<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
is	O
a	O
god	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Lionhead	O
Studios	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
in	O
2001	O
and	O
by	O
Feral	O
Interactive	O
in	O
2002	O
for	O
Mac	B-Application
OS	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
combines	O
elements	O
of	O
artificial	O
life	O
and	O
strategy	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
core	O
gameplay	O
mechanic	O
of	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
is	O
the	O
interaction	O
between	O
the	O
player	O
and	O
an	O
avatar	B-Application
creature	O
,	O
who	O
carries	O
out	O
the	O
players	O
instructions	O
and	O
whose	O
personality	O
and	O
behaviour	O
change	O
in	O
reaction	O
to	O
how	O
they	O
are	O
treated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Multiplayer	O
is	O
supported	O
over	O
a	O
local	B-General_Concept
network	I-General_Concept
or	O
online	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
was	O
written	O
from	O
scratch	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
intention	O
was	O
to	O
have	O
the	O
main	O
user	B-Application
interface	I-Application
free	O
of	O
icons	O
,	O
buttons	O
,	O
and	O
panels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
received	O
universal	O
acclaim	O
on	O
release	O
;	O
reviewers	O
praised	O
the	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
,	O
uniqueness	O
,	O
and	O
depth	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
system	O
requirements	O
and	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
were	O
criticised	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
won	O
awards	O
from	O
several	O
organisations	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
British	O
Academy	O
of	O
Film	O
and	O
Television	O
Arts	O
and	O
the	O
Guinness	O
World	O
Record	O
for	O
the	O
complexity	O
of	O
the	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
,	O
selling	O
over	O
two	O
million	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
expansion	O
,	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
:	I-Application
Creature	I-Application
Isle	I-Application
,	O
and	O
sequel	O
,	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
followed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
land	O
,	O
interface	B-Application
(	O
including	O
the	O
hand	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
music	O
change	O
according	O
to	O
that	O
alignment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Villagers	O
belong	O
to	O
one	O
of	O
eight	O
tribes	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Norse	O
,	O
Celtic	B-Algorithm
,	O
or	O
Japanese	O
,	O
each	O
having	O
a	O
different	O
Wonder	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
features	O
a	O
skirmish	O
mode	O
,	O
where	O
other	O
gods	O
are	O
battled	O
for	O
control	O
of	O
an	O
island	O
,	O
a	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
over	O
a	O
local	B-General_Concept
area	I-General_Concept
network	I-General_Concept
(	O
LAN	B-General_Concept
)	O
or	O
an	O
online	O
service	O
,	O
and	O
The	O
God	O
's	O
Playground	O
,	O
where	O
gameplay	O
aspects	O
can	O
be	O
practised	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
includes	O
a	O
feature	O
enabling	O
the	O
import	O
of	O
real	O
weather	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
Whites	I-Application
core	O
features	O
is	O
the	O
interaction	O
between	O
the	O
player	O
and	O
an	O
avatar-like	O
creature	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
time	O
and	O
repetition	O
,	O
it	O
can	O
perform	O
complex	O
functions	O
that	O
allow	O
it	O
to	O
serve	O
as	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
avatar	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lionhead	O
Studios	O
used	O
Michael	O
Bratman	O
's	O
belief	B-General_Concept
–	I-General_Concept
desire	I-General_Concept
–	I-General_Concept
intention	I-General_Concept
model	I-General_Concept
to	O
simulate	O
creatures	O
 '	O
learning	O
and	O
decision	O
making	O
processes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Desires	O
are	O
goals	O
the	O
creature	O
wants	O
to	O
fulfill	O
,	O
expressed	O
as	O
simplified	O
perceptrons	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Opinions	O
describe	O
ways	O
of	O
satisfying	O
a	O
desire	O
using	O
decision	B-Algorithm
trees	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
mysterious	O
vortex	B-Application
opens	O
that	O
the	O
player	O
enters	O
to	O
escape	O
Nemesis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Khazar	O
reveals	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
he	O
who	O
sent	O
the	O
vortex	B-Application
and	O
requests	O
assistance	O
against	O
another	O
god	O
,	O
Lethys	O
,	O
Nemesis	O
 '	O
underling	O
,	O
in	O
exchange	O
for	O
resources	O
to	O
rebuild	O
the	O
village	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lethys	O
then	O
kidnaps	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
creature	O
,	O
taking	O
it	O
through	O
a	O
vortex	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
creature	O
is	O
freed	O
,	O
Lethys	O
grants	O
the	O
player	O
a	O
piece	O
of	O
the	O
Creed	O
and	O
opens	O
a	O
vortex	B-Application
where	O
another	O
can	O
be	O
found	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
took	O
over	O
three	O
years	O
to	O
develop	O
beginning	O
on	O
14	O
February	O
1998	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
27	O
March	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Molyneux	O
stated	O
that	O
he	O
tried	O
to	O
correct	O
the	O
mistakes	O
he	O
made	O
with	O
the	O
game	O
design	O
of	O
Dungeon	B-Application
Keeper	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Molyneux	O
had	O
liked	O
the	O
idea	O
of	O
controlling	O
people	O
as	O
a	O
god	O
since	O
his	O
previous	O
venture	O
,	O
Populous	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Discussions	O
about	O
concepts	O
(	O
including	O
a	O
Mafia-style	O
game	O
)	O
began	O
at	O
his	O
house	O
in	O
1997	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
February	O
1998	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
moved	O
into	O
Lionhead	O
's	O
offices	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soon	O
afterwards	O
,	O
watching	O
the	O
Outer	O
Limits	O
episode	O
"	O
The	O
Sandkings	O
"	O
,	O
he	O
noticed	O
that	O
the	O
episode	O
featured	O
bug-like	O
creatures	O
worshipping	O
a	O
scientist	O
,	O
and	O
who	O
moved	O
around	O
him	O
in	O
reverence	O
whenever	O
he	O
was	O
nearby	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Molyneux	O
told	O
Official	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
Magazine	O
that	O
he	O
had	O
sought	O
to	O
recreate	O
the	O
"	O
fantastic	O
feeling	O
"	O
of	O
destroying	O
ant	O
nests	O
as	O
a	O
child	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1998	O
,	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
was	O
shown	O
at	O
the	O
E3	O
trade	O
show	O
in	O
Atlanta	O
,	O
Georgia	O
,	O
and	O
incorporated	O
elements	O
of	O
Populous	B-Application
and	O
Dungeon	B-Application
Keeper	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
key	O
areas	O
still	O
being	O
worked	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
crashed	B-General_Concept
multiple	O
times	O
;	O
Molyneux	O
fixed	O
the	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
using	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Developer	I-Application
Studio	I-Application
before	O
restarting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
this	O
time	O
,	O
the	O
engine	O
was	O
being	O
developed	O
by	O
three	O
people	O
:	O
Alex	O
Evans	O
,	O
Jean-Claude	O
Cuttier	O
,	O
and	O
Scawen	O
Roberts	O
(	O
who	O
had	O
joined	O
from	O
a	O
courier	O
company	O
called	O
,	O
coincidentally	O
,	O
Black	B-Application
And	I-Application
White	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
entire	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
tools	O
and	O
libraries	B-Library
,	O
was	O
written	O
from	O
scratch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
avoided	O
using	O
control	B-Application
panels	I-Application
,	O
icons	O
and	O
buttons	O
for	O
casting	O
miracles	O
,	O
preferring	O
a	O
gesture	B-General_Concept
system	I-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
Healey	O
's	O
early	O
visualisation	O
featured	O
the	O
Horned	O
Reaper	O
from	O
Dungeon	B-Application
Keeper	I-Application
representing	O
Titans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
wanted	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
see	O
the	O
world	O
from	O
the	O
same	O
perspective	O
as	O
possessing	O
a	O
creature	O
in	O
Dungeon	B-Application
Keeper	I-Application
(	O
it	O
was	O
originally	O
intended	O
for	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
take	O
control	O
of	O
creatures	O
in	O
the	O
first-person	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mark	O
Webley	O
(	O
who	O
had	O
programmed	O
the	O
creature	O
's	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
on	O
a	O
testbed	O
version	O
)	O
had	O
become	O
project	O
manager	O
,	O
ensuring	O
routines	O
were	O
listed	O
on	O
task	O
schedules	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
was	O
shown	O
at	O
E3	O
1999	O
where	O
it	O
was	O
judged	O
the	O
most	O
original	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
,	O
there	O
were	O
"	O
dozens	O
"	O
of	O
fansites	O
about	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Molyneux	O
later	O
said	O
that	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
was	O
amongst	O
the	O
first	O
video	O
games	O
to	O
have	O
fansites	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
Lionhead	O
were	O
accused	O
of	O
over-promising	O
when	O
the	O
sites	O
described	O
features	O
the	O
game	O
did	O
not	O
have	O
when	O
shown	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Molyneux	O
said	O
that	O
might	O
have	O
been	O
"	O
insanely	O
ambitious	O
"	O
with	O
regard	O
to	O
the	O
standards	O
they	O
set	O
themselves	O
for	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
because	O
the	O
system	O
requirements	O
were	O
high	O
and	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
custom	B-Application
software	I-Application
needed	O
to	O
be	O
written	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
villagers	O
 '	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
had	O
to	O
be	O
restricted	O
by	O
giving	O
some	O
control	O
to	O
the	O
Village	O
Centre	O
as	O
there	O
was	O
no	O
limit	O
on	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
villagers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Molyneux	O
said	O
of	O
the	O
creature	O
's	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
,	O
"	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
itself	O
learns	O
from	O
everything	O
you	O
do	O
and	O
tailors	O
itself	O
to	O
you	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
described	O
the	O
creature	O
as	O
"	O
an	O
astonishing	O
piece	O
of	O
work	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
models	O
for	O
the	O
trees	O
,	O
bushes	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
landscape	O
features	O
were	O
created	O
in	O
3D	B-Language
Studio	I-Language
Max	I-Language
,	O
and	O
initial	O
graphics	O
development	O
was	O
done	O
in	O
2D	O
using	O
Adobe	B-Operating_System
Photoshop	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
development	O
was	O
done	O
using	O
other	O
custom	B-Application
software	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Clan	O
multiplayer	O
,	O
where	O
multiple	O
players	O
play	O
as	O
one	O
god	O
,	O
was	O
developed	O
in	O
a	O
rush	O
;	O
its	O
interface	B-Application
had	O
to	O
be	O
developed	O
in	O
two	O
weeks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
Whites	I-Application
online	O
community	O
was	O
handled	O
by	O
two	O
servers	O
in	O
London	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
clan	O
creatures	O
were	O
stored	O
to	O
minimise	O
the	O
possibility	O
of	O
cheating	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Arts	O
became	O
involved	O
in	O
the	O
production	O
;	O
testers	O
were	O
employed	O
(	O
they	O
found	O
three	O
thousand	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
)	O
,	O
localisations	O
were	O
checked	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
marketing	O
campaign	O
was	O
launched	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fearing	O
the	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
could	O
kill	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
lists	O
were	O
sent	O
to	O
every	O
member	O
of	O
the	O
team	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
a	O
chart	O
,	O
updated	O
daily	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
biggest	O
problem	O
was	O
the	O
final	O
set	O
,	O
and	O
fixing	O
them	O
created	O
more	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
.	O
</s>
<s>
Molyneux	O
commented	O
that	O
"	O
It	O
was	O
as	O
if	O
the	O
game	O
just	O
did	O
n't	O
want	O
to	O
be	O
finished	O
and	O
perfected	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
remarked	O
that	O
the	O
team	O
felt	O
like	O
they	O
had	O
run	O
a	O
marathon	O
after	O
fixing	O
the	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
end	O
product	O
was	O
so	O
large	O
that	O
they	O
"	O
almost	O
felt	O
lost	O
within	O
the	O
code	O
"	O
which	O
consisted	O
of	O
over	O
a	O
million	O
lines	O
,	O
and	O
took	O
over	O
an	O
hour	O
to	O
compile	B-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
Molyneux	O
said	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
was	O
the	O
most	O
important	O
and	O
difficult	O
game	O
he	O
had	O
made	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
June	O
,	O
a	O
patch	O
that	O
fixed	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Japanese	O
version	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
24	O
May	O
2001	O
,	O
and	O
re-released	O
as	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
Special	O
Edition	O
under	O
the	O
EA	O
Best	O
Selections	O
branding	O
on	O
18	O
March	O
2004	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
patch	O
was	O
released	O
,	O
which	O
would	O
allow	O
the	O
Hand	O
to	O
be	O
controlled	O
by	O
an	O
Essential	B-General_Concept
Reality	I-General_Concept
P5	I-General_Concept
Glove	I-General_Concept
,	O
a	O
virtual	O
reality	O
glove	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bullfrog	O
's	O
James	O
Leach	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Dungeon	B-Application
Keeper	I-Application
and	O
Theme	B-Application
Hospital	I-Application
,	O
was	O
recruited	O
,	O
and	O
wrote	O
many	O
challenges	O
,	O
all	O
the	O
dialogue	O
,	O
and	O
enabled	O
the	O
team	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
advisers	O
characters	O
rather	O
than	O
just	O
sources	O
of	O
information	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
system	O
was	O
developed	O
that	O
moved	O
their	O
mouths	O
into	O
common	O
phoneme	B-Language
shapes	O
,	O
used	O
as	O
a	O
basis	O
to	O
turn	O
them	O
into	O
graphic	O
equalisers	O
that	O
move	O
into	O
shapes	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
sounds	O
being	O
played	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
advisers	O
 '	O
animations	O
and	O
emotions	O
were	O
triggered	O
by	O
keywords	O
in	O
the	O
script	O
document	O
,	O
a	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Excel	I-Application
file	O
consisting	O
of	O
several	O
thousand	O
lines	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jason	O
Hutchens	O
,	O
an	O
"	O
expert	O
in	O
languages	O
"	O
,	O
was	O
hired	O
and	O
helped	O
create	O
a	O
"	O
more	O
natural	O
"	O
language	B-Language
compiler	I-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
3D	B-Language
Studio	I-Language
Max	I-Language
was	O
used	O
to	O
build	O
the	O
wire-mesh	O
frame	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
Adobe	B-Operating_System
Photoshop	I-Operating_System
was	O
used	O
to	O
skin	O
the	O
creature	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
implement	O
the	O
transformation	O
of	O
the	O
creature	O
based	O
on	O
its	O
alignment	O
,	O
Alex	O
Evans	O
developed	O
an	O
exporter	O
program	O
to	O
export	O
3D	B-Language
Studio	I-Language
Max	I-Language
's	O
models	O
and	O
animations	O
,	O
and	O
Roberts	O
created	O
one	O
to	O
import	O
them	O
and	O
apply	O
them	O
to	O
the	O
lion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
planned	O
level	O
of	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
for	O
the	O
creature	O
was	O
thought	O
to	O
be	O
risky	O
:	O
Molyneux	O
commented	O
that	O
they	O
wanted	O
to	O
"	O
advance	O
the	O
technology	O
to	O
its	O
extreme	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
specialist	O
Richard	O
Evans	O
built	O
the	O
technology	O
,	O
which	O
according	O
to	O
Molyneux	O
appeared	O
to	O
"	O
live	O
and	O
learn	O
like	O
,	O
say	O
,	O
a	O
clever	O
puppy	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
online	O
version	O
,	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Gathering	O
,	O
was	O
in	O
development	O
,	O
and	O
would	O
have	O
enabled	O
creatures	O
to	O
interact	O
those	O
of	O
other	O
players	O
in	O
a	O
cut-down	O
game	O
environment	O
over	O
the	O
internet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lionhead	O
planned	O
to	O
release	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Gathering	O
two	O
months	O
before	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
as	O
a	O
free	O
download	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
to	O
offer	O
a	O
choice	O
of	O
creatures	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
would	O
have	O
linked	O
with	O
chat	O
programs	O
such	O
as	O
AOL	B-Protocol
instant	I-Protocol
messenger	I-Protocol
and	O
ICQ	B-Protocol
and	O
convert	O
text	O
to	O
a	O
speech	O
bubble	O
from	O
the	O
creature	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
intended	O
for	O
players	O
to	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
upload	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
's	O
creature	O
into	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Gathering	O
and	O
its	O
experiences	O
to	O
be	O
saved	O
into	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
online	O
program	O
,	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
Worlds	O
,	O
was	O
in	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
was	O
also	O
a	O
plan	O
to	O
produce	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
Universe	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
players	O
would	O
have	O
had	O
a	O
persistent	O
online	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
was	O
in	O
development	O
and	O
scheduled	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
summer	O
2001	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
version	O
in	O
late	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
versions	O
were	O
due	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
2002	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Versions	O
for	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Color	I-Device
and	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
were	O
proposed	O
,	O
but	O
never	O
materialised	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
company	O
called	O
M4	O
was	O
to	O
have	O
co-developed	O
them	O
alongside	O
Lionhead	O
,	O
but	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
were	O
not	O
interested	O
in	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Molyneux	O
stated	O
that	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
cancelled	O
because	O
it	O
was	O
taking	O
time	O
to	O
convert	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
platform	O
,	O
and	O
development	O
had	O
not	O
progressed	O
far	O
enough	O
for	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
worth	O
continuing	O
as	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
platform	O
was	O
declining	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Versions	O
for	O
Linux	B-Application
and	O
BeOS	B-Application
were	O
mooted	O
,	O
but	O
were	O
not	O
greenlit	O
by	O
any	O
prospective	O
publisher	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
lauded	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
with	O
"	O
universal	O
acclaim	O
"	O
according	O
to	O
video	O
game	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
graphics	O
,	O
gameplay	O
,	O
and	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
in	O
particular	O
were	O
well	O
received	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
sold	O
two	O
and	O
a	O
half	O
million	O
copies	O
on	O
the	O
PC	O
by	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
NPD	O
Techworld	O
ranked	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
as	O
the	O
11th-biggest	O
computer	O
game	O
seller	O
of	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	O
Gaming	O
World	O
Charles	O
Ardai	O
commended	O
the	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
and	O
graphics	O
,	O
describing	O
the	O
landscape	O
as	O
"	O
stunning	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ben	O
Silverman	O
of	O
Game	O
Revolution	O
approved	O
the	O
"[u]nbelievable	O
presentation	O
"	O
and	O
agreed	O
with	O
Computer	O
Gaming	O
World	O
on	O
the	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
revolutionary	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GamePro	O
reviewer	O
complimented	O
the	O
realism	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
like	O
interacting	O
with	O
a	O
real	O
world	O
,	O
and	O
echoed	O
others	O
 '	O
views	O
on	O
the	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
by	O
describing	O
it	O
as	O
"	O
impressive	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Craig	O
Wessel	O
of	O
GameSpy	O
felt	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
a	O
unique	O
and	O
enjoyable	O
strategy	B-Application
game	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originality	O
was	O
commended	O
by	O
PC	O
Gamer	O
reviewer	O
,	O
who	O
also	O
eulogised	O
the	O
"[b]eautiful"	O
graphics	O
,	O
"	O
awesome	O
"	O
interface	B-Application
,	O
and	O
its	O
creativity	O
,	O
and	O
Gamezilla	O
's	O
Alex	O
Karls	O
,	O
who	O
also	O
remarked	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
lives	O
up	O
to	O
its	O
hype	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Keith	O
Pullin	O
of	O
PC	O
Zone	O
compared	O
the	O
resource	O
management	O
to	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
,	O
and	O
complimented	O
the	O
humour	O
and	O
pop	O
culture	O
references	O
and	O
praised	O
the	O
combination	O
of	O
original	O
ideas	O
,	O
remarking	O
that	O
"	O
B&W	O
is	O
as	O
captivating	O
as	O
it	O
is	O
ingenious	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	O
Games	O
Magazine	O
complimented	O
the	O
originality	O
and	O
"	O
amazing	O
"	O
creature	O
AI	O
,	O
but	O
complained	O
about	O
the	O
bugs	B-Error_Name
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewing	O
the	O
Macintosh	O
version	O
,	O
Kit	O
Pierce	O
of	O
Inside	B-Application
Mac	I-Application
Games	I-Application
remarked	O
"	O
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
is	O
a	O
gorgeous	O
game	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
commended	O
its	O
addictiveness	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
was	O
selected	O
by	O
GameSpy	O
as	O
the	O
most	O
over-rated	O
game	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
in	O
an	O
article	O
published	O
in	O
September	O
2003	O
,	O
citing	O
a	O
lack	O
of	O
true	O
interaction	O
with	O
the	O
townspeople	O
and	O
poor	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
much-lauded	O
creatures	O
as	O
reasons	O
it	O
disappointed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
mentioned	O
the	O
game	O
in	O
one	O
of	O
their	O
podcasts	B-Operating_System
discussing	O
over-rated	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Black	B-Application
&	I-Application
White	I-Application
was	O
named	O
by	O
PC	O
World	O
as	O
the	O
Best	O
Video	O
Game	O
of	O
2001	O
,	O
appeared	O
at	O
number	O
one	O
on	O
com	O
's	O
most	O
influential	O
AI	O
games	O
list	O
,	O
and	O
appeared	O
in	O
the	O
2003	O
Guinness	O
World	O
Records	O
for	O
having	O
the	O
"	O
most	O
intelligent	O
being	O
in	O
a	O
game	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
