Any gamers around here?

[Cavebear]

The Total War series is amazing.  My personal favorites are Medieval 2 and Shogun 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMlu7ZleclI

These games are great on the basis of the assassin cutscenes alone.

If there isn't some silly narrater, AND it isn't a shooter game.,sounds good.  Quite frankly, I would rather just build and be left alone to do it.

[Hydra009]

If there isn't some silly narrater, AND it isn't a shooter game.,sounds good.  Quite frankly, I would rather just build and be left alone to do it.

Total War is a grand strategy series somewhat similar to Civilization.  Its main claim to fame is its (for a video game) historical accuracy, with each installment focusing on a specific period/location (the Roman Empire, medieval Europe, Warring states Japan).  Games also take many hours to complete, so it can be a real time-sink.

Like Civ, there's turn-based region management - build buildings, build armies, move units (merchants, spies, armies, etc).  The main difference is that you're controlling your faction's royal family - you can make them generals or governors and even marry them off.  Based on their deeds, they can attract a powerful entourage (and the occasional Wormtongue).  You have little control over the entourage, you just have to manage your general/governor well and hope for the best.

Unlike Civ, the battles are real-time tactics battles - you field armies in the thousands (mercifully, you issue commands to large groups of units and not individual units) and there's a wide variety of units, at least a few are unique to your faction.  It's an extremely rewarding but difficult to master part of the game.  In any case, you can just auto-resolve if you wish.  With auto-resolve, the computer takes control and fights the battle for you in the blink of an eye - you may take somewhat more casualties, but it's a handy time-saver, especially in battles you already know are going to be crushing victories.

Some games have naval combat, assassination, crusades/jihads, and major events (like the Monguls invading Europe and annihilating half the remaining factions at breakneck pace!) just to keep things interesting.

[Cavebear]

Total War is a grand strategy series somewhat similar to Civilization.  Its main claim to fame is its (for a video game) historical accuracy, with each installment focusing on a specific period/location (the Roman Empire, medieval Europe, Warring states Japan).  Games also take many hours to complete, so it can be a real time-sink.

Like Civ, there's turn-based region management - build buildings, build armies, move units (merchants, spies, armies, etc).  The main difference is that you're controlling your faction's royal family - you can make them generals or governors and even marry them off.  Based on their deeds, they can attract a powerful entourage (and the occasional Wormtongue).  You have little control over the entourage, you just have to manage your general/governor well and hope for the best.

Unlike Civ, the battles are real-time tactics battles - you field armies in the thousands (mercifully, you issue commands to large groups of units and not individual units) and there's a wide variety of units, at least a few are unique to your faction.  It's an extremely rewarding but difficult to master part of the game.  In any case, you can just auto-resolve if you wish.  With auto-resolve, the computer takes control and fights the battle for you in the blink of an eye - you may take somewhat more casualties, but it's a handy time-saver, especially in battles you already know are going to be crushing victories.

Some games have naval combat, assassination, crusades/jihads, and major events (like the Monguls invading Europe and annihilating half the remaining factions at breakneck pace!) just to keep things interesting.

You had me until "the battles are real-time tactics battles"  I'm not interested in competing thumb-to-thumb with some teenager.  Some days I can barely hold a mug of tea without spilling some.  I want to THINK about what I'm doing.

[Baruch]

You had me until "the battles are real-time tactics battles"  I'm not interested in competing thumb-to-thumb with some teenager.  Some days I can barely hold a mug of tea without spilling some.  I want to THINK about what I'm doing.

I play against the computer, not on-line against humans.  I enjoyed Caesar I and II ... here is IV ... it is mostly city building, not much fighting ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XziFJVGh6N8

The city visuals were very nice.

[Hydra009]

You had me until "the battles are real-time tactics battles"  I'm not interested in competing thumb-to-thumb with some teenager.  Some days I can barely hold a mug of tea without spilling some.  I want to THINK about what I'm doing.

1) It's singleplayer.  (IIRC, it's possible to do some multiplayer battles or co-op campaigns, but the vast majority of gameplay is strictly singleplayer)
2) Success is more contingent on proper formations and timely deployment of auxiliaries than quick reflexes.  So, no button-mashing required.
3) You can always auto-resolve.

[Baruch]

1) It's singleplayer.  (IIRC, it's possible to do some multiplayer battles or co-op campaigns, but the vast majority of gameplay is strictly singleplayer)
2) Success is more contingent on proper formations and timely deployment of auxiliaries than quick reflexes.  So, no button-mashing required.
3) You can always auto-resolve.

You can have "do your own battle scenario" too.  Mass slaughter, because micro-managment isn't an option on the battlefield.  The type of troops, their veteran status, presence of a general ... is crucial.  Usually organized approach, followed by a wild melee works for me, because the computer can't deal well with non-linear action.

[Cavebear]

You all intrigue me.  It may be what I've been looking for...

[Hydra009]

Me launching torpedoes in World of Warships:



*allied cruiser instantly explodes and allied battleship sinks from prolonged flooding*
Sorry!

[Cavebear]

I play against the computer, not on-line against humans.  I enjoyed Caesar I and II ... here is IV ... it is mostly city building, not much fighting ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XziFJVGh6N8

The city visuals were very nice.

OK, that looks promising.  Thanks all.

[Baruch]

OK, that looks promising.  Thanks all.

City building can be less exciting than fighting, but it gives satisfaction if you can manage it well (in building and operation).  Caesar IV seems to have upped the number of tweaks regarding technology types etc.  If you can do this, you probably can be a city manager (or have Sim City mastered).

[Cavebear]

I finally decided to download Civ V from Amazon.  Took 4 hours to get it right.  You have to jump through hoops these days.  This one finally took an Amazon download app AND some security allowance changes that were not made clear at the start.  But I figured it all out eventually.

[Cavebear]

Me launching torpedoes in World of Warships:



*allied cruiser instantly explodes and allied battleship sinks from prolonged flooding*
Sorry!

LOL!

[Hakurei Reimu]

The Danes must have been laughing their asses off internally. Lol, indeed!

[Hijiri Byakuren]

I finally decided to get Professor Benjamin Doon for my most recent run of Skyrim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ypGD_83vYA

[Cavebear]

OK, so I FINALLY downloaded Civ V last night  (they didn't tell me it took Steam) and I dont understand all the menus.  The music is annoying after 15 minutes and I can't see where to turn it off.  I have 1 city going and maybe a settler being built.  I know what to do with settlers.  Maybe the oddest change from Civ 2 is that it seems you can only have one military unit in a city. 

So how do I shut off the damned music and organize the menus?