Best strategy games from 2000 to 2005 or so

[lord of the mark]

Basically the ones that would NOT run on this machine

P2 266Mhz
48 Meg Ram
Integrated graphics (?meg)

and WOULD run on this
Celeron M/P4 1.6 Ghz
256 Meg
Integrated graphics (128 Meg)

Note, the first machine played EU2, but just barely.

Am interested in all strat subgenres - TBS, RTS, citybuilders, sims, etc.


Ones i might want to buy

Victoria and HOI i already have thanks to the Paradox Strat 6 pack. The Sims (the original) has already been promised to POTM.

Im thinking
Civ3
Ron
Warcraft 3
Simcity 3000.
Pharoah/Cleo/Zeus
Medieval TW
Galciv

[Solver]

RoN, definitely, if you're into RTS at all.

Pick GalCiv2 over Civ3. GalCiv2 is a fair bit different, the flaws are very similar to those of Civ3 anyway, but the positives are more and better.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Solver
RoN, definitely, if you're into RTS at all.

Pick GalCiv2 over Civ3. GalCiv2 is a fair bit different, the flaws are very similar to those of Civ3 anyway, but the positives are more and better.

I enjoyed AOE, and am playing SC. Im not a huge RTS fan, but I think i would try RON. Ive liked BR games in the past, and IIUC RON has taken some things from SMG/SMA, which i have and like.

I generally prefer historical games to scifi - but Wardell is a developer id like to get familiar with. And from what i gather I might almost want to skip Civ3 and just play Civ4 (though i dont think the new rig will do well by Civ4, will it?)

[Solver]

Civ4 needs a real graphics card, not an integrated one. Then again, you could buy an obsolete GeForce 4 MX for, I dunno, 20 USD, and then that machine would run Civ4.

I've criticized GalCiv2 heavily, but it's still worth it. It'll definitely be a big step up if you haven't played Civ4, the next patch is going to make it MUCH better, and it's a very nice way to get to know Stardock and Brad.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Solver
Civ4 needs a real graphics card, not an integrated one. Then again, you could buy an obsolete GeForce 4 MX for, I dunno, 20 USD, and then that machine would run Civ4.

Its a laptop, so the only thing thats ever going to be upgraded is the RAM. But we're probably going to get a new desktop in 3 to 6 months (keneinahara) so I can wait for Civ4. Ive still got oldies I want to play on the dino, and ive got vickie and HOI for the new one, and RON plus Galciv would give me a lot of additional gameplay.

Oh, and theres AOK. Which theoretically matches the specs of the dino, but doesnt run cause of a copy protection conflict.

[DinoDoc]

Sacrifice

[snoopy369]

Yeah, wait for Civ4 on a better comp w/nonintegrated graphics.

RoN and GalCiv2 are

[snoopy369]

BTW ... checked on your integrated chipset. It's one of the "good" ones...

http://www.ati.com/products/radeonxpress200mIntel/specs.html

SM 2.0 is more than enough for Civ4. Of course, running civ4 on 256mb RAM would suck horribly, but with 512 you should be okay playing most games ...

*Edit: PROBABLY. Toshiba has made a lot of 1.6ghz Celeron-M models with 60mb HDD and 256mb RAM, but I couldn't find any ATI graphics sets that weren't the xpress200 ... that said, a quick google of your actual model name would be a good thing.

[Urban Ranger]

Panzer General 3
Steel Panthers

[Jon Miller]

x200 is integrated but better than the best of intel's offerings

JM

[DrSpike]

Well it seems you have a fair list already. Get playing I'd say.

If you want to add one more, from your previous posts I think you'd like Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic, which I don't think you could have played before.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Panzer General 3
Steel Panthers

I was lukewarm about PG2. Is PG3 really that much better?

[quantum_mechani]

Re: Best strategy games from 2000 to 2005 or so

Originally posted by lord of the mark
Basically the ones that would NOT run on this machine

P2 266Mhz
48 Meg Ram
Integrated graphics (?meg)

and WOULD run on this
Celeron M/P4 1.6 Ghz
256 Meg
Integrated graphics (128 Meg)

Note, the first machine played EU2, but just barely.

Am interested in all strat subgenres - TBS, RTS, citybuilders, sims, etc.


Ones i might want to buy

Victoria and HOI i already have thanks to the Paradox Strat 6 pack. The Sims (the original) has already been promised to POTM.

Im thinking
Civ3
Ron
Warcraft 3
Simcity 3000.
Pharoah/Cleo/Zeus
Medieval TW
Galciv

How about Dominions II?

[lord of the mark]

Used to be I divided games in 2 categories. Those the dino would play, and those it wouldnt.

Now ive got 4 categories

1. Games that the dino will play - there are still many of these Imm interested in that i dont have, such as Colonization, Tropico (i think) several wargames, and several non-strategy titles
2. Games the dino will play after upgrade to 64 Meg
Well the only one for sure is EU2 (which the dino will play, but not easily) there must be some other games on the 48 Meg/64 meg cusp, but im not sure which
3. Games the new machine will play
Civ3, RON, Galciv1, maybe Galciv2, the Sims, Simcity3000, Zeus, maybe COTN, maybe AOE3, Victoria, HOI
4. Games the new machine wont play without an upgrade - Civ4, the Sims2, CK, HOI2, etc

[DrSpike]

Well if you spend all your time making lists you wont have any left to play.