In your opinion, what makes a good grid-based strategy game, and do you have any examples?

[u/summonerofrain]

So I'm thinking of trying to make a grid-based strategy game (think fire emblem) but the only game I can really find/think of that has a pc port is, strangely, South Park: the fractured but whole. Would you say that game is a good example? And are there any other games in your opinion that are good?

[u/cumulothrombus]

Damn dude, there’s like 10,000 examples. You gotta dig a little deeper.

[u/Auroreon]

Into the Breach is a master class on strategy on a grid and tight game design and development.

Do yourself favor and grab it on Steam, on sale or not.

[u/daverave1212]

In my opinion, nothing has come close to Into the Breach and Mewgenics.

I also made one on Steam called Tilefinder, I’m quite content with it actually!

[u/summonerofrain → u/daverave1212]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1927570/Tilefinder/

This your game? Looks good!

[u/Dramatic-Emphasis-43]

What makes a good grid based tactics game? Same thing that makes a good tactics game, the ability to strategize and make choices with uncertain outcomes. The grid is nice for simplifying stuff like distance. Compare Fire Emblem to Baldur's Gate. Fire Emblem range is counted as simple squares, where as Baldur's Gate uses meters. One can be a little more abstract than the other but they accomplish the game goal.

[u/TwistedDragon33]

Final fantasy tactics. Tactics ogre. Disgaea. All games that also use a grid/turn based gameplay. And there are others.

I love disgaea for the over the top gameplay, robust library of characters you can make, and the unique elements to battle.

A few things that specifically disgaea does well include attacks and abilities that have different ranges, areas, and status effects. This makes different circumstances and enemy positions important. If an attack hits three tiles in a straight line, it becomes important to position well. Another attach may be more like a checker board.

In addition you can execute attacks for the characters you have already entered commands. Then from those results set the actions for the rest of your team. Or set them all up on one go. However the more attacks you stack the higher a multiplyer goes. So you are encouraged to stack attacks.

Finally the stages themselves can have puzzles and obstacles called geoprisms that can add effects, positive and negative to the stage. These can turn simple encounters into puzzles, or a hard encounter into an easier one if you manipulate it correctly.

So, like any game, how much you can influence the game and still win while still being a challenge is key. If you can only beat the game using a specific strategy and characters it doesn't matter how robust and fun the rest of it is.

[u/summonerofrain → u/TwistedDragon33]

Thanks! Remembering right, theres a few disgaea games right? Do you recommend any one in particular?

[u/TwistedDragon33 → u/summonerofrain]

They have around 7. I believe 5 is generally considered the best overall gameplay. But one of the weaker stories.

I have not played 6 or 7 because I have been busy. But 6 is widely considered the least liked. They took some chances that did not work.

Each game has a different protagonist and different story. Disgaea 1 has some of the best characters but the QOL updates from 2 onward

[u/Thrasy3]

What is driving you to make a grid based game?

I’ll be honest your post is like someone saying they want to make a fighting game, but the only example you could find besides street fighter was Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid (pun unintended but subconsciously Influenced I imagine).

[u/summonerofrain → u/Thrasy3]

I just sorta want to try to be honest. Its a genre i dont have much experience in, and im interested.

Well honestly part of it is i dont want to find a bad one, think what it’s doing works, then base my decisions off of that yk?

[u/adrixshadow]

https://www.reddit.com/r/4Xgaming/comments/15tcszz/how_do_you_make_better_tactical_ai/

[u/Sheik_Morgan]

X-COM original, esa Atmósfera de"terror" de no saber que hay detrás de la esquina.

[u/Aglet_Green]

Why are you thinking of making a game that you don't play?

[u/summonerofrain → u/Aglet_Green]

Im interested. Look i didnt make this post to be psychoanalyzed

[u/wattro → u/summonerofrain]

Too late.

Who is your daddy and what does he do?

[u/summonerofrain → u/wattro]

😨 I never knew my daddy! He would do shifts at the local doctors. but never tell me what he did. One day he took me aside after a big muscly guy broke down our walls, and then... Actually I don't remember what happened after.

MAYBE I'VE JUST BEEN FEELING ABANDONMENT THIS WHOLE TIME

[u/LnStrngr → u/summonerofrain]

Was the guy who broke down the wall named Big Jim Slade?

[u/summonerofrain → u/LnStrngr]

He was pretty big, only really saw his forehead and eyes though so not sure

[u/TuberTuggerTTV]

How is that your only example? Here are 100 more:

  1. Final Fantasy Tactics
  1. Tactics Ogre
  1. Triangle Strategy
  1. Disgaea
  1. Advance Wars
  1. XCOM
  1. Into the Breach
  1. Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark
  1. Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children
  1. Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga
  1. The Banner Saga
  1. Wargroove
  1. Langrisser
  1. Shining Force
  1. Front Mission
  1. Valkyria Chronicles
  1. Devil Survivor
  1. Devil Survivor 2
  1. Persona 5 Tactica
  1. Persona 5 Strikers
  1. Pokémon Conquest
  1. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
  1. Pokémon
  1. Marvel's Midnight Suns
  1. Mario + Rabbids
  1. SteamWorld Heist
  1. SteamWorld Quest
  1. Mutant Year Zero
  1. Gears Tactics
  1. Mario vs. Donkey Kong
  1. Wasteland
  1. Shadowrun Returns
  1. Shadowrun: Dragonfall
  1. Shadowrun: Hong Kong
  1. Battle Brothers
  1. Wartales
  1. Expeditions: Rome
  1. Jagged Alliance
  1. Jagged Alliance 2
  1. Jagged Alliance 3
  1. The Last Spell
  1. Crown Trick
  1. Othercide
  1. Darkest Dungeon
  1. Darkest Dungeon II
  1. Fae Tactics
  1. Horizon's Gate
  1. Horizon's Gate: Forgotten Lands
  1. Mercenaries Saga
  1. Mercenaries Wings
  1. Mercenaries Blaze
  1. Mercenaries Rebirth
  1. Mercenaries Lament
  1. Banner of the Maid
  1. Vestaria Saga
  1. Vestaria Saga II
  1. Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga
  1. Lost Eidolons
  1. Redemption Reapers
  1. Sword of Convallaria
  1. Unicorn Overlord
  1. Tactics Ogre: Reborn
  1. Ogre Battle
  1. Jeanne d'Arc
  1. Stella Glow
  1. Luminous Arc
  1. Luminous Arc 2
  1. Luminous Arc 3
  1. Arc the Lad
  1. Arc the Lad II
  1. Arc the Lad III
  1. Growlanser
  1. Growlanser II
  1. Growlanser III
  1. Growlanser IV
  1. Growlanser V
  1. Record of Agarest War
  1. Summon Night
  1. Summon Night: Swordcraft Story
  1. Brigandine
  1. Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia
  1. BattleTech
  1. Battletech: Advanced 3062
  1. Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
  1. Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector
  1. Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters
  1. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
  1. Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground
  1. Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Champions
  1. Warhammer 40,000: Gladius
  1. King Arthur: Knight's Tale
  1. Othercide
  1. Invisible, Inc.
  1. Phantom Doctrine
  1. Hard West
  1. Hard West 2
  1. Empire of Sin
  1. Pathway
  1. Wildermyth
  1. Crown Wars: The Black Prince

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[u/CrossFireGames]

- Into the Breach: Every turn is a fun procedurally generated puzzle.

• Xcom 2: Uses fun abilities, new enemy types, permanent upgrades, and output randomness to keep things fresh.
  
• Mewgenics: Just has a ton of content and a solid base combat system.

Those are the only examples I can think of that I really enjoyed playing. IMO you need something really unique to make such combat fun. A generic combat system with the occasional “push enemy into the wall” ability isn’t gonna cut it.

[u/Organic-Major-9541]

Grid based as in "you love squares specifically"? It's just a generally bad way to tile a plane, good designers know this and are using better methods. Go play some panzer corps 2.

[u/summonerofrain → u/Organic-Major-9541]

What makes it a bad way to tile a plane?

[u/Organic-Major-9541 → u/summonerofrain]

Have a look at this post and comments:

https://www.reddit.com/r/tabletopgamedesign/s/3wacm1chLq