<s>
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
of	I-Application
Alexander	I-Application
is	O
a	O
1997	O
turn-based	O
computer	B-Application
wargame	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
Erudite	O
Software	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Interactive	O
Magic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Adapted	O
from	O
the	O
GMT	O
Games	O
physical	O
wargame	B-Application
of	O
the	O
same	O
name	O
,	O
it	O
depicts	O
10	O
of	O
Alexander	O
the	O
Great	O
's	O
key	O
conflicts	O
,	O
and	O
simulates	O
the	O
interplay	O
between	O
Ancient	O
Macedonian	O
battle	O
tactics	O
and	O
its	O
rival	O
military	O
doctrines	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gameplay	O
occurs	O
at	O
the	O
tactical	O
level	O
:	O
players	O
direct	O
predetermined	O
armies	O
on	O
discrete	O
battlefields	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
manner	O
that	O
one	O
commentator	O
compared	O
to	O
chess	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
sought	O
to	O
make	O
Alexander	O
accessible	O
despite	O
the	O
complexity	O
of	O
the	O
wargame	B-Application
genre	O
,	O
and	O
focused	O
on	O
polishing	O
its	O
audiovisual	O
presentation	O
and	O
interface	O
,	O
the	O
latter	O
of	O
which	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
Panzer	B-Application
General	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Alexander	O
in	O
June	O
1997	O
,	O
Erudite	O
and	O
Interactive	O
Magic	O
created	O
two	O
sequel	O
products	O
:	O
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
of	I-Application
Hannibal	I-Application
(	O
1997	O
)	O
and	O
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
of	I-Application
Caesar	I-Application
(	O
1998	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
three	O
games	O
formed	O
the	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
and	O
were	O
released	O
together	O
in	O
the	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
:	O
Collector	O
's	O
Edition	O
compilation	O
in	O
late	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Their	O
game	O
engine	O
was	O
later	O
reused	O
in	O
Erudite	O
's	O
North	B-Application
vs.	I-Application
South	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
of	I-Application
Alexander	I-Application
is	O
a	O
computer	B-Application
wargame	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
takes	O
place	O
on	O
a	O
hex	O
map	O
,	O
and	O
simulates	O
combat	O
at	O
the	O
tactical	O
level	O
;	O
the	O
player	O
navigates	O
an	O
army	O
of	O
predetermined	O
units	O
on	O
discrete	O
battlefields	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
manner	O
that	O
PC	O
PowerPlay	O
compared	O
to	O
chess	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
of	I-Application
Alexander	I-Application
began	O
development	O
at	O
Erudite	O
Software	O
in	O
1994	O
,	O
as	O
an	O
adaptation	O
of	O
the	O
titular	O
board	O
wargame	B-Application
designed	O
by	O
Mark	O
Herman	O
and	O
Richard	O
Berg	O
,	O
first	O
published	O
by	O
GMT	O
Games	O
in	O
1991	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
physical	O
Great	B-Application
Battles	I-Application
series	O
was	O
known	O
as	O
a	O
commercial	O
success	O
in	O
a	O
period	O
of	O
falling	O
sales	O
for	O
board	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Erudite	O
,	O
a	O
business	B-Application
software	I-Application
developer	O
founded	O
in	O
1990	O
,	O
initially	O
hoped	O
to	O
self-publish	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
that	O
point	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
set	O
to	O
include	O
play-by-email	O
(	O
PBEM	O
)	O
support	O
,	O
and	O
Herman	O
explained	O
his	O
plan	O
to	O
apply	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
(	O
AI	B-Application
)	O
routines	O
he	O
had	O
created	O
originally	O
for	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
Department	O
of	O
Defense	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Alexander	O
experienced	O
a	O
long	O
and	O
troubled	O
development	O
cycle	O
;	O
Scott	O
Udell	O
of	O
Computer	O
Games	O
Strategy	O
Plus	O
later	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
a	O
'	O
lost	O
child	O
 '	O
of	O
the	O
computer	B-Application
wargaming	I-Application
world	O
,	O
moving	O
from	O
one	O
publisher	O
to	O
another	O
and	O
then	O
seeming	O
to	O
disappear	O
completely.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
August	O
1995	O
,	O
production	O
delays	O
at	O
Erudite	O
related	O
to	O
Windows	B-Application
95	I-Application
development	O
had	O
pushed	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
projected	O
release	O
back	O
to	O
the	O
following	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Coleman	O
wrote	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
that	O
"	O
two	O
other	O
major	O
wargame	B-Application
publishers	O
"	O
were	O
rumored	O
to	O
be	O
in	O
talks	O
with	O
the	O
developer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Udell	O
called	O
this	O
an	O
example	O
of	O
the	O
publisher	O
's	O
trend	O
of	O
"giv[ing]	O
new	O
life	O
to	O
an	O
orphan	O
wargame	B-Application
product	O
"	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
had	O
done	O
with	O
Harpoon	B-Application
Classic	I-Application
97	I-Application
and	O
American	B-Application
Civil	I-Application
War	I-Application
:	I-Application
From	I-Application
Sumter	I-Application
to	I-Application
Appomattox	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
that	O
month	O
,	O
Interactive	O
Magic	O
declared	O
its	O
intent	O
to	O
publish	O
the	O
title	O
alongside	O
two	O
sequel	O
products	O
:	O
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
of	I-Application
Hannibal	I-Application
and	O
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
of	I-Application
Caesar	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
three	O
games	O
together	O
formed	O
the	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
computer	B-Application
wargame	I-Application
series	O
,	O
all	O
produced	O
by	O
the	O
publisher	O
's	O
S	O
.	O
Craig	O
Taylor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Based	O
on	O
his	O
research	O
into	O
ancient	O
war	O
,	O
he	O
determined	O
that	O
Macedonia	O
relied	O
on	O
a	O
combined	B-Protocol
arms	I-Protocol
approach	O
,	O
while	O
Persia	O
favored	O
ranged	O
combat	O
and	O
Greece	O
relied	O
on	O
infantry	B-Protocol
charges	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
noted	O
,	O
"	O
Many	O
wargames	B-Application
treat	O
all	O
combat	O
units	O
as	O
a	O
singular	O
entity	O
while	O
only	O
varying	O
speed	O
and	O
strength	O
to	O
show	O
unit	O
distinctions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
led	O
him	O
to	O
streamline	O
,	O
automate	O
or	O
eliminate	O
several	O
of	O
the	O
board	O
version	O
's	O
features	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
trumping	O
mechanic	O
,	O
whereby	O
a	O
leader	O
with	O
a	O
high	O
initiative	O
rating	O
could	O
roll	B-Language
dice	I-Language
for	O
a	O
chance	O
to	O
interrupt	O
an	O
enemy	O
leader	O
's	O
momentum	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Erudite	O
and	O
Interactive	O
Magic	O
hoped	O
to	O
make	O
Alexander	O
both	O
accessible	O
to	O
wargame	B-Application
newcomers	O
and	O
appealing	O
to	O
hardcore	O
enthusiasts	O
in	O
the	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Craig	O
Taylor	O
noted	O
the	O
team	O
's	O
choice	O
of	O
a	O
miniature	O
wargaming	O
graphical	O
style	O
,	O
in	O
opposition	O
to	O
wargame	B-Application
visuals	O
akin	O
to	O
"	O
a	O
few	O
figures	O
 [ pasted ] 	O
to	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
a	O
counter	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
also	O
simplified	O
and	O
streamlined	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
interface	O
;	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
Billingsley	O
criticized	O
earlier	O
wargames	B-Application
for	O
being	O
needlessly	O
inaccessible	O
to	O
newcomers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
remarked	O
,	O
"	O
We	O
believe	O
strongly	O
in	O
the	O
Panzer	B-Application
General	I-Application
type	O
of	O
interface	O
,	O
because	O
it	O
was	O
so	O
successful	O
in	O
getting	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
the	O
player.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
of	I-Application
Alexander	I-Application
was	O
named	O
Byte	O
magazine	O
's	O
"	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Month	O
"	O
by	O
columnist	O
Jerry	O
Pournelle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Calling	O
it	O
"	O
the	O
best	O
classical	O
era	O
war	O
game	O
I	O
've	O
ever	O
come	O
across	O
"	O
,	O
Pournelle	O
praised	O
Alexander	O
as	O
a	O
detailed	O
and	O
accurate	O
portrayal	O
of	O
ancient	O
war	O
,	O
without	O
the	O
time-consuming	O
mathematical	O
calculations	O
required	O
by	O
board	O
wargames	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mayer	O
and	O
Computer	O
Gaming	O
Worlds	O
Jim	O
Cobb	O
offered	O
plaudits	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
visuals	O
and	O
interface	O
,	O
although	O
they	O
disagreed	O
on	O
the	O
quality	O
of	O
the	O
AI	B-Application
,	O
about	O
which	O
Mayer	O
had	O
reservations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
they	O
concurred	O
on	O
the	O
overall	O
strength	O
of	O
the	O
product	O
:	O
Cobb	O
called	O
Alexander	O
"	O
simply	O
the	O
best-ever	O
ancients	O
system	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
wargame	B-Application
"	O
otherwise	O
flawless	O
"	O
beyond	O
frame	O
rate	O
problems	O
and	O
minor	O
historical	O
oversights	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PC	O
Gamer	O
US	O
wargame	B-Application
columnist	O
William	O
R	O
.	O
Trotter	O
continued	O
the	O
praise	O
for	O
Alexanders	O
graphics	O
and	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
Mayer	O
,	O
its	O
audio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Trotter	O
found	O
these	O
issues	O
"	O
minor	O
in	O
comparison	O
to	O
the	O
overall	O
achievement	O
"	O
,	O
James	O
Weston	O
of	O
the	O
magazine	O
's	O
British	O
edition	O
argued	O
that	O
frame	O
rate	O
and	O
AI	B-Application
problems	O
ruined	O
the	O
product	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Writing	O
for	O
PC	O
PowerPlay	O
in	O
Australia	O
,	O
reviewer	O
March	O
Stepnik	O
compared	O
Alexander	O
favorably	O
to	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Command	B-Application
&	I-Application
Conquer	I-Application
and	O
Warcraft	B-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Tides	I-Application
of	I-Application
Darkness	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Alexander	O
,	O
Erudite	O
Software	O
and	O
Interactive	O
Magic	O
launched	O
the	O
sequel	O
,	O
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
of	I-Application
Hannibal	I-Application
,	O
in	O
November	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
two	O
games	O
were	O
followed	O
by	O
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
of	I-Application
Caesar	I-Application
early	O
the	O
next	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Great	I-Application
Battles	I-Application
:	O
Collector	O
's	O
Edition	O
,	O
which	O
joined	O
Alexander	O
with	O
its	O
sequels	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
December	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
series	O
 '	O
game	O
engine	O
was	O
later	O
reused	O
in	O
North	B-Application
vs.	I-Application
South	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Great	I-Application
American	I-Application
Civil	I-Application
War	I-Application
,	O
developed	O
by	O
Erudite	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Interactive	O
Magic	O
.	O
</s>
