The House of Jimius in The Escapist magazine

Read more on Jimius in The Escapist. Michael Cook's article finally indicates a trend that I've been awaiting for a long time: serious discussion of game-stories.

Planning a conference paper on this before anyone beats me to it (which is most often the case). Details forthcoming.

Rome 168 BC

Ave. Pax Romana : the final frontier. The House of Souvicus Rex now rules over half of the civilised world (even the little village of the indomitable Gauls has been conquered though I'm not sure what to do with the rotten fish). My legions now defend the frontier positions against the rival Scipii at Mazarka and Sinope. Gaius Ameliurus leads a mixed army of Romans and mercenaries towards Tarsus. The road is perilous as the Pharaoh's servants attack in hordes. Over a hundred years later, Saul will be converted to his new religion on this very road. Now, however, this road is a battlefield.

The standard technique for defeating the Egyptians is to form a heavy mass of cavalry (a mix of praetorian, legionary and Roman cavalry) and charge the enemy chariot archers in wedge-formation. Of course, any engagement with the Pharaoh's spearmen is to be avoided: cause maximum damage to them using archers and onagers. If possible, destroy the powerful bowmen by a cavalry charge. That done the Egyptians will usually rout.


Ameliurus is a good warrior (though he has been known to retreat on occasion) but his forces are dwindling fast. So, in a pincer movement I have decided to send crack troops from the Egyptian temple-island via a flotilla of triremes. My corvus quiquiremes under Admiral Lentulus are now poised to attack Alexandria, the light of Egypt.

The map of the civilised world is now red with the blood that my soldiers have shed. Roman civilisation now replaces other ancient cultures and Roman roads weave across the remotest settlements. For what I have done, posterity will judge me as they will also judge the parallel history of the House of Jimius. I am no philosopher and no soothsayer neither. If Marcus Aurelius is born centuries later in the Rome that I now create, you will have your philosopher king. For now, I have banished the effeminate study of Greek philosophy. All I know now is 'Victory and Glory to Rome'.

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More of my Rome: Total War adventures next week as well as some more news of my life in Mosale Seto (Far Cry 2).

PhD Viva

This is a red-letter day not just for the US but also for Ludus Ex. Today, I successfully defended my thesis 'From Reading Games to Playing Books'. I was examined by Dr Will Slocombe of Aberystwyth University and Dr Daniel Cordle from my own university (Nottingham Trent University).

I thank the examiners for reading my work so thoroughly and my supervisors (Dr Phil Leonard and Dr Dave Woods) for their invaluable help , without which this thesis would not have been possible.

A draft version of the thesis will be uploaded on my website as well as on Ludus Ex as soon as I stop celebrating and get some rest. I still can't believe it. I can see messages to a Dr Mukherjee on my Facebook page ... are they for me ? Must be ...