Join the Quest for TBS games!

[Kassiopeia]

The poll is hardly scientific, considering the forum it's in.

Originally posted by El_Cid
Hearts of Iron II(what happend to I?)

HOI2 is so much better, there's really no point in playing HOI1. Same thing as with EU and EU2. MOO1 is different enough from MOO2 that both are enjoyable in their own way. HOI1 is to HOI2 as Civ3 is to Civ4, whereas MOO1 is to MOO2 as Civ2 is to Civ4. Think of it that way.

[DaveV]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
BTW: Isn't MoM a DOS game? Didn't it become unplayable with the introduction of Windows? Isn't this one of the many reasons Bill Gates should be staked out naked over an ant hill??

MoM and MoO play fine, with sound, on my Windows XP system using DosBox. VDMSound is another option. Here is a good step-by-step writeup on making MoO run on Windows. All the same steps apply to MoM.

[DrSpike]

Yes, Dosbox usually works. Or you can keep an old machine with Win98 just for old games, like me.

[Bkeela]

Hmmm, I didn't know Age of Wonders was turn based. I always assumed it was an Age of Empires clone set in fantasy. I'll have to check it out.

I'm glad you listed Advance Wars. I've never had so much fun on a handheld console. If you include Fire Emblem, then you might want to investigate games such as Disgaea: Hour of Darkness for the PlayStation 2.

[DrSpike]

AOW is definitely worth checking out, especially Shadow Magic. That was the first game where they got the difficulty not too hot and not too cold.

[El_Cid]

Originally posted by DrSpike
AOW is definitely worth checking out, especially Shadow Magic. That was the first game where they got the difficulty not too hot and not too cold.

Yeah i know what you mean, i spent many attempts on the second Keepers mission(the one with the 20 turn limit.Quite a surprise to find this tuff nut on just the second level!) untill i beat it. I'm just now very relieved its the only mission with a turn limit. That was a tough one. Still i'm finding the difficulty on some of the missions a breath of fresh air - its been a long time since a recent game offered challange irc.

@Bkeela, as AoW is only going to cost you around £5(its budget label) and it is a tbs then definately look for it. I also had looked over it in the past - kinda thinking like you it was one of the crop of generic rts/quasi tbs fantasy games that were popular back then.

Still I've been hooked on it since i started it. Its has a great level of detail to the gameplay and the whole way the diferent races and units interact is realy well done. I suspect there are balance issues, due to the amount of options you have, but i havent found a way/formula yet to always reproduce a win.

Its the kind of game that shows up the current industry trends for the all eye-candy non-content they really are, and unless you really hate Lotr fantasy type stuff you should enjoy it for a longwhile.

If there is one critisism i could level at it, it would be the size of the levels, in that you can end up in a very drawn out mopping up exercise. Still this is also a bonus in my books as i like games that offer me a long challange. The last level i completed took me the same amount of time i needed to complete all of Halo2(around 12 hrs). Definately worth getting(and the sequel Dr.Spike mentioned).

A PS2 and possibly the Wii(depending on the games) are going to be the last consoles i'll consider owning(i have an xbox+GC+GBA). There are some great PS2 titles in the rpg/tbs bracket like Disgaea.

I'm also interested in the slightly diferent japanese titles like Loco Roco, We Love Katamari etc and Okami's graphic style makes it another PS2 title i'd be looking at.

I suspect that there will be about a dozen 'worthy' games i'd be interesed in on PS2 - compared to xbox where after three years or so i have six games i still like to play, its not a bad option for a future purchase. Even more so as they will get to be throw away cheap when PS3 comes out

Mostly i'm not a console fan, but you do get the odd(often Japanese) title that makes them worth owning. For the most part looking at the games for 360 i can see where this is going to lead, even more so than of recent years, and frankly i'm finding it nearly impossible already to find new games i'm interested in.

Next gen is just going to make it completely impossible for me to find good games i suspect, definately no good tbs for sure.

I've got a new game to add to the 'To get/look at' list. Medieval Total war II. I know these games are only at the most 50% tbs(may be less so since RTW) but i'm hoping TW as a series gets back to some of its key strategic strengths with this latest one.

EDIT: Aha! I see we have a tbs dissenter in the poll would they care to post why rts over tbs in their gaming preference?

[Verrucosus]

That's an impressive list, El Cid. For the sake of completeness and without recommending them, I'd add "Birth of the Federation" and the two versions of "Diplomacy" by Microsoft and Paradox.

[Kassiopeia]

Birth of the Federation isn't too shabby, but there are better games in the genre and the style out there.

[Grandpa Troll]

I love CTP, CIV IV & Warlords

I Like CIVIII Conquests (Only because of the not reporting Battles so you dont know what attacked you or how you fared sometimes)

I do enjoy a few RTS, AOE II:Conquerors

C & C Generals:Zero Hour

AOE III

I cant ever quit playing AOE II Conquerors

It is one of my all time favorites

[El_Cid]

Originally posted by Verrucosus
That's an impressive list, El Cid. For the sake of completeness and without recommending them, I'd add "Birth of the Federation" and the two versions of "Diplomacy" by Microsoft and Paradox.

Ah yes the Diplomacy games - i think there was one by SSI as well? I have had a look at the Paradox one and this seems most promising out of the group.

I'd always thought the Star Trek games were pretty poor(except the early point and click adventure on the amiga), or atleast got pretty bad reviews by most. I'll have a look at Birth of the Federation as i didnt know there had been a tbs from the franchise. Thanks for those

Originally posted by Grandpa Troll

....I cant ever quit playing AOE II Conquerors

It is one of my all time favorites

hmm did you vote for rts over tbs in the poll?

I loved the first Aoe the best(and the Rome expansion pack). It was my first introduction into rts and the bit i liked best was resource gathering. As a game mechanic that just made so much sense to me, and it reminded me of the charm of games like the settlers. It is somehow nice to watch little computer people scury about collecting wood and food etc

Still after many playing sessions of nearly all rts it does become apparant that for nearly all of the games in the genre it does really all boil down to who can click the fastest(especialy in mp). Which kind of detracts from the otherwise interesting gameplay for me?

CTP i do like also - its different from civ, but nice enough in its own way - even with poor AI. As a 'builder' in most of those kind of games i find the CTP games a very pleasent way to spend gaming.

I'm nearing the end of my tbs knowledge i think. I've spent the weekend going through my games collection(on all platforms i own) and dont seem to have found any others.

Still i'm sure i must be missing some from that list, so please keep the suggestions coming. With a lack of tbs recently(on PC) it might be nice to make a complete as list as possible, it could be usefull for others whom might want some more tbs goodness in their lives?

[Standup]

You could also add the Panzer General series, Operational Art of War and assorted Matrix games such as Uncommon Valour.

And if we're streching the definition by including EU how about games like Fallout, Arcanum which have turn based combat ?

[Jon Miller]

I don't know whether you will consider it turn based. It is sorta (just simultaneous turns), but there is Combat Mission, which is interesting.

JM

[Aabraxan]

Originally posted by El_Cid
Still i'm sure i must be missing some from that list, so please keep the suggestions coming. With a lack of tbs recently(on PC) it might be nice to make a complete as list as possible, it could be usefull for others whom might want some more tbs goodness in their lives?

El_Cid,
I'm glad you used the phrase "tbs goodness." It reminded me that there was an old thread in here called "Other Turn-Based Goodness?" Maybe there's something you can use here:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=139899&highlight=goodness

[DrSpike]

There's a newer TBSey wargame (lite) called Flashpoint Germany I acquired the other day as well. That isn't on the list.

[El_Cid]

Originally posted by Standup
You could also add the Panzer General series, Operational Art of War and assorted Matrix games such as Uncommon Valour.

And if we're streching the definition by including EU how about games like Fallout, Arcanum which have turn based combat ?

ref rpg's with tbs combat - i'm leaving them out as i always define those games as rpg first and foremost, but i could add them in a different category just to cover all tbs angles? I'll see if i'm up to the extra work! And thanks for those recomends, they will go on the list

Originally posted by Jon Miller
I don't know whether you will consider it turn based. It is sorta (just simultaneous turns), but there is Combat Mission, which is interesting.

Ah yes i did look at this ages ago - i seem to remember it being on the shrapnelgames website when it first came out? I think it can qualify as it is at heart a tbs game(based on an avalon hill board game), the combats are resolved simultaneously at the end of each turn, so yeah nice reminder

Originally posted by DrSpike
There's a newer TBSey wargame (lite) called Flashpoint Germany I acquired the other day as well. That isn't on the list.

Ah great one, looks interesting for the warmongers - another one from Matrix games, i'm going to have a good look at their site and see what they have(i think starships unlimited was published by them?).

@ Aabraxan thanks for that link, i'll be adding some of the games mentioned in that thread.

As i'm finding out i've got loads of tbs games(mostly wargames it seems) to look into, but i can always use more - keep em coming, i wont stop until i own them ALL!!!