Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Campbell" data-source="post: 9768296" data-attributes="member: 16586">The games I consider modern tactical games share the following characteristics (though some might miss a point or two):What Makes Them Tactical?<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">An emphasis on in the moment execution over character building or logistics. Skill at playing the game is expressed in the moment and the feedback loop is pretty immediate.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A decreased emphasis on attrition. The focus is on this encounter you are in right now.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">An emphasis on group synergy - both for player characters and their adversaries. In these games you build groups, not individual characters and individual abilities combo. Coordination is vital to success.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There is often a flexible turn structure that allows characters to coordinate. Either side based or alternating.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There is a specific emphasis that requires mastery of this game in particular. For Draw Steel this is its movement and collision mechanics, escalating heroic resources / malice as a fight  goes on and the impact of victories. For Legend of the Five Rings this is managing your stances and impacts of wounds (and possibility of weapons breaking).</li> </ul>What makes them modern?<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fights tend to be more set piece oriented and should each have a level of narrative importance.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They have a specific premise they are reinforcing, both in and out of combat. Even in combat, often especially in combat there is an unfolding narrative and vibe to the game. L5R builds mounting Strife that makes saving face more difficult and might lead you to taking dishonorable actions. Warhammer - The Old World has a  focus on routing the enemy and wounds that linger beyond today's fight (and also has a huge emphasis on social class).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Outside of combat they often integrate indie tech (often from Apocalypse World or Blades in the Dark). Stuff like progress clocks, success with consequences, etc. Conflict resolution is the norm.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They usually have system support for social encounters that reinforce the premise of the game.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Explicit downtime procedures is often a thing.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They often have a focus on character motivations and often build the game around the player characters. Stormlight Archive has character motivation and goals. Fabula Ultima brings in Identity and Bonds. The Old World has characters under the shadow of a Grim Portent, a campaign long mystery that unites them in purpose.</li> </ul>I'd consider 4e a forefather of the genre. Most of the elements are there in protoform and it is often cited as an inspiration. I mean modern is  relative - this medium is fairly slow moving in comparison to some others.Modern here means inspired by other newer games. Not better.</blockquote>

Verification