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I LOVE the first part of 4x games like Civ, when you explore/settle/fill the map. Recommendations?

CitizenVectron

CitizenVectron

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,394
I absolutely love the first hour or two of games like Civilization or Stellaris, where you are expanding and settling and figuring out the lay of the land and racing to fill it. I enjoy the middle of the game to a decent extent, where you are making relationships with neighbours, as well. But I hate the end game where it's just preparing for war and tech-racing.

Are there any good games out there that really capture the feel of of the first 1/3 of Civ/Stellaris-type games, where the point is exploration and a race to get territory? I find that once games reach the stage of having the map full, they are pretty boring (the battles are predictable, and a slog).

I appreciate any ideas or input!

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OP
OP
CitizenVectron

CitizenVectron

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,394
Looking around, it doesn't seem like there are many good options outside of just starting new civ game after an hour.
 
Alastor3

Alastor3

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Oct 28, 2017
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Endless Legend is amazing, you can see a lot of the gameplay of EL in the new Civ6
 
crimsonlink

crimsonlink

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Oct 29, 2017
700
CitizenVectron Try out Rise of Nations by Big Huge Games. You just need to change the rulesets to have a good time. You can set it to where there is no war and only the biggest economy that reaches a certain point will win the match.
 
Jonnax

Jonnax

Member
Oct 26, 2017
4,920
Have you played the Anno series?
Anno 1404 has that feel of Civ in terms of the fun time period.

The focus of the series is more of setting up resource production chains rather than military conquest.

It's quite jolly.
 
Of All Trades

Of All Trades

Member
Mar 15, 2019
12
I'll throw in another vote for Anno and Settlers. Anno is definitely more calm but doesn't have quite the "you vs them" exploration/capture nature of Civ. Settlers definitely has the capture mechanics.
 
OP
OP
CitizenVectron

CitizenVectron

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,394
I've also found that the Game Options mod for Civ 5 allows an Always Peace mode, where war is now allowed, and focuses on expansion and then trade
 
Hella

Hella

Member
Oct 27, 2017
23,397
You know, you might enjoy Crusader Kings 2. It allows for many clever ways to expand your territory, from cleverly-planned inheritances and arranged marriages, to more traditional warfare over claims. But CK2's unique trait is that your territory changes every time succession occurrs--which can mean you lose none of your empire... or, at times, all of it.

As of the latest expansion, there's an option to randomise the map to your heart's content, too. It is all revealed at the start, but the factions in control change constantly as their powers wax and wane. There's a lot of variety to it, beyond just "the big get bigger".
 
Ganransu

Ganransu

Member
Nov 21, 2017
1,270
I'm exactly the same: enjoy that explore and expand feel of the early game, but not so much the end game to rush for victory(especially militaristic). I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.

Sorry, I have no suggestion to offer though.
 
Peacemillian

Peacemillian

Member
Oct 25, 2017
635
Try the Age of Wonders trilogy, 4x games with magic and dragons and the option of manual tactical combat, all 3 games are fantastic.
 
zombipuppy

zombipuppy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
221
OP, you described my favorite parts of 4X games as well. Gonna keep an eye on this thread and jump on some recommendations :)
 
Hella

Hella

Member
Oct 27, 2017
23,397
Theoretically, being an exploration/subsistence 4X is what At The Gates is all about, but from everything I've heard about it, it absolutely does not pull it off.

Thea: The Awakening (1 or 2) does the whole scavenging thing much better, though it's not really about building a giant empire so much as surviving. I think they're both Thea 1 and 2 are great but it might not be what folks are looking for.
 

GrinningColossus

Member
Oct 27, 2017
187
Curious Expedition
The game starts you off as some famous explorers (or their stand-ins), is vaguely based around ages of exploration/colonization, and you compete for prestige and/or money. It's hex based and combat is card/dice, based on your party members.


There is a cool History Respawned episode with the developer that talks about some of the design decisions and historical background. (link)
 

Deleted member 2507

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Hella said:
But CK2's unique trait is that your territory changes every time succession occurrs--which can mean you lose none of your empire... or, at times, all of it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Experienced this very, very strongly.
In 47 years, i had conquered all of Scandinavia and Finland, starting from small duchy. In another 50 years, i had lost everything but 2/3rds of my starting duchy, and i was a subject of another empire.
 
Shodan14

Shodan14

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
9,410
Alpha Centauri is still the best in the category. Age of Wonders 3 is really good as well, if you're into the HoMM style.

There's also Aurora 4x (free) and Distant Worlds: Universe if you want more hardcore stuff.
 
Unicorn

Unicorn

One Winged Slayer
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Oct 29, 2017
9,527
SPORE's space stage was basically this, right? Not much depth though. Love playing a Stellaris game for a few hours, then just end up rerolling to explore again lol
 
makonero

makonero

Member
Oct 27, 2017
9,655
If you don't mind difficulty (and really once you figure out how to keep your population from exploding by not buying too many houses) Banished is my suggestion. I love that game to death. Played it and got most of the achievements and I never try for those. Super fun city builder with exploration, resource management, and it's you versus the elements. Fuck winter to death.
 
LazyLain

LazyLain

Member
Jan 17, 2019
6,486
This thread speaks to me.

I feel very similarly to OP, but also haven't had much luck finding a game that scratches the itch that early-game Civ gives me.
 
Torchiq

Torchiq

Member
Dec 10, 2018
18
Etrian Odyssey series and it's map making mechanics. Completing a dungeon floor by figuring out all it's traps/gimmicks and avoiding mini bosses are really satisfying.
 
dadjumper

dadjumper

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,932
New Zealand
crimsonlink said:
CitizenVectron Try out Rise of Nations by Big Huge Games. You just need to change the rulesets to have a good time. You can set it to where there is no war and only the biggest economy that reaches a certain point will win the match.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Came to say this. You also get the fun of exploration a lot because every time you do a "battle" you just play out a whole game of an RTS. It's great.
 
zeknurn

zeknurn

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,269
Check out the recently released and made by one guy:


It's basically the exploration and expanding of 4x combined with the city building of the Impressions Games.

There's also a similar game to this by Petroglyph coming up called Romans: Age of Caesar.
 
BlackRainbowFT

BlackRainbowFT

Member
Oct 26, 2017
792
Lafazar said:
Check out the Anno and Settlers series.
https://www.gog.com/games?search=anno
https://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=anno
https://www.gog.com/games?search=settlers
https://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=settlers
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Pretty much this.

I'm less familiar with settlers, but anno focuses on logistics / building trading routes. Combat takes a backseat and is at best serviceable... You basically spend most of your time figuring out where to send resource A in order to build resource B, etc. Although the mechanics themselves are different, the feeling is very similar.

And yes, like you I don't find Civ's end game compelling at all... It's just a drag. I'd suggest you try Anno 1404!
 
Kodama4

Kodama4

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,933
4X & strategy games are having a renaissance at the moment, so many games coming out

New Total War
ANNO
Settlers
Tropico
Age of Wonders
Starborne

List goes on and on
 
Woylie

Woylie

Member
May 9, 2018
1,849
The Uncharted Waters games are set in the Age of Exploration and have a bit of this, though the graphical presentation is closer to something like FF Mystic Quest.

Wikipedia

Not really the same game genre but I always liked the parts of Terranigma where you're going to different parts of the (real) world and seeing them evolve through history. Might be something you'd like!
 
unicornKnight

unicornKnight

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Oct 27, 2017
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Athens, Greece
crimsonlink said:
CitizenVectron Try out Rise of Nations by Big Huge Games. You just need to change the rulesets to have a good time. You can set it to where there is no war and only the biggest economy that reaches a certain point will win the match.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Played this game a lot and loved it, never realized there was a ruleset like that.

OP definitely try Rise of Nations!

Also check out https://www.gog.com/game/pharaoh_cleopatra much more economy/focused building.
 
Mazzo

Mazzo

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,419
Brazil
+1 to Curious Expedition. It has exactly that feeling of wonder and discovery from the first 50 turns of Civ, but for the whole game.
 
Lyng

Lyng

Editor at Popaco.dk
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Oct 27, 2017
2,206
You should check out Northgard. The exploration is very important and fun here and a match doesn't take more than an hour.
 
Anteo

Anteo

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Oct 25, 2017
4,099
are there any good games like this for android? i searched but i really cant tell thr quality of these games on the store
 
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