Hi guys,
I recently started playing (and privately experimenting with modding)
Battletech.
It is actually one of the reasons I have become much less active modding
WTP.
---------
Of course
Battletech (Story Rich Tactical Battles) and
Civ4Col (Big Scale Strategic Empire Building) can not really be compared
considering gameplay.
(They are completely different genres and offer completetly different gameplay focus.)
There is of course also
no point in comparing graphics, sounds, ... of an old game (Civ4Col from 2008) with a new game (Battletech from 2018).
Such a comparison would simply be straight out unfair. Of course Battlech would easily win.
Battletech also offers modding capabilities (DLL and JSON) and has a highly active modding community.
Generally
Civ4Col is still
much more "modding friendly" though and allows
more access to core logic and
3D-graphics are much easier to be created.
Battltech is extremely
heavy considering performance. (Both GPU and CPU)
Especially once you play
one of the big Battltech mods, an older machine will easily be brought to its knees.
Technical Summary:
Battletech is definitely the winner considering presentation and technology.
Civ4Col is however much better considering "modding-friendliness" and performance.
---------
I also like the
lore and
scenario that
Battletech offers, but that is just
personal taste.
There are two thing however that
Battletech does really great that I had always been
missing in Civ4Col.
1. Storytelling !!!
Battletech has a long story campaign with great cut-scenes, mini-campaigns (Flashpoints) with extensive dialogues and many small random events.
More can be added realtively easily and that is exactly what many mods have been doing.
I have always dreamed about modding a game and
actually telling a story.
2. Intensive Tactical Combat !!!
I straight out love the (tactical turn based) combat system of Battletech. (Well of course, that is the core element of the game.)
It is really not just about "mass always wins", it is really about using different tactics every battle and also has strategic elements.
Doing something similar for a game like Civ4Col seems almost impossible though.
---------
On the
"stratgic aspects" it is
pretty limited or others would say "streamlined" though.
(A bit of buying / selling equipment and hiring / training mech pilots.)
All you do is focussed on enhacing your ship, mechs and pilots.
There is nothing like "complex economy", "micro-management" or "empire building".
It is ok for the game, but still
there is something missing that I really like in
WTP.
(The positive of that is, that I will most likely also be playing
WTP again from time to time.)
---------
By the way:
Battletech is published by
Firaxis as well.
It was developed by
Hairbrain Schemes.
---------
Overall Summary:
Battlech has the
storytelling and the
intensive tactical combat I have always been missing in Civ-like games. (Which includes WTP.)
If it could
have a child with
WTP and thus inherit the
great strategical aspects and
awesome modding capabilities of it, that would be the
perfect game.
Basically that is what I had always been dreaming of when I wanted to create
"Path to the Throne".
- Deep storytelling (with lots of lore, drama, treachery, ... in a unique setting with a bit darker atmosphere)
- Intensive combat (with lots of tactical options and very varied units that would really hurt if you lose them)
- Strong strategic gameplay (with lots of interesting exploration, expansion, economy, diplomacy, population management, ...)
- Awesome modding capabilities (to allow to add further gameplay content without hiring professional developers)
I know that it would never look as good as modern games, but I also would not really care.
I am not a "presentation junky", I care for
story and
gameplay (both tactical battles and big strategy).
---------
And yes, I am just a dreamer that still dreams about his
"perfect game" and kind of feel that it will never come true if I do not
create it myself ...
Maybe one day I will have a game or mod that will have both (great story and great gameplay) ...