[Bard09]

For those wishing to dip their toes into historical strategy without throwing themselves into headfirst, consider the Castles: Strategies and Tactics game and its sequel, Castles II. Both are fairly historically-accurate and they even have plots occuring in the background with adventure elements (intrigue, interactions with subjects, etc). They are primarily strategy games with very little emphasis on combat (you can turn the battle engine off if you wish, which I frequently do).

They're also darn old. Probably abandonware status by now. Unsure, however. You might find a few copies on eBay.

[UPtimist]

Well, one of the best games in Medieval settings, and one of the best games of all genres: Medieval, Total War.


I still think I liked Shogun more somehow...

[100ja a.k.a. mr_mitja]

Originally Posted by UPtimist

Well, one of the best games in Medieval settings, and one of the best games of all genres: Medieval, Total War.


I still think I liked Shogun more somehow...

DAMN, you took the words right out of my mouth! I like the Dark ages and fantasy setting... so, I'm not bothered with monsters in games such as Diablo etc. (although I hated those big mutated cows or whatever in the original Thief! Man, it wasn't even a sneaker, that level!).
But I'm always surprised at the things like RTCW and the zombies, skeletons...HAHAHA. I mean, I know it was like that in Wolf3D (played all of them when I was a kid), but PLEASE! Thank God for Medal of Honor.

If y'all haven't tried playing Blade of Darkness (3rd person perspective action) try it out. To me it's probably the best fantasy action game I've ever played. It's just a shame they didn't have a bit more imagination. It kinda gets dull by the end. Ah, well...

[ragnar]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

Ah, but you've forgotten. I have sampled some strategy games in the past. My disinterest in them is not without experience. Sooooo, back at ya!!

Yes, and if you've played Simon3D you know that all of the 3d adventure games ever made will be crap, right?

I know it's not a good comparison, but I still think you're unfair to a genre when you skip all games from it, just from playing some games long ago and that you don't play RPG:s because you don't like level systems, but I know you will play games even from those genres if there is something that will capture your attention (Deus Ex is an example of this).

[Erkki]

Originally Posted by ragnar

Yes, and if you've played Simon3D you know that all of the 3d adventure games ever made will be crap, right?

Come on, ragnar. Isn't there any game genre out there that does not interest you?

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by ragnar

...I know you will play games even from those genres if there is something that will capture your attention (Deus Ex is an example of this).

Precisely. I've stated that before, and the most recent example is Beyond Good & Evil (a nearly sickeningly cartoony looking game that I would have ignored if it had not received excellent reviews and critical acclaim).

So then why the hell are you picking on me?! What is your problem, ragnar?

[ragnar]

I'm not trying to pick on you (well a little for fun maybe ). It's just that I am a little suprised to see you so categorically not wanting to play anything just because it has a specific genre label. That's all.

@Erkki: No, I don't have any specific genres that I specifically dislike. I play almost all genres as long as I find the gameplay to be good. There are very specific genres I don't like much because I find the gameplay, such as Warcraft and similar games (Note that I like Settlers I & II and Ground Control II looks to be promising, so it's not the whole RTS genre I dislike). But I don't dislike games because of their relationship with other games, but rather try to like or dislike it on it's own merits.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by ragnar

I'm not trying to pick on you (well a little for fun maybe ). It's just that I am a little suprised to see you so categorically not wanting to play anything just because it has a specific genre label. That's all.

I've already stated before, I can't be interested in particular genres per se because they have requirements I'm not personally interested in meeting. For example, I don't care for traditional harcore RPGs because I hate the idea of having to pay too much attention to number statistics and skills building, I prefer to focus on the story and simplicity of gameplay. I don't like strategy game because resource management doesn't interest me. That said, I consider a game like Deus Ex to be deviant from typical RPGs because the system is simplified and emerges from the story in a such a way that I don't mind it. With a less traditional strategy title like Ghost Master or Freedom Force, the theme and gameplay style is so much fun that I may not mind the management. Conversely, I have no interest in a title like Command & Conquer: Generals because it's a such traditional strategy game (with all the complexities I don't care for), and because I don't like war gamers.

So I argue that those games I mentioned I particularly like, not because of their respective categories but because they're fun to play despite their categories. Have I made myself clear?

[Ninja Dodo]

Trep, I think you'd like the Gothic series.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

I think you'd be right. It was recommended to me a while back, and I had toyed around with the demo of the first Gothic, but gave up quickly from (again) lack of patience over the 'levelling up' and skills management...at that time. I did, however, notice that it doesn't fixate on these as much as the other RPGs so I have a good feeling I'll playing these two titles sometime in the future.

[Kingzjester]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

I think you'd be right. It was recommended to me a while back, and I had toyed around with the demo of the first Gothic, but gave up quickly from (again) lack of patience over the 'levelling up' and skills management...at that time. I did, however, notice that it doesn't fixate on these as much as the other RPGs so I have a good feeling I'll playing these two titles sometime in the future.

The leveling up and number masturbation is really not as heavy duty as it is in normal rpgs. Some tabletop RPGamers have been put off by the game because of that, but they are wankers anyway.

The game is really adventure hack and slash, moreso than an RPG.

[ragnar]

I can't imagine anything more boring than a tabletop RPG focusing on numbers only. It's the roleplaying that is interesting and there are lots of good tabletop RPG:s too. Besides, very much depends on the game master being good at creating atmosphere etc.

@Trep About the skill building, I would say that it would be much better if it were more in form of character building where you can build up a personality and not some set of skills. And as you said yourself much of the boringness of the traditional RPG is due to the rather boring fantasy-worlds that almost always populate them. And, yes, I accept that you have personal preferences, it was just your sentence that you immediately dismissed Crusader Kings just because it's a strategy that triggered me. I think you are rather good at finding the right spots to trigger my instant-reply-button.