well as sales offices in the U.K.

Review copies of Microsoft® Age of Empires II®: The Age of Kings™ Official Scenario Design Toolkit are now available upon request. Digital versions of the book’s cover can be found on the Web at http://www.sybexgames.com/cgi-bin/games_bookpg.pl?2771back.html and http://www.sybexgames.com/cgi-bin/games_cover_temp.pl?2771.gif.

For more information, please contact:

Elspeth Forder

Marketing Coordinator

Sybex, Inc.

(510) 523-8233 ext. 397

eforder@sybex.com

Sybexgames.com

#     #     #