vicbrother

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  1. Episode 302: The 4X Genre

    In my opinion the best 4X is Master of Magic. The clear concepts of two good games, Civilization and "Magic: The Gathering", makes the game better as any other 4X game or of the Civilization series. No questsystem, a very clear victory condition (ban or defeat all other sorcerer) no system of victory points but a climax in the end game, a flat "science" with magic spells (and you don't need spells with the combination warlord+artificier+charismatic...!), a lot of possibilities to win (play with fantastic creatures, spells, heroes, units), very fantastic world, a lot of tactical battles (you get a flow of little victorys!) and every new spell gives you a new game mechanic (other as in Civ). The combination of spells and units is a great thing too: In Civ you get a new technology with new units with only more HP,ATT,DEF. In MoM you get a new possibility for combination in fight, empire improvement or world domination and with the heroes you have a high personal relation to the game.The progression is impressive too: from a lttle sorcerer to the god of the world. Civ is interesting in the early game and the phase of exploration, but starting with the middle game the game is micromanagement only. Other design flaws are the needing of a good starting point, you need defensive neighbours and you look every round to the victory points. A good design needs new mechanics after a while, interesting deciscions, a curve of suspense, a climax at the end, and a flow effect in the game! But not so much victory conditions with no overlaps (only the military way forced to interact with other players). Civilization was good in 1991, but Civilization V is not good anymore. 4X is to much Civilization today. That is the problem. EDIT: At last one more important point: Citys are overpowered in the most 4X games. They produce food, science, mana, units and so on, the lost of one of them can decide a game. In my opinion it needs a more dynamic gameplay, without mass of troops in citys. In MoM there are towers to the other plane and mana nodes as a good idea.