Turn-Based Strategy

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TURN-BASED STRATEGY

What makes a Turn-Based Strategy game?


TURNS


turn-based competitionunits and unit controlresource management

Three Types of Turn-Based Strategy

TACTICS4X ANTICIPATION


4X “EXPLORE, EXPAND, EXPLOIT, EXTERMINATE”

1. Harvesting Mechanic 2. Environment dependent 3. Positioning dependent 4. Often abandon the traditional grid system in favor of a more complicated game map5. Generally take a LONG time to play6. Usually larger scale; wars not battles


TACTICS “IT ONLY DOES EVERYTHING”

1. Resource management (health, mana, etc.) 2. Unit distinction 3. Board and unit positioning4. Traditional grid system5. Focus on single battles of a war6. Variable win conditions7. Medium length play times


ANTICIPATION “IF YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR FATE...”

1. Always the variable of chance2. Focus on controlling your luck3. Hard to simulate, has to have a human element4. Medium to short play time 5. Usually have little to no play surface6. Unit distinction7. Often times have a harvesting mechanic

Historical Inf luences

History of Turn-Based Strategy

DraughtsCreated around3000 B.C. in Ur

Grid of 10 x 10

Won by eliminating all of the

opponent’s units


GoCreated around

2000 B.C. in China

Grid of 19 x 19

Won by totaling thenumber of capturedpieces and territory


ChaturangaCreated in India inthe 6th Century

Grid of 8 x 8

Won by eliminating either the oppenent’s king or

all pieces except the king


TacticsCreated in 1952

by Charles S. Roberts

Square grid with turrain

Won by eliminating all of the

opponent’s units


RiskCreated in 1957

by Albert Lamorisse

Area map of the world

Won by capturing areas from other players, conquering the world


PanzerBlitzCreated in 1965by Avalon Hill

customizable isometric board

first true board-based tactical-level wargame,

open ended design


Dungeons & Dragons

Created in 1974by Gary Gygax and

Dave Arneson

Variable play surface

Endless win conditions


WarhammerCreated in 1983

by Games Workshop

6’ by 4’ Tabletop

Won by eliminating the opponent or conquering

the game map


Magic Created in 1991

by Richard Garfield

Decks of 60+ cards

Won by opponent’s life points reaching 0 or byprinted win condition

Going Digital

The Rise of Video Games

Draughts Created in 1951-1952

by Christopher Strachey

Pilot ACE, Ferranti Mark I

First usage of a graphical display in a

computer program


Draughts Created in 1952-1955

by Arthur Samuel

IBM 701

Eventually developed the program to

learn from experience


Computer Bismarck

Created in 1980 byStrategic Simulations Inc.

TRS-80 and Apple II

First serious wargamefor microcomputers


Utopia Created in 1981by Don Daglow

Mattel Intellivision

Limited number of turns, timed turn taking,

strictly multiplayer


Famicom Wars Created in 1988

by Intelligent Systems

Nintendo Famicom

Won by eliminating the opponent or conquering

the game map


Civilization I Created in 1991by MicroProse

Tiled map of the world

Won by high score,conquest, diplomaticvotes, or space race


Tactics Ogre Created in 1995

by Quest

Super Famicom, Sega Saturn, PlayStation

Major landmark in tactical RPGs


Pokemon Created in 1996by Game Freak

Game Boy

Six-character partythat rotates in and

out of combat

Focus Game #1:

Fire Emblem Awakening

Fire Emblem 1 Created in 1990

by Intelligent Systems

Nintendo Famicom

Won by conquering the map, surviving, or eliminating the enemy

Fire Emblem 1 Following the success

of Famicom Wars, Intelligent Systems

sought to introduce RPG aspects into a tactical

style turn based strategy game


Heading West Due to the success of Advance Wars and the popularity of Fire Emblem characters Roy and Marth in Super Smash Bros. Melee, the franchise finally reached the western world in 2003


General FeaturesTop-Down gridClass systemFaction Turns

Prominent storyPermanent deathPlayer characterWeapons triangle

Cast of characters


Focus Game #2:

Final Fantasy Tactics A2

F.F. Tactics 1 Created in 1997by SquareSoft

PlayStation

Won by conquering the map, surviving, or eliminating the enemy

F.F. Tactics 1 Following the success of Quest’s Tactics Ogre, SquareSoft bought them and immediately began to adapt the famous Final Fantasy series to a revolutionary game style



General FeaturesIsometric grid

Customizable class systemIndividual turn order

Lackluster storyTemporary death

No player characterDirectional-Based combat

You create your party

So Why These Two? Why Tactics?While both Fire Emblem Awakening and Final Fantasy Tactics A2 are both based on a similar system, key game play differences make each game very different, showing that the Tactics style of TBS game is able to stay fresh after countless iterations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMb1O9xzO_I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bQ2vDq132s

Epilogue

So What’s Changed?


NOTHING


Invasion into other genresExploration of unit dynamics

More accessible to the casual gamerExpansion on the traditional grid system

Introduction of multiple gameplay alterations

So What WILL Change?


...NOTHING


Continued iterations on the same old formatExpansions on humanistic unpredictability

As conflict evolves, so do TBS games

Questions?

Turn-Based Strategy

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