- The document discusses and promotes an upcoming video game called "Rome Gone Dark" that is currently in the conceptual phase. - It provides an excerpt from an interview with one of the game's creators who discusses why they chose to set the game in the period after Julius Caesar's assassination and their goal of allowing player choice to impact the narrative. - The creator aims to explore an outsider's perspective of the Roman Empire and show it as an oppressive conglomerate, while also portraying Caesar in a more nuanced light through an alternate historical fiction.

2. 1. Contents
2. Advertisement
3. Weekly Spotlight
4. Game Poster
5. Interview
Contents

4. Weekly Spotlight
This week’s Weekly Spotlight is
about a game currently in the
conceptional phase, that game
is Rome Gone Dark. We hope by
giving it a chance in the spotlight
that some of our keen readers
will support the game. We hope
that it is produced, as we know
it has potential to be great.
So far, the creators behind it have
produced some early illustrations,
hosted on their website, and lots
of lore expanding on the concept.
This might seem familiar to you, as
Destiny (2014) had a similar system
for its lore and concept pieces. We
think this system is fair, as not all
players will want to read into the
lore that much. For those who
would like to, this website is on
the back cover of this magazine.
The game is set in the period just
before and after Julius Caesar’s
assassination. We liked that this
was the chosen period, as even
those who aren’t that into history
have some sense of who he was.
Having the game start around his
death is a great opener, as the
game is only somewhat about
him, most of it is about you and
your choices throughout your play.
It’s crucial to know that this game
won’t be sticking to history, and
including fictional aspects and
narratives throughout. If this isn’t
your kind of thing, then maybe this
isn’t one for you. If it’s something
you don’t mind then great, from
what we know it may go down
some dark fantasy themes and
narratives now and again as well.
From talking with one of the
creators during our exclusive
interview, we know that they
wanted to put fun first, and didn’t
want to make it too complicated.
They were aiming for the same
fun mixed with strategy that you
have whilst playing Reigns (2018).
They want the narrative to be one
that you get immersed in and enjoy
the many paths you can go down
in the game. Choice seems to be
something they wanted to focus on
from the very start. Choice in video
games is becoming more and more
frequent, so can they pull it off in the
way they want? I only time will tell.

6. InterviewWe talked with one of the
creators last month and got
incite to how they see the
world they are building. Sarah
Matthews (Gaming Journalist)
interviewed John Williams
(DeveloperatTimePointGames).
*Start of interview*
Sarah: “First of all, I just
want to say how eager me
and my colleagues are to
see your concept become a
reality, we truly can’t wait.”
John: “Thank you for those
kind words, all of us at Time
Point Games are too. It’s been
rough at times, but now we
have hope that this concept will
make it, no doubt down to all
the support from your readers.”
Sarah: “So now onto the
concept itself. Why do you
think you opted for this
period to set the game in?”
John: “Good question, I think it
mainly came down to the fact
of how much interest there is in
the period. We saw it as a sort of
crossroads from which to start
the choice-orientated game in.”
Sarah: “I see, why do you
think so many people are
interested in that period?”
John:“TheRomanRepublic,asthe
well-known empire it becomes.
Any period with it’s influences
and likeness is one of interest.”
Sarah: “How come the
Republic, and later empire,
gathers so much attention?”
John: “I think for many
reasons really, but specifically
how ahead ofit’s time it was.
They had a true sense of
developed civilization, society
and democracy. The latter is
one that has been so hard to
produce after Caesar’s took over
the republic. Maybe it was it’s
ability to conquer much of the
then known world, or maybe it
was just their aesthetic which
they held to their last breath.”
Sarah: “You raise some great
points; I can see why they gather
lots of interest and intrigue.
Why Specifically did you
want the game to start in the
aftermath of Caesars death?”

7. John: “In some sense, we see
Caesar as a walking oxymoron,
he was seemingly both fair
and ruthless. Any leader of
the empire needed to be; it
certainly was nowhere near easy
to hold together. We wanted to
have his legacy be more than
just a ruthless conqueror. We
do realise that not all see him
as a man of much more than
that, and to be revered. Maybe
they’re right, but through this
game’s fiction we can. In our
alternate history he was a great
man, more than anyone after
him. Having the game start with
his death is s a chance to write
the aftermath differently, give
it a chance for remembrance.”
Sarah: “I can see that you
have a certain respect for him,
or at least his alternate self.”
John: “I do, I believe he could
have done so much more.”
Sarah: “Can I ask, why the name
‘Rome Gone Dark’?”
John: “Sure. We wanted to
have the empire be seen as
the oppressive and toxic
conglomerate that some saw it as.
In addition, we wanted to show
it from an outsider’s perspective,
as that isn’t something you
always think about, how they
were seen by those who stood
in it’s way. We think that ‘Rome
Gone Bad’ gives a sense of
everything gone to ****.”
Sarah: “Great decision, I think
it’s something that isn’t explored
enough, how something
is seen by those aligned
against it intentionally or non-
intentionally. Now, thank you
for your time, do you have some
closing words for our readers?”
John: “Couldn’t agree more. No,
thank you, it’s been a pleasure.
Sure do, always think carefully
before you act, you never know
what will transpire.”
Sarah: Well, that’s a wrap. A big
thank you to John for his incite
into ‘Rome Gone Dark’, a game
we hope reaches a store near
you.”
*End of interview*
Welaterquotedthemsaying“The
Lore is the best way to explore
our concept for now, as our skills
at illustration aren’t all that great,
throughwordsweareabletopour
that world out onto the page”