Turn Based Strategy Dying Out?

Ranger REG · Mar 21, 2004

trancejeremy said:
On the computer, turn based tactical (as opposed to 4x) games are pretty much dead.

Gawd, I hope not. Just when I have enough fund to get CivIII:GOTY, it disappeared from the store shelves last Christmas.

MarauderX · Mar 22, 2004

Ranger REG said:
Gawd, I hope not. Just when I have enough fund to get CivIII:GOTY, it disappeared from the store shelves last Christmas.

They aren't dead... yet. I went perusing the 'net and wound up at GameSpy.com, where they have everything listed by genre, include previews, comments from the critics (in movie files even), and intentions of the developers. I picked up Master of Orion 3 and couldn't agree more with their ratings and what they had said on the site. However, even that game, a staple of the turn-based genre, has RTS in the fighting.

It's tough to find a good TB game these days, perhaps because everyone has different expectations of what it should be. And facing off against a min-maxing computer can be as annoying as being slow with an RTS.

GodPhoenix · Mar 22, 2004

I agree...you should look into getting a GBA.

-Advance Wars is way fun
-Advance Wars 2 is like an expansion pack that's bigger than the first...and is also way fun.
-Final Fantasy Tactics Advance...I can't say enough good things about it
-Fire Emblem...I'm just getting into it but it's a lot of fun.

hong · Mar 22, 2004

Age of Wonders 2 is the best turn-based 4X game I've seen for a long time. It's like playing Master of Magic all over again.

Mercule · Mar 22, 2004

I sure hope TBS isn't dead. I can't stand RTS and won't buy any games that play that way. Friends keep getting me to try Warcraft, Starcraft, Age of Empires, etc. They're interesting for about 20 minutes then I never want to see them again. Bleh.

They get even worse when you multiplayer them. Double bleh.

hong said:
Age of Wonders 2 is the best turn-based 4X game I've seen for a long time. It's like playing Master of Magic all over again.

Sir, you've just prompted me to buy a new game. I miss MoM.

Welverin · Mar 22, 2004

Freedom Force is a good that's worth checking out. While it's real time, it lets you pause the game whenever you like and as much as you like. So for those of you who just can't keep up well enough you can pause it when necessary.

I like this approach because it allows me to just sit back and let my characters go at it without issuing commands constantly (e.g. like where to walk each turn), but I can also take control in important situations micro manage when necessary.

evildmguy · Mar 22, 2004

Mercule said:
I sure hope TBS isn't dead. I can't stand RTS and won't buy any games that play that way. Friends keep getting me to try Warcraft, Starcraft, Age of Empires, etc. They're interesting for about 20 minutes then I never want to see them again. Bleh.

They get even worse when you multiplayer them. Double bleh.

Sir, you've just prompted me to buy a new game. I miss MoM.

I agree!

Let me know how Age of Wonders 2 does as I also really miss MoM! Great game!

Thanks!

edg

morrolan · Mar 22, 2004

Master of Magic was a great game. I'll def. have to see if AoW2 compares.

Yeah, I don't mind the pause style games so much, either, and this seems to be the way companies try and play to both markets. FF was great, as were the Infinity engine games (Baldur's Gate etc.), and Neverwinter Nights. But there is something about strict turn based stuff that keeps bringing me back. I can get my min-maxing out in a safe clean enviroment! People ragged on Fallout Tactics for the liberties it took with the Fallout universe, but I loved it. It was a little buggy, but I could have fine tuned control over every aspect of play. I mean I know you can min-max in NWN if you want, but in FT you could min max your movement fer chrissake!

Hand of Evil is right though, these things run in cycles. if ToEE is doing well in the marketplace, other companies will try for some of that market. There are tons of good RPG licenses floating around, ready to be used.

Theocrat · Mar 22, 2004

Civ IV?

Hi all-
I too lament the loss of turn based games. I'm not quick enough to move hundreds of people around, manage a city and whatever else all at the same time.
I've always loved Civilization, it was in fact the very first game I ever played. A friend had the disks, and we installed it on our call-center work computers. I had to Alt-tab everytime someone either walked by or called.
I have Civ III Play the World & Conquests. Of course Conquests already has PtW. What a waste. And I've had to purchase Civ III three times (keep losing the game). But from what I've read on Aployton, that due to the great success of Conquests, Civ IV is in the making.
I also read in PC Gamer that Universal Combat is a decent space age game and IIRC was a turn based game.