This week, Troy Goodfellow, Tom Chick and Julian Murdoch discuss what a strategy game is. In a world of genre blending titles, what is core nature of strategy gaming? They also work out their issues with seasons in games. Listen as Tom sells the panel on his new Japanese child game, Julian dismisses Settlers of Catan and Troy searches for a sponsor.
Have a question for the panel or an idea for a future show? Email me at troy DOT goodfellow AT gmail DOT com.
You Settlers of Catan-bashing lightweights haven’t played competitively yet. Think of it as Diplomacy where combat is replaced with trade negotiations. That said, I’m not convinced that ruthless play makes the game any “better,” especially for more casual players.
I do agree that Knights and Cities is where it’s at. It’s like the “real” game that builds upon the pedestrian trade/build mechanics of the original.
All the talk of seasonality got me thinking of King of Dragon Pass, which I need to play more, where the seasons rule everything.
And oddly, the talk of dungeon crawls tacked on to other gameplay reminds me of Princess Maker 2.
Wow, you all hate Settlers? This is my new favorite podcast! I definitely burnt out on that game after ~15 plays — not even Knights & Cities could save it for me.
You know who would round out your all-star cast? Bill Harris. Any chance of a guest appearance?
Il faut cultiver notre jardin // Mar 28, 2009 at 11:12 am
[…] Lewis on Settlers of CatanScott R. Krol on Settlers of Catanmetta on Settlers of CatanJake Mix on Three Moves Ahead Episode 5James Allen on Stardock Rolling in […]
In relation to the mention of Dwarf Fortress, it is a deep strategy/city building title, but the interface often shields newcomers from embarking on the adventure, I can recommend a series of tutorial videos taking you through most of the necessary stages in getting a DF game off the ground. Well worth the investment of time to unlock the beauty of this game.