Matrix Games Forums

So you all know my son is teaching in China. Time zones are not conducive to playing an RTS online.

My son is an RTS fan primarily because he likes stunning graphics.

So my question is are there ANY beautiful turn based strategy games, any genre that exists in computerdom.

Dominons 3 is not pretty enough just so you have an idea of what I'm looking for.

He has a penchant for fantasy and space. He also likes the current crop of FPS like Bioshock, etc...

Needless to say he rolls his eyes at games like JTCS.

Thanks for the help.

You can try Shattered Union.Turn Based(and Hex based) Strategy game with plenty of graphics.This game should warm him up to JTCS.[8D]

Thanks Osprey, I will check it out.

Some of the fantasy games are pretty enough. I'd recommend Kings Bounty: the Legend in particular as good fun, if not quite the TBS game to end all TBS games.



No MP though. For that, you might take a look at Elven Legacy



And, to be fair, Civ 4 still looks pretty good, particularly compared with Dominions 3. Which is, of course, a better game than any of them, but then once a graphics whore always a graphics whore, as somebody probbaly once said!

Maybe you should just buy him a copy of of WitP:AE. Sometimes a father has to be cruel to be kind! [:D]

Regarding turnebased and eye candy, HoMM 5 comes to my mind. However, King's Bounty has realtime movement and lacks on base building. I did not like it much.

Yes I considered Kings Bounty until I saw it had RTS to it. I can't do MP, time difference is not conducive to being online together. It has to be a TBS PBEM game with high end eye candy, because as Herston so eloquently stated, "but then once a graphics whore always a graphics whore, as somebody probbaly once said."

I agree Dominions 3 is the "best" choice. He didn't seem to like CIV IV when I showed it to him, and that was my first choice. Osprey's choice looks good and I sent him off an email about Shattered Union, and I'm waiting to see what he says. It will be a couple of days before he gets back to me.

HOMM, how does the combat work out. That could get tough for each battle, or can you autoresolve battles when doing a PBEM game? I think he has HOMM V, and maybe 3, but 3 is dated graphics wise, although considered to be the best of the bunch. HOMM V from screenshots appears to be geared towards graphic whores.


So post your suggestions, and I do appreciate the ideas and comments.

Thank you Lutzow and Hertston.

I didn't realize King's Bounty was multi-player.  Or was that not part of your criteria?  Do agree it's a fun game though!

ORIGINAL: sabre1

HOMM, how does the combat work out. That could get tough for each battle, or can you autoresolve battles when doing a PBEM game? I think he has HOMM V, and maybe 3, but 3 is dated graphics wise, although considered to be the best of the bunch. HOMM V from screenshots appears to be geared towards graphic whores.

I may be wrong, but I don't think HoMM 5 even has PBEM? It's got TCP/IP in assorted flavours. That might well be your biggest problem in that the aforementioned graphics whores just don't 'do' PBEM even for TBS; Fantasy Wars/Elven Legacy is the same, although there were requests for it from previous Fantasy Wars players.

I'm running out of ideas at this point.

You said he likes fantasy, so Herston's suggestion about Elven Legacy seems to fit the bill perfectly.Plenty of Graphics, Turn Based and Hex based.I would've recommended Battle for Wesnoth, but the graphics probably won't look good enough for him.I enjoy BfW though, and is the only fantasy game I'll ever play because the gameplay is so fun and addicting.

However, if we want to get him into wargames eventually, you are going to have to expose him to more real-life and historical things eventually, which is when Shattered Union(not historical, but real-life units) comes in.I don't know, we'll see.

A game I don't care for but is fantasy and I'm pretty sure PBEM playable is the Age of Wonders series. Age of Wonders:Shadow Magic is the one most made and patched and modded for multiplayer I know that.

I will check Age of Wonders, and make the suggestion to my son, and thanks Killroyishere I appreciate your time.

Osprey,

My son is 24 a graduate and loves literature. He lives on Greek, Celtic, Norse, Egyptian, mythology. I try to adapt to his tastes so that we maintain that father son relationship. I don't want that Cats in the Cradle song to haunt me. [8|]

I agree that Wesnoth would be a good choice excpet for the graphics. Shoot, even Dredd is a GW when it comes to computer games.

I need a PBEM Turn Based game because of the time difference. JTCS would be perfect, but he doesn't like Matrix style games. He loves Sins of a Solar Empire, Age of Empires III, HOMM V. Lord of the Rings stuff, etc... He also likes WWII flightsims, but that doesn't work time wise, and no Bombing the Reich ain't it.

Anyway, I digress, and truly appreciate everyone posting their suggestions. We all are busy with real lives, and I never take for granted the responses I get from the members at Matrix. You are a great bunch of people.

Try Sword of the Stars - turn-based and very good network play support.

I was going to mention Wesnoth because the graphics surprised me but I checked and no PBEM. And they have PC, Mac and Linux versions. I've just started with it and looks like a good one.

Sorry to say Sabre1, but I can't find any game that has it all.Most of graphical turn based strategy games are ones designed for casual gamers, most of which probably don't know what the heck PBEM is.(Hopefully someone doesn't get pissed off by that comment)So, it comes down to:

-Civilization 4 - Only game with decent graphics, turn based and includes PBEM.
-Shattered Union or Elven Legacy(No PBEM)
-Lowers his graphical standards and play Battle for Wesnoth(Again, no PBEM)
-Or, he sucks it up, lowers his Graphics standards even more and play some Wargames.

I realize this post may sound more harsh than I want it to....don't take offense.....please...

Here you go Sabre1

http://turn.software.informer.com/downl ... c-battles/

The long list of turn based PBEM games. [:)]

Thanks guys!

Killroyishere, I will check out the link and email it to my son.

I never take offense Osprey. I'm a special education teacher. [;)]

Erik and Junk2drive, thanks for the suggestions.

I have Sword of the Stars, and if memory serves me correctly I don't think it has PBEM, and the RTS combat is the heart of the game in my opinion.

CIV IV I have and I will have to convince him into playing that one I guess. There is a ton of mods and interesting scenarios.

These young people (Osprey excluded) can't seem to appreciate the historicity of hardcore wargames, and the intrinsic teaching that is garnered from playing them.

I also like the looks of that new xbox 360 game Panzer General:something something something. I doubt it's PBEMable but I believe I read you can play a game online in less than an hour. Graphics wise it looks pretty good and the reviews for it so far have been of good quality and fun.

Killroyishere, I don't own an Xbox, I have to stick with my trusty desktop. I don't even own a TV.

So far,

Shattered Union, and Civ IV are the prevailing PBEM eye candy games out there.

For a wonderful turn-based game with some real meat and pleasant enough eye-candy, check out Cryptic Comet's Armegeddon Empires.

Or the best-of-breed Galactic Civilizations II Twighlight of Arnor.

Nim8or,

Galactic Civilizations II Twilight of Arnor, is a great game, but sadly it has no PBEM capability. The game I am looking for "has" to be PBEM, and high on graphics.

I will check out Cryptic Comet's and thanks for your suggestion.