Sumer 4000 BC

Sumer 4000 BC is a 1-player text-based strategy game set in ancient Sumeria.

Based upon the city building simulation Hammurabi, the player plays the role of the city's governor for a total of 10 years, in which their goal is to acquire 10,000 acres of land and 1,000,000 pieces of gold.

The player controls an army, which must be used to defend Sumerian lands, as well as gain control of foreign soil to create further lands to plant crops. Mobilizing the armies for offense costs large sums of gold. Each year, the player must choose how many acres of crops to plant, based upon the number of acres available, and the number of farmers or paid laborers ready to till the fields. Priests are useful for speaking directly to the gods, and each year a religious tithe must be paid to ensure good harvest, and avoid plague. The player sets the tax rate, which if too high will cause revolt. The city's population of traders are taxed, to earn the player gold at the end of each turn. The player can also purchase goods from the local Assyrians, which can be sold back at a later date, hopefully for a profit. Goods include: spices, iron, salt, skins, and wine, the prices of which vary yearly.

The player can choose how much wheat to keep in their storehouse, and how much to make available to the population. At the end of each year, if the player has excess food available, soldiers, farmers, and priests will flock to their city, increasing the population. If there is insufficient food, the population will plummet.