Egyptian hieroglyphics phrases

https://chipstero7.wordpress.com/2023/05/24/is-baphomet-an-esoteric-representation-of-jesus-christ/
Quote from my article that discusses this (20% of 100%):
Baphomet is a symbol that has generated intrigue and controversy throughout history. It’s associated with occultism, mystery traditions, and the Knights Templar. While its origins and meanings are subject to interpretation, some individuals have proposed intriguing parallels between Baphomet and Christ. A notable parallel lie in their association with duality. Baphomet’s depicted as androgynous in nature and represents the equilibration of opposites and the integration of masculine and feminine energies. Christ is likewise depicted (especially in paintings) as androgynous and in ancient text is sometimes described as a merging of the male and the female. Drawing from the insights of the 15th-century book ‘Book of the Holy Treaty’, historian Leah De Vun describes the text as saying that Christ and Mary were originally a unified entity — an alchemical hermaphrodite. Describing the text — De Vun characterizes Christ as the “ultimate hermaphrodite, a unity of contrary parts, the human and the divine, the male and the female”. This idea of Christ as a hermaphrodite finds support in the writings of early Christian theologian Hippolytus, who, like the Ophites, considered Christ to be of dual genders.¹ Artistic representations of Christ, such as the painting “The Lamentation around the remains of Christ”, underscore this idea, showing Christ with female breasts akin to Baphomet. Some propose that the name “Jesus Christ” could represent the merging of two distinct entities or names into one. This idea is bolstered by the identification of “Jesus” as an ancient name for Isis, referred to as “Esus” in hieroglyphic inscriptions,² and “Christ” as a name historically associated with Osiris (see the book ‘Christ in Egypt: The Horus-Jesus Connection’). Within this framework, Isis and Osiris serve as possible precursors for the Biblical figures Mary and Christ.
This union or merging of Mary and Christ into a hermaphrodite like Baphomet represent twin souls becoming one and the accomplishment of the Philosopher’s Stone. The Philosopher’s Stone represents the alchemical process of inner transformation, leading to the ultimate goal of Divine Union. Divine Union refers to a spiritual state of unity and connection with the divine or higher consciousness. In essence, it refers to the coming together of twin souls, similar to how Christ merges with Mary or how Osiris merges with Isis. According to Manly Palmer Hall, in his book ‘Initiates of the Flame’, the “marriage of the Sun and Moon” represents the accomplishment of the Philosopher’s Stone. For the ancient Egyptians, the Moon represented Isis and the Sun represented Osiris and their union created Horus who was the fusion of both his parents and a divine hermaphrodite. In his book ‘Gods Wear Spandex’, Chris Knowles says: “The Chemical Wedding referred to the work of the alchemists, who sought to marry the masculine and feminine properties of creation and produce the Royal Hermaphrodite, which some historians have linked to Harpocrates (Younger Horus)”. In the ancient mysteries, the ultimate aim of the philosophers was not to transform lead chemically into gold, but transform man and woman into the divine hermaphrodite, merging the opposites; the male and the female. This is ultimately what Baphomet represents. It represents the idea that true spiritual enlightenment and wholeness come from embracing and integrating both the masculine and feminine aspects of creation. This union of opposites is seen as a path to spiritual balance and ultimate transcendence. This integration of the male and female is also represented by Rebis, which is a 15th-century figure used to symbolize the Magnum Opus or Great Work.
The connections between Christ and Baphomet are not widely recognized or agreed upon, but esoteric interpretations have been proposed. For example, in his book ‘Baphomet of Éliphas Lévi’, Abraxas Aletheia argues that Baphomet is an esoteric symbol of Christ, saying: “Contrary to popular belief, Baphomet is an image of an esoteric Jesus Christ created from a composite of alchemical, Kabbalistic and Christian symbols”. One such connection symbolically between Baphomet and Christ can be found in Baphomet’s caducous which matches the Christogram which is a monogram or combination of letters that forms an abbreviation for Christ’s name. One of Baphomet’s most recognizable symbols is the pentagram emblazoned on its forehead. The pentagram is commonly associated with Christ. In Christian tradition, the pentagram is seen as a symbolic connection to the five wounds of Christ. In certain esoteric traditions, the pentagram has been linked to the planet Venus, called the Morning Star or the Evening Star, depending on its appearance in the sky. This is of relevance, because Christ describes himself as the bright Morning Star in the Book of Revelation (22:16). One of the earliest connections between Baphomet and Christ can be found in the mythology surrounding the Knights Templar, a medieval Christian military order. Some have suggested that the Baphomet head that the Knights Templars venerated was the head of Christ. In her book ‘The Templars: The Secret History Revealed’, Barbara Frale says: “The last point raised in the indictment against the Templars concerned the secret veneration of an idol in the shape of a bearded head. There is clear evidence of the existence of image of Christ in the religious life of the order, as well as a mysterious cult devoted to the Sacred Blood”. Frale’s essentially suggesting that the Baphomet head was that of Christ. This same idea was the subject of the book ‘The Head of God: The Lost Treasure of the Templars’, by Keith Laidler.

The topic of alien encounters has fascinated humanity for centuries, sparking countless debates, theories, and investigations. From ancient civilizations to modern-day sightings, the possibility of extraterrestrial life continues to captivate our imagination. Let's dive deep into the world of alien encounters and explore the evidence, experiences, and theories surrounding this enigmatic phenomenon.
Historical Accounts: Throughout history, numerous civilizations have documented strange occurrences and encounters with otherworldly beings. From ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs depicting mysterious figures to the famous Nazca lines in Peru, could these be evidence of early alien contact? What are your thoughts on these historical accounts? Do you believe ancient civilizations were visited by extraterrestrials?
Modern-Day Sightings: In the past century, reports of UFO sightings have skyrocketed. Notable incidents like the Roswell crash, the Phoenix Lights, and the recent Pentagon UFO videos have fueled speculation about alien visitors. Have you or someone you know ever witnessed something inexplicable in the sky? Share your experiences and let's discuss the most compelling modern-day sightings.
Abduction Stories: Alien abductions are some of the most controversial and intriguing aspects of the UFO phenomenon. Many people claim to have been taken by extraterrestrial beings, often describing similar experiences of medical examinations and telepathic communication. What do you make of these abduction stories? Are they credible accounts or simply the result of vivid imaginations?
Scientific Investigations: Organizations like SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) and NASA have been searching for signs of alien life for decades. While no definitive proof has been found, the discovery of exoplanets in habitable zones and unexplained signals from space keep the possibility alive. How do you think scientific research contributes to our understanding of potential extraterrestrial life? What recent discoveries do you find most intriguing?
Government Disclosure: Governments around the world, including the U.S., have declassified numerous UFO-related documents, acknowledging the existence of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs). Do you think these disclosures bring us closer to the truth about alien encounters? What role do you believe governments play in either revealing or concealing information about extraterrestrial life?
Your Theories and Experiences: Have you had an encounter with what you believe to be extraterrestrial beings? Do you have theories about why aliens might visit Earth or what their intentions could be? Share your stories and ideas – let's explore this fascinating topic together.
Whether you're a skeptic, a believer, or someone who loves to explore the unknown, your insights and experiences are valuable.

I’ve been trying to learn Masri for my Egyptian girlfriend and so far have only been able to find a YouTube channel called LinguaMid and I have been using the free trial of mango languages Masri course. I’m also planning on getting my girlriend to tell me a word a day for me to learn it to teach me phrases. However I want to utilise as many courses as I can and was curious if any knew any free courses (preferably apps) that I can use as Masri courses at every difficult to find.

This place is a message... and part of a system of messages... pay attention to it!
Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture.
This place is not a place of honor... no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here... nothing valued is here.
What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger.
The danger is in a particular location... it increases towards a center... the center of danger is here... of a particular size and shape, and below us.
The danger is still present, in your time, as it was in ours.
The danger is to the body, and it can kill.
The form of the danger is an emanation of energy.
The danger is unleashed only if you substantially disturb this place physically. This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.

[Original source] [Wikipedia]
The above is from a 1993 study on how to warn people in the distant future about the dangers posed by a nuclear waste repository. This message needs to be communicated to people who stumble upon the site, and it needs to be done so non-verbally. As nuclear waste stays dangerous for tens of thousands of years, there will eventually be people who come upon the site who will not share a language with us. They will not share symbols with us. They will not share a culture with us. Yet they will be humans, and we are obligated to protect them.
I came upon this specific ... it's not quite a poem, but that's what Chelsea Weber-Smith of the podcast American Hysteria called it in her most recent episode, which I had the joy to listen to earlier this week. It's about the borderline-bonkers field of study (and one of my occasional obsessions) called nuclear semiotics, which analyzes this problem.
Coincidentally, I started my second playthrough of Tears of the Kingdom the day after listening to this story. As I descended the staircase, through the gloom, past the murals and to G-Do himself, I couldn't help but think... the ancient Hylians/Zonai had a similar problem to our civilization. There is a danger underground that must be contained, and people must be warned. It's interesting how some of the strategies they employ to convey this message are mirrored in the thoughts of nuclear semioticians, and how in other ways went against the most basic ideas of this field. In the end, did they fail? (Yes, the answer is yes) Will we fail to protect our own future people? (yes, but for different reasons)
Worth saying, they had it easy compared to us:

1. We know nothing of the people of 10,000 years from now. They literally had a princess from this future culture at their disposal.
2. All human languages currently in existence will be unintelligible to the people of 12024, more so than how Proto-Indo-European (spoken only ~6k years ago) is unintelligible to us today. Ancient Hylian, on the other hand, is basically Middle English.

They tried many strategies that nuclear semioticians have considered, some implemented better than others, with varying levels of success:

1. An "atomic priesthood", namely the Sheikah and the Royal Family. This is a group of people who are dedicated to the mission of preserving information about the threat across millennia, in the same way religious movements dating to the Iron Age and Classical Antiquity have managed to preserve the teachings of their founders into the present. We know Sheikah tech is seen in the imprisoning chamber, and the royal family pass down the story of the Imprisoning War. Unfortunately, this "priesthood" over the millennia proved small and unstable. Depending on how you place TotK in the timeline, the Sheikah and the royal line were nearly wiped out several times, reduced at one point to kindergarten teacher and a pre-teen pirate captain. Even if the movement survived, the message of "do not go below the castle" was eventually forgotten.
2. Physical monuments. There are three general threads of thought. One is to create some kind of frightening, ominous landscape that communicates "this is a bad place," like a forest of jagged concrete spikes. Another thread, as Weber-Smith put it, thinks that's some very American absurdity, and the best thing is to just hide it somewhere unimportant. Dig a hole in the Arctic, drop it in. Another (more interesting) idea is to make it the center of attention. Build a nuclear-themed amusement park, a nuclear temple, something people will tell stories of and preserve. No one wants to drill for oil on the Acropolis. The Hylians went and built a magnificent castle and their capitol city. It's not clear this helped since the original message was eventually lost.
   1. They appear to have communicated the specifics primarily in writing, and in a single written language: Zonai, a system so obtuse that not even the Internet can crack it. Correct me if I am wrong, but we see no Gerudo hieroglyphs, no Sheikah characters, no other text in the game in any other language warning about what is under the castle. Almost none of this text is near the castle. Much of it is in the goddamn sky. There is text immediately adjacent to the Imprisoning Chamber, on and around statues of Zonai. Zelda just takes pictures and keeps walking.
      1. (I am trying to find a source, and I cannot, but I remember tales of a warning in the castle itself, a very nondescript stela that's like "don't go under the castle." I don't remember what language it is in, but in any case it's not exactly in a prominent place) EDIT: my thanks to u/banter_pants who linked to some screenshots of the stela in question in the comments. You can see it here. Some important points: Link can read it, meaning it is not original to the ancient period, and it is in a space only accessible to the Royal Family and those associated with them. To me, this suggests a later addition related to the "atomic priesthood," preserving this secret memory. What's also really striking is the text really seems to evoke the quote I opened with even including the phrase, "If the site is disturbed..."
3. Written and artistic representations of the message. Nuclear semioticians seem to think this is a challenge. Many proposals that do include written messages would start with it being in multiple languages, with broad, general terms are the periphery of the site (Bad! Malo!), getting more specific as you approach the center (plutonium 1.4km down). There's art, like this, which might not work, as we can't guarantee symbols like ☢️ or skulls will mean the same thing to future people. The Hylians/Zonai just... well they didn't think about any of this.
   1. The statues closest to the source of the danger are Zonai, a race completely forgotten. They are not in a position warning people off. They just stand there, arms at their sides, conveying nothing.
   2. Of course, a discussion of art would be incomplete without talking about the murals... they're a bit too close to the problem. G-Do is literally in the next room. If he was nuclear waste, you're already losing all your hair. The murals are only understandable by people with specific knowledge of the Royal Family's lore. They do not depict useful information (eg. he's literally in the next room), only a legend. And the structure of the space it was in was so poorly constructed that literally the most important bits were obscured by rubble.
4. Finally, there is the physical barrier between the environment and the threat. You bury it in concrete, deep underground, somewhere without a lot of rainfall and earthquakes. The last thing that needs to happen is a bit of groundwater to start carrying plutonium into a well. You don't just leave this stuff in a ditch (unless you do). And yet... there is apparently a staircase directly to G-Do. He keeps spitting out calamities. People are getting sick from the emanation of energy/gloom...

I am not sure I have a point exactly. The lore nerds will rightfully point out that containment failed at exactly the moment it was meant to: ie. when Zelda came upon it and closed the time loop. True fact. I'm just stirring these tropes together. The ancient Hylians/Zonai tried to communicate a danger and how to deal with it to people in their distant future, ultimately showing us a bunch of ways that this did not work.
Us in the real world will have to hope nuclear semioticians have better ideas. Most of this stuff is sitting the parking lots of nuclear power plants as we argue about where to put it. Hopefully we put it underground with good signage before we have our own calamity.

https://discord.com/channels/768815306667196436/1240701441039929345
CA_Pingu: Hello all!
Thank you for your questions and for joining us today for the live Q&A event with our Maya and Todor! We had such a great time with you all!

A little note before we dive into answers: There was a slip of the brain on our part, we are aiming to post our next blog at the end of May - beginning of June. Sorry for the confusion, looking forward to talking about New Cultures & Factions with you then!

And now – answers!
Q: future content How long do you think this game will be supported for , because I’d love for it to expand even more. Cheers
Total War:PHARAOH team: We've loved seeing so many people ask this question and while there's nothing for us to announce on that topic in today’s Q&A (we want to keep today’s Q&A focused to everything that we shared in the most recent blog), we didn't want to sail through todays Q&A without letting you know that we have of course seen that question, and we'll talk more about what's next for Pharaoh later down the line.
For now, all our efforts and energies are on this massive update to Pharaoh and there's plenty of great questions that we've already looked through that's giving us lots to chat about today.
Q: Before reading the rest of the message, know that it is translated with google trad, so I hope there are no errors in it
Thank you to the whole team, frankly you are doing a remarkable job, and this expansion of the map, playable cultures literally makes me dream ^, could you tell us when this update is planned please?
CA_Maya: We're equally excited to see you excited.
The update is quite sizable and although we want to see it shipped ASAP it does require quite some time. We don't want to commit to specific dates at the moment, but hopefully it could be ready sometime at the end of Summer. Still - we will confirm a date once we get closer to completion.
Q: Will there be a Mythos mode integrated into the game, and if so will you need the dlc and base game troy to play it?
CA_Maya: Let me put it this way - have we discussed many options for a mythic mode, researched monsters and gods from each area of the world, imagined Cerberus battling a Lamassu and a Phoenix (Benu bird)?...
Perhaps >_>
But do we have plans for that right now - no. We aim at delivering a solid update and that's the sole focus of the team. The future is the future - we'll see when we get there.
Q: First of all, amazing work on Pharaoh. This and high tides are looking like they'll elevate this game to the ultimate bronze age experience. I just had a question about map sizes. Have there been any tests to see how the extended maps play?
With there being so many settlements and such vast amounts of lands I'd be curious how long it'd take a faction starting in Egypt to interact with somewhere far off like Babylon. Is it common for Egypt to arrive in these areas after X amount of turns, only to find them completely conquered (or razed to the ground if the sea peoples got there first).
The faster sea lanes seem like a good solution for Greece and Egypt being so separate but I wonder how the game will play with the usual land movement and expansion - unless these have also been tinkered with.
I look forward to trying out this update in-game, whenever that will be. This will be the biggest historical game by no. of settlements by my count! Exciting!
CA_Todor: We are doing a variety of tests involving AI controlled factions as well as members of the dev teams and QA. As you can imagine, testing a campaign as naturally as possible (no cheats!) is a very time-consuming process but is vital to understand what it is that we are developing.
We have observed a variety of behaviours from both AI and Human controlled factions which lead to different situations on the campaign map.
Usually there is at least one faction in each portion of the map that gets to dominate their immediate vicinity by around the mid campaign and in some cases, there are factions that hold on to their starting territories but manage to secure lands in more distant ones.
This is something the player can do as well, and it really depends on where you are located on the campaign map. From the Egyptian factions Ramesses will have the easiest time to reach Babylon (and perhaps conquer it), with focused effort this might be done by turn 50-60.
Sea Travel Lanes are there to facilitate transition and conquest. You can use them to migrate to new territories, especially as the Sherden and Peleset Sea Peoples who retain their horde and settled gameplay.
In a playthrough I tried to migrate with Seti towards Crete and the landmass of Greece. I managed to do that and, as you can imagine, the Mycenaeans were not happy about it. I have yet to finish that campaign, by the way…
Q: First, congratulations to the team, it seems this is going to be the Bronze Age experience everyone was hoping for. A question concerning map expansion and thinking about previous titles like Empire Total War, for example, is there a limit to just how much more map can there be? Is there an engine limitation for example, that would either on this title or another deny any further possibility of expansion? Thank you for your time Edit: to clarify, I mean the size of the map, like pixel by pixel, not in terms of settlement numbers.
CA_Maya: There were some technical limitations which our programming team had to solve to unlock the ability to extend the map in all directions (previously it could only be expanded to the east).
And of course there's just the technical limitation of making a campaign map so vast that no machine can run it
Ultimately, it's a matter of optimization and common sense, and keeping in touch with the time (i.e. the average user hardware spec :D)
Q: Will see a Custom City map of Babylon? This is a fantastic update and I am really liking the changes to the campaign map. In this, will we also get any improvements to the combat system in terms of sieges?
Also, will we see a custom city map of Babylon to fight and sack in? It's mentioned here: In Mesopotamia, these include the White Temple of Anu, the Great Ziggurat of Ur, Chogha Zanbil, the Ziggurat of Enlil, and the Great City of Babylon, a significant major settlement awaiting conquest. - Can I load up Pharaoh, and then click Babylon as a city to besiege?
Will it be shown and will the Mesopotamians get their own cinematic cutscenes? What other unique cities of Mesopotamia are we going to get?
CA_Todor: I am happy to say that we have created a unique settlement battle map that represents the city of Babylon for you to defend or torch to the ground as you see fit.
We have specifically designed it to correspond to the historical period as the Late Bronze Age city of Babylon was different from the one in the later Iron age.
What we tried was going backwards. We researched the more famous later version of Babylon and we cut out the parts that can’t have existed in the Late Bronze Age.
We’ve made sure to include a couple of landmarks - Etemenanki temple and Esagila, which housed the statue of Marduk. There is a sort of a moat surrounding the city walls and a canal that cuts through the city itself.
So, the overall layout of the city – city gates, main streets, along with landmarks - is represented in the game although we made sure that it abides by the rules of Total War gameplay.
A fun fact is that a few of the Major Mesopotamian cities are based on the layouts on actual Mesopotamian cities, such as Mari, Ur.
Q: Will we be able to move our capital in this expanded map ?
Being able to change our capital is something I have wanted for a while. Especially for factions where the starting position gives them a minor settlement as a capital,it would be very desirable.
CA_Todor: We have been seeing this feedback for quite a while. Changing your capital does not have significant gameplay value in Pharaoh but is something that players want.
While I can’t make any promises, it is definitely something that we will discuss to see if it is feasible.
Q: Can we get a Dorians invasion? Or Cimmerian? Phrygians? Urartians?
CA_Maya: Cimmerian Invasion? I like the sound of that! We shall see (and hear the lamentation of Anatolian factions perhaps).
Q: Number of Elamites
The area where I would expect to see Elamites looks quite small so I was wondering how many Elamite factions there will be and if the devs think they'll be a significant threat for mesopotamia or if the focus is mostly on fighting the Hittites and Egyptians
CA_Todor: There are a couple of Elamite factions in that part of the campaign map.
They are supposed to represent the constant (if occasionally potential) threat that Elam was for the kingdoms around Tigris and Euphrates, so we intend them to have a significant influence over the region.
I personally am quite happy that one of the Elamite gods is present in the Local Deities feature.
Q: Bronze Age Armenia and regions beyond the expanded map
So happy with the expanded map! Excited to see it bordering Bronze Age Armenia! Is there a chance for a future DLC for my historical homeland? Between 1200 and 800 BC, much of Armenia was united under a confederation of tribes, which Assyrian sources called Nairi ("Land of Rivers" in Assyrian").
But more generally, is the grand map expansion one and only? Or is there potential to expand it even more in the future dependin on the success? I bought Pharaoh the moment this got announced btw!
CA_Maya: We do have Nairi as a region in the current map expansion. Alas, we can't include absolutely every single Bronze Age culture that existed - especially since how hard that become the further away from the centers Egypt and Mesopotamia we move.
Alas, to paraphrase the saying – Gamedev, like Art, consists of drawing a line somewhere. This map is pretty big and it should suffice for Pharaoh.
The question is to add (bring back, implement...) very desirable for many fans ship battles that had in the Bronze Age a great variety . River battles could also be a tactical innovation .
CA_Maya: ”You can't have everything - where would you put it?!” You've probably heard the phrase.
And I agree btw - Naval battles are awesome to have. Very, very few people play them, and they are not as engaging and tactically versatile as the land battles, but just knowing they exist in a game feels nice.
The above phrase though in game development usually takes the form of - if you want to fit that into the game, which other thing should be left out?
It's a tough choice to make, but I believe the team has made the best decisions so far prioritizing the most wanted content and focusing on expanding the map and adding factions and mechanics, albeit instead of Naval Battles.
Q: Will battle maps be generated based on where you are on the campaign map, much like in older total wars? Apart from that, are any combat/battle changes planned?
CA_Maya: The short answer is "No".
The long answer is explaining the complicated but awesome process in creating battle maps.
Such an update would require to redo how the engine works currently. Instead of generating terrain based on the topography of the Campaign map location, what the current system uses is a set of handcrafted maps created for the specific climate zone and appropriate for the location, but those are authored meticulously by our level designers and world artists, who also place the very deliberately chosen Dynamic Terrain areas and are tagged to work with the new Dynamic Weather and Fire effects.
(they also do the hippos and crocodiles too!)
Q: I recently got into Pharaoh and have been really enjoying it so far, but didn't like that the campaign map got noticeably darker and less vibrant when I reached the Crisis civilization stage.
While I understand that one of the main themes of Pharaoh is the Bronze Age Collapse, and the map getting more bleak is supposed to represent how detrimental it was for the nations that went through it, I personally really love how aesthetically pleasing the Prosperity campaign map looks in comparison to the Crisis campaign map.
Therefore, I was wondering if it would be possible for us to get a setting to either keep it dynamic as it is now, or choose which of the three campaign map tones we prefer. This way, players like myself could properly enjoy their preferred version of the rather beautiful campaign map for the entire campaign, rather than portions of it.
CA_Todor: Portraying the Bronze Age Collapse was something quite important for us, we really wanted to create this feeling of impending doom, distant danger that looms ever closer and develops into an apocalypse.
However, I firmly believe that if a player prefers to play a game that is bright and sunny all the time, or perhaps bleak and desperate, they need to be given the option to do so. Again, we’ll have an internal discussion about this.
Q: Hello! First fo all, Troy & Pharaoh have brought us the best land battle maps of the entire franchise in my objective opnion.
But, they are small, constricting, and forbids us to outflank on an interesting scale. To be honest this generates quite a huge amount of frustration as it removes half the fun of having carefully designed maps!
And for the first time in the series we are able to enjoy massive Chariot formations, in some epic skirmish & chase maneuvers. But Land Battles need faaar more space.
There is a mod that expands map border on the workshop, it’s almost about right. But for the love of Total War, let us wage it in broad epic scope!
Cheers! And in hoping you guys can pull that of!
Will we see larger battlemaps? (Edited by CM)
CA_Todor: We heard this feedback from our player base before, around and after release of Pharaoh. So, for the Dynasty update we made sure to add maps with larger size for Mesopotamia and you will have more open space over there to conduct your tactical manoeuvres.
Unfortunately, reworking the size of the rest of the maps and at the same time bringing them to the expected level of detail and polish is simply not feasible given the time frame of the project.
Q: Will there be an option to turn off non-sea people invaders after a number of turns in the new map ?
CA_Todor: Ah, the Sea Peoples and the non-sea Peoples, a source of Bronze Age destruction and player feedback. On this topic I’d like to point out that we have reworked the way Sea Peoples invasions work and are currently experimenting with their behaviour.
We wanted to address how their armies act in various ways that players feel are frustrating, so we are striving to make them appear more natural. I’ll be glad to share more details further in one of the next Q&As.
As for the question itself, you should be able disable invaders of any kind even now via the campaign customization options, perhaps we need to make it more apparent for the player. Or rephrase it - the option title is related to Sea Peoples Army Count which is not sufficiently intuitive.
Q: Turning on Deities, Courts, and Legacies Earlier
Title says it all, really. Blocking the deities, courts, and legacies panel is great for beginners or those like me who like to be eased into that kind of thing so as not to have an info overload on first turn.
However, I noticed that some people were annoyed that there wasn't a setting in the campaign customizations to allow these features to be accessible at the start of a campaign.
Doubtless another reason why this was done was to not have the campaign go completely off the rails within the first 18 turns, but I know some people are masochists and they want that. Hopefully that's possible
CA_Todor: The gating is there to try and reduce the information overload for the player and, of course, it feels unnecessarily restrictive for a player who is already experienced and would like to just see what happens if they pick Ancient Legacy Akhenaten with Ramesses this time.
This is an excellent piece of feedback, we’ll have a discussion and see what would break if we switch the restrictions off as a campaign customization option. As I said before, I can’t make any promises as development is in full swing and there are a lot of moving parts in there.
Q: Will there still be an Immortal leaders mode in the new map ?
For those who like the immortal leaders or might want to have a break from dynasty and do 1 or 2 rounds as their favourite leader throughout.
CA_Todor: We absolutely have retained the option to play with Immortal leaders - it is in the campaign customisation options. It is a choice that you need to make before the campaign and what it does is what it says – your faction leader will not perish due to any reason. Of course, an immortal person tampers with the real-world representation of people and events but if this is how you prefer to play it, please do so.
Q: Mycenean (Troy:TW) Soundtrack Will you guys port over the amazing Troy soundtrack to Pharaoh along with the new cultures?
That'd be an essential in-depth part of the playthrough! Crossing all remaining fingers that you do!
Thank you for this expansion!!
CA_Maya: Both Pharaoh and Troy use dynamic music systems which combine music themes and fragments based on many variables such as location, time, mood etc.
As such it makes sense to get some material from Troy and include it into the tapestry of the Pharaoh music system for the areas on the campaign and the battle maps of the respective region of the expanded map - the Aegean Zone.
So in short: We've got the original Troy OST for the Aegean cultures, Pharaoh OST for the Egyptian, and some new music for the new regions which will be mixed in with the game soundtrack.
Bonus questions from the livestream chat:
Q: With the sea lanes added, will there also be a lane added from the eastern sea port in Mesopotamia that can send armies around Arabia to the Red Sea and vice versa?
CA_Todor: Unfortunately there is no sea connection between what is now the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea the south-eastern portion of the Arabian Peninsula is off the playable map area.
It is also very hard to find relevant and convincing information about civilisations from this part of the world in the Bronze Age Period.
Q: Will there be snowy areas on the new map? Nonetheless, thank you for your continued hard work on this project; I hope the beauty of this game is recognized by all fans of the series.
CA_Todor: No snowy areas apart from some mountain tops.
CA_Pingu: As soon as we will have recording of this livestream ready, we will update this thread (in the very first message).