Games like Settlers

[J1M]

I'm looking for a game where the objective is to build up a complex economic system. One where military might is marginalized or irrelevant.

From what I remember of the older Settlers games (Settlers 3?) this was the case. A good modern example would be Anno 1404. (Dawn of Discovery for those you didn't see it until the re-release)

From what I remember of the marketing for the most recent Settlers game it was focussed a lot more on combat. Can anyone confirm?

Anyway, I'd like some recommendations. I seem to remember there was even a game where the objective was to build a castle and there was no combat at all... but that might have been a console game which would explain why I don't remember its name.

 

[Excidium]

Caesar III.

 

[J1M]

Caesar III.

I remember playing that one. That is another good example.

 

[larpingdude18]

http://wl.widelands.org/

 

[Destroid]

King of Dragon Pass? Transport Tycoon?

 

[GeneralSamov]

Patrician (III being the last one I played, it appears there's the IV out though)
As for the Transport Tycoon mention, I'll throw in Railroad Tycoon (3).

 

[Frau Bishop]

I'm looking for a game where the objective is to build up a complex economic system.
... Anyway, I'd like some recommendations.

Cultures?

One where military might is marginalized or irrelevant.

Is there a way to finish it without using violence? I don't know. But it could be possible with mods I guess.

 

[chzr]

cultures and its sequels - very similar gameplay to settlers

caesar 3 sequels - pharaoh, zeus (both w/ expansions) and emperor. also newer c4 and civ:city rome, not sure how good those are though

anno had more parts too (1503. 1602?)

tropico series

port royale 1/2

sim city series

 

[someone else]

X series, but there is fighting.

 

[zeitgeist]

Anyway, I'd like some recommendations. I seem to remember there was even a game where the objective was to build a castle and there was no combat at all... but that might have been a console game which would explain why I don't remember its name.

I can't think of a castle building game with no combat at all in the entire game, but Stronghold (and the sequels) do have non-combat missions and modes.

 

[Paperclip]

The Settlers (the series) is quite different from city building games like those made by Impressions Games which focus on the bigger scale. Games like this include the Caesar series, Children of the Nile, Pharaoh, Zeus, Rise of the Middle Kingdom, Annos, etc, and to a lesser extent, Sim City.

Traditionally (5 & 6 are more RTS-y), the Settlers instead focuses on a more complicated economy system (to support your military at the end of the chain, which is a bit ironic considering that the military aspect is often downplayed) which relies on a chain of network. It's also slower paced and smaller in scale. Games like this include The Settlers (except 5 & 6), Alien Nations (The Nations), Cultures (Northland), perhaps Knights and Merchants, and some others that I forgot. Often made by Germans. If Caesar is a city building game, then you can call these games, village building games.

I actually prefer the second group of games because micromanaging your people and village is fun! Check out some of these videos:

The Nations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxS4UnF4YAE

Northland:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtMd1nev8f8

Knights and Merchants:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1XI9bRmquA

There's also Beast and Bumpkins but it's much faster paced and actually an RTS in disguise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw4R8gjP4KU

 

[catfood]

Caesar III.

I remember playing that one. That is another good example.

If you liked Caesar 3, try Pharaoh and Zeus. Same base mechanics in different settings.

I'd avoid Knights & Mechants if I were you. It will only make your blood pressure rise.

 

[catfood]

also newer c4 and civ:city rome, not sure how good those are though

Caesar 4 is completely shit. Don't even think about playing it.

 

[Excidium]

I don't know about Northlands but Cultures 2 is a lot of fun.

 

[JarlFrank]

There's also Die Germanen, an indie Settlers-like game made by a former Settlers 3 modder as far as I know. It's still in development though and I'm considering it vapourware until proven otherwise, although some really nice screenshots exist already.

http://www.diegermanen.de/

 

[Mrowak]

Knights and Merchants all the way... but only if you are prepared for EXTREME!!1111 difficulty.

Edit: Sorry I reread your post. You said millitary aspect was supposed to be irrelevent. Not here - in fact the whole game is about managing substantial infrastructure to support the army.

 

[Paperclip]

There's also Die Germanen, an indie Settlers-like game made by a former Settlers 3 modder as far as I know. It's still in development though and I'm considering it vapourware until proven otherwise, although some really nice screenshots exist already.

http://www.diegermanen.de/

It looks great except that the animations are a bit stiff.

 

[laclongquan]

I always thought it's Settlers the inheritor of all features from Knights and Merchants.

 

[catfood]

I always thought it's Settlers the inheritor of all features from Knights and Merchants.

Well, yes, especially the combat part is better, but it's a really pain in the ass to play. And I'm not talking about the campaign difficulty, which is brutal, I'm talking about playability. The controls and pathfinding are rage inducing. There's an annoying 2 second pause when two serfs meet which can cause severe traffic jams without a very careful city planning. And the military units take forever to get somewhere and get into formation. One time, in the 7th level, my ally had a huge line of militia troops all the way from his barracks, down and around the mountains in into my base causing my economy to almost come to a halt. It's shit like this that made me have a love-hate relationship with the game. By the way, what's the farthest you got into the game? A friend of mine was actually crazy enough to finish it.

 

[Eyeball]

The trio of Settlers-like games from Kalypso: Cultures, Northland and 8th Wonder of the World.

They're pretty cheap on Impulse - are they worth playing for anyone who liked Settlers 2? Do they really add anything worthwhile that wasn't in S2 or is it just a cheap cash-in with a palette swap?

If you're aching for more Settlers, you could always buy the Settlers 2 Anniversary Edition. Settlers 2, but with updated graphics and interface.

 

[Eyeball]

Or actually, if you want a game about building up economic might, go and download Imperialism already! It's the best turn-based empire building game in history and you can even turn of the tactical battles if you can't be bothered to fight them (like me.) It has a heavy focus on developing the resources of your nation, dominating trade markets, bribing or coercing minor nations into becoming your colonies and expanding the industrial infrastructure and railway system of your nation on randomly generated maps in the 19th century.

Download here: http://www.abandonia.com/en/games/26747 ... alism.html

 

[Paperclip]

The trio of Settlers-like games from Kalypso: Cultures, Northland and 8th Wonder of the World.

Thanks for telling me about 8th Wonder of The World, but they apparently still couldn't draw buildings with correct perspective, like these pics show:

The only reason I stopped playing Cultures.

 

[CrimsonAngel]

Anno 1440 is pretty good and if you haven't tried Settlers 7 then i would recommend you try it out.

It is actually not half bad.

 

[J1M]

http://anno.uk.ubi.com/anno-2070/

Looks like Anno 2070 is supposed to come out this year. I'm looking forward to polluting the fuck out of my islands.

 

[Gerrard]

The trio of Settlers-like games from Kalypso: Cultures, Northland and 8th Wonder of the World.

Thanks for telling me about 8th Wonder of The World, but they apparently still couldn't draw buildings with correct perspective, like these pics show:
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/i ... een013.jpg

http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/i ... een016.jpg

The only reason I stopped playing Cultures.

There was nothing wrong with buildings in The Gates of Asgard, they were isometric just like the map. Or at least the Viking ones were.

However, for some retarded reason the wonders appear to have been drawn in converging perspective.