In what respects to space strategy games there is one gameplay element that mostly decides the style of the game, its pace mechanic: Real-time or Turn-based. These are two paradigms, normally you prefer one style or the other and judging from the latest poll hosted at SpaceSector.com that seems to be the case.
The last poll dictated 67 votes favoring TBS games, 19 votes for RTS where only 11… Continue reading | 6 Comments
You don’t notice it as immediately as you notice the interface user friendliness, the tech tree depth or the spaceship design complexity but more than often the hidden economic mechanics may be crucial for the game success in the long run.
Some may say that the key is in the complexity, others will defend that simpler is better others may even argue that realism is in important factor. So what is the right balance? What makes a good 4x space game economic model? And ultimately is that such a big deal?
Let’s look into some classic examples to try to find some answers to these questions. Continue reading
Normally when we think of a typical space strategy game we imagine it to be PC turn-based single player, especially if we’re talking about 4x games. Reference examples of these games are Master of Orion, Galactic Civilizations, Alpha Centauri and the Space Empires series.
In spite multiplayer features are sometimes offered, although somehow limited, there is an emblematic recent case, namely GalCiv2, where multiplayer possibility is not provided at all. I invite you to read the article Galactic Civilizations: The case for no multiplayer where one of GalCiv2 lead developers explains the reasons why they did not included multiplayer in the game. Continue reading | 7 Comments
In many situations I have the strange feeling that i´m doing everything too fast and I don´t have time to feel the full pleasure of playing a space strategy game. Once I build something, in a few turns it is already obsolete. A new planet is discovered, colonized and immediately I can start building structures on it. This kind of feeling, in my opinion, can be minimized. Consider planet exploration.
When reaching a planet, what its normally presented? A planet, with some characteristics presented not very well detailed. Normally colonization is made instantly and all that can be done is to start building facilities. I think more could be done to give the planets more protagonism and enhance the exploration excitement. Let us re-think the concept. Continue reading | 3 Comments
Although many space strategy gamers are already familiarized with the term “4x” I decided to create an article in order to help introduce the concept for the so many that don’t know yet what it stands for and also to clarify a bit the concept for the so many also that think they know what it stands for but are not completely sure about it (before I wrote the article I was included in this last bunch 
) – but it gets confusing sometimes, well, keep reading).
In the gaming world “4x” stands for: “eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate”. The ‘4x’ concept is well covered in the wikipedia here. Essentially the games that are catalogued as ‘4x’ must, at least, possess the following characteristics (or provide the following phases) Continue reading | 2 Comments
When it comes to Space Games, Spaceships take the central stage. They are the backbone of any space faring civilization wordy of that name. Without space ships one civilization cannot expand, cannot explore, settle, trade or sustain itself from hostile civilizations. Basically it cannot evolve.
Imagine you have several star systems in your empire but no effective way to communicate between them. First this is hard to believe in the first place since how could this be? Continue reading | 10 Comments
The ability to research new technologies was and always will be a central aspect of any space strategy game.
Much of the fun in this type of games comes from witnessing the evolution of a society in the long run on all its different aspects: entertainment, culture, life quality, biology, production, governments, communications, materials, propulsion engines, weapons, new types of ships, etc. New technologies unlock new possibilities, new opportunities and new toys to Continue reading | 9 Comments
Since the beginning that humans face the stars ask themselves what’s out there and how wonderful and exciting it would be to discover new places and meet new races. This profound sense of wonder and insatiable curiosity drives many of us to fantasize that possibility.
So what we cannot live in real life we experience in the virtual one. Movies and games have been offering this possibility. Computer games in specific have been putting people in command of space faring civilizations that explore new worlds, meet new races, establish new societies and gain the ultimate knowledge of the Universe Continue reading | 4 Comments
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