4x Games, how do you prefer them Real Time or Turn based?

[brandonb]

I'm just curious what your favorite type of 4x games are? I'm asking about real time/turned based.

4x would be Explore Expand Exploit Exterminate. Games like Civilization, Master of Orion, Age of Empires, HoMM, Sins of a Solar Empire, etc.

I've started to like a few more of the real time games like Sins of a Solar Empire, which is fun. But if I had an option, I'd prefer turn based, in set up and in combat, like Master of Orion/HoMM.

What do you guys prefer? In single player and multiplayer. I'm thinking real time would be funner in multiplayer, but in single player, I prefer turn based.

 

[DeathReborn]

I grew up with Civilization & Master of Orion so I have to choose them. I do love Sins, AoE etc as well but the turn based is always my fave.

 

[KaOTiK]

I like turn based better

 

[Maximilian]

Real time without a doubt :thumbsup: Ive always seen turn based games as being turn based because technology couldnt handle it being real time.

<3 sins

 

[lothar]

I like both equally.

Real-time: Starcraft, Warcraft.
Turn-based: Heroes of Might and Magic II&III, Civ4, Galactic Civilizations II, Shogun: Total War(the original).

 

[obidamnkenobi]

I think I prefer turn based for the added depth (in general). Sins is certainly pretty deep and complex, and a very interesting game. But when I play 4x I like to ponder my options, weigh strategies etc so turn based gives me more opportunity for that. And hopefully the design of the game takes this into account (someone may know of an insanely complex real time game, but that does not sound like something I want to play)

However, one of the best 4x games IMO is Europa Universalis 3, which is pauseable real time. How do you categorize that? You can play it always in real time, but I usually pause or slow down the time for major decisions.

 

[Bateluer]

Guys, there's a difference between a strategy game(StarCraft, WarCraft) and 4X games(Civilization, Galactic Civilizations).

 

[Skott]

As far as strategy games go I prefer TB over RT but that is just me. Jagged Alliance 1 & 2 has both RT and Turn base built into it. Which is nice and works for it. I still play JA2 but with the v1.13 mod.

 

[Zorander]

I like both equally, though if I wanted a (relatively) quick game, the real-time version gets my nod.

 

[DominionSeraph]

Turn-based. When the game's supposed to be a simulation of an entire civilization, winning or losing shouldn't be 90&#37; dependent on click speed.

 

[paperfist]

I love to turtle so TBS for me. I do also like the hybrid ones like Total War too, it's a nice diversion and not as complex as a full on RTS.

 

[brandonb]

Actually, I'm quite suprised by the answers so far. I thought RTS would be more popular.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Guys, there's a difference between a strategy game(StarCraft, WarCraft) and 4X games(Civilization, Galactic Civilizations).

What's interesting about Sins of a Solar Empire is that it's a unique hybrid of the two genres, and it worked out to be a really good game.

Turn-based. When the game's supposed to be a simulation of an entire civilization, winning or losing shouldn't be 90&#37; dependent on click speed.

In that case, you might like Sins. It's an RTS, but it's much less click-speed dependent than the likes of Starcraft. It's much more about strategy and tactics than it is about clicking. As a new player who's just starting out, you can pause the game against the AI and play it on slow speeds if you wish. (Over time you'll move up to faster speeds.)

On that note, I used to love the 4x turn-based games, Civilization and Alpha Centauri, but they always became tiresome late in the game when you had to start micromanaging large numbers of units and cities on every turn. I always thought they became kind of boring later on. I mean, telling an engineer to build a railroad on such and such a square or telling your cities which specific squares to farm gets boring after a while.

One of the great things about Sins is that you get to enjoy the broader marco-strategic elements of the game (along with the tactical micro elements) without having to suffer all of that boring micromanagement. I love it that the boring aspects of micromanagement have been almost completely eliminated.

Another big plus of 4x-RTS is that you have the option of online multiplayer. Once you can demolish the AI and once the AI loses its challenge, the option of being able to play against human opponents is a possibility. (That's all I do. I prefer to play 5v5 games without any silly AIs.)

 

[SpunkyJones]

I much prefer TBS much more. I love to drink my coffee/soda while pondering at my leisure what moves and changes I need to make over my civilization/fleet/galaxy.

 

[dighn]

I like real time games that give you the ability to pause and execute your moves with precision when it's worth doing so, like Sins.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I can like either if done well.

 

[shortylickens]

I like both equally.

Real-time: Starcraft, Warcraft.
Turn-based: Heroes of Might and Magic II&III, Civ4, Galactic Civilizations II, Shogun: Total War(the original).

Starcraft and Warcraft are most certainly NOT 4x. They have very small fields with limited resources and nothing special to explore, other than a flat piece of land that might make for a good melee. Its more action with resource management than anything else.

As for me, I think I prefer TBS's in the grand scheme of gaming. Since the best ones are space 4x games thats mostly what we have for examples. MOO2 is still my fave, followed by GalCiv 2.

As for real time, the only one I can think of off the top of my head is Imperium Galactica 2, which I also love. But it doesnt work well on modern OS's.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Like both equally. It's really too bad that Ubisoft insisted on DRM crapping all over HoMM 6, because its really, really, really good. Captures the feel of HoMM 1-3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0A2moNPgYM

 

[cronos]

Always turn-based for me.

 

[Possessed Freak]

turn based... always.

 

[Rifter]

Turn based, always.

 

[lothar]

Starcraft and Warcraft are most certainly NOT 4x. They have very small fields with limited resources and nothing special to explore, other than a flat piece of land that might make for a good melee. Its more action with resource management than anything else.

As for me, I think I prefer TBS's in the grand scheme of gaming. Since the best ones are space 4x games thats mostly what we have for examples. MOO2 is still my fave, followed by GalCiv 2.

As for real time, the only one I can think of off the top of my head is Imperium Galactica 2, which I also love. But it doesnt work well on modern OS's.

"4x would be Explore Expand Exploit Exterminate" per OP.
I do all those things in Starcraft: Brood War. Every single game.
I don't see "resource management" and "4x" as being mutually exclusive.

Besides Sins of a Solar Empire(which I've never played) and Ages of Empires(the only one I played in the series was the original+expansion), what other examples of RTS 4x games are there? I may be missing out on an entire genre.

If you guys are defining it as what it is then I guess my vote would change and go to Turn-based since that's the type of 4x game I've played the most.
Turn-based: Heroes of Might and Magic II&III, Civ4, Galactic Civilizations II, Shogun: Total War(the original).

 

[Zorander]

"4x would be Explore Expand Exploit Exterminate" per OP.
I do all those things in Starcraft: Brood War. Every single game.
I don't see "resource management" and "4x" as being mutually exclusive.

The difference lies mainly in the gameplay scale and depth you can achieve in a 4X-type game. There is a lot more Strategy in 4X games as there is more Tactic in RTS games:

1) Map size: The largest map you can play in Starcraft does not even compare to a medium-sized map in most 4X games and there is definitely a lot more hours involved. In SoaSE, if your homeworld is invaded while your main forces are planets and star system away, you will never make it in time. In Starcraft, you may still save it (or what little remains of it).

2) Treaty/alliance system: For example, SoaSE has a dynamic system where, alliances that pre-exist at game start (i.e. team) may not exist or have shifted completely at the end.

3) Base development: There is always the dilemma on how to develop a newly colonized/conquered city/system, i.e. research-/military-/economic-/balanced-focus/etc. In typical RTS games, you normally develop the base: (1) if you need to, and (2) if you have the resources for it. The tech progression is invariably linear too.

I would put Technology/Research as a fourth point but SoaSE does not rank highly in this regard (very linear tech advancements), compared to the likes of MoOII and GalCivII. Hopefully the upcoming Rebellion will fix that.


Edit:
The following games, while not strictly belonging to either genres, are worth mentioning:

• Supreme Commander: More RTS, but the map scale easily rivals those of 4X.

• Anno 1404: Probably the next closest thing to an RTS 4X game though it eschews the Extermination bit (3X, anyone?)

 

[DeathReborn]

"4x would be Explore Expand Exploit Exterminate" per OP.
I do all those things in Starcraft: Brood War. Every single game.
I don't see "resource management" and "4x" as being mutually exclusive.

Besides Sins of a Solar Empire(which I've never played) and Ages of Empires(the only one I played in the series was the original+expansion), what other examples of RTS 4x games are there? I may be missing out on an entire genre.

If you guys are defining it as what it is then I guess my vote would change and go to Turn-based since that's the type of 4x game I've played the most.
Turn-based: Heroes of Might and Magic II&III, Civ4, Galactic Civilizations II, Shogun: Total War(the original).

I think it's explained better on Wikipedia.

4X games are a genre of strategy video game in which players control an empire and "explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate."

&

• Explore means players send scouts across a map to reveal surrounding territories.
• Expand means players claim new territory by creating new settlements, or sometimes by extending the influence of existing settlements.
• Exploit means players gather and use resources in areas they control, and improve the efficiency of that usage.
• Exterminate means attacking and eliminating rival players. Since all territory is eventually claimed, eliminating a rival's presence can be the only way to achieve further expansion.

Therefore Warcraft, Starcraft etc aren't strictly defined as 4x, you may do all 4 "x's" but it's much more limited in scope & complexity.

 

[n7]

From the little i've played, TBS.