I've never played a strategy game

[Cazzeris]

Whatever you do don't forget to play Dungeon Keeper, DK 1 is a masterpiece the sequel is also very enjoyable.

http://keeper.lubiki.pl/html/dk_keeperfx.php

Also play Startopia, UFO: Enemy Unknown and/or Xenonauts.

From your list I would also recommend JA2 (v1.13), you'll want to install some good mods if you want to play those Creative Assembly games. Company of Heroes is probably the easiest game on there.

I haven't played Doom

...

I forgot to mention that I have Dungeon Keeper. Is it easy?

I really want to play Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein; but I have a ton of PC classic games to play right now and I'm also waiting for Steam discounts.

http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/

God no.

I installed it once and I didn't know what the fuck was happening on my computer screen, so I decided to uninstall it and learn how to play it another time. It looked interesting.



I think I'm going to start Company of Heroes, Civilization IV or Dungeon Keeper. Which one is the easiest and the best one?

 

[Konjad]

Start with Dungeon Keeper.

 

[Markman]

3 different genres lol.

But CoH should be easiest to get into. Lots of newbie help and you get to blow shit up. Man those explosions were freaking amazing when CoH came out.

 

[Servo]

I really want to play Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein

Don't bother. If you really just want to run around and shoot monsters in the face I'd recommend Half-Life over these. I really enjoyed Jedi Knight back in the day too but Doom and Wolfenstein not so much. Quake series was alright.

 

[Chef_Hathaway]

non-cartoony graphics (although the graphics 1 and 2 were charming in their way).

I've always thought that the map was much better in 3, along with the town screens, but everything else is muddy/clay looking because of the 3d-to-2d junk. Also sound design is better in HoMM2.

But, in terms of gameplay, 3 is much better. 5 also isn't bad, especially with all the x-pacs.

Don't bother. If you really just want to run around and shoot monsters in the face I'd recommend Half-Life over these. I really enjoyed Jedi Knight back in the day too but Doom and Wolfenstein not so much. Quake series was alright.

I wouldn't dissuade someone from playing Doom 1 + 2, they are great games in their own right, though I wouldn't play them vanilla at this point.

The whole Dark Forces/JK series is awesome. Also, Duke 3D and Blood.

 

[Cazzeris]

I really want to play Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein

Don't bother. If you really just want to run around and shoot monsters in the face I'd recommend Half-Life over these. I really enjoyed Jedi Knight back in the day too but Doom and Wolfenstein not so much. Quake series was alright.

I've already finished all Half-Life games except Opposing Force and Blue Shift.

And I really want to play Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein series.

non-cartoony graphics (although the graphics 1 and 2 were charming in their way).

I've always thought that the map was much better in 3, along with the town screens, but everything else is muddy/clay looking because of the 3d-to-2d junk. Also sound design is better in HoMM2.

But, in terms of gameplay, 3 is much better. 5 also isn't bad, especially with all the x-pacs.

Don't bother. If you really just want to run around and shoot monsters in the face I'd recommend Half-Life over these. I really enjoyed Jedi Knight back in the day too but Doom and Wolfenstein not so much. Quake series was alright.

I wouldn't dissuade someone from playing Doom 1 + 2, they are great games in their own right, though I wouldn't play them vanilla at this point.

The whole Dark Forces/JK series is awesome. Also, Duke 3D and Blood.

I have Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior Classic and Unreal Gold as well, but we aren't talking about FPS's.



I'll start Dungeon Keeper. CoH seems to be good for newbies (just look at its metascore ) but DK1 looks quite fun.

Thanks for your recommendations.

 

[Drax]

Risk?
I heard it has multiplayer features, too.

 

[Abelian]

RTS: Dune 2

He's never played a strategy game until now and you suggest the grandfather* of the RTS genre . Don't get me wrong, I love both Dune and Westwood, but I'm thinking gamers now have the expectancy of being able to select multiple units.

Spoiler

*although Herzog Zwei and Stonkers precede it, Dune 2 was the game that introduce many conventions of the genre: the resource collection, base construction, fog of war, UI layout

 

[Divine]

Civ V Gold + Brave New World + Faerun Mod (installation can be tricky, posted solution on Workshop in bugthread). Its minimalistic appeal (less unit bloat, smoother techtree etc) and strategical depth develop blockbuster diversity - finally HD(ifficulty) endgame is not defined by tank-rush anylonger.

 

[Fowyr]

The good first games:
Civilization (1 or 2)
HoMM (2 or 3)
Warcraft 2
Master of Magic
Master of Orion 2
The last two games could become your best friends forever.

 

[whatevername]

RTS: Dune 2

He's never played a strategy game until now and you suggest the grandfather* of the RTS genre . Don't get me wrong, I love both Dune and Westwood, but I'm thinking gamers now have the expectancy of being able to select multiple units.

Spoiler

*although Herzog Zwei and Stonkers precede it, Dune 2 was the game that introduce many conventions of the genre: the resource collection, base construction, fog of war, UI layout

I was going to suggest http://www.mobygames.com/game/zx-sp...rden-operation/screenshots/gameShotId,526235/ or http://www.mobygames.com/game/zx-sp...lien-encounter/screenshots/gameShotId,124694/ or http://www.mobygames.com/game/zx-spectrum/doomdarks-revenge/screenshots/gameShotId,164114/ but I doubted anyone would play them now because of the graphics.... The third game doesn't even have a map!

 

[Abelian]

I was going to suggest http://www.mobygames.com/game/zx-sp...rden-operation/screenshots/gameShotId,526235/ or http://www.mobygames.com/game/zx-sp...lien-encounter/screenshots/gameShotId,124694/ or http://www.mobygames.com/game/zx-spectrum/doomdarks-revenge/screenshots/gameShotId,164114/ but I doubted anyone would play them now because of the graphics.... The third game doesn't even have a map!

I guess I'm more popamole than I had realized. At least Dune 2 had VGA graphics and mouse support...

On a related note, Lords of Midnight (1984) and Doomdark's Revenge (1985) are actually for sale on GOG.com. They must be the oldest games they currently have for sale (they've both been updated though).

 

[Kane]

3 different genres lol.

But CoH should be easiest to get into. Lots of newbie help and you get to blow shit up. Man those explosions were freaking amazing when CoH came out.

They still are. Also, nothing beats driving over Wehrmacht with a Sherman and watching them squirm and slowly die.

Fire at will! No, not at Wilhelm, he still owes me money!

 

[Gregz]

JA2 is one of the most complex strategy games ever made, you may end up just frustrated and quit, so save it. It's just too good a game not to play, but do it after you get your feet wet. Warm up with a few of these first.

Dune 2
Warcraft II
Civilization II
X-COM: UFO Defense
Master of Magic
Master of Orion
Age of Empires II

If you must play from the games you listed, I would go with Civ III. It's turn-based so you can read and think and your leisure and it's a fun game. (Civ IV sucks)

 

[Cazzeris]

Is Alpha Centauri complex? It looks more interesting than any Civilization game.

Thanks for recommend me old games. The new ones are just too expensive like Civ5 or Total War Rome 2 (I've heard this one is shit).
But there are some strategy games like Civilization I & II or Dune which aren't in GOG. Where should I get them?

 

[dehimos]

Is Alpha Centauri complex? It looks more interesting than any Civilization game.

He is not complex but the interface is old school.

 

[octavius]

Why does everyone recommend HoMM3 over 1 or 2?

For me, the reasons why I prefer HoMM3 are: nine factions (vs six in HoMM2 and four in HoMM1), improved AI, better artifacts, better skill system, more in-depth magic system based on classical elements, faction balance improved (ex. all factions have flying units in 3), each faction has a might-based and magic-based hero, more upgradeable units, special abilities to differentiate heroes, non-cartoony graphics (although the graphics 1 and 2 were charming in their way).

HoMM 2 is still very playable, though, even though I often long for HoMM 3 when I'm replaying HoMM 2; as you say it's just better in every way, although I guess the different art styles are a matter of taste.
HoMM 1 is very much obsolete, though, and I can only recommend it for anal retentive completionists.

All in all the HoMM games are a great introduction to strategy games, being both very accessible (I even overheard some teen girls discussing HoMM on the bus once), but also providing enough depth and challenge for veteran players.

 

[octavius]

I really want to play Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein

Don't bother. If you really just want to run around and shoot monsters in the face I'd recommend Half-Life over these. I really enjoyed Jedi Knight back in the day too but Doom and Wolfenstein not so much. Quake series was alright.

Having played all these three games quite recently (assuming Wolfenstein is the orginal one) I'd say Doom has aged better than Quake. At least I had much more fun playing Doom 1+2 using Doomsday Engine than I had playing the DirectQ source port of Quake.

 

[muds_animal_friend]

Classic easy to learn, slightly more difficult to master strategy games: Panzer General (also 95 and XP versions), Fantasy General, and their modern remakes Panzer Corps and Fantasy Wars (cheapest on GOG I think).

 

[catfood]

Is Alpha Centauri complex? It looks more interesting than any Civilization game.

Thanks for recommend me old games. The new ones are just too expensive like Civ5 or Total War Rome 2 (I've heard this one is shit).
But there are some strategy games like Civilization I & II or Dune which aren't in GOG. Where should I get them?

Stop being a pussy. I played SMAC when I was 12 and it kicked ass.

 

[octavius]

On a related note, Lords of Midnight (1984) and Doomdark's Revenge (1985) are actually for sale on GOG.com. They must be the oldest games they currently have for sale (they've both been updated though).

And they now come with an automap, making them more conventient to play.
LoM is actually a surprisingly good strategy (no tactics, though) game, while DD is more chaotic. For LoM there is an older, but yet more modern remake. Google "The Midnight Engine".

 

[Cadmus]

I think the classics that set the rules for games to come (or solidified them) and are still accessible today would be:
Age of Empires 2, 3 isn't bad either
Command and Conquer: either Red Alert 2, Tiberian Sun, practically anything except for Red Alert 3
Warcraft 2 and 3 (don't laugh at warcraft 3, guys)

Turn based hero fantasy strategy:
Heroes of Might and Magic 3 and 4
Age of Wonders 2: Shadow Magic
Disciples 2

people obviously like Star Craft, I think it might be the most popular of them all but I've never played it so I can't comment.

Then there's the recent MOBAs that kinda fit the strategy genre imo:
DOTA (a map for Warcraft 3)
League of Legends
Heroes of Newerth
I can say I liked all of them, I haven't played Dota 2.

I liked but can't recommend as classic games, so check them out, they might be your niche:
Cossacks - for massive battles and interesting setting, quite a unique game
Kohan: Ahriman's Gift - for massive battles and interesting setting
Incubation: Time is running out - squad based turn based strategy/puzzle hybrid, wonderful atmosphere and gameplay
Command and Conquer: Generals: Zero Hour or the base game - CandC in realistic(ish) setting
Pharaoh - nice atmosphere, city building strategy, dunno wachacallthem
Stronghold ...this is a castle builder game a must play but I don't think it's managed to spawn its own subgenre to be called a classic

I'm sure I'll think of more, keep us updated because I'm very interested in your opinions on a new genre!

 

[Cadmus]

Too late for edit:
Don't start your RTS gaming with the fucking JA2, it's got nothing to do with the classic Dune/Warcraft RTS archetype, it's complicated and nuanced and after finishing it (after 3232387284738 hours) you won't be any closer to understanding an RTS than if you'd played Zelda.

Uhm and now I realize you just said "strategy" not necessarily RTS, but I kinda took it for granted because that's the most basic kind of strategy as understood today (no..?)

 

[Whisky]

Hi, I've never played a strategy game and I want to do it. Which one should I start?

I have these ones:

- Jagged Alliance 2 Gold Edition
- Civilization III Complete
- Civilization IV Complete
- Medieval II: Total War
- Rome: Total War
- Company of Heroes

Please, help me to choose a good and simple one.

Bro, you've got a damn good selection, you could really start with any of these and have a good first strategy game.

Jagged Alliance 2 is squad-based and is more similar to an RPG. It's mostly on a tactical level, with very limited strategic layer. It's an amazing game, especially with the 1.13 mod.

Civ IV is the best Civ game. It's what I'd recommend as a first Strategy game. Civ is very simple, if it's your first time playing a strategy game it might be a big confusing at first, but it is really easy to learn and the in-game encyclopedia has all the answers.

You've got the two best Total War games there. They're not very complicated, especially since the AI is kind of retarded. Just load up whichever and start. Strategic layer is pretty simple, the focus is on battles.

 

[Cazzeris]

Hi, I've never played a strategy game and I want to do it. Which one should I start?

I have these ones:

- Jagged Alliance 2 Gold Edition
- Civilization III Complete
- Civilization IV Complete
- Medieval II: Total War
- Rome: Total War
- Company of Heroes

Please, help me to choose a good and simple one.

Bro, you've got a damn good selection, you could really start with any of these and have a good first strategy game.

Thanks.

Jagged Alliance 2 is squad-based and is more similar to an RPG. It's mostly on a tactical level, with very limited strategic layer. It's an amazing game, especially with the 1.13 mod.

Civ IV is the best Civ game. It's what I'd recommend as a first Strategy game. Civ is very simple, if it's your first time playing a strategy game it might be a big confusing at first, but it is really easy to learn and the in-game encyclopedia has all the answers.

You've got the two best Total War games there. They're not very complicated, especially since the AI is kind of retarded. Just load up whichever and start. Strategic layer is pretty simple, the focus is on battles.

I forgot to mention that I have got Dungeon Keeper Gold. As I've said, it looks pretty fun and easy, so I think I'm going to start it.

Is KeeperFX necessary for GOG version?

 

[Abelian]

Cossacks - for massive battles and interesting setting, quite a unique game

Fantastic game, but I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner, since it requires good rock-paper-scissors mechanics knowledge (more so than AoE2) and use of formations, in addition to managing many resources. In addition, the campaigns are notoriously hard. I only finished the England and Ukraine campaigns, but not the France or Russia ones.