Jonric: How and when did you come up with the underlying concept, and since you're best known for your work in the strategy genre, why the shift?

Brian Sullivan: I have always liked role-playing games in addition to strategy games. While designing Age of Empires, I thought it would make a great setting for an RPG where the player would be able to quest throughout some of the great civilizations of the time, seeing their wonders, architecture and art. Add some mythology as an inspiration for the monsters, magic and story, and you have very compelling gameworld for some great gameplay.​