Strategy Games
While Action games can require skillful thinking they are never considered to be a Strategy game. The Strategy genre of games requires larger levels of skillful thinking and resourceful planning in order to achieve victory. When compared to Action and even Adventure games, Strategy games are typically in a larger scope. Strategy games also differ from puzzle games, a sub-genre of Adventure games. While puzzle games require skills to solve the puzzles, Strategy games require thinking around conflict between two opposing sides. This fact separates construction and management simulators from being strategy games. Strategy games are similar to RPGs in the fact that they both involve watching and manipulating stat changes. The difference is RPG's have unique characteristics such as one stat for stealth and one for each different type of attack. On the other hand Strategy games have many stats while some may have similarities with others. There are two main branches of strategy games, Real Time Strategy and Turn Based Strategy games. In an RTS the clock doesn't stop, these games give the player little time to think during game play. The player must have a pre thought out strategy and be able to make instant decisions as the game calls for. These RTS games are very different from the Turn Based Strategy games. Turn Based Strategy games do not have a time limit. The player is given an almost infinite amount of time to think of a strategy and make any moves they like in order to win. Most strategy games involve some conflict between two opposing sides. This can happen between groups or singular combatants, units. These games do not revolve around the combat, these games revolve around how you plan on eliminating the enemy. It focuses on the choices the player makes, and the plans the player prepares. These games try to incorporate as many tactical situations as possible. This can include flanking, cutting of supply lines, or making diversions can become necessary in the player's strategy. Landscape and terrain also are a large factor in the player's plans. Some enemies gain advantages or disadvantages depending on where the battle is taking place. Strategy games can also include economic challenges and other ways of making plans such as construction, population maintenance, etc. Back on the subject of a battle, the player must take into account the size of their army and the number of units they have. If you are scouting in a jungle, you do not want a large group of people moving along. It would be easier to be spotted when you want to remain hidden. Also the player can build factories and other buildings that will assist the units. Originally Strategy games had a 2-D perspective, always with a view as if you were looking straight down from above the object. Now these games have a more isometric perspective, where the viewpoint is rotated slightly to reveal other facets of the game environment than are visible from a top-down perspective or side view. Never is the view from an avatar on the ground. Strategy games try to always show a bigger picture so it is easier for the player to take in their surroundings. They don't have the kill or be killed combat of Action games, nor the passive puzzle solving of Adventure games. They lack the real world aspects of Simulations and they don't have unique characteristics like RPG's. Even so Strategy games can have bits and pieces of each of the other main genres and turn them into another type of game entirely. Strategy games have 7 sub-genres. They are:
4X- In these games the player controls an empire and "explores, expands, exploits, and exterminates". The term was first coined by Alan Emrich on September 1993. Since then, others have adopted the term to describe more games. 4X games are noted for their deep, complex gameplay. Emphasis is placed upon economic and technological development, as well as a range of non-military routes to supremacy. 4X games are sometimes criticized for becoming tedious, and several games have attempted to address these concerns by limiting micromanagement.
Some earlier 4X games took concepts from earlier text based games. The first 4X games were turn based, and there also can be real time 4x games. Examples of 4X games include Civilization, Master of Orion, Sword of Stars, etc
Artillery- Refers to the either two or three player, usually turn based, computer games that revolve around tanks, planes, ande the like fighting each other. Some of the earliest computer games were artillery games. The themes of these games are similar to the original uses for computers, to calculate the trajectories of rockets and other military based calculations. Artillery games share some similarities with turn-based strategy games and shooters. Even artillery games started out as text-only games. Some artillery games are Scorched 3-D, Artillery, SpaceTanks, etc.
Real-Time Strategy- "Real-time strategy" (RTS) indicates that the action in the game is continuous, and players will have to make decisions with what time they are given. Computer real-time strategy gameplay revolves around obtaining resources, building bases, researching technologies and producing units. Very few non-computer strategy games are real-time. Some Examples of real-time strategy games include Star Craft, Command and Conquer: Red Alert, Star Wars: Empire at War, etc.
Real-Time Tactics- Real-time tactics games (RTT games) simulate operational warfare and military tactics using real time. They are also sometimes considered a subgenre of real-time strategy games. Real-time strategy games are different from real-time tactics games by the lack of base or unit building, as well as the greater importance of individual units and a focus on battlefield tactics. Example titles include Warhammer: Dark Omen, World in Conflict, the Close Combat series, etc.
Turn-Based Strategy- Turn-based strategy (TBS) usually refers to computer games to distinguish them from real-time games. Turn-based strategy games have an almost unlimited amount of time to think and plan, unlike real-time strategy games. PLayers can either make moves simultaneously or alternate turns, most of which are related to alternating turns. Examples of this sub-genre are Heroes of Might and Magic, Panzer General, the Age of Wonders series, etc.
Turn-Based Tactics- Turn -based tactics (TBT)revolves around non-stop action to simulate operational warfare and military tactics. They are in a smaller scale than turn-based strategy games. In turn-based tactics games there is an expectation to complete the task presented with the combat forces given. They usually have a believable representation of military tactics and operation. Some examples of these games include Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, Jagged Alliance, etc.
Wargames- Wargames are the last sub-genre of Strategy games that re focused on tactical warfare on a map with historic accuracy. The main part of wargames is fighting battles. There is sometimes a strategy mode, but more of the game is in battle conquering territories. Since it is difficult to give orders to subordinates units are smaller in wargames. Some examples include Nobunaga's Ambition, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, etc
4X- In these games the player controls an empire and "explores, expands, exploits, and exterminates". The term was first coined by Alan Emrich on September 1993. Since then, others have adopted the term to describe more games. 4X games are noted for their deep, complex gameplay. Emphasis is placed upon economic and technological development, as well as a range of non-military routes to supremacy. 4X games are sometimes criticized for becoming tedious, and several games have attempted to address these concerns by limiting micromanagement.
Some earlier 4X games took concepts from earlier text based games. The first 4X games were turn based, and there also can be real time 4x games. Examples of 4X games include Civilization, Master of Orion, Sword of Stars, etc
Artillery- Refers to the either two or three player, usually turn based, computer games that revolve around tanks, planes, ande the like fighting each other. Some of the earliest computer games were artillery games. The themes of these games are similar to the original uses for computers, to calculate the trajectories of rockets and other military based calculations. Artillery games share some similarities with turn-based strategy games and shooters. Even artillery games started out as text-only games. Some artillery games are Scorched 3-D, Artillery, SpaceTanks, etc.
Real-Time Strategy- "Real-time strategy" (RTS) indicates that the action in the game is continuous, and players will have to make decisions with what time they are given. Computer real-time strategy gameplay revolves around obtaining resources, building bases, researching technologies and producing units. Very few non-computer strategy games are real-time. Some Examples of real-time strategy games include Star Craft, Command and Conquer: Red Alert, Star Wars: Empire at War, etc.
Real-Time Tactics- Real-time tactics games (RTT games) simulate operational warfare and military tactics using real time. They are also sometimes considered a subgenre of real-time strategy games. Real-time strategy games are different from real-time tactics games by the lack of base or unit building, as well as the greater importance of individual units and a focus on battlefield tactics. Example titles include Warhammer: Dark Omen, World in Conflict, the Close Combat series, etc.
Turn-Based Strategy- Turn-based strategy (TBS) usually refers to computer games to distinguish them from real-time games. Turn-based strategy games have an almost unlimited amount of time to think and plan, unlike real-time strategy games. PLayers can either make moves simultaneously or alternate turns, most of which are related to alternating turns. Examples of this sub-genre are Heroes of Might and Magic, Panzer General, the Age of Wonders series, etc.
Turn-Based Tactics- Turn -based tactics (TBT)revolves around non-stop action to simulate operational warfare and military tactics. They are in a smaller scale than turn-based strategy games. In turn-based tactics games there is an expectation to complete the task presented with the combat forces given. They usually have a believable representation of military tactics and operation. Some examples of these games include Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, Jagged Alliance, etc.
Wargames- Wargames are the last sub-genre of Strategy games that re focused on tactical warfare on a map with historic accuracy. The main part of wargames is fighting battles. There is sometimes a strategy mode, but more of the game is in battle conquering territories. Since it is difficult to give orders to subordinates units are smaller in wargames. Some examples include Nobunaga's Ambition, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, etc