Context: An expansion pack, expansion set, supplement, or simply expansion is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, characters and/or an extended storyline to complete an already released game. While board game expansions are typically designed by the original creator, video game developers sometimes contract out development of the expansion pack to a third-party company, (see "" for "Diablo"), it may choose to develop the expansion itself or it may do both (Ensemble Studios developed the real-time strategy game Age of Empires III and the first expansion called itself, but contracted Big Huge Games for the second expansion pack, the Asian Dynasties). Board games and tabletop RPGs may have been marketing expansions since the 1970s, and video games have been releasing expansion packs since the 1980s, early examples being the "Dragon Slayer" games "" and "Sorcerian"., Big Huge Games is a video game developer located in Timonium, Maryland. The company was founded in February 2000 by four veteran game industry developers: Tim Train, David Inscore, Jason Coleman and Brian Reynolds (lead designer of "Alpha Centauri", et al.). Their first game, "Rise of Nations", was a critical and commercial hit. The original studio became defunct in May 2012, but the name "Big Huge Games" was later reacquired by Reynolds and Train for their new venture (previously known as SecretNewCo). The revived studio released the mobile game "DomiNations" on Android and iOS in April 2015., Ensemble Studios was a video game developer initially established in 1995 as an independent company by Tony Goodman, Rick Goodman and John Boog-Scott, but was acquired by Microsoft in 2001 and operated as an internal studio until 2009, when it was officially disbanded. Ensemble developed many real-time strategy games, including the "Age of Empires" game series, "Age of Mythology", and "Halo Wars". In addition to game development, Ensemble Studios also made the Genie Game Engine used in "Age of Empires", "", and "". The studio sold 20 million games and was worth an estimated $500 million., Rise of Nations is a real-time strategy computer game, developed by Big Huge Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios on May 20, 2003. The development of the game was led by veteran game designer Brian Reynolds, of "Civilization II" and "Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri". The game has taken several concepts from turn-based strategy games such as territories and attrition warfare. "Rise of Nations" features 18 civilizations, playable through eight ages of world history. It is consistently ranked and considered to be one of the greatest real-time strategy games of all time. , Age of Empires III is a real-time strategy video game developed by Microsoft Corporation's Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The Mac version was ported over and developed and published by Destineer's MacSoft Games. The PC version was released on October 18, 2005 in North America and November 4, 2005 in Europe, while the Mac version was released on November 21, 2006 in North America and September 29, 2006 in Europe. An N-Gage version of the game developed by Glu Mobile was released on April 28, 2009. It is the third game of the "Age of Empires" series and the sequel to ""., Rise of Nations : Thrones and Patriots is the official expansion pack to the real - time strategy video game Rise of Nations . The game is the second in a series of Rise of Nations games by Big Huge Games . Thrones and Patriots had its premiere release for Microsoft Windows on April 27 , 2004 in North America . It was ported to and released for Mac OS X in November 2004 . Rise of Nations : Extended Edition was released on Steam on June 12 , 2014 and includes both the original game and Thrones and Patriots with updated graphics and Steamworks integration for multiplayer . Thrones and Patriots expanded on a variety of features in the original game , such as new monuments ( called `` Wonders '' ) , nations , governments , and campaigns . Gameplay still remains similar to Rise of Nations , with its wide span of ages and players still manage and expand their nations at the macro and micro levels . However , Thrones and Patriots has campaigns which offer more turn - based strategy features than the original and the ability to make decisions outside of combat . Up to eight players can play in multiplayer matches , with artificial intelligence being able to fill slots at the server host 's choice . Tim Train , executive producer of Thrones and Patriots , stated that various features were added to the game in an attempt to balance gameplay , including the addition of armed caravans and merchants . IGN claimed that Thrones and Patriots is `` a great game ( which ) gets better , '' in reference to its predecessor Rise of Nations and other critical reviews also praised many features of the game , though some noted deficiencies . As of 2013 , Thrones and Patriots has received a compilation score of 87.86 % and 88 % on Game Rankings and Metacritic respectively ., Subject: rise of nations: thrones and patriots, Relation: designer, Options: (A) brian reynolds (B) ensemble studios (C) rick goodman
Output: brian reynolds