'It's especially effective in rooms like the kitchen, where clutter can quickly build up,' explains Phi Dang. If you try this method, let me know if it helped you with the decluttering process and feel free to share any tips you may have to prevent and eliminate clutter.While it can be applied anywhere in the home, as a maxim that targets practical items rather than decorative ones, the six month rule lends itself best to certain areas. Once you are done, you can either take an after picture so you can see and celebrate your progress or simply delete it. This works well for large areas too like a garage, storeroom or walk-in closet. I equate this method to having a meal plan rather than standing in front of the fridge or cupboards wondering what to cook for dinner and feeling confused.īy the way, if you take a picture of the contents of your fridge or cupboard you may be able to use the same method to plan your meals. You don’t have to do it all once if it is too much for one decluttering session. Next, go clean it up then take another picture of the newly visible layer. If the area that you are decluttering is layers deep in things to sort through, take the picture of what is visible, then sort on paper what you can see in the picture. ![]() “Clearing clutter-be it physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual-brings about ease and inspires a sense of peace, calm, and tranquility.” No standing in the doorway staring at the chaos, feeling frustrated and not knowing where to start to declutter. It takes me considerably less time to get it done as I already worked out all the details without being physically in the space.ģ0 Things to Declutter You Will Want to Copy This Year Once I am finished, I can then go back to the cluttered area and start to put things away with a system and a plan to guide me. I write down the assigned home for each group of items – books go on the bookshelf, toys in the toy cupboard or toybox, etc. The next step is to assign areas to put away the items. I would like to share with you a trick I use to help me declutter any area in my home and it cuts down on the amount of time spent sorting, organizing and finding a home for items.Īfter I take the picture (with a smartphone or digital camera), I sit with a pen and paper (and a cup of coffee) and study the picture thoroughly, listing groups of ‘like’ items I may see. Pappy was very well organized.Įspecially with little children in families, it is easy to accumulate items, and in no time, things can get out-of-hand. My Pappy (grandfather) used to say, “When you use a thing, put it back!” I still hear his tone of disapproval talking to my teenage self whenever I left some object in a random place instead of its designated home. On her website Feng Shui For Real Life, Master Practitioner Carol Olmstead says, “…clutter represents postponed decisions and the inability to move forward.” In Feng Shui, it is believed that clutter prevents energy from flowing and represents stagnancy. I am not into too much ‘stuff’ as I feel overwhelmed when a room or space is cluttered with many things.Ĭlutter causes stress, can interfere with our mental wellbeing and leave us feeling uneasy and anxious. ![]() ![]() Sometimes I can just get through my daily chores and there is barely enough time to do any additional cleaning. ![]() Alas, ‘tis not so!Īlthough I am a huge fan of cleaning schedules and to-do lists, I have to work around the needs of my babies who are both under three years of age. If I had all the time in the world, I would spend a lot more time cleaning in and around the house to immaculate standards. To me, there is great satisfaction in seeing and experiencing a clean and tidy environment. I put on my favourite Audible audiobook, grab my tools and get to work. ~ Karen Kingston, Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui Say No to Clutter!ĭeep down inside, I think that there is a neat freak in me. “When you live surrounded by clutter, it is impossible to have clarity about what you are doing in your life.” The Simple Method I Use To Help Me Declutter You can read my full Disclosure Policy here.
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The book will be particularly useful for beginning graduate students from the physical, engineering, and mathematical sciences with a rigorous theoretical background. 183 line to curve in reality results in a definite curve which satisfies the conditions of the problem. Forexample,aclassicalprobleminthecalculusofvariationsisndingtheshortest path between two points. ![]() Moreover,thisfunctionalisdenedinterms of the line or path integral FI x b xa I(y,y ,x)dx. The calculus of variations has a wide range of applications in physics, engineering, applied and pure mathematics, and is intimately connected to partial dierential equations(PDEs). Numerous figures, advanced problems and proofs, examples, and exercises with solutions accompany the book, making it suitable for self-study. Here, the essential elements involved in the calculus of variations are briey summarized.1 Consider a functionalFdepending on a functionyof a single variablex(i.e.,y y(x))anditsrstderivativeydy/dx. Some advanced mathematical tools, possibly not familiar to the reader, are given along with proofs in the appendix. The book targets students who have a solid background in calculus and linear algebra, not necessarily in functional analysis. Topics include: the Euler-Lagrange equation for one-dimensional variational problems, with and without constraints, as well as an introduction to the direct methods. It is based on a translation of a German edition of the book Variationsrechnung (Vieweg+Teubner Verlag, 2010), translated and updated by the author himself. This clear and concise textbook provides a rigorous introduction to the calculus of variations, depending on functions of one variable and their first derivatives. The calculus of variations (or Variational Calculus) is a field of mathematical analysis that uses variations, which are small changes in functions and functionals, to find maxima and minima of functionals: mappings from a set of functions to the real numbers. In geometry, a parallelepiped is a three-dimensional figure formed by six parallelograms (the term rhomboid is also sometimes used with this meaning). ![]() ![]() If you operate remotely from different locations or are constantly globe-trotting, you can receive mail and payments from clients in your virtual mailbox no matter where you are. Traveling entrepreneurs and professionals might also find virtual mailboxes to be a good fit. Most of these providers also allow mail and packages to be forwarded to a local address so you can pick up the ones you need to have in your hands. With a virtual mailbox, your business receives its regular mail digitally, with the service opening and scanning your mail and sending it to you via email. If you don’t need the extra features (and subsequent fees) of a virtual office, this is a simpler solution for having mail and deliveries routed to a convenient location for you. When It Makes Sense to Invest In Virtual MailboxesĪs an entrepreneur or business that operates virtually, what do you do for receiving mail? Using your home address isn’t as secure as having a dedicated address for your business.Ī virtual mailbox solves the problem. Find a location near you and start for as little as $5.99. Sign up today risk-free for as little as $10 per month.Īnytime Mailbox excels at convenience, with more virtual office locations in the United States than most other providers offer worldwide. PostScanMail is a great option for individuals or companies needing a service that can handle parcels and packages in addition to traditional paper mail. Get started today on iPostal1, no contract required. IPostal1 is the leading virtual mailbox solution for the widest range of users, with over 2,500 global locations and transparent pricing. We’ve done the hard work for you, identifying three all-around great picks that get the job done for a wide range of needs. There are a lot of virtual mailbox service providers to consider, and it can be hard to tell which ones are the quality options at first glance. Despite the surprisingly affordable price point, you get all the essential features, including local pickups, 30-day storage, and insured shopping. Plans from iPostal1 start as low as $100 per year. ![]() Not only is it accommodating when selecting your associate address, but it also lets you get hyperlocal with your virtual address. IPostal1 ticks all the right boxes in a virtual mailbox that will work well for most users. ![]() Pat accepted his bond with the symbiote and joined forces with Spider-Man and Black Cat in defeating them, and on a number of other occasions, leaving his family behind in order to tame the symbiote, eventually succeeding after stopping himself from killing Razorfist, who had killed Pat's father. When the symbiote matured, Venom named it Toxin, but when he realized that not only was it more powerful than both himself and Carnage combined but that it was unlikely to aid him in his crusade against Spider-Man, he joined with Carnage in trying to kill it. Too weak to kill them, Carnage bonded the infant symbiote to Patrick and left, intending to kill them once he regained his strength. ![]() Patrick "Pat" Mulligan was an NYPD police officer who had the misfortune of running across the supervillain Carnage, who had just spawned a baby symbiote. Carnage #1 (July, 2004) note As Pat Venom Vs. It survived, still bonded to Eddie, and they agreed to work together until they could kill Venom before trying to kill each other.Īlter Ego: Toxin Host to: Toxin First Appearance: Venom Vs. The symbiote initially took total control of Eddie's body and tried to kill Venom, but was ignited by Flash. Jack O'Lantern extracted the symbiote and took it to the Crime Master, who later forcibly bonded it to Eddie Brock. Agent Venom was blackmailed by the Crime Master into stealing the Toxin symbiote from Blackheart, although the Venom symbiote took control of Flash and tried to kill its progeny. Despite initial success, Patrick was murdered by the demon Blackheart, who cloned the symbiote and bonded them to clones of X-23. Cletus, disgusted at the notion of giving birth, forcibly bonded the infant symbiote, later named "Toxin" by Venom, to police officer Patrick Mulligan, who attempted to use it as a force of good, inspired by Spider-Man. ![]() The first offspring of the Carnage symbiote. Hosts: Patrick Mulligan, Eddie Brock, Jubulile van Scotter First Appearance: Venom Vs. ![]() Like the original Super Mario Galaxy a second player can join the experience by pointing the Wii Remote on the screen to collect coins or fling star bits, however, this time they can also collect items that are out of the reach of Mario or Yoshi, and push back enemies in advance of the hero. The green dino can also eat certain fruit to bolster his move set, but only for a brief moment of time, such as a speed boost, the ability to float higher into the air or to see invisible platforms, especially handy in a Ghost House. Yoshi adds an element of speed, can eat most enemies in sight, and can reach higher areas that Mario cannot reach alone. The second new suite is the Rock Suit which, while wearing it, allows Mario to roll up into a rock ball, which will be necessary to complete some challenges or defeat certain foes. Mario's first new suit is the Cloud Suit, which allows him to create three safe but temporary cloud platforms. Galaxy 2 features further improvements in gameplay, with two new suits for Mario and the return of his faithful companion Yoshi. ![]() The hub world of the original has been replaced with a spaceship, shaped like Mario's head, which can be used to travel between Galaxies, as well as discover hidden 1-Ups. To reach an end-level boss or open a bonus planet, you need to have discovered enough golden stars to unlock it. Unlike Super Mario Galaxy, Galaxy 2 features a more standardized level system, a number of galaxies split into smaller planetary levels that can only be reached by completing one planet, to open up the path to the next. Certain levels switch the perspective from 3D to 2D, mimicking the platform origins of the character, while others range from molten lava wastelands, ice caverns, or oceans. The environment is a mixture of standard Mario stages filled with familiar evil characters and miniature planetoids with their own orbital gravity. The basic goal of each level is to collect the golden star, either by reaching an end goal, collecting a number of smaller star bits, or defeating an end-level boss. ![]() It's up to Mario once again to fight and defeat Bowser and Bowser Jnr, among numerous new villains and obstacles, to save Princess Peach. We cannot guarantee that this specific title will be available for download on each and every platform mentioned.Mario returns to the stars as the everlasting villain Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach once more, this time while she was baking a cake. Secrets, Tips, Cheats, Unlockables, and Tricks Used By Pro Players! - PLUS MUCH MORE! Disclaimer: This guide is not associated, affiliated, or endorsed by the Games Creator and or Owner. ![]() Here are more details as to what is included when you purchase: - Professional Tips and Strategies. Following this guide you can get the game installed and begin playing right away in as little as a few minutes! Help, tips, strategies, getting coins, walkthroughs, and the complete guide are also included with the order. *UNOFFICIAL GUIDE* Are you looking to download and install the game? Do you often find it difficult to beat certain parts? Would you like to play like a PRO? Would you like to get tons of resources? With our unofficial game guide we can teach you how to master the game! Do you want to install and play the game on any Phone, PC, or Tablet? This guide will also help you install on the Kindle, Kindle HD, Kindle HDX, Any Android Phone/Tablet, PC, Windows Phone, Blackberry, or iPhone/iPad. ![]() you can quickly insert countdown timer 5 seconds circle in powerpoint. you don't have to sit and countdown timer displays the clock that shows time left for break say lunck, coffee, dinner, reading, etc. we will be learning how to create a countdown timer in microsoft powerpoint using vba macros. watch the steps to insert a countdown timer to microsoft powerpoint slides. Learn how to add a timer to powerpoint slides. How To Add A Timer To Powerpoint Slides Create Countdown Timer Templates For Free ![]() Home collections clocks countdown clock for powerpoint download free free pack of 13 slides 1 13 like product id:43716 download for free google slides 29.2k views 3.8k downloads 12 reviews customize slide free refer & earn clocks clock time management counter time digital timer countdown date analog countdown timer clock presentation event. just set your preferred time, add an animation to the element, and you’re ready to go. you can keep this slide on the screen to communicate when the next session begins. use the 15 minute countdown timer powerpoint template for long breaks. for example, you might want to include a timed quiz at the end of a training with a countdown display. Create an on screen timer powerpoint for microsoft 365 powerpoint 2021 powerpoint 2019 more you can add and animated on screen timer or progress bar to make your presentation more interesting. Castle Crashers is a lot more user-friendly, but there’s an insane mode for those of you demanding an old-school challenge. Don’t even think of comparing this to the Scott Pilgrim game which used retro as an excuse for looking like pixelated vomit.Īs awesome as Alien Hominid was, it was a bit on the really hard side. There really isn’t anything else like this on PSN. The design of the all the heroes and enemy soldiers is great, but it’s the bosses that really steal the show with their mix of craziness and humour. The thick black lines around the comic book-style cells are amongst the sharpest looking graphics on PS3, your HD TV is going to love it. The art style will be instantly recognisable to any fans of The Behemoths well-loved cult classic, Alien Hominid. There are loads to find or buy, which will keep you playing long after the final credits roll. The ram will knock over enemies, the bat bites them, the seahorse lets you move through water at normal speed and the giraffe (“mine!”) helps you level up faster. Apart from being adorable they’ll help you out in different ways. ![]() These adorable floating animals that follow you around are likely to cause arguments when playing in multiplayer, especially when you accidentally pick up a different one and your partner swipes the one you had. There’s fire, ice and poison to choose from too, with more characters unlocked along the way.Īnimal orbs can be collected to act as perks. So you might want to test all the available characters to see which of their unique magic spells you prefer, don’t get the lightning guy, he’s rubbish. If you want to use a different character you’ll have to start at Level 1 again. Level 30 was enough to complete the game, but you can go far beyond that. Every time you go up one you can allocate points to strength, magic, defence or speed/archery. Levelling up is a simple affair with experience points awarded for dishing out damage. How? They’re huge! The same problems affect the beach volley-ball mini-game too, which apart from that is a nice distraction. For some reason this happened more with bosses. This led to a few instances of being slightly too high or low and weapon swings completely missing an enemy. The action is side-scrolling, but you can move up and down the screen (like G olden Axe or Streets of Rage). You can rack up some serious numbers flying across the screen unleashing some major sword skills. For example it’s possible to juggle groups of small enemies with a jumping attack. You might find yourself getting better at combat with the limited move-set you have. These run out pretty quick though which is a little disappointing. Early on in the game new moves are unlocked about every other experience level or so. The square and triangle buttons are used for regular and strong attacks respectively. Not to mention a few spare thumbs in the cupboard. Or level up every character in the game if you have an insane amount of time on your hands. So the best way to do it is to play with the same people regularly either at home or online. You can even play it online, but this can throw up problems when you both want to be the same character (because it’s the only one you’ve spent ten hours levelling up) so one of you will be on Level 30+ while the other is Level 1. ![]() You can have up to four players with drop-in co-op action. It’s great fun on your own, but to get the most out of this game you should really fire up the multiplayer. This retrotacular title is a side-scrolling beat-‘em-up with a few simple RPG elements thrown in for good measure. I’ve had to wait until now for a European release PSN release. Talk about delayed, Castle Crashers originally appeared on XBLA in 2008, it then hit the US PSN Store in August, which is where the demo ensnared me. ![]() However, this will just trigger the end credits again. Do this several times, and you'll defeat Bowser for good.Īfter you have completed the main story, you'll find that you can still explore Lake Lapcat and continue collecting shines, and challenge Fury Bowser at any time. He will also launch fireballs in a pattern before certain ramps, so be sure to jump directly through the middle to avoid them.Īs long as you avoid his attacks, you'll eventually get a break where Bowser pauses to gloat behind a ramp, letting you ram into him and damage shield holding the Giga Bells. He'll alternate between using fire blasts (which you can dive to avoid), and sending spike missiles that you can jump over rapidly. In order to win this fight, you'll need to constantly keep pace and use the ramps and speed boosts to chase Bowser, while avoiding his attacks. Now, you'll need to give chase using Plessie as Bowser retreats across the lake. Once all of his health is depleted, he will revert from Fury Bowser to a regular but still giant Bowser, and will take the Giga Bells away from you. Unlike the previous fights, this one will come with a very different second phase. His attacks will come faster and will switch up his moves faster, but all the same rules apply: take cover behind islands or in the Colosseum, throw the spikes back at him, and be prepared to jump multiple times to dodge the body slam shockwaves as he will do so multiple times. You can use this against him by dodging the fireballs and kicking the rocks back in his face like you would with the soccer ball bombs. In addition to his shell spinning, spike shooting, and body slamming, Fury Bowser will now also shoot out a series of fireballs and rocks at you in a wide spread. Like the last fight, he will retreat after losing half his health, and you'll need to obtain at least 50 Cat Shines to finish this fight. On this defeat, you'll be able to explore the upper lake region and 4 new islands on the north side of Lake Lapcat.Īfter you have gained 40 Cat Shines, you can challenge Fury Bowser again at any of the three Giga Bells in Lake Lapcat. This will stun him long enough for you to get a ground pound in. Avoid the red shadows, and then press Y to grab these spikes and throw them back at his face when he tries to spin into you. Ground pound him when he's vulnerable to defeat him.ĭuring the second fight, he may also launch spikes from his shell that will rain down around you. He may try to slam into you 2 or more times in a row, so be ready to run out of his shadow and jump to avoid a shockwave, then repeat the process until he stops getting back up. Even when Bowser charges up, he can't penetrate the arena when trying to attack you in his shell, so wait inside until he stops spinning around, and reverts to trying to pound you from above. Using the Clawswipe Colosseum is one of your best bets at staying in cover. It can be difficult to dodge these as you are slow to move yourself - so you're going to want to use the islands as cover. He'll begin to spin on his spikes shell while tilted at an angle, and after a brief startup, will attempt to hurl himself at you. In addition to his previous moves, Fury Bowser will begin employing a new tactic in this battle. ![]() Note that after losing half of his health, he will retreat, and you must face him again after claiming 20 Cat Shines to fully win the fight. Once you have gained 15 Cat Shines, you can challenge Fury Bowser to a rematch at either the Lakeside or Ruins Giga Bell. Repeat this process and the battle will be over, revealing more islands on the east side of Lake Lapcat. This will give you a moment to jump back over him and ground pound him, taking a chunk out of his health. Sprint to the side as he lands, then jump to avoid the shockwave. When he jumps into the sky, start sprinting around as fast as you can (avoiding the slowing ooze) and look for his shadow above you that will turn red to alert you of his descent. ![]() #GoHomeMeghanMarkle yet if she had stayed home, people would attacking her for not supporting Prince Harry while he’s mourning the death of his grandmother. “#GoHomeMeghanMarkle yet if she had stayed home, people would attacking her for not supporting Prince Harry… This woman can’t win,” tweeted another supporter. Put the mirror to your face and call this hatred of MM what it is, racism. The British public never ceases to amaze me at their continued reaffirmation of their racist histories and roots in oppression. “Put the mirror to your face and call this hatred of what it is, racism,” tweeted one user. The Sylvester Synopsis September 10, 2022Īs of Monday morning, supporters of Markle have begun taking over the hashtag, pointing out that the continued hate towards the Duchess is rooted in racism. Meghan Markle’s own father nearly died of a stroke and she hasn’t even bothered to call or see him…watching her swan around Windsor shaking hands pretending to be sad after making the Queen’s final years a misery is sickening. #GoHomeMeghanMarkle has been trending on Twitter with haters accusing the Duchess of spreading lies about the Queen and making “her final years a misery.” While Markle received the welcoming hug IRL, the discussions about her online have been less than kind. She said she wanted to show the Duchess that “she is welcome here…” /kENrdqpNDS “Oh my gosh, I was not expecting them to be there.”ĬNN’s caught up with the girl who got a hug from the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. “I just wanted to show her that she’s welcome here and wanted to hug her after everything that’s happened.” It was quite nice to see William and Kate and Meghan and Harry together,” said the teenager. McLean asked the girl why she felt sympathy for Markle and whether it was because of the Queen’s passing or the Duchess’ complicated relationship with the royal family. The teenager told CNN that she looked up to Markle in some ways and that “it just felt like it was the right thing to do.” I’m still shaking now.”Īs for why she wanted to give Markle a hug? “I asked her if I could have a hug, and she hugged me back. ![]() ![]() “We were just waiting for her to come and she came near me and asked my name and how my day was, how long I was waiting,” the 14-year-old told CNN reporter Scott McLean. Queen Elizabeth's death sparks discussions surrounding colonialism online.Who's what, now? Here are the Royal Family's title changes after the Queen's death. ![]() Thousands gather outside of Buckingham Palace after Queen's death (PHOTOS).Queen's funeral details officially announced by Royal Family.She chatted with CNN about the sweet gesture. Two days after the Queen’s death, members of the royal family including Markle, her husband Prince Harry, and the newly titled Prince and Princess of Wales William and Kate went on a surprise walkabout at Windsor Castle where thousands gathered to pay respects.Īs Markle went along the barricade greeting the crowd and gathering flowers and gifts for the Queen, one mourning teenager asked to give her a hug. At the end of the day, only Kate, Meghan and the people who witnessed their argument know what went down.Meghan Markle shared a warm embrace with a teenager on Saturday, a stark difference from the hate the Duchess of Sussex has been receiving online in the aftermath of Queen Elizabeth’s death. The waters are so muddied at this point that I think it's best none of us draw undue conclusions about what really happened. Meghan would tell Oprah Winfrey that the tears were shed by her, not Kate, and the flowers were an apology." "In Kate’s version, Meghan slammed the door in her face and threw the flowers in a dustbin. "What followed can never be irrefutably established," he writes. (Buckingham Palace investigated the claims that Meghan had bullied staff, but did not release their findings-which many have interpreted to mean the report exonerated Meghan.)īower goes on to claim that Kate decided to bring flowers to Meghan in order to make up with her. Kirstie Allsopp, a friend of Camilla, would later confirm that Kate was reduced to tears by Meghan bullying her staff." "The stand-offs, Kate decided, confirmed the complaints by Toubati and other members of staff about Meghan. Compromise was not a trait Meghan embraced. "Melissa Toubati, Meghan’s assistant, and the dress-fitters employed by Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller, witnessed Meghan emphatically reject Kate’s observation. Kate thought it was too short, and anyway did not fit. In Revenge, Bower continues, "That disagreement was followed by an argument about the length of Charlotte’s hem. ![]() The problem isn’t that events don’t have causes––they do––but that history is far too knotted to draw straight lines. Advanced theological thought didn’t actually require poetry as a prerequisite, and it’s hard to imagine how the construction of the Cristo Redentor would have been impossible without plastics. ![]() The actual past happened once and in one way, yet it is surely not the only way it could have happened. Tech and social policy trees might allow for some divergences, but everything in Civilization V tends towards an overpowering determinism––we made pottery, then conceived of monotheism, built gothic cathedrals, and now artificial comets criss-cross the evening sky, beaming images and words into and out of the celestial ether.īut if humans of the distant past had never developed a calendar, it’s not as if technological innovation would have halted at optics and mathematics. “History,” Adam Gopnik recently wrote in The New Yorker, “is past, and singular, and never comes around twice.” From the perspective of a historian, Civilization V ’s greatest fault is that it distorts beyond recognition this simple observation: history is made anew with each game, and yet the history that is made is always more theme than variation. Perhaps it’s easier to start with what it can’t teach us. The present moment is the perfect opportunity, then, to consider the titular question: what, if anything, can Civilization V teach us about history? Moreover, with the release of Firaxis’ Civilization: Beyond Earth later this month, it’s possible that Civilization V ’s place atop the strategy hierarchy will be usurped. The fact remains, though, that Civilization V, with thirty million man hours recorded on Steam alone, is among the most popular “historical documents” today, and the values implicit in its many systems have been and continue to be communicated to millions of players. In other words, it is not an ideological decision, but one of design, meant simply to make the game more varied and more enjoyable. The “+3 Unhappiness per new city” requirement is not a serious claim about one cause of civic discontent––it’s intended to allow small empires of high-population cities to be competitive with civilizations built on many, low-population cities. Of course, it’s not fair to subject Civilization V to this kind of criticism. That the discovery of new natural wonders will alleviate that discontent is somewhat more problematic. Do more “traditional” historical studies corroborate these claims? Yes and no––that an empire built on occupation will experience more civil unrest appears to be is a strong argument. If we take Civilization V at face value, the game argues that the foundation of new settlements, overpopulation, and the occupation of foreign cities are the primary causes of civil unrest. ![]() Modeling historical phenomena like cultural diffusion, civic dissent, and the spread of religion, all of which appear in Civilization V, entails making assumptions about the causes and effects of these phenomena. The methods by which history is written––or coded––are inherently ideological. Yet whether or not they intend to, games like Civilization constitute a form of what academics call historiography––the study of the writing of history. Historically speaking, this is, of course, bullshit. From this example, one might conclude that had Rome simply gone on the offensive, we might still be speaking Latin. The “Fall of Rome” scenario vividly illustrates one of the many difficulties of making games that take history as their subject. If only the Romans had known that their crumbling empire could have been saved had they simply abused the terrible programming of their enemies’ archers. Victory, unexpectedly, is most easily achieved by gathering what little forces remain and marching into barbarian lands. Historical wisdom does the player no good: abandoning Rome’s outer colonies in Spain, Gaul, and North Africa, prioritizing defensive structures, and defending at the few mountain passes of the southern Alps will only prolong an agonizing defeat. “The actual past is brittle, ever-dimming + and ever more problematic to access + reconstruct: in contrast, the virtual past is malleable, ever-brightening + ever more difficult to circumvent/expose as fraudulent.” – David Mitchell, Cloud Atlasīy common consensus, Civilization V ’s “Fall of Rome” scenario is the most challenging of the twelve historical scenarios bundled with the game’s complete edition. |