I had been assuming up until lately that games in the "Strategy Games" genre were not all war games but my research into this area would seem to have proved me wrong...
"Although the majority of strategy games are probably war games there are quite a few popular strategy games which do not follow the war theme."
This is a comment i made in a post a few weeks ago when i had been assuming that games like Theme Hospital, Rollercoaster Tycoon and Railroad Tycoon were strategy games. However, since then i have found that these games are actually classed as simulation games which leaves me without any non-war games in the "Strategy Games" genre.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Essay Questions
I have been thinking about questions that i would like to investigate in my essay. I'm not sure if it will be possible to cover all these areas but i think that i can use these questions as a basic plan or guide as to what the essay structure should be...
What is Strategy?
Do all games have Strategy?
What are "Strategy Games" and what is the Strategy Games genre?
Where did strategy games come from and how has their evolution progressed?
Why do people play strategy games?
What kind of people play strategy games?
What do strategy games seem to be hugely popular on PCs but barely known on consoles?
Do people that play strategy games have pre-determined strategies that they use during the game or do they adapt as the game progresses?
Do regular strategy gamers read the manual or just jump straight in?
What is Strategy?
Do all games have Strategy?
What are "Strategy Games" and what is the Strategy Games genre?
Where did strategy games come from and how has their evolution progressed?
Why do people play strategy games?
What kind of people play strategy games?
What do strategy games seem to be hugely popular on PCs but barely known on consoles?
Do people that play strategy games have pre-determined strategies that they use during the game or do they adapt as the game progresses?
Do regular strategy gamers read the manual or just jump straight in?
Monday, November 24, 2008
Essay Direction
I was unsure of what direction my essay should take but following a discussion with Liam, I have a better idea of how to get started.
I want to discuss strategy in games and the evolution of what is now called "The Strategy Genre". Along with discussing milestones with brief examples of the games involved, I will look at what type of strategies people use in certain games.
Some example questions could be:
Do people read the manual first or even at all?
Do people always play with the same type of strategy in games of a particular genre or does their strategy evolve to suit the particular game?
My essay will also include what people consider strategy to be and examples of strategy games outside the computer / video games area.
I want to discuss strategy in games and the evolution of what is now called "The Strategy Genre". Along with discussing milestones with brief examples of the games involved, I will look at what type of strategies people use in certain games.
Some example questions could be:
Do people read the manual first or even at all?
Do people always play with the same type of strategy in games of a particular genre or does their strategy evolve to suit the particular game?
My essay will also include what people consider strategy to be and examples of strategy games outside the computer / video games area.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Strategy Video Games
Having read wikipedia's page about strategy games I moved on and read about strategy video games and was surprised with the number of sub-genres listed for this type of game.
First though, a nice quote: "Strategy video games are video games that focus on gameplay requiring careful and skillful thinking and planning in order to achieve victory." - wikipedia
The are 7 sub genres listed but i think they can be refined into two main types - turn based and real time strategy games. Wikipedia also points out that these (turn based and real time) can then be split into strategy and tactics based games.
Something that jumps out at me on this "Strategy Video Games" page is that all the examples given for the 7 genres the editor created are war games. Although the majority of strategy games are probably war games there are quite a few popular strategy games which do not follow the war theme.
First though, a nice quote: "Strategy video games are video games that focus on gameplay requiring careful and skillful thinking and planning in order to achieve victory." - wikipedia
The are 7 sub genres listed but i think they can be refined into two main types - turn based and real time strategy games. Wikipedia also points out that these (turn based and real time) can then be split into strategy and tactics based games.
Something that jumps out at me on this "Strategy Video Games" page is that all the examples given for the 7 genres the editor created are war games. Although the majority of strategy games are probably war games there are quite a few popular strategy games which do not follow the war theme.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Strategy Games
As my essay will be about strategy games i have decided to have a quick look to see what wikipedia has on this topic.
"A strategy game is a game (e.g. computer, video or board game) in which the players' decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome. Many games include this element to a greater or lesser degree, making demarcation difficult. It is therefore more accurate to describe a particular game as having a certain degree of strategic elements, as in being mainly based around strategic principles." - wikipedia
This seems like a very good definition. The point was made in class that all games have an element of strategy in them and this definition echoes that sentiment. Regardless of the genre ot type of game, all games include some form of strategy but strategy games are the ones which place more emphasis on having a good strategy to be successful.
An interesting point that is also made is the differentiation between "strategy" and "tactics". This is a point that i came across which researching the game "Go" for my Artificial Intelligence in Games" module. From what i understand, strategy is longer term planning than tactics.
My next topic will be to investigate wikipedia's information about strategy computer games.
"A strategy game is a game (e.g. computer, video or board game) in which the players' decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome. Many games include this element to a greater or lesser degree, making demarcation difficult. It is therefore more accurate to describe a particular game as having a certain degree of strategic elements, as in being mainly based around strategic principles." - wikipedia
This seems like a very good definition. The point was made in class that all games have an element of strategy in them and this definition echoes that sentiment. Regardless of the genre ot type of game, all games include some form of strategy but strategy games are the ones which place more emphasis on having a good strategy to be successful.
An interesting point that is also made is the differentiation between "strategy" and "tactics". This is a point that i came across which researching the game "Go" for my Artificial Intelligence in Games" module. From what i understand, strategy is longer term planning than tactics.
My next topic will be to investigate wikipedia's information about strategy computer games.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Essay
My essay will cover the evolution of strategy games - where they have come from and where they are heading. The essay will not just focus on computer games but will also look at their predecessors such as board games and possibly card games.
"It can be said that there is strategy in every game" is a working title for the essay. The introduction will include topics such as a history of strategy, defining strategy and defining the parameters involved in strategy.
Some recommended reading is Sun Tzu's The Art of War.
I think this will be a very difficult project and far more difficult than any exam. Some people are more suited to writing than others and i would not have expected a project of this scale doing a Computer Science course.
"It can be said that there is strategy in every game" is a working title for the essay. The introduction will include topics such as a history of strategy, defining strategy and defining the parameters involved in strategy.
Some recommended reading is Sun Tzu's The Art of War.
I think this will be a very difficult project and far more difficult than any exam. Some people are more suited to writing than others and i would not have expected a project of this scale doing a Computer Science course.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
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