What IS a 4X Game? (An advanced discussion)

D

dh_epic

Cold War Veteran
Joined
Feb 10, 2002
Messages
4,627
Location
Seasonal Residences
THE BASICS

Some of you might know what 4X is. The truth is, you're the people I want to hear from, because you should probably know better than I do!

To everyone else, let me bring you up to speed. The four X's are:

  • Explore the map.
  • Expand by creating new bases or colonies around the map.
  • Exploit the resources on the map, and find ways to increase your efficiency.
  • And Exterminate your opponents to win.

Here's the twist.

BASICS DON'T CUT IT

In Starcraft, you explore a map, moving through the fog of war. You expand by moving towards new resource piles, which you exploit with increasing efficiency thanks to building upgrades. Extermination is your path to victory.

Okay, you say.Starcraft is an RTS. What makes 4X unique is that it's a TURN BASED genre.

Then what the heck is Imperium Gallactica 2?

And, just what does Ironclad Games mean when they invent a genre term RT4X for "Sins of a Solar Empire"? What makes this an RT4X, while Age of Empires is just a regular RTS?

Let's get passed all the "it's obvious", or "it's intuitive" answers.

WHAT'S YOUR INPUT, FELLOW GAME NERDS?

What makes a 4X game a 4X game, as opposed to a strategy game that just happens to let you explore and expand across a map, exploiting resources and exterminating opponents in your wake?

What IS 4X? I'm dying to hear your interpretation.
 
Perfection said:
Alpha Centauri is THE 4x game, everything else is crap.
Click to expand...

I know this is OT, (but we are in the OT so i guess it fits) but have you played warcraft III, the best RTS game out there, just for the simple reason of how they stoped the zreging that takes place in ever other RTS game.
 
woody60707 said:
I know this is OT, (but we are in the OT so i guess it fits) but have you played warcraft III, the best RTS game out there, just for the simple reason of how they stoped the zreging that takes place in ever other RTS game.
Click to expand...
The hell is zreging?

As for best RTS, I dunno know about warcraft III. Total Annihilation still rocks my socks off.
 
Perfection said:
The hell is zreging?

As for best RTS, I dunno know about warcraft III. Total Annihilation still rocks my socks off.
Click to expand...

In Starcraft, Zerglings are cheap, dispensible units that a Zerg player can crank out incredibly quickly. Players use these to rush their opponents in an un-strategic and un-fun, but highly effective way.

I haven't played much Starcraft, but I can vouch for Total Annihilation being awesome as well.

Every RTS game and many TBS games I can think of fits this "4X" formula.
dh_epic said:
a strategy game that just happens to let you explore and expand across a map, exploiting resources and exterminating opponents in your wake
Click to expand...
This is a re-wording of the definition you just gave, so I'd say there is no difference, and that this "4X" thing is just an insight of what these games have in common.
 
Arcadian83 said:
Every RTS game and many TBS games I can think of fits this "4X" formula.

This is a re-wording of the definition you just gave, so I'd say there is no difference, and that this "4X" thing is just an insight of what these games have in common.
Click to expand...

Interesting... so what you mean to say is that Starcraft IS, in fact, a 4X game?
 
It baffles me too :)

I had a recent discussion, however, where everyone insisted that Starcraft is SO OBVIOUSLY not a 4X game.

They had no concrete reason.
 
Perfection said:
The hell is zreging?

As for best RTS, I dunno know about warcraft III. Total Annihilation still rocks my socks off.
Click to expand...


http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=zerging

yea, it was awesome for it's time, but too games now of days, just beat it on the AI said of teh table. (note: i didn't play TA till a few years ago, so this is most likely the reason that i don't think the game is as great as everyone says it is) the AI just doesn't hold up. Games like homeworld 2 and WCIII are more enjoyable to play. (tho i hate how in HW2 you get the BC and you more or less won)

And also, I hate how RTS games more or less always come down to building more units and getting more money the fastest, what is why i like WCIII you spent most of the game with no more then 30 units. it really put the S back in to RTS.

tho i will say this about TA, you couldn't just Build alot of D and wait for the computer to kill him self on you. what is how i end up beating more other RTS type games.
 
Also, yes, SC is a 4x game. what RTS game isn't,.. well maybe not TA, HW/2
 
4X refers to the genre of strategy games which deal with building an empire, with four primary goals: To explore, to expand, to exploit and to exterminate. A 4x game can be turn-based or real-time, but there are many strategy games that do not follow the 4x formula.

Gotta love wiki
 
There's reason to believe that wikipedia article is disputed.

Interesting. Maybe I should put it to a vote -- is starcraft a 4X game? I thought so initially, but I was convinced that it wasn't.
 
woody60707 said:
Also, yes, SC is a 4x game. what RTS game isn't,.. well maybe not TA, HW/2
Click to expand...
SC is not a 4X. It has very little of the 4x elements that very much shape the 4X experience.
 
RTS games are still not giving any improvement compared with original RTS game, Dune 2 for DOS game from early 1990. That 4X term is perfect proof of that.
 
I hear a lot of people claiming ultimate 4x game this and ultimate for 4x game that. You are most certainly wrong Space Empires for the as they like to say WIN.
 
Perfection said:
SC is not a 4X. It has very little of the 4x elements that very much shape the 4X experience.
Click to expand...

Why ISN'T it 4X? That's my main question.

What's the main difference between that and SMAC, besides the turn-based system, and the aesthetics (e.g.: aliens vs humans, as opposed to humans vs humans)?
 
dh_epic said:
Why ISN'T it 4X? That's my main question.

What's the main difference between that and SMAC, besides the turn-based system, and the aesthetics (e.g.: aliens vs humans, as opposed to humans vs humans)?
Click to expand...
SCs tech tree is tiny compared to that of 4Xs, you don't have a bajillion improvements, it's more fast paced, etc etc etc.
 
dh_epic said:
Why ISN'T it 4X? That's my main question.

What's the main difference between that and SMAC, besides the turn-based system, and the aesthetics (e.g.: aliens vs humans, as opposed to humans vs humans)?
Click to expand...

I would like to know also, Going back to star craft.
* Explore the map. (Check for SC)
* Expand by creating new bases or colonies around the map. (limited, but you did this leading to the next point)
* Exploit the resources on the map, and find ways to increase your efficiency. (More V-gas and such, and you can buy ungrades and such)
* And Exterminate your opponents to win. (yes, and then you start al over again the next level)

Now this is for a RTS type game, galciv just isn't the same game. Also i have heard only a few other places use the word 4X when talking about video games. Now if 4X was only to be used on turn based games, and some RTS'er pick up and the word, and well, i can kind of see how we are here talking about this right now. The word just got expanded to mean more things. This happens all the time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

lymond
Leigecraft - new 4X game
Replies
0
Views
448
lymond
lymond
Marla_Singer
What is 4X all about?
Replies
14
Views
2K
UWHabs
U
Bonyduck Campersang
Liegecraft - A New 4X Game in Development
Replies
5
Views
2K
Bonyduck Campersang
Bonyduck Campersang
Plains-Cow
Have you ever changed your mind because of a debate/discussion here?
2 3 4
Replies
69
Views
5K
Manfred Belheim
Manfred Belheim
GeneralZift
Simplicity is King
Replies
0
Views
504
GeneralZift
GeneralZift
Back
Top Bottom