"A Tale in the Desert" is an MMO RPG with an ancient Egypt setting.
This game is the first to focus on long-term planning and long-term goals rather than combat. Thus, the goals include things such as creating great works of art and architecture, becoming a powerful leader, and building wealth. This offers a different type of gameplay as opposed to those that focus solely on combat.
One of the challenges in the game is Construction. The objective is to build a base of operations, much like in Tropico, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Zeus, or Capitalism. Your base consists of machines that produce goods ranging from simple objects like bricks and boards to highly customized goods like gearboxes, mixed paints, and cut gems. You must design your base to operate efficiently while taking into account the values of the goods, supply, and demand. As you unlock new technologies, you will need to figure out how to use them to increase your efficiency.
Another challenge is Trading. The objective is to make a profit by trading goods and services with other players, similar to Master of Orion 2 or Port Royale. In A Tale in the Desert, there are too many goods for you to produce everything you need. Thus, you must trade to obtain the necessities. Learning skills is also extremely expensive, so you must figure out how to hire out your skills to other players. You must determine what your goods and time are worth and decide whether to give things away freely or trade on a more controlled, negotiated basis.
The game also includes Tests which aim to increase your powers by performing ritual tests of character. This is similar to multiplayer games that you see on Reality TV shows. There are dozens of different tests, each one a unique ritual that increases your powers. They only have one thing in common: they all require you to strategize against other players. These tests run the gamut from building a pyramid to searching for hidden altars to winning an election.
Lastly, there's Lawmaking. The objective is to lift Egypt out of anarchy into true civilization. A civilization must have rules, and Egyptians must choose these rules for themselves. Rules about who gets to own which piece of land, what kind of pollution is permitted, inappropriate behavior, who gets to benefit from your research labors, and who owns which vein of ore. The challenge is to create a truly fair and just society.