Gaming: Help, I'm stuck in the '90s!
 

Okay, so was an avid gamer like 15 years ago when 16 megs of RAM was the boss.

I'm not a big fan of online games like WoW or whatever, but I had a real raging crotchbat for a couple of titles and was wondering if anybody has made anything that resembles them that'll work on my modern laptop without DOSBox and a rhinoload of patience.

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I like turn-based isometric games like X-COM: UFO Defense (Microprose) and Jagged Alliance (Sir-Tech). Any suggestions to more modern equivalents? Are kids today too ADHD for turn-based games?

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I also like top-down scrolling space shooters like Raptor (Apogee) and Tyrian (Epic Megagames). Have they made a respectable Galaga ripoff in the last ten years?

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Thanks.

I need to think about this more, but you might want to start by looking at Civilization III, which is considered by many to be the king of strategy games. It's a 4X game, so I'm not sure you'll be into it in the same way as the games you mentioned (I'm not that familiar with them). It's turn-based though, and very rewarding. Civilization IV is a bit more advanced (in graphics and gameplay), but you might want to consider that as well.

It's true, though, turn-based games (and adventure games, as well) have fallen to the wayside in favour of real-time strategy, 3D shooters, and MMORPGs, etc. I've always enjoyed turn-based. I like to take the time to think. Thinking is fun.

EDIT: btw, I was a huge fan of scrolling space shooters too (including the ones you mentioned). I'm going to look into this. I think there are indie developers of this genre now. I'd love to find a modern game in this genre. The graphics should be real pretty by now.

EDIT2: Here's a start: :: STARSCAPE :: Voyage into the warp!. Downloading the demo right now. [Update: not bad, but not great]

EDIT3: Apparently this is what has become of "top-down" space shooters: GameSpot Video: Aces of the Galaxy Official Trailer 1

there are still top down space shooters. look at Ikaruga

Fallout 1 & 2. Great turn-based battles there. If you pick up one of the recent collection packs of the 2 games, they're usually set to automatically run whatever programs are needed to run well on modern machines.

Also, I know you're looking for games to play on your laptop, but it looks like there's a Jagged Alliance game in production for the Nintendo DS. This makes me happy.

Turn-based, isometric, tactical, squad-based computer games are rare; even rarer are those that blend elements of a wargame with a role-playing game. However, a game that is very much like Jagged Alliance 2, only it's set in WWII instead of modern day, is Silent Storm. Best of all, it's a relatively recent game, i.e. it was designed for Win98/XP. (You can run the game in 1024 x 768 resolution or even higher.) And like X-Com: UFO Defense, Silent Storm has buildings, vehicles, and other obstacles that are fully destructible! Bullets can rip through walls and furniture (depending on the bullet caliber and velocity), explosives such as satchel charges and heavy hand grenades can break down walls and collapse floors, and so forth.

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images..._screen004.jpg

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images..._screen025.jpg

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images..._screen004.jpg

http://pc.ign.com/articles/475/475977p1.html

I had a lot of fun with this game. I highly recommend it.

Rome: Total War is one of my favorite turn based games. It's not a pure turn based game, like Civ games baka mentioned, as it has 3d-battles when you get to fight (civ just does some number crunching). I freakin' LOVE it. When I didn't have Warcrack to kill all of my free time, I spent many campaigns as the Egyptians killing everything in my path. There is even a free mod that makes the game harder and historically accurate (puts in a TON of new cultures). Turn based resource management and troop movement then goes 3d (with map placement predicting what your battle field looks like) to fight between the two armies. You can pause during 3d battles which helps alot.

Rome: Total War for PC - Rome: Total War PC Game - Rome: Total War Computer Game

Check out any of the total war games. All of them are a great buy and a great place to waste time.

Quick edit: If you want to try it, send me a pm and I'll see if we can work something out for this weekend.

LordEden, I loved Rome: Total War too, but I only played a demo. I didn't get it because my machine at the time didn't run it so well. Maybe I'll get it now! What is that mod you mentioned about the historical accuracy? That sounds intriguing. I also want to try the newer Medieval II. I have yet to play a game that feels so rewarding when you sack a city-state.

Crompsie, the other thing to realize about this game is that it includes an awesome tutorial dealing with movement and tactics, so you don't feel overwhelmed by all your cohorts moving at once. Going from the '90s games you mentioned to todayish 3d real-time games like Rome is a bit of a leap when it comes to controls.

Baraka, Europa Barbarorum is the mod. I played alot of the original game and it did have it's drawbacks when it came to content. I loved every bit of game play but the units and factions were lacking. My friend is addicted to Rome and found this mod. It's got everything, real units, real factions, and expanded map (This mod shows alot of africa, all of the middle east, and half of china). Some of the faction's difficulty is insane. You start out losing -1000 gold a turn and HAVE to take two cities just to be able to hold your head above water. It's great to play and even better if you like historically accurate games.

For TBS, I find Wesnoth to be king.

I'd suggest Steam since you can sample many different games for free and they usually have good sales.

Welcome to Steam

Geometry Wars might have some same elements as space shooters, I recommend you check it out since a lot of people like this game.

This thread inspired me to remember an all time classic! Here is an old classic for those of you who want to remember.

Contra? Total Carnage?

Good games, but too brainless for me.

check out flash based games, they are simple, free, and easily found online.... always something fun! lots of 2d games and scrollers


Andkon Arcade: 1000+ Free Flash Games

I thought of this immediately when I read the OP! Here's a link:

Battle for Wesnoth

Turn based strategy, with both good single-player and fun online multi-player. It's an open source (free as in speech and free as in beer) project, with the quality and playability of a commercial game. The development community is very active, which means it changes and improves constantly.

My only major complaint is that online multiplayer games can take a longish time, with a lot of waiting in between turns.

You could also try this: This is a site where old games have been changed so they run on XP so no spending ages getting things working on Dos Box

You can actually get one of the Xcom games on Steam to run with XP or whatever new operating system you are running. It cost me $5 and I have spent probably 30+ hours screwing around on it. Still one of the best games ever made.

I second the Civilization games, those are pretty amazing, and horribly addicting.

MONEY! Woohoo!

I have pretty similar tastes to yours in gaming, I think. I seem to remember us even having a discussion about the merits of X-COM: UFO Defense in the shoutbox. Back when there was a shoutbox.

Civ is a good series, but is more of a higher strategic level than tactical. Kind of like X-COM, but more involved and without the turn based battles. So not really like X-COM at all, but you get the point.

I seem to remember enjoying Fallen Haven as a lad, but the rose-coloured nostalgia glasses might be coming into play on that one. It's not actually out of the 90's, and good luck actually finding it, but it is more recent than the other games you've mentioned, at least.

The turn-based strategy game is a lost art form.

Wesnoth is one that I've enjoyed, with the added bonus that it's available to a Linux nerd like me. One of the things that I like about it is the balance. Each faction plays differently and requires different strategies to use effectively, but no matter what side you're playing, if you expect your level 3 unit to wade mercilessly through swarms of level 1 enemies you'll be doomed to disappointment.

And staying in the 90's, the Master of Orion series is also excellent and has not been mentioned. Master of Orion 3 was a bit too hands-off for my liking, but Master of Orion 2 was widely acclaimed, and with very good reason. All the fun of building a galactic empire, combined with large scale turn-based space battles. What more could a guy want?

I was more of a fan of Master of Magic than MOO. Master of Magic was smaller scale and every game was radically different.

If you like the idea of small scale tactical battles, a series you might look at is Close Combat. It is real-time, and has a huge emphasis on realism. WWII era stuff has been done to death and then some as well, but the whole morale factor is kind of novel. How many games can you mention where a unit might refuse to follow your orders? Does such a game appeal to you? If so, Close Combat is right up your alley.

The learning curve is very steep, though. You've been warned.

Morale, huh? Is it as annoying / realistic as the "bravery" stat in X-Com. That was always my favorite thing to hate. Epic battle, storming a base, get down to the central elevator and suddenly the bastards are using mind control to turn my Rambos into Dr. Phils. Usually the only way to win that was to pray I could get a first aid kit on somebody and inject them with the happy needle... then start spitballing frag grenades up the lift into the control room.

Hahah, MAN, I miss that shit.

Try Spore. It just was released last Sept. Bought it in December. Highly adictive.

The Official Spore and Spore Creature Creator Site

Spore (2008 video game) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

I like Spore a lot but the creature / tribe stages are too short and the space stage is overwhelming.

Master of Magic is still one of the greatest games every made. I think someone should make that work on XP, or perhaps someone already has? I must go look!

A friend of mine is a huge X-Com fan. The team that made that game also made the UFO series: UFO Extraterrestrials and UFO Aftermath.

Also, if you happen to own a Gameboy Advance or a DS, you can also try Rebel Star: Tactical Command for a more light hearted version of people vs aliens.