A representation of Ancient Egyptian life would be far from complete without looking at its relationship with the animals that shared the land, sea and sky. Hunting, herding and animal husbandry played important roles in everyday Egyptian life.
Ancient Egyptians were in tune with nature and their surroundings, hence why the Gods took the shape of animals found along the Nile and in the deserts and forests of Egypt.
In Dynasty of the Sands (DotS) the animals share the land with you. The Ibex gently graze the fertile grasslands while the crocodiles prowl the banks of the Nile. Hunting animals will become an essential part of your experience in DotS, and the hide these animals provide becomes a valuable building resource for expanding and improving your city. However, you should be aware that predators can threaten your population, and will need to be slain by hunters in order for your civilization to flourish.
Crocodiles quietly stalk the shores of the Nile. It is their territory that you are inhabiting and they will be quick to let you know this. Be careful of your farmers and fishermen to ensure that they don’t fall prey to these ancient predators.
Hippos, while usually peaceful, may wander close to your people and remind the villagers that they can be the most dangerous animals in all of Africa, if not treated with respect.
Animals that prove to be fearsome to the player will gain certain stats, and they will become known to your people as a legendary beast. They will display a name and a kill count, meaning you can send hunting parties out in an attempt to slay the beast that has been terrorizing your people.
Not all animals are aggressive of course! We’ve populated the land with an array of other creatures such as Gazelles, Ibex, and Oxen, which can be used for meat and farming.
Fish were vital for ancient Egypt. As the River Nile was so abundant, Egyptians relied on fish as a source of food throughout the year, and we have included shoals of fish to be caught by your fishermen.
Birds are a prominent feature you will see in DotS as they soar over your city. If you look closely, you’ll find that they will circle over areas of interest such as shrines, shoals of fish and animals in order to guide you to new resources and discoveries to further your experience of the game.
Along with these more common creatures, we’ve implemented rarer and more elusive animals that the player may come across during their play through, the cat being among them. Cats played a key part in Egyptian culture and religion, so to keep their majesty and reverence, we’re making the cat an elusive and mysterious creature. But we’ll talk more about this later 🙂
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this or want to find out more, head over to the Steam page and add Dynasty of the Sands to your Wishlist: bit.ly/DotSSteam
