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Off-Topic Discussion => Gaming Discussion => Topic started by: McCall on August 20, 2009, 05:07:27 pm

Title: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: McCall on August 20, 2009, 05:07:27 pm
British trains have small seats. Smaller than the average man. Even a thin one. They also go very, very, VERY slowly...

So has anyone got any good tips for turn-based games suitable for a laptop? You know, the kind where you don't need to go frantically clicking around or relying on reflexes.

I've already got the obvious candidates: Civ4, Galactic Civs 2, People's General, Sword of the Stars.

Any others out there?
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Solatar on August 20, 2009, 05:16:36 pm
I like Battle for Wesnoth. Free, open source game.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: The E on August 20, 2009, 05:17:50 pm
Megamek, if you fancy a bit of Battletech (Although I don't know off-hand if that works offline).
FreeCiv, if you want Civilization without 3d graphics leeching your battery.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Colonol Dekker on August 20, 2009, 05:22:12 pm
X-Com for the weeeeeeeeeen
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: SpardaSon21 on August 20, 2009, 05:41:04 pm
I'm going to have to second Sword of the Stars, although the tactical combat can really eat up CPU with its per-polygon hit detection and real-time projectile tracking.  Make sure you have at least AMoC or the UC though.  The final expansion, Argos Naval Yards would be best, simply because it adds MOAR to the game.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: NGTM-1R on August 20, 2009, 06:39:17 pm
Megamek, if you fancy a bit of Battletech (Although I don't know off-hand if that works offline).

Megamek's AI is actually fairly good.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Galemp on August 20, 2009, 07:03:24 pm
Age of Empires works pretty well, if you have an eensy weensy retractable mouse like I do.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Locutus of Borg on August 20, 2009, 09:49:56 pm
AoE is FTW

mainly because you can design any battle you want with the, quite intuitive, letter editor.

But IT IS RTS
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Galemp on August 20, 2009, 11:03:29 pm
But you can set the speed...
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Thaeris on August 20, 2009, 11:03:49 pm
Best strategy game(s) ever: Combat Mission

http://battlefront.com/

I'm not a fan of the new one, it's just the interface. Combat Mission is best played turn based... or is it?  :cool: The game actually takes your commands then excecutes them simultaneously with the enemy's commands, so it's literally turn-based and real-time at the same time! Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord was the first released and should still work with Vista (if that's what you're running); the only thing it can't seem to process is fog.

-Thaeris
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Liberator on August 20, 2009, 11:51:54 pm
I've always enjoyed a round of Alpha Centauri.  Also, if you can dig it up, Master of Magic is still as cool as it ever was, fire up D-Fend and you are good to go.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Sushi on August 21, 2009, 12:36:04 am
If you're willing to go RPG instead of RTS, Neverwinter Nights is perfect for this scenario IMHO. There's enough high-quality community campaigns to last a lifetime of train rides. :D
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: McCall on August 21, 2009, 03:27:55 am
Cheers guys. There's more out there than I thought. Haven't actually tried an RPG before though. Maybe I should.

Oh, yeah, I forgot about X-Com. I've got that too. Thank heavens for dosbox (it also let me resurrect Sensible World of Soccer '96/'97 - stuff all that fancy graphics FIFA and PES nonsense!)
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Liberator on August 21, 2009, 03:52:32 am
If you don't already, I heartily recommend D-Fend as a tasty gui coating for DOSBox.  Course I'm too lazy to screw around with text files and D-Fend can act as a manager for all your DOSBox programs.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: headdie on August 21, 2009, 04:09:59 am
If you don't already, I heartily recommend D-Fend as a tasty gui coating for DOSBox.  Course I'm too lazy to screw around with text files and D-Fend can act as a manager for all your DOSBox programs.

i will second that.  being able to store setup data and create desktop shortcuts from the saved data.  currently running Defend Reloaded which supports windows games
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Titan on August 21, 2009, 10:09:37 am
If you don't want to get X-com, UFO:AI is a free fan-made remake. It's pretty cool. Lots of replayability.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Wobble73 on August 21, 2009, 10:52:30 am
Best strategy game(s) ever: Chess
http://battlefront.com/

-Thaeris

I believe there are plenty of chess games available for the PC, my personal favorite was BattleChess, seeing a knight stomp over thump the queen, class!  :lol: :yes:
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Galemp on August 21, 2009, 11:00:31 am
You could buy Castles and Castles II from GOG.com for cheap. They're ancient games but they're REALLY good.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Thaeris on August 21, 2009, 11:39:14 am
Best strategy game(s) ever: Chess
http://battlefront.com/

-Thaeris

I believe there are plenty of chess games available for the PC, my personal favorite was BattleChess, seeing a knight stomp over thump the queen, class!  :lol: :yes:

 :wtf:

That's an interesting misquote there, Wobble. Have you ever played a Combat Mission game? You might just enjoy it.

If you want a good, old-fashioned RPG you might check out Spiderweb Software's Avernum series (which is based off of the archaic Exile series). Good story, long games. My only complaint with the game as-is was the lack of tactical complexity due to terrain in certain situations. I'd also recommend trying one of the first three games... the ones after that look to me like overkill on the storyline. Enjoying that style of gameplay is another matter entirely... it's not exactly the most exciting thin in the world...

-Thaeris
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: phatosealpha on August 21, 2009, 01:49:29 pm
If you can scare up a copy, Silent Storm: Sentinels is a lot of fun.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: NGTM-1R on August 21, 2009, 06:14:43 pm
You could buy Castles and Castles II from GOG.com for cheap. They're ancient games but they're REALLY good.

Castles II works? I have the CD for that still, but it's nonfunctional. :(
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Galemp on August 21, 2009, 10:37:26 pm
It runs just fine with DOSbox.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: mxlm on August 22, 2009, 01:31:15 am
If you can scare up a copy, Silent Storm: Sentinels is a lot of fun.

Play Jagged Alliance 2 instead. The truncated ranges in SS are more than slightly annoying; they actually have a substantial impact on gameplay. For the worse.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: castor on August 22, 2009, 05:24:12 am
And there's always Wizardy8, another Sir-Tech gem.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: McCall on August 23, 2009, 10:16:46 am
Ta, folks. Plenty there for me to look into. Appreciated.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Colonol Dekker on August 23, 2009, 10:19:16 am
Xcom is a must. Can't stress that enough.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Titan on August 23, 2009, 01:36:11 pm
Xcom is a must. Can't stress that enough.

again, if you can't find/don't want to buy Xcom, UFO:AI is a fan-made remake.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: headdie on August 23, 2009, 03:01:56 pm
Xcom is a must. Can't stress that enough.

again, if you can't find/don't want to buy Xcom, UFO:AI is a fan-made remake.

i will second UFO:AI its good and the project has been going on for years
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: mxlm on August 24, 2009, 12:56:20 am
The one time I tried UFO:AI I found it didn't have destructible terrain (something to do with using the Quake engine, IIRC), which was a deal breaker form e. It's not X-Com if I can't demolish entire rooms with my rocket launcher. Has that changed?
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Kosh on August 24, 2009, 04:45:43 am
There's always the original Master of Orion, run via DOSBox. Do those trains have electrical outlets?


Quote
British trains have small seats. Smaller than the average man. Even a thin one. They also go very, very, VERY slowly...

Hard to imagine they used to be the envy of the world. That being said the new bullet trains in China are very very nice, the one from nanjing to shanghai just takes an hour and a half or so to go 300km.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Titan on August 24, 2009, 07:11:46 am

Quote
British trains have small seats. Smaller than the average man. Even a thin one. They also go very, very, VERY slowly...

Hard to imagine they used to be the envy of the world. That being said the new bullet trains in China are very very nice, the one from nanjing to shanghai just takes an hour and a half or so to go 300km.
[/quote]

Oh, you mean the maglevs?
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: headdie on August 24, 2009, 03:34:05 pm
There's always the original Master of Orion, run via DOSBox. Do those trains have electrical outlets?


Quote
British trains have small seats. Smaller than the average man. Even a thin one. They also go very, very, VERY slowly...

Hard to imagine they used to be the envy of the world. That being said the new bullet trains in China are very very nice, the one from nanjing to shanghai just takes an hour and a half or so to go 300km.

never played the original but had Master of Orion 2 and it was awsome
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Ziame on August 24, 2009, 04:51:47 pm
Heroes of might and magic 3 in the wake of gods
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Kosh on August 24, 2009, 10:56:59 pm
Quote
never played the original but had Master of Orion 2 and it was awsome


It's similair, but it is simpler and you don't have that super annoying command point system, so your fleet size is only restricted by how good your economy is and how much you're willing to throw at it (if the fleet starts taking up more than 10% of the total planetary spending then it will noticably start slowing down your research, so quantity vs. quality). Unfortunately because of its extreme age, there's no multiplayer, since it was made in '93 before the world wide web and certainly before home networking became popular.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: Stormkeeper on August 25, 2009, 01:10:23 am
No one's mentioned Heroes 3 yet? Heroes of Might & Magic 3. Pretty solid, low spec game. Quite fun, and the AI is generally competent, or you could just play the campaign...
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: McCall on August 25, 2009, 02:45:51 am
There's always the original Master of Orion, run via DOSBox. Do those trains have electrical outlets?

Quote
British trains have small seats. Smaller than the average man. Even a thin one. They also go very, very, VERY slowly...

Hard to imagine they used to be the envy of the world. That being said the new bullet trains in China are very very nice, the one from nanjing to shanghai just takes an hour and a half or so to go 300km.

Long distance (by our standards) trains that are fairly new have power outlets for laptops. Commuter trains into the capital are essentially cattletrucks, so no.

It is indeed hard to imagine that of any of our public services were ever the envy of the world, be they outsourced (they say our trains are privatised, but it is really outsourcing rather than real privatisation) or fully state run. But that's another discussion.

I don't think anyone really understands what the deal is with our trains. They are expensive, yet heavily subsidised. Meanwhile other forms of transport like cars and planes are taxed to buggery. It is often reported that the most expensive travel part of a family holiday here is the train journey to the airport. For my girlfriend's recent trip to Italy, her flight there cost around the same as the 40 mile train ticket to London she sometimes needs. We've actually found it cheaper to rent a family car and pay for the petrol than to buy advance tickets to Lancaster. Crazy!

However, if you work in London, you pretty much have no choice but to use trains. They have you by the balls and boy do they like to squeeze. It is quite telling that none of my friends or family who work outside the capital ever use trains, for work or pleasure. Ever. Last time I saw my friend in Glasgow, he actually flew down here. It was cheaper to get on a heavily taxed, multi-million pound airplane than it was to ride a subsidised, glorified milkfloat.

Phew, sorry about the rant. I'm venting. This morning I've been wrestling the train company's moronic customer services staff over compensation they owe for a cancelled train (the driver didn't bloody turn up!), who appear incapable of reading. Oh, and my girlfriend's train to work just got cancelled too. You get the picture.

I'm guessing the Chinese authorities have a lower threshold for bull**** from the train operators (and their staff), which might be why they are getting somewhere.
Title: Re: Recommended turn-based games for long train journeys
Post by: headdie on August 25, 2009, 03:17:37 am
Quote
never played the original but had Master of Orion 2 and it was awsome


It's similair, but it is simpler and you don't have that super annoying command point system, so your fleet size is only restricted by how good your economy is and how much you're willing to throw at it (if the fleet starts taking up more than 10% of the total planetary spending then it will noticably start slowing down your research, so quantity vs. quality). Unfortunately because of its extreme age, there's no multiplayer, since it was made in '93 before the world wide web and certainly before home networking became popular.

remember playing Master of Orion 2 hot seat with my sister, especially good if you had the final patch so you could fully customize your race at the start