<s>
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
(	O
10th	O
Anniversary	O
)	O
(	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
city-building	B-Application
game	I-Application
with	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
elements	O
,	O
developed	O
by	O
Blue	O
Byte	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Ubisoft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Released	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
in	O
September	O
2006	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
a	O
remake	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
(	O
1996	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2007	O
,	O
Blue	O
Byte	O
released	O
a	O
German-language	O
expansion	O
,	O
Die	B-Application
Siedler	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	O
Die	O
nächste	O
Generation	O
-	O
Wikinger	O
(	O
)	O
,	O
featuring	O
new	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
missions	O
,	O
new	O
maps	O
for	O
both	O
single-player	O
and	O
multiplayer	O
modes	O
,	O
a	O
random	O
map	O
generator	O
,	O
and	O
minor	O
gameplay	O
tweaks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
2008	O
,	O
they	O
released	O
Die	B-Application
Siedler	I-Application
:	O
Aufbruch	O
der	O
Kulturen	O
(	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
to	O
Die	O
nächste	O
Generation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
Vikings	B-Application
 '	O
portal	O
is	O
sabotaged	O
by	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
pirates	O
led	O
by	O
a	O
man	O
known	O
as	O
"	O
The	O
Wolf	O
"	O
,	O
all	O
other	O
portals	O
throughout	O
the	O
world	O
cease	O
to	O
function	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Initially	O
operating	O
independently	O
of	O
one	O
another	O
,	O
but	O
ultimately	O
joining	O
forces	O
,	O
the	O
Romans	O
,	O
Nubians	O
,	O
Chinese	O
and	O
Vikings	B-Application
set	O
out	O
to	O
learn	O
why	O
the	O
portal	O
was	O
destroyed	O
and	O
defeat	O
The	O
Wolf	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
featuring	O
updated	O
3D	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
effects	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
storyline	O
,	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
game	O
mechanics	O
remain	O
relatively	O
unchanged	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Settlers	B-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
(	O
10th	O
Anniversary	O
)	O
received	O
relatively	O
little	O
attention	O
in	O
the	O
gaming	O
press	O
outside	O
Germany	O
,	O
with	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
(	O
10th	O
Anniversary	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
city-building	B-Application
game	I-Application
,	O
with	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
elements	O
,	O
controlled	O
via	O
a	O
point	O
and	O
click	O
interface	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
and	O
game	O
mechanics	O
are	O
nearly	O
identical	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
Settlers	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
primary	O
goal	O
on	O
each	O
map	O
is	O
to	O
build	O
a	O
settlement	O
with	O
a	O
functioning	O
economy	O
,	O
producing	O
sufficient	O
military	O
units	O
so	O
as	O
to	O
conquer	O
rival	O
territories	O
,	O
ultimately	O
gaining	O
control	O
of	O
either	O
the	O
entire	O
map	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
certain	O
predetermined	O
section	O
of	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Campaign	O
mode	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
complete	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
missions	O
,	O
the	O
goal	O
of	O
each	O
of	O
which	O
is	O
to	O
defeat	O
the	O
computer	B-Application
controlled	I-Application
opponent	O
or	O
opponents	O
by	O
gaining	O
possession	O
of	O
the	O
territory	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
mission	O
objective	O
is	O
located	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Wikinger	O
expansion	O
added	O
a	O
new	O
campaign	O
of	O
twelve	O
missions	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
able	O
to	O
control	O
the	O
three	O
races	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
(	O
Romans	O
,	O
Nubians	O
,	O
and	O
Chinese	O
)	O
,	O
plus	O
the	O
newly	O
added	O
Vikings	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Freeplay	O
and	O
multiplayer	O
modes	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
played	O
via	O
a	O
LAN	B-General_Concept
or	O
online	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
chooses	O
a	O
map	O
on	O
which	O
to	O
play	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
refines	O
the	O
game	O
in	O
various	O
ways	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
selecting	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
players	O
(	O
from	O
two	O
to	O
six	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
difficulty	O
level	O
of	O
computer	B-Application
controlled	I-Application
races	O
,	O
choosing	O
which	O
race	O
to	O
control	O
,	O
selecting	O
the	O
victory	O
conditions	O
,	O
refining	O
the	O
amount	O
of	O
raw	O
materials	O
available	O
to	O
each	O
player	O
at	O
the	O
start	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
selecting	O
whether	O
to	O
turn	O
fog	O
of	O
war	O
on	O
or	O
off	O
,	O
and	O
choosing	O
whether	O
each	O
player	O
begins	O
from	O
a	O
predetermined	O
position	O
on	O
the	O
map	O
or	O
is	O
instead	O
placed	O
randomly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
well	O
as	O
including	O
numerous	O
predesigned	O
maps	O
for	O
use	O
in	O
Freeplay	O
and	O
multiplayer	O
modes	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
also	O
features	O
a	O
map	O
editor	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
both	O
create	O
their	O
own	O
maps	O
and	O
import	O
maps	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Settlers	B-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
player	O
constructs	O
buildings	O
and	O
thus	O
requires	O
settlers	O
to	O
occupy	O
them	O
,	O
the	B-Application
settlers	I-Application
automatically	O
emerge	O
from	O
the	O
warehouse	O
as	O
needed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
learn	O
the	O
Nubians	O
are	O
in	O
conflict	O
with	O
a	O
much	O
stronger	O
group	O
of	O
Chinese	O
,	O
who	O
have	O
cut	O
them	O
off	O
from	O
their	O
Pharaoh	B-Application
,	O
Tanotamun	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
a	O
feast	O
in	O
the	O
Viking	B-Application
capital	O
,	O
their	O
portal	O
explodes	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
Vikings	B-Application
are	O
sucked	O
into	O
the	O
resulting	O
vortex	O
,	O
emerging	O
on	O
a	O
beach	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Vikings	B-Application
raid	O
the	O
village	O
,	O
finding	O
it	O
full	O
of	O
flags	O
embroidered	O
with	O
a	O
wolf	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
ruins	O
of	O
the	O
pirate	O
camp	O
,	O
they	O
find	O
fragmented	O
portal	O
stones	O
covered	O
with	O
Vikings	B-Application
symbols	O
;	O
remnants	O
of	O
the	O
destroyed	O
portal	O
,	O
and	O
Kvame	O
realises	O
the	O
pirates	O
are	O
led	O
by	O
a	O
man	O
known	O
as	O
The	O
Wolf	O
,	O
an	O
infamous	O
pirate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Heading	O
to	O
the	O
nearest	O
Viking	B-Application
settlement	O
,	O
they	O
find	O
it	O
under	O
attack	O
,	O
and	O
fight	O
alongside	O
the	O
Vikings	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
this	O
in	O
mind	O
,	O
Kvame	O
vows	O
to	O
return	O
the	O
stones	O
to	O
the	O
Vikings	B-Application
,	O
and	O
help	O
defend	O
the	O
Empire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
months	O
have	O
now	O
passed	O
since	O
the	O
Vikings	B-Application
were	O
sucked	O
into	O
the	O
portal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Arriving	O
at	O
a	O
Viking	B-Application
colony	O
,	O
they	O
see	O
it	O
is	O
under	O
attack	O
by	O
the	O
pirates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Meanwhile	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
destruction	O
of	O
the	O
Vikings	B-Application
 '	O
portal	O
,	O
the	O
portal	O
in	O
Rome	O
also	O
ceased	O
to	O
function	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Vikings	B-Application
,	O
Nubians	O
,	O
Romans	O
,	O
and	O
loyalist	O
Chinese	O
arrive	O
at	O
the	O
capital	O
at	O
roughly	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
,	O
and	O
although	O
the	O
city	O
has	O
already	O
fallen	O
to	O
The	O
Wolf	O
,	O
the	O
Emperor	O
has	O
escaped	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
hiding	O
in	O
a	O
small	O
village	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
agreeing	O
to	O
work	O
together	O
,	O
the	O
Vikings	B-Application
,	O
Nubians	O
,	O
and	O
Romans	O
are	O
scattered	O
by	O
a	O
storm	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
Vikings	B-Application
landing	O
on	O
an	O
uninhabited	O
island	O
off	O
the	O
coast	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
escape	O
,	O
travelling	O
to	O
the	O
safety	O
of	O
the	O
Vikings	B-Application
 '	O
island	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Vikings	B-Application
reassemble	O
the	O
portal	O
,	O
help	O
the	O
Chinese	O
make	O
repairs	O
to	O
the	O
city	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
return	O
home	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2006	O
,	O
Ubisoft	O
confirmed	O
what	O
had	O
been	O
rumoured	O
in	O
the	O
German	O
gaming	O
press	O
for	O
some	O
time	O
;	O
later	O
in	O
the	O
year	O
,	O
they	O
would	O
be	O
releasing	O
a	O
modern	O
remake	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
with	O
their	O
business	O
development	O
director	O
,	O
Ralf	O
Wirsing	O
stating	O
,	O
"	O
there	O
are	O
not	O
many	O
video	O
games	O
that	O
are	O
suitable	O
for	O
such	O
a	O
project	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
second	O
part	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
series	O
is	O
undoubtedly	O
one	O
of	O
them	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
developers	O
,	O
Blue	O
Byte	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
developed	O
all	O
five	O
titles	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
thus	O
far	O
,	O
had	O
chosen	O
to	O
remake	O
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
because	O
doing	O
so	O
was	O
the	O
most	O
frequent	O
request	O
they	O
received	O
from	O
fans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additionally	O
,	O
surveys	O
in	O
German	O
magazines	O
and	O
on	O
gaming	O
websites	O
consistently	O
showed	O
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
to	O
be	O
the	O
most	O
popular	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
specifically	O
referred	O
to	O
the	O
reimplementation	O
of	O
the	O
road	O
network	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
dropped	O
from	O
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
III	I-Application
and	O
all	O
subsequent	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
importance	O
of	O
transport	O
hubs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Of	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
Wirsing	O
explained	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
new	O
Settlers	B-Application
II	I-Application
looks	O
as	O
it	O
would	O
have	O
in	O
1996	O
if	O
the	O
technical	O
possibilities	O
of	O
today	O
had	O
existed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
characters	O
and	O
buildings	O
were	O
only	O
a	O
few	O
pixels	B-Algorithm
in	O
size	O
,	O
offering	O
minimal	O
possibilities	O
to	O
show	O
detail	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
graphics	O
were	O
then	O
created	O
using	O
Shader	O
2.0	O
,	O
allowing	O
older	O
graphics	B-Device
cards	I-Device
to	O
run	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
also	O
features	O
a	O
map	O
editor	O
which	O
can	O
convert	O
the	O
2D	O
isometric	B-Application
maps	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
into	O
the	O
3D	O
style	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
remake	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
Germany	O
in	O
a	O
limited	O
edition	O
with	O
a	O
Roman	O
figurine	O
,	O
a	O
Windows	O
XP-optimised	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Settlers	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
a	O
making-of	O
booklet	O
,	O
and	O
two	O
Freeplay	O
maps	O
not	O
included	O
with	O
the	O
standard	O
edition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
other	O
hand	O
,	O
he	O
felt	O
it	O
should	O
have	O
been	O
a	O
budget	O
title	O
,	O
concluding	O
,	O
"	O
For	O
all	O
its	O
undeniable	O
charm	O
and	O
nostalgic	O
worth	O
,	O
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
never	O
really	O
more	O
than	O
a	O
retro	O
retread	O
that	O
will	O
probably	O
only	O
appeal	O
to	O
those	O
who	O
remember	O
the	O
original	O
fondly	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
he	O
praised	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
preservation	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
's	O
"	O
charm	O
"	O
,	O
he	O
questioned	O
whether	O
nostalgia	O
was	O
enough	O
to	O
carry	O
the	O
game	O
:	O
"	O
In	O
1996	O
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
among	O
the	O
pioneers	O
of	O
city-building	B-Application
games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
German-language	O
expansion	O
,	O
Die	B-Application
Siedler	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	O
Die	O
nächste	O
Generation	O
-	O
Wikinger	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
March	O
2007	O
,	O
featuring	O
twelve	O
new	O
single-player	O
missions	O
,	O
new	O
maps	O
for	O
both	O
single-player	O
and	O
multiplayer	O
modes	O
,	O
a	O
random	O
map	O
generator	O
,	O
numerous	O
improvements	O
and	O
optimisations	O
to	O
the	O
online	O
multiplayer	O
lobby	O
,	O
a	O
newly	O
designed	O
quest	O
system	O
with	O
more	O
diverse	O
mission	O
objectives	O
and	O
optional	O
sidequests	O
,	O
a	O
more	O
detailed	O
notification	O
system	O
and	O
mini-map	O
,	O
and	O
minor	O
gameplay	O
tweaks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
expansion	O
also	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
use	O
all	O
three	O
original	O
races	O
plus	O
the	O
newly	O
added	O
Vikings	B-Application
in	O
the	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
,	O
although	O
,	O
as	O
in	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
difference	O
between	O
the	O
races	O
is	O
aesthetic	O
only	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Die	B-Application
Siedler	I-Application
:	O
Aufbruch	O
der	O
Kulturen	O
,	O
a	O
German-language	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
to	O
Die	O
nächste	O
Generation	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
September	O
2008	O
,	O
with	O
localised	O
versions	O
released	O
in	O
Poland	O
in	O
2009	O
and	O
Russia	O
in	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
have	O
great	O
fun	O
playing	O
the	O
original	O
Settlers	B-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
example	O
,	O
in	O
The	B-Application
Settlers	I-Application
II	I-Application
and	O
10th	O
Anniversary	O
,	O
a	O
baker	O
needs	O
flour	O
and	O
water	O
to	O
make	O
bread	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
,	O
during	O
the	O
preparation	O
period	O
for	O
the	O
Olympic	B-Application
Games	I-Application
,	O
the	O
god	O
Olympus	O
notices	O
that	O
the	O
people	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
have	O
become	O
obsessed	O
with	O
money	O
,	O
waging	O
wars	O
on	O
one	O
another	O
to	O
acquire	O
more	O
and	O
more	O
land	O
,	O
and	O
laying	O
waste	O
to	O
the	O
earth	O
in	O
the	O
process	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
features	O
a	O
3D	O
online	O
lobby	O
,	O
where	O
players	O
can	O
enter	O
or	O
create	O
multiplayer	O
games	O
,	O
text	O
with	O
other	O
players	O
,	O
create	O
and	O
add	O
to	O
a	O
friends	O
list	O
,	O
send	O
emails	O
,	O
and	O
visit	O
a	O
tailor	O
to	O
alter	O
the	O
appearance	O
of	O
their	O
avatars	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
can	O
also	O
go	O
into	O
a	O
tavern	O
and	O
compete	O
against	O
other	O
players	O
in	O
one	O
of	O
three	O
minigames	O
;	O
dice	O
,	O
chess	O
and	O
Texas	B-Device
hold	I-Device
'	I-Device
em	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
winner	O
receives	O
experience	O
points	O
and	O
money	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
purchase	O
new	O
avatars	B-Application
.	O
</s>
