Game Art Engine, Volume 2 - the next series for the Gaming World
Game Art Engine, Volume 2 - the next series for the Gaming World
By Jacob Malewitz
A set of articles chronicling my move between strategy and doom-like games, civilization and action games. What is the first person shooter? Is it better than a strategy game? Is the idea of early gaming better today than yesterday or tomorrow. Are we at a peak we’ve had before. PC or X-Box, console or computer, laptop or desktop. The gaming war.
Game Art Engine, Stand Alone 1
From Doom to Halo: Icons of the First Person Shooter
By Jacob Malewitz
How did first person shooters evolve from Doom to Halo
Did you shell out a couple hundred bucks just to play Halo on X-Box? Do you find yourself dreaming of monsters from playing Doom years back? Do you consider your life comparable to a level on Duke Nukem? Do you have flashbacks based on World War games like Call of Duty? Did you buy Serious Sam: First Encounter for ten bucks thinking it would only entertain you for a few hours? Do you argue with others over what the best first person shooter (FPS) really is?
Hopefully some of that applied to you. I won’t lie, FPS games aren’t my bread and butter, I recently wrote an article on strategy games and, thinking as a gamer should, didn’t want to leave out the fascinating stories behind some of the games that kept me addicted in the late hours. Strategy can only go. There have been many strong third person shooter games like Max Payne and Die Hard, but FPS games are popular enough for a serious discussion to be made.
According to the history books, it was Return to Castle Wolfenstein that really started the revolution of FPS. Doom was created by id, the same software company that made Wolfenstein, and this was the game that would keep many up all night.
Doom ignited the FPS popularity. It is considered by many to be the best computer game of all time. I differ, as a strategist should, Civilization was the best computer game ever. It is a reality that both these games came out about the same time, and started a cultural revolution into the vastly improving computer gaming market.
Doom had a simple story: Demons crossing over after a freak accident with a teleporter between planets. Yet the absolute mayhem of the fighting, whether they be the simple fire breathing monsters, the humans who changed over into mutants, or the bosses like the Minotaur. It was bloody, and turned away some, leaving others heavily addicted.
How did FPS evolve from Doom to Halo? Halo, created by Bungie, was a direct descendant of the Doom game. There were some sequels to Doom. Doom 2 was good but like its predecessor was ruined by cheat codes. The graphics evolved even more in Doom 3, which wasn’t’ praised as much as the first two.
Gaming had evolved from games like Double Dragon being a focal point to Doom. FPS games were sold on console systems, and in my estimation this directly resulted in the creation of Halo. Golden Eye, a James Bond game with incredible multiplayer capabilities, had to have had an influence. Gamers moved away from Double Dragon and Mortal Kombat to games like Doom and Golden Eye.
There were countless others, but I always stuck with the big ones. Duke Nukem was fun, graphic, and had just about everything else that Doom had, but failed to bring an original storyline. There were even Terminator games in the mold of Doom. The mods continued, until, another PC hit came about selling for a very cheap price, Serious Sam. This introduced improved graphics and a game that didn’t require multiplayer to be fun (differing from Unreal). The monsters were unique and it had an innovative soundtrack that worked well with the epic feel of the battles.
Consoles were ideal for FPS games but until Golden Eye there was no true great game. Doom was outdated by the time it was made into a console game, but Golden Eye really filled a void. The single player mission was okay, but the multiplayer replayability was what worked. It let developers know games like Halo could be made for consoles, and didn’t have to be based on the Doom engine.
Halo was the only reason I bought an X-Box. Yes, that was why I spent over $300 dollars on the system and games. Based on an intergalactic war, Halo utilized both aliens and monsters, taking it a step up from Serious Sam and Doom. The soundtrack and graphics fully utilized what the X-Box could do; and the story was so good there were successful book series and comics created. Halo, like Doom, succeeded in making a worthy sequel game, with a step up in action and difficulty. There were differences: In Halo you could fly a jet, drive a tank or jeep, or even use alien craft. Doom or Halo are different games: Halo is superior, but Doom was revolutionary. One isn’t better than the other.
It is my hope the Doom series will continue beyond the movie version with The Rock.
I already know Halo and Microsoft don’t need any help.
A new field of games set in during major wars is becoming popular. The series include Medal of Honor and Call of Duty. Both have a historical feel with surpasses anything attempted by Halo or Doom and, though these games are far from superior, history fans should take note. World War II was never done more justice in an FPS than in the Call of Duty games.
FPS games have an appeal to gamers wanting to expend some rounds and let out all that frustration.
I still like strategy more, even wrote an article saying so, but there are just some days that alien head would look better with a bullet through it rather than playing diplomacy.
-------------------------------------
Game Art Engine, Standalone 2
You’re not quite building a world, not quite ending a world. You’re usually blowing it up. The modern action game, called the First Person Shooter (FPS) is an interesting amalgam of action films and epic stories. You can lose yourself in the gaming experience. This guide highlights how to enjoy the FPS gaming experience. Keywords: Halo, Doom, FPS, First Person Shooter, Gaming, X-Box
Action Gamer: Halo, Doom, and FPS Gamer Experience
By Jacob Malewitz
You shoot. You kill. You don’t get arrested doing it. You run. You hide. You do get scared occasionally. The modern first person shooter is many things: part action story straight out of a Schwarzenegger film, part endless shooting, and part pure joy to play. It takes a different kind of mind to enjoy the FPS, the gaming experience that keeps on giving. This article focuses on enjoying yourself as an FPS gamer, with a few notes.
Beginner’s Killings:
Perhaps the rise of the first person shooter can be seen in “Castle Wolfenstein,” the odd epic created by game developer ID. However, the true revolution came with “Doom,” the classic first person shooter which allowed you to killed crazed humans and odd demons straight out of hell. “Doom” shows the true gaming experience of a shoot-em-up, where you just keep blowing up the onslaught of hell. There are other games in the beginning stages of the FPS experience, like “Duke Nukem,” but let’s move on to the next level.
Running Down Aliens:
Perhaps the best FPS of all time, in terms of the gaming experience, is “Halo,” the next step up from the hot FPS games like “Doom,” “Quake,” and “Serious Sam.” Originally designed by game developer Bungie for the X-Box system, it quickly became the must-buy for X-Box gamers. While the original X-Box was considered a failure by many, “Halo” shined a light on a fascinating alien world full of action and blood.
Stepping Towards the Action:
To enjoy the gaming experience you can go much further than “Doom” and “Halo.” There are countless other classics, and many of them can be played online. The gaming world created by “Doom” allowed for other developers to improve the gaming experience, usually with online gaming networks for games like “Quake.” If you want to have some fun gaming, getting online and doing it is tops.
Buying the Games:
What do you buy? “Doom” is obsolete, but still a classic. There are newer versions of “Doom,” but none seemed to live up to the original vision (nor did the movie). The original X-Box system isn’t quite obsolete, even with the new X-Box 360, as the graphics on this system are a step above other systems—even PCs. PC FPS gaming is still on the rise. One classic often overlooked is “Serious Sam,” a homage to “Doom” in many ways, with plenty of evil creatures coming for you (but you have big guns).
End Gaming:
The FPS experience is about exploring too. For every gaming system out there, a first person shooter is available. Whether you like “Doom,” “Quake,” “Halo,” or any of the other modern classics of this genre, it’s just fun knowing your not alone in the addiction—and that these games will continue to be developed.
--------------------------------
In Iron Sword Games
Game Art Engine, Volume 3
Are Video Games Art? An Analysis of Games like Halo, Warcraft, and Civilization
By Jacob Malewitz
Originally published in The Lookout newspaper.
Do you stay up all night and don't know why? Is your attention span, which was once a healthy two minutes, now 30 seconds? Have you been forced to wear glasses because you stare at screens so long? Have your thumbs long ago lost any feeling of sensation?
You may have a condition doctor's call "Gamer's Side Effects."
All kidding aside, there are few countries as addicted to computer games as the U.S. According to Business Weekly, there is one country who games more than us, and that's South Korea. Games like Starcraft have come close to becoming national religions in South Korea. As a whole the gaming industry brings in billions of dollars in revenue to South Korean coffee shops and gaming stores, as noted by CNet.com. Experts say to watch out for China to take the throne of the $2 billion gaming industry soon.
Personally, I love playing video games. My drug was strategy games like Civilization, Age of Empires, and Warcraft. Time constraints and worldly goals have changed the dose of gaming I can play, but many games use to be a staple in my life. When Zelda came out it was like I was married to the TV screen. Games like this soon led to a major rise in the respect given to the gaming field. I have always been more of a computer game junkie than a console player, but I still have an X-Box.
When I found Halo it was a reawakening of the times in my youth.
There has been more than enough talk about the console wars. If one is really interested, check online and there will be whole bibles on the subject. Even the differences between computer games and consoles have been argued, though not as frequently and with as many headlines.
Often games are considered a waste of time, nothing close to an art form. If one chooses the right ones it can be better than a movie and more engaging than a book. Stories are almost always told and, like a Choose Your Own Adventure tale, one is at the helm creating a world through actions.
So, if movies and books can be considered art, why can't a game? Take a well put together game like Halo, one of my old favorites. Halo tells a story so "cool" that a successful book series was made about it. Or consider Max Payne, a stunning game of a cop-turned-rogue that is at worst good crime fiction. Warcraft has become a national religion, and it deserves it; World of Warcraft is one of the better RPGs around, while the strategy games like Warcraft 3 Reign of Chaos and its sequel The Frozen Throne are real time strategy games. I personally have never played the RPG, but Warcraft 3 took much of my time. I liked it because it required thinking, strategy, and, at times, teamwork.
There was once a day that novels had no respect, another where comics were just for fun. Many gamers are as odd as reclusive writers, and have a much broader vocabulary in terms of swear words.
Still, the men and women behind the latest hit series often put more work on it than many novelists do. A column by Chi Kong Lui on gamecritics.com stated that the rise of games as a medium has some similarities to the rise of other art forms like novels and movies.
A video game may be more expensive than a book or a movie, but if one is looking for mind-bending entertainment that is on average three times the length of a movie, they should give one a chance.
Will games like Starcraft or Halo be considered an art form at some point? In the final analysis, if it has a story, pictures, or both, it should be considered art.
Game Art Engine, Volume 4, on the other games
How do You Play PC Strategy Games? (With Rift and Halo Fighting)
From Civilization to Age of Empires, a short history of the best Strategy Games
Creators like Sid Meier and Brian Reynolds revolutionized strategy games
Computer strategy games like Civilization, Age of Empires, and Warcraft, are known to those familiar with the genres. However, there are plenty of unknowns in the field of computer strategy games that should get more exposure.
I have a deep joy for strategy games and, in a sense, a bitter hatred for them taking so much from my early childhood. I would spend far to many hours trying to conquer the world.
RPGs like Everquest and FPS like Halo dominate the consoles, but strategy games have no success in those fields; you need a computer to enjoy them most.
While Civilization was far from the first strategy game to have worldwide success, it did play an integral part in the development of a loyal fan base. It was created by the gaming genius Sid Meier.
Games like Risk and Chess were the precursors to the strategy games of today and, even in the early years of gaming, could be played on your computer.
What was lacking in these time honored games was the fact they didn’t utilize what a computer could do. Civilization has always had one of the better Computer AIs. There were some stark comparisons: the best strategy games, like the best board games, are infinitely replayable. Every game could be a different world with different opponents.
Civilization was a game with two options, either conquer the world or reach Alpha Centauri first. Those were the goals, but governing an entire civilization was what made it work. War. Politics. Trade. Science. You could pick from over a dozen civilizations, from the Romans to the Greeks, the Mongols to the Chinese. All these things were involved in the game. All these things made it highly addictive.
And it wasn’t just about graphics, those would be improved in later versions, and different types of games like Warcraft.showed what could be done with graphics. Strategy was paramount; guide your civilization from the stone age to the modern age.
Civilization 2 could be the finest strategy game, not to mention sequel, ever made. It incorporated far superior graphics with new takes on the firstCivilization. I played Civilization 2 more than any other game in my entire life. I would rise early just to play the game more.
Soon, other games came into the background.
Colonization was another Sid Meier game that focused on the years of colonizing the Americas. You had less options for civilizations, but it was like taking a small portion of a book and making it into a short story where you could focus on one single point in time. The graphics on this game, and the first Civilization, are very outdated, but I would recommend it.
Master of Orion 2 was perhaps the best of the old galactic games. From what I’ve read, the third game in the series was far inferior to the second. Master of Orion was like Civilization in space, where decisions were made, war a constant, and spreading your civilization important. A recent game has come close to defeating Master of Orion. Galactic Civilizations succeeded in making an excellent turn based strategy game, as well as a good sequel. Both games are similar, and could be recommended, but there is one old game that merits a look.
Ascendancy came out over a decade ago. I bought it for a reasonable price, still hot from my addiction to Master of Orion. Ascendancy really surprised me and, though it wasn’t perfect, came close to defeating Master of Orion. The amount of micro-management grew the more your civilization went; yet things like creating a civilizations characteristics make it an excellent older game.
I still wanted to live in the real world. I bought Civilization 3 and was very disappointed; the graphics were better, but it just didn’t look good next to Civilization 2.
Warcraft and Age of Empires are the two best real time strategy games around.
I had played Warcraft 2 some years before. While many know World of Warcraft – which I never played – there are just as many fans of the strategy game. What really made Warcraft work was the story behind it. Straight out of a world similar to Middle Earth (Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings), came a new take on Humans and Orcs. The setting was medieval, yet magic was also incorporated. I was exasperated with Warcraft 2 for a long time, and though it wasn’t as addictive as Civilization, the graphics and videos were superb.
Warcraft 3 I wouldn’t have played nearly as much had I not become addicted to the Blizzard online gaming. This was incredible; replayability for Warcraft was doubled.
The first game I ever played online was Age of Empires. The first two games of the series weren’t necessarily superor to Warcraft, but, I liked to play in the real world more than with magic. I have yet to play Age of Empires 3 due to poor reviews, but the first two games in the series kept me at the computer for days.
The first time I played Age of Empires I was reminded of its RTS competitor Warcraft. Warcraft is very similar to Empires. Set in ancient times with soldiers like Centurions and Horse Archers, the game differs from Civilization in that, like Warcraft, you have missions instead of playing a single game vying for power of the world.
Still, the game wouldn’t have been half as good had I not connected to the internet and started playing others. Like Warcraft, when playing online scores can be improved by winning and this makes it a very competitive environment.
The sequel to Age of Empires, Age of Kings, improved on the game in many aspects: it was set during the medieval era, was easier to micromanage, and had very good graphics. Unlike Civilization, each different civilization had unique characteristics: The Franks have strong cavalry while the Mayans have no cavalry at all.
I’m sure I’ve missed some major gaming moments in this discussion. It’s odd that the game I like the least, Warcraft 3, was really better than Civilization 3 and Age of Empires 3. Command and Conquer was also a very good game, but, in terms of the top three strategy games, it doesn’t fit in with what I want in terms of interesting replayabilility.
There are other strategy games I would like to look at if I ever get the chance. I have recently found good reviews of the game Homeworld.
In another article, I will document the rise of the First Person Shooter. Gamers should find that article enlightening, though I won’t lie that strategy games are it for me.
By Jacob Malewitz
A set of articles chronicling my move between strategy and doom-like games, civilization and action games. What is the first person shooter? Is it better than a strategy game? Is the idea of early gaming better today than yesterday or tomorrow. Are we at a peak we’ve had before. PC or X-Box, console or computer, laptop or desktop. The gaming war.
Game Art Engine, Stand Alone 1
From Doom to Halo: Icons of the First Person Shooter
By Jacob Malewitz
How did first person shooters evolve from Doom to Halo
Did you shell out a couple hundred bucks just to play Halo on X-Box? Do you find yourself dreaming of monsters from playing Doom years back? Do you consider your life comparable to a level on Duke Nukem? Do you have flashbacks based on World War games like Call of Duty? Did you buy Serious Sam: First Encounter for ten bucks thinking it would only entertain you for a few hours? Do you argue with others over what the best first person shooter (FPS) really is?
Hopefully some of that applied to you. I won’t lie, FPS games aren’t my bread and butter, I recently wrote an article on strategy games and, thinking as a gamer should, didn’t want to leave out the fascinating stories behind some of the games that kept me addicted in the late hours. Strategy can only go. There have been many strong third person shooter games like Max Payne and Die Hard, but FPS games are popular enough for a serious discussion to be made.
According to the history books, it was Return to Castle Wolfenstein that really started the revolution of FPS. Doom was created by id, the same software company that made Wolfenstein, and this was the game that would keep many up all night.
Doom ignited the FPS popularity. It is considered by many to be the best computer game of all time. I differ, as a strategist should, Civilization was the best computer game ever. It is a reality that both these games came out about the same time, and started a cultural revolution into the vastly improving computer gaming market.
Doom had a simple story: Demons crossing over after a freak accident with a teleporter between planets. Yet the absolute mayhem of the fighting, whether they be the simple fire breathing monsters, the humans who changed over into mutants, or the bosses like the Minotaur. It was bloody, and turned away some, leaving others heavily addicted.
How did FPS evolve from Doom to Halo? Halo, created by Bungie, was a direct descendant of the Doom game. There were some sequels to Doom. Doom 2 was good but like its predecessor was ruined by cheat codes. The graphics evolved even more in Doom 3, which wasn’t’ praised as much as the first two.
Gaming had evolved from games like Double Dragon being a focal point to Doom. FPS games were sold on console systems, and in my estimation this directly resulted in the creation of Halo. Golden Eye, a James Bond game with incredible multiplayer capabilities, had to have had an influence. Gamers moved away from Double Dragon and Mortal Kombat to games like Doom and Golden Eye.
There were countless others, but I always stuck with the big ones. Duke Nukem was fun, graphic, and had just about everything else that Doom had, but failed to bring an original storyline. There were even Terminator games in the mold of Doom. The mods continued, until, another PC hit came about selling for a very cheap price, Serious Sam. This introduced improved graphics and a game that didn’t require multiplayer to be fun (differing from Unreal). The monsters were unique and it had an innovative soundtrack that worked well with the epic feel of the battles.
Consoles were ideal for FPS games but until Golden Eye there was no true great game. Doom was outdated by the time it was made into a console game, but Golden Eye really filled a void. The single player mission was okay, but the multiplayer replayability was what worked. It let developers know games like Halo could be made for consoles, and didn’t have to be based on the Doom engine.
Halo was the only reason I bought an X-Box. Yes, that was why I spent over $300 dollars on the system and games. Based on an intergalactic war, Halo utilized both aliens and monsters, taking it a step up from Serious Sam and Doom. The soundtrack and graphics fully utilized what the X-Box could do; and the story was so good there were successful book series and comics created. Halo, like Doom, succeeded in making a worthy sequel game, with a step up in action and difficulty. There were differences: In Halo you could fly a jet, drive a tank or jeep, or even use alien craft. Doom or Halo are different games: Halo is superior, but Doom was revolutionary. One isn’t better than the other.
It is my hope the Doom series will continue beyond the movie version with The Rock.
I already know Halo and Microsoft don’t need any help.
A new field of games set in during major wars is becoming popular. The series include Medal of Honor and Call of Duty. Both have a historical feel with surpasses anything attempted by Halo or Doom and, though these games are far from superior, history fans should take note. World War II was never done more justice in an FPS than in the Call of Duty games.
FPS games have an appeal to gamers wanting to expend some rounds and let out all that frustration.
I still like strategy more, even wrote an article saying so, but there are just some days that alien head would look better with a bullet through it rather than playing diplomacy.
-------------------------------------
Game Art Engine, Standalone 2
You’re not quite building a world, not quite ending a world. You’re usually blowing it up. The modern action game, called the First Person Shooter (FPS) is an interesting amalgam of action films and epic stories. You can lose yourself in the gaming experience. This guide highlights how to enjoy the FPS gaming experience. Keywords: Halo, Doom, FPS, First Person Shooter, Gaming, X-Box
Action Gamer: Halo, Doom, and FPS Gamer Experience
By Jacob Malewitz
You shoot. You kill. You don’t get arrested doing it. You run. You hide. You do get scared occasionally. The modern first person shooter is many things: part action story straight out of a Schwarzenegger film, part endless shooting, and part pure joy to play. It takes a different kind of mind to enjoy the FPS, the gaming experience that keeps on giving. This article focuses on enjoying yourself as an FPS gamer, with a few notes.
Beginner’s Killings:
Perhaps the rise of the first person shooter can be seen in “Castle Wolfenstein,” the odd epic created by game developer ID. However, the true revolution came with “Doom,” the classic first person shooter which allowed you to killed crazed humans and odd demons straight out of hell. “Doom” shows the true gaming experience of a shoot-em-up, where you just keep blowing up the onslaught of hell. There are other games in the beginning stages of the FPS experience, like “Duke Nukem,” but let’s move on to the next level.
Running Down Aliens:
Perhaps the best FPS of all time, in terms of the gaming experience, is “Halo,” the next step up from the hot FPS games like “Doom,” “Quake,” and “Serious Sam.” Originally designed by game developer Bungie for the X-Box system, it quickly became the must-buy for X-Box gamers. While the original X-Box was considered a failure by many, “Halo” shined a light on a fascinating alien world full of action and blood.
Stepping Towards the Action:
To enjoy the gaming experience you can go much further than “Doom” and “Halo.” There are countless other classics, and many of them can be played online. The gaming world created by “Doom” allowed for other developers to improve the gaming experience, usually with online gaming networks for games like “Quake.” If you want to have some fun gaming, getting online and doing it is tops.
Buying the Games:
What do you buy? “Doom” is obsolete, but still a classic. There are newer versions of “Doom,” but none seemed to live up to the original vision (nor did the movie). The original X-Box system isn’t quite obsolete, even with the new X-Box 360, as the graphics on this system are a step above other systems—even PCs. PC FPS gaming is still on the rise. One classic often overlooked is “Serious Sam,” a homage to “Doom” in many ways, with plenty of evil creatures coming for you (but you have big guns).
End Gaming:
The FPS experience is about exploring too. For every gaming system out there, a first person shooter is available. Whether you like “Doom,” “Quake,” “Halo,” or any of the other modern classics of this genre, it’s just fun knowing your not alone in the addiction—and that these games will continue to be developed.
--------------------------------
In Iron Sword Games
Game Art Engine, Volume 3
Are Video Games Art? An Analysis of Games like Halo, Warcraft, and Civilization
By Jacob Malewitz
Originally published in The Lookout newspaper.
Do you stay up all night and don't know why? Is your attention span, which was once a healthy two minutes, now 30 seconds? Have you been forced to wear glasses because you stare at screens so long? Have your thumbs long ago lost any feeling of sensation?
You may have a condition doctor's call "Gamer's Side Effects."
All kidding aside, there are few countries as addicted to computer games as the U.S. According to Business Weekly, there is one country who games more than us, and that's South Korea. Games like Starcraft have come close to becoming national religions in South Korea. As a whole the gaming industry brings in billions of dollars in revenue to South Korean coffee shops and gaming stores, as noted by CNet.com. Experts say to watch out for China to take the throne of the $2 billion gaming industry soon.
Personally, I love playing video games. My drug was strategy games like Civilization, Age of Empires, and Warcraft. Time constraints and worldly goals have changed the dose of gaming I can play, but many games use to be a staple in my life. When Zelda came out it was like I was married to the TV screen. Games like this soon led to a major rise in the respect given to the gaming field. I have always been more of a computer game junkie than a console player, but I still have an X-Box.
When I found Halo it was a reawakening of the times in my youth.
There has been more than enough talk about the console wars. If one is really interested, check online and there will be whole bibles on the subject. Even the differences between computer games and consoles have been argued, though not as frequently and with as many headlines.
Often games are considered a waste of time, nothing close to an art form. If one chooses the right ones it can be better than a movie and more engaging than a book. Stories are almost always told and, like a Choose Your Own Adventure tale, one is at the helm creating a world through actions.
So, if movies and books can be considered art, why can't a game? Take a well put together game like Halo, one of my old favorites. Halo tells a story so "cool" that a successful book series was made about it. Or consider Max Payne, a stunning game of a cop-turned-rogue that is at worst good crime fiction. Warcraft has become a national religion, and it deserves it; World of Warcraft is one of the better RPGs around, while the strategy games like Warcraft 3 Reign of Chaos and its sequel The Frozen Throne are real time strategy games. I personally have never played the RPG, but Warcraft 3 took much of my time. I liked it because it required thinking, strategy, and, at times, teamwork.
There was once a day that novels had no respect, another where comics were just for fun. Many gamers are as odd as reclusive writers, and have a much broader vocabulary in terms of swear words.
Still, the men and women behind the latest hit series often put more work on it than many novelists do. A column by Chi Kong Lui on gamecritics.com stated that the rise of games as a medium has some similarities to the rise of other art forms like novels and movies.
A video game may be more expensive than a book or a movie, but if one is looking for mind-bending entertainment that is on average three times the length of a movie, they should give one a chance.
Will games like Starcraft or Halo be considered an art form at some point? In the final analysis, if it has a story, pictures, or both, it should be considered art.
Game Art Engine, Volume 4, on the other games
How do You Play PC Strategy Games? (With Rift and Halo Fighting)
From Civilization to Age of Empires, a short history of the best Strategy Games
Creators like Sid Meier and Brian Reynolds revolutionized strategy games
Computer strategy games like Civilization, Age of Empires, and Warcraft, are known to those familiar with the genres. However, there are plenty of unknowns in the field of computer strategy games that should get more exposure.
I have a deep joy for strategy games and, in a sense, a bitter hatred for them taking so much from my early childhood. I would spend far to many hours trying to conquer the world.
RPGs like Everquest and FPS like Halo dominate the consoles, but strategy games have no success in those fields; you need a computer to enjoy them most.
While Civilization was far from the first strategy game to have worldwide success, it did play an integral part in the development of a loyal fan base. It was created by the gaming genius Sid Meier.
Games like Risk and Chess were the precursors to the strategy games of today and, even in the early years of gaming, could be played on your computer.
What was lacking in these time honored games was the fact they didn’t utilize what a computer could do. Civilization has always had one of the better Computer AIs. There were some stark comparisons: the best strategy games, like the best board games, are infinitely replayable. Every game could be a different world with different opponents.
Civilization was a game with two options, either conquer the world or reach Alpha Centauri first. Those were the goals, but governing an entire civilization was what made it work. War. Politics. Trade. Science. You could pick from over a dozen civilizations, from the Romans to the Greeks, the Mongols to the Chinese. All these things were involved in the game. All these things made it highly addictive.
And it wasn’t just about graphics, those would be improved in later versions, and different types of games like Warcraft.showed what could be done with graphics. Strategy was paramount; guide your civilization from the stone age to the modern age.
Civilization 2 could be the finest strategy game, not to mention sequel, ever made. It incorporated far superior graphics with new takes on the firstCivilization. I played Civilization 2 more than any other game in my entire life. I would rise early just to play the game more.
Soon, other games came into the background.
Colonization was another Sid Meier game that focused on the years of colonizing the Americas. You had less options for civilizations, but it was like taking a small portion of a book and making it into a short story where you could focus on one single point in time. The graphics on this game, and the first Civilization, are very outdated, but I would recommend it.
Master of Orion 2 was perhaps the best of the old galactic games. From what I’ve read, the third game in the series was far inferior to the second. Master of Orion was like Civilization in space, where decisions were made, war a constant, and spreading your civilization important. A recent game has come close to defeating Master of Orion. Galactic Civilizations succeeded in making an excellent turn based strategy game, as well as a good sequel. Both games are similar, and could be recommended, but there is one old game that merits a look.
Ascendancy came out over a decade ago. I bought it for a reasonable price, still hot from my addiction to Master of Orion. Ascendancy really surprised me and, though it wasn’t perfect, came close to defeating Master of Orion. The amount of micro-management grew the more your civilization went; yet things like creating a civilizations characteristics make it an excellent older game.
I still wanted to live in the real world. I bought Civilization 3 and was very disappointed; the graphics were better, but it just didn’t look good next to Civilization 2.
Warcraft and Age of Empires are the two best real time strategy games around.
I had played Warcraft 2 some years before. While many know World of Warcraft – which I never played – there are just as many fans of the strategy game. What really made Warcraft work was the story behind it. Straight out of a world similar to Middle Earth (Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings), came a new take on Humans and Orcs. The setting was medieval, yet magic was also incorporated. I was exasperated with Warcraft 2 for a long time, and though it wasn’t as addictive as Civilization, the graphics and videos were superb.
Warcraft 3 I wouldn’t have played nearly as much had I not become addicted to the Blizzard online gaming. This was incredible; replayability for Warcraft was doubled.
The first game I ever played online was Age of Empires. The first two games of the series weren’t necessarily superor to Warcraft, but, I liked to play in the real world more than with magic. I have yet to play Age of Empires 3 due to poor reviews, but the first two games in the series kept me at the computer for days.
The first time I played Age of Empires I was reminded of its RTS competitor Warcraft. Warcraft is very similar to Empires. Set in ancient times with soldiers like Centurions and Horse Archers, the game differs from Civilization in that, like Warcraft, you have missions instead of playing a single game vying for power of the world.
Still, the game wouldn’t have been half as good had I not connected to the internet and started playing others. Like Warcraft, when playing online scores can be improved by winning and this makes it a very competitive environment.
The sequel to Age of Empires, Age of Kings, improved on the game in many aspects: it was set during the medieval era, was easier to micromanage, and had very good graphics. Unlike Civilization, each different civilization had unique characteristics: The Franks have strong cavalry while the Mayans have no cavalry at all.
I’m sure I’ve missed some major gaming moments in this discussion. It’s odd that the game I like the least, Warcraft 3, was really better than Civilization 3 and Age of Empires 3. Command and Conquer was also a very good game, but, in terms of the top three strategy games, it doesn’t fit in with what I want in terms of interesting replayabilility.
There are other strategy games I would like to look at if I ever get the chance. I have recently found good reviews of the game Homeworld.
In another article, I will document the rise of the First Person Shooter. Gamers should find that article enlightening, though I won’t lie that strategy games are it for me.
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