13-05-2002 20:53									#1
	Short summaries of RPG/strategy games Full PM-box? Change here!

Since we're sort of on the subject on another thread, I thought I'd list some games with short summaries of details that may be pertinent for CB. The idea is to present a list of games with concepts that may or may not be worth while for the folks at CB to check out.

AOE+ XP - clickfest (but fun for a while) virtually no combat realism

kOHAN -
slightly less clickfest than others - can set waypoints for unit movement (other games can too) uses heros that gain in strength, 1 hero +6 other fighter (can be mixed)

warlords battlecry-
clickfest, interesting uses of heros and magic

Warcraft series
clickfest, interesting uses of heros and magic (cant wait for III)

SM gettysburg-
excellent use of morale, leaders, terrain, cannon, formations. 5 stars on the spencer scale but poor replay value (after you've kicked those yankee butts what is there left to do?)

Shogun-
excellent use of unit characteristics (weapons, mounted, etc) leaders, morale, terrain,. The most boring strategic component in any game -comparable to risk for complexity.

Lords of the realm II.
Simple strategic game (but playable). Pop-up combat screen allows for simple tactical decision making (kind of a small simple version of an AOE style game).

Stronghold
Kind of a follow on to LOTR II. Tried the demo, too much complexity AND clicking. Couldnt keep up with both.

Conquest of the new world
Very simple combat model akin to checkers in complexity.

Last edited by SpencerH on 13-05-2002 at 22:43

	13-05-2002 21:19									#2
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Hoho, five multi-player games of Warcraft III and you'll be sick of it, I promise.

Of all these, I vote for something boardgame-esque (CotNW) or nice and detailed (SMG!) Both games have ridiculous amounts of depth (and Spencer, you should try SMG! multiplayer some time ). The former is simple, the latter is chock-full of options.

	13-05-2002 21:25									#3
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

SMG is very good and is proof enough that Sid had nothing to do with Civ3.

The problem was no strategic game at all. It was just battles. I thought it much better than Shogun on the tactical field.

	13-05-2002 21:47									#4
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

I'd forgotten there was a SMG multiplayer version.

SMG was better than shogun as a tactical wargame. The advantage shogun has is the graphics and variety of units.

	22-05-2002 08:51									#5
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Koei. I actually like the early versions better because they are simplier and more elegant. Excellent province based strategic game with leaders. DOS-based.

Advanced Civilization by Avalon Hill. Has nothing to do with Civ whatsoever. Strategic game in the purest sense.

Warlords III by SSG. Neat, clean, strategic game. Fun if a bit sterile.

Panzer General III - Scorched Earth by SSI. WWII Eastern front strategic game (probably a bit more tactical than strategic) with leaders.

	22-05-2002 08:53									#6
	Re: Short summaries of RPG/strategy games Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote: Originally posted by SpencerH Lords of the realm II. Simple strategic game (but playable). Pop-up combat screen allows for simple tactical decision making (kind of a small simple version of an AOE style game).

The game sucks since it has a tendency to screw the human players with *cough* random *cough* events. Then I broke the game by figuring out how to use archers to kill everything other than bigger groups of archers.

	22-05-2002 13:11									#7
	Increase Your PM Length

And, of course, we have TA. Which still has the goddam best multiplayer experience of any RTS game ever.

	22-05-2002 16:30									#8
	Increase Your PM Length

What I was trying to get info on was games that you might have played that might have relevance for CB. Not so much games that you liked or disliked, but games that had innovative ways to get things done. How things were organized, interesting uses of units, strategies, etc. Not everyone played "attack of the spider-monkeys from Mars". You may have thought that the way culture was implemented was brilliant, even though the game sucked (which is why no-one else played it).

Last edited by SpencerH on 22-05-2002 at 17:01

	22-05-2002 17:56									#9
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

Okay here is an older one:

Sword of Aragon: TBS RPG with provinces, cities, and subquests. Your armies were mixed heros and regulars (inf, mounted inf, archers, mounted archers, knights). You got to choose your leader type (mage, priest, warrior, knight, ranger) to roleplay each with its own benefits. Anyhow, a quick search of the web "netted" what looks to be a free download:
http://21ct.gooddays.org/soa.html

You folks definately need to take a look at this. Keep in mind that the graphic are circa 1989. Gameplay is good, deep, and challenging. Combat can be a little tedious though . This was one of my favorite games on the amiga in that era. I did not even have a decent IBM machine until '95.

R:PM

	22-05-2002 20:59									#10
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

Note that whatever SpencerH names a clickfest is actually a game where you need to develop a strategy, and click to get it done >

	22-05-2002 21:07									#11
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

My definition of a clickfest:

If my finger gets tired trying to keep units from wandering off on their own and getting annihilated by superior numbers of instantly controlled computer units.

	22-05-2002 22:54									#12
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

IMO a "clickfest" is anything that has RTS on the box. RTS menas to me that we have these cool animations and weak ai so let us make everything happen in real time so the end user has to spend most of his time clicking here and there as fast as possible to even have a chance.

Not that this is not fun or anything like that

R:PM

	23-05-2002 03:33									#13
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About the most unique RPG strategy game was King of Dragon Pass http://www.a-sharp.com/kodp/. It is very different and single player, but fun.

	24-05-2002 04:38									#14
	Increase the size of your Attachments

Europa Universalis II: In strategic terms, the best game I've ever played (nonexistent tactics other than the time and place of the battle and when to retreat). Beautiful diplomatic and religious models.