Ikariam v 0.5.0 Animations

Ikariam version 0.5.0 has officially been launched today. Below is the list of changes that have been made to the game.

• New layout
  • The game interface now uses the entire size of the browser window and automatically resizes if the window size is changed.
  • The world map, island map and town screens have been redesigned and now have a higher resolution. The `left menus` on the main screen have been replaced by new elements: the navigation elements on the world map are now located at the bottom of the screen and can be faded in and out by clicking on the control cross in the middle of it. On the island screen you can navigate to another island by entering the coordinates using a similarly redesigned menu. On the left-hand side of the screen on the town screen you can now reach the `Troops in the town`, `Premium-Trader`, `Dummy packages`, `Building construction list`, `Dismiss units` and `Espionage` (in other towns with your spies) screens.
  • The minimum resolution display of Ikariam (1024x768 pixels) remains the same as the old layout. However the islands and towns are now larger, meaning that sometimes they may not be completely visible. By dragging the mouse, each of the displays can be moved so that the non-visible sections can be seen. If this method is not possible, you can also use the directional control at the bottom of the screen.
  • The buildings and many elements of the main screen have been redrawn and adapted to suit the new layout.
  • Some screens have been optimised or slightly reorganised for the new layout. This includes the trading port, museum, trading post, diplomacy advisor and the help.
• Feature - troops and ships can now be dismissed in all of your own towns, independent of whether there is a barracks or shipyard there or not.
• New design for the research advisor
  • The design for the research advisor has been overhauled. You can now better see which research has already been completed and which are still waiting to be researched.
  • With the reconstruction, the Library will be rendered obsolete and will be removed. The tutorial will be adapted accordingly.
• Feature - ally towns, occupied towns, towns with occupied ports and towns, where you have a garrison right can now be `entered` much like your own towns or towns that you spied on. These towns can be recognised by a green arrow next to the town name.
• Help redesigned
  • The menu guide and the chapter order within the help have been reordered.
  • The chapters `First Steps` and `Building, Building Material and Population` have been combined, several others have been renamed.
  • Some content errors have been corrected.
• Animations
  • Alongside the whales and dolphins on the world map there are now a multitude of further animations.
  • If the performance of your computer or the internet connection is not sufficient for them, the animations can be turned off in the game options.
• New building spaces in the towns
• In every town there are now two new building slots, on which all land-based buildings can be constructed. They will be immediately available in every town and do not need to be researched or acquired in any other way beforehand.

Looking for the new animations is like treasure hunting at this point in time. Animations I've spotted so far are:

Town View Animations

• Flock of birds flying
• Town Hall flag flowing in the wind
• Lumberjacks and carpenters moving about while a building is under construction
• Waterfall near the Trading Port and Shipyard
• Trading Port crane loading crates on a ship when sending goods from one town to another
• Dolphins jumping out of the ocean

Island View Animations

• Lumberjacks sawing wood at the Forest on an Island View
• Farmers tending to the vineyard on a Wine Island View
• Miners hammering away at the quarries on a Marble Island View
• A miner going back and forth in and out of the crystal mine, placing crystals on a cart, on a Crystal Island View
• A miner going back and forth in and out of the sulfur pit, placing sulfur on a cart, on a Sulfur Island View
• Barbarian waving his axe on an Island View
• Flags on top of towns and vacant locations flowing in the wind on an Island View
• Guy bouncing a beach ball while two other people are sunbathing on floaters and two are under a beach umbrella

World View Animations

• Whales jumping out of the water on the World View

I hope there are more hidden animations and that the developers will create new ones from time to time.

It is also disappointing that Kyra has relinquished her role to her husband, the original town adviser. I think she was better suited for the job.

Some of the hot keys you can use under the new version include

• ESC to close those annoying pop-up windows
• Ctrl and + key to re-size the screen so that things are bigger
• Ctrl and - key to re-size the screen so that things are smaller (ideal for those used to having the whole town in view)

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