If you're an RTS junky like some of us here at Ten Ton Hammer, you've probably been keeping an eye on Robot Entertainment and Microsoft Gaming Studios' adaptation of the Age of Empires series to the MMOG realm with Age of Empires Online. This week Gamasutra got the scoop on the upcoming game's pricing model and a few more details about the persistence of the world gaming world.

The game will borrow from previous features of the Age of Empires series, but unlike previous games, Age of Empires Online encourages players to build their civilization over time with persistent cities and by earning experience and gear through in-game quests. The game will also offer a Premium Civilization upgrade that players can purchase if they want to unlock all the goodies a civilization has to offer. Players will also have the option to purchase microtransaction packs called "boosters," which offer a number of vanity items to customize your civilization.

"We don't want to nickel and dime you; we're trying to build a community," said Microsoft Games Studios' Ian Vogel in regards to the game's business model. "We're not just trying to sell you a product. We want to have something that's living and growing moving forward."

Age of Empires Online is scheduled to release later this year. You can read all the latest details at Gamasutra.