QfG3 observation ... dead ant, dead ant, dead ant ...

[Rath Darkblade]

So if you've played QfG3 recently (or at all, which I assume most people here have) you'd be familiar with the giant ants in this game. They random chase you through the savannah, and aren't difficult to kill. They look like this:



But Herodotus (the Greek historian, and known as "the father of history") also mentions giant ants in his Histories. According to him, they apparently exist in India and dig up gold during the hot noon hours. They leave it there, and you can snatch some up, provided you are quick enough to escape them.

But I've recently re-played QfG3 three times now (as paladin, wizard and rogue) and never got any gold. What a gyp. Where's my gold? I feel cheated.

Oddly enough, Herodotus's ants might actually be real (if not quite ants). Take a look: The Gold-digging ant. Cool! I always thought this was an entertaining myth and nothing more, but the truth is even more intriguing.

[notbobsmith]

But Herodotus (the Greek historian, and known as "the father of history") also mentions giant ants in his Histories. According to him, they apparently exist in India and dig up gold during the hot noon hours. They leave it there, and you can snatch some up, provided you are quick enough to escape them.

I've sometimes questioned the accuracy of ancient historians. Were there really just 300 Spartans at Thermopylae? I remember reading in Caesar's Gallic Wars that the Romans killed one million Gauls. That seems like a huge exaggeration. I mean we are much better at killing people now and that still seems like a huge number.

But I've recently re-played QfG3 three times now (as paladin, wizard and rogue) and never got any gold. What a gyp. Where's my gold? I feel cheated.

I love illogical loot drops from RPGs. Kill a wolf; get a piece of plate armor. Where was the wolf hiding it?

[Rath Darkblade]

But Herodotus (the Greek historian, and known as "the father of history") also mentions giant ants in his Histories. According to him, they apparently exist in India and dig up gold during the hot noon hours. They leave it there, and you can snatch some up, provided you are quick enough to escape them.

I've sometimes questioned the accuracy of ancient historians. Were there really just 300 Spartans at Thermopylae? I remember reading in Caesar's Gallic Wars that the Romans killed one million Gauls. That seems like a huge exaggeration. I mean we are much better at killing people now and that still seems like a huge number.

Apparently there were just 300 Spartans at Thermopylae, but they were acting in alliance with others. Initially, the Greek army numbered about 7,000, but after they were betrayed, the Spartan King Leonidas dismissed the majority and remained to guard their retreat with 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians. It has been reported that others also remained, including up to 900 helots and 400 Thebans. The remaining soldiers fought to the death. Most of the Thebans reportedly surrendered.

That said, the Persian force that faced them was reported to be between a million and three million soldiers. Most modern historians have learned to question that, and revised the number down to between 100,000 and 150,000. Even so, an army that large clearly could not be commanded by one person, nor would the logistics of the time be sufficient.

Caesar's Gallic Wars should be read with a huge grain of salt. It is clearly self-serving and inaccurate, meant more for home consumption and to elevate his political stock. The truth is that nobody knows how many Gauls fought against Caesar; possibly 200,000 in all (not all of them in the cataclysmic Battle of Alesia, obviously).

Speaking of huge numbers, the Romans reported that Hannibal killed 80,000 to 90,000 Romans at the Battle of Cannae -- which lasted a single morning and afternoon. Even given the Romans' propensity for exaggeration, this is doubtful as there were just two consuls in charge. Still, no fewer than between 50,000 and 60,000 Romans fought and were slain there. This number would not be equalled, for a single day's casualties, until the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

But I've recently re-played QfG3 three times now (as paladin, wizard and rogue) and never got any gold. What a gyp. Where's my gold? I feel cheated.

I love illogical loot drops from RPGs. Kill a wolf; get a piece of plate armor. Where was the wolf hiding it?

This is not a new phenomenon, or peculiar to RPGs. I mean, think of DooM (or Wolfenstein 3D), and all those medikits and weapons levitating and spinning in space.

This happened even before those games. What about Duke Nukem 1 (i.e. the platformer), with Cola and turkey legs hidden in red boxes? Shoot a box and get a turkey leg. Shoot the turkey leg and get a whole turkey. Shoot a gray box and get nothing, or TNT, or a red balloon!!! (Yay!)