1503 A.D.: The New World

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1503 A.D.: The New World

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Platform: IBM PC Compatible
Release Date: March 25, 2003
Genre: Strategy
Style: Empire-Building
Similar Games: 1602 A.D. (IBM PC Compatible), Patrician II: Quest for Power (IBM PC Compatible), Port Royale (IBM PC Compatible)

Game Description

Build a New World empire in real time -- in 1503 A.D. As the title indicates, this sequel is set 99 years before Sunflowers Interactive's original 1602 A.D., at a time when travel and trade across the open ocean promised both unknown danger and great profit. Explore islands of opportunity around the world, in four varying climate zones. Found a new city and develop it to survive and prosper, exploiting local resources and trading for foreign commodities. Then build more cities, paying careful attention to nearby resources and territory claimed by other cultures. Protect the new nation on land and sea with keen diplomacy and an able military.

Like its predecessor, 1503 A.D. blends the large-scale, long-term approach of turn-based empire-building games with the immediate battles of a real-time strategy. Cities and nations are built and improved gradually over time to maximize profit and influence, while defense and conquest take place through real-time battles on land and sea. Trade and diplomacy are primary and many kinds of deals and treaties can be struck. A variety of land and sea units allow for complex battles. In addition to an informative assortment of charts and statistics, players can often notice important situations simply by watching the main game screen, as certain conditions are represented graphically by the cities and citizens.

The game begins as the player sets sail for the New World seeking wealth, power, and the chance to found a new nation. While food and shelter are obvious necessities at first, as a city develops its citizens become more sophisticated and demand a wider variety of goods and luxuries, many of which are often only available through trade. Different natural resources become important as the game continues, since the fruits of technological advance often require new kinds of raw materials. Players may encounter as many as nine other civilizations as they explore the globe, each with its own disposition and practices. In addition to the single-player campaign, various "open-ended" and multi-player modes are also supported.

~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Roots & Influences

Also developed by Germany's Sunflowers Interactive Entertainment Software GmbH and Max Design, the original 1602 A.D. (1998) was a notably successful release in the UK and the rest of Europe, where it is known as Anno 1602: Creation of a New World. Continuing in that pattern, this 2002 sequel is known as Anno 1503 in Europe.

~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Production Credits

Company 1: Max Design; Lead Programmer: Wilfried Reiter; Lead AI Programmer: Albert Lasser; Programmer: Michael Schütter, Thomas Hochgötz; Additional Programming: Gerhard Waldhör; Lead Artist: Martin Lasser; Artist: Ulli Koller, Claudia Gerhardter; Island Design: Marion Lasser, Karin Höflechner; Tester: Manuel Juan Ibañez, Andreas Aigner; Company 2: Sunflowers; President: Adi Boiko; Development Director: Jürgen Reusswig; Producer: Jochen Bauer, Marc Huppke; Quality Assurance Manager: Sascha Ramali; Lead Tester: Michael Backhaus; Tester: Michael Bach, Matthias Bernges, Dario Birovljevic, Erik Boehme, Stefan Christ, Marion Deul, Frank Fay, Peter Kaufmann, Florian Laudensack, Andreas Noll, Rico Ottofülling, Tobias Stey, Tobias Trippel; Content Manager: Wilhelmine Roth; In-Game Text and Manual: Helge Dörr; Localization: Uwe Mathon; Manual Layout: Uwe Mathon; Product Support Coordinator: Stephan Winter, Jan Lenski; Sound & Music: Alexander Röder; Island & Scenario Design: Knut Arnold, Matthias Droll, Thomas Emich, Holger Hiernickel, Kai Rathmann; Additional Design: Alexander Frey; Programming: Eike Radunz; Additional Programming: Mario Dörr, Daniel Hohl; Additional Artwork: Bleick Bleicken, Michael Kohlbach; PR & Marketing: Wolfgang Duhr, Sabine Kaiser, Patrick Keller, Nadine Knobloch, Sonja Radke, Susanne Schäfer, Sonja Timm; Sales: Iris Cherry, Patrcia Görgner; IT & Web: Christoph Klempau, Anja Gruss, Dirk Sachse; Customer Support: Lydia Brkic, Anika Flock; Administration: Nuri Aytac, Helga Mentges, Bernd Weger, Ute Ziegler; Voice Production: Studio Ton In Ton; Additional Screens: Alexander Engel, Uwe Mathon; Company 3: Spellcraft Studios; Character Design: Vadim Pietrzynski; Modeling: Vadim Pietrzynski; Animation: Vadim Pietrzynski; Background Modeling: Markus Baader; Special FX: Markus Baader; Additional Character Modeling: Markus Henrich; Additional Character Animations: Markus Henrich, Matthias Knappe; Company 4: Electronic Arts UK; Line Producer: Feargus Carroll; Assistant Producer: Darren Tuckey; Marketing Manager: Susann Oelschlegel; Product Manager: Sergio Salvador; Public Relations: James Beaven; Creative Services: Victoria Bateman; Studio Operations: Phil Jones, Linda Walker, Anne Miller; Mastering: Matt Price, Sam Roberts, Des Gayle, James Kneen, Wayne Boyce, Donna Hicks; EAD Localization Manager: Isabelle Martin; EAD Localization Project Manager: Sam Hart; Creative Services: Liz Simpson, Candice Westman, Joanne Moore, Sorcha Fenlon; Production Services: Martina Gadringer, Jenny Whittle, Mark Jefferson, Silvia Byrne, Abdul Oshodi; Customer Quality Control: Jean-Yves Duret, Dave Fielding, Andy Chung, Paul Richards, Ben Jackson, Gary Napper, Dean Choudhuri-Bennett, James Bolton, Andrea Iori, Jamie Keen, Tony Hopkins, Paul Davies, James Featherstone, Ashley Powell, James Arup, Tim Wileman, James Norton, Charles Hewitt; Quality Assurance: John Welsh, Pat Russell, Andrew Miller, Mitsuo Hirakawa, Patrick Klaus, Piers Langridge, Stuart Pratt, James Fry, Luke Batten, George Bennett, Bill Carter, Edward Carter, Ricardo Diaz, Kim Lee Gammage, Morgan Hughes, Nick Long, William Wan, Joseph Grant, Marcus Purvis, Martyn Sibley, Richard Hylands, Ricky Watts, Jamie Cawte; Company 5: Electronic Arts Redwood Shores; Project Manager: Dagmar Bruenig; Project Coordinator: Christoph Betschart; Language Testing Lead: Edward O'Tey; Language Testing: Pierre Fuger, Steven Ciccoricco; Recording Studio: Annex Digital; Recording Engineer: Patrick Fitzgerald; Voice Actor: Don West, Joe Paulino, Roger L . Jackson, Marc Atherlay, Marsha Mercant, Mary Dilts; Mastering Lab: Michael Yasko, Kima Hayuk, Michael Deir, Chris Espiritu, Roger Metcalf; Product Management: Steve Perkins; Public Relations: Tim McDowd; English Manual Translation: Frank Dietz; Documentation Writer: Noah Davis; Documentation Editor: Sharon Maher; Documentation Layout: The Big Idea Group; Package Design: Terri SooHoo; Package Illustration: Marc Ericksen; Package Project Management: Amy Winter; Studio Operations: Paulette Doudell, Steve Sammonds, Rosalie Vivanco, Ryan Nero; Operations: Gina Barnes; EA CAT LAB: Angelo Bayan, Dave Caron, Mark Gonzales, John Hanley, Dave Koerner, Nick Fields; EA CQC: Simon Steel, Dave Knudson, Darryl Jenkins, Tony Alexander, Anthony Barbagallo, Russell Medeiros, Eron Garcia

~ Keith Adams, All Game Guide