BIZ: Which technological advancements most directly benefited the recreation of the Pirates! game?

Sid: Firaxis licensed NDL's Gamebryo engine and we used it as a base to build the 3D engine for Sid Meier's Pirates! 3D technology had an enormous impact on the visual appeal of the new Pirates! We created a gorgeous world full of interesting places to visit and characters to meet. We added new story elements and quests, upgraded duelling, reinvented land battles and ship battles to give the player more options and control, and added new action sequences like dancing and sneaking in and out of towns. 3D has allowed us to bring the pirates world to life like never before and deliver a visual experience to gamers that makes the gameplay even better. Our hope is that we've delivered an incredibly fun and compelling game that will give the fans more than what they've been waiting for, and show a whole new generation of gamers how much fun it is to live the life of a pirate!