Strategy in Video Games & Strategy Video Games!

Strategy games have long held a special place in the world of video gaming, appealing to players who relish the challenge of decision-making, resource management, and long-term planning. Unlike action-packed games that rely heavily on reflexes, strategy games reward critical thinking, patience, and a deep understanding of complex systems.

From the earliest board games like Chess to today’s digital masterpieces like Civilization and StarCraft, strategy games have evolved into an intricate genre that offers both entertainment and intellectual challenge. This essay explores the core elements of strategy games (and strategy video games), the types of decisions players must make, the psychological impact of strategic gameplay, and the future of the genre.

The Evolution of Strategy Games

The roots of strategy games can be traced back to ancient board games such as Chess and Go, where players must outmaneuver their opponents using tactical and strategic foresight. These games laid the foundation for modern strategy games by emphasizing long-term planning and decision-making over chance or reflexes. Chess, for example, is a game where each move is significant, and players must think several moves ahead to anticipate their opponent’s actions. This core principle—long-term planning—is what makes strategy games both challenging and rewarding.

The transition from physical board games to digital strategy games began with early titles like Dune II and Warcraft, which introduced real-time strategy (RTS) mechanics to a generation of gamers. In Dune II (1992), players controlled armies and bases in real-time, constantly balancing their military and economic resources. This new form of gameplay revolutionized the genre by adding time pressure and forcing players to make decisions in the heat of battle. The introduction of real-time mechanics gave rise to a new form of strategic thinking, where both long-term goals and immediate, tactical decisions were critical.

The real revolution in digital strategy games came with the Warcraft series (1994), developed by Blizzard Entertainment, which popularized the RTS genre. Warcraft allowed players to gather resources, build structures, and command armies in real-time battles. The emphasis on economy-building, troop management, and the rock-paper-scissors mechanic of unit strengths and weaknesses created a dynamic and highly competitive gaming environment.

As technology advanced, so too did the complexity of strategy games, with modern titles offering massive, dynamic worlds, deep economic systems, and intricate diplomacy. Games like Total War and Europa Universalis allowed players to control entire empires, making decisions that could affect the fate of nations over centuries. Meanwhile, StarCraft and Age of Empires focused on shorter-term tactical battles, where resource management and unit positioning were key to victory.

Today, strategy games are more diverse than ever, encompassing everything from turn-based strategy (TBS) to real-time strategy (RTS), 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate), and grand strategy games.

Key Elements of Strategy Games

At the heart of every strategy game is the process of decision-making. As Francisco Coelho discusses in his work on game design, “a good game is a series of interesting decisions,” where the success or failure of a player’s choices is a direct reflection of their skill. Coelho emphasizes that the goal of a strategy game is to immerse players in a “flow” state, where they are fully engaged in the game’s challenges and rewarded for their ability to make thoughtful decisions.

One of the most important aspects of strategy games is the balance between skill and chance. While action games often rely on reflexes, strategy games require players to think critically and plan ahead. However, many strategy games also incorporate elements of chance, such as randomized events or hidden information, to add unpredictability and excitement to the gameplay. This balance between skill and chance creates a dynamic experience where players must constantly adapt their strategies to changing circumstances.

Types of Decisions in Strategy Games

Coelho breaks down the types of decisions players make in strategy games into several categories: obvious, meaningful, blind, and trade-off decisions. These categories help to understand why some decisions in games are more engaging than others.

1. Obvious Decisions: When the optimal choice is clear, it can detract from the player’s experience. In such cases, the designer can remove the decision entirely or add time pressure to turn it into a challenge of speed rather than strategy. For example, in an RTS game like StarCraft, deciding to build more resource-gathering units early in the game is often an obvious choice, but executing this quickly and efficiently separates good players from great ones.
2. Meaningful Decisions: These are the heart of strategy games. A meaningful decision is one that significantly affects the outcome of the game, forcing the player to weigh different options carefully. For instance, in Civilization, deciding whether to invest in military units or focus on technological development can drastically alter the course of the game, making each decision critical to success.
3. Blind Decisions: Sometimes players must make decisions without all the necessary information. These can be frustrating if overused, but they add depth when balanced correctly. For example, in Risk, players often have to make moves without knowing the strength of their opponent’s forces, relying on intuition and strategy to guide them.
4. Trade-Off Decisions: A common feature in strategy games, trade-offs involve choosing between two or more equally viable options, each with its own set of pros and cons. These decisions are the most interesting because they reflect real-world scenarios where no option is perfect. In Total War, for example, players must decide whether to invest in economic growth or military expansion, knowing that either choice will come with benefits and drawbacks.

Dynamic Systems in Strategy Games

In the article on strategic games as dynamic systems, the authors present a model that explores how strategy games can be viewed as evolving, interconnected systems. This concept is particularly relevant to grand strategy games, where the player’s decisions have long-term consequences that can reverberate throughout the game.

For example, in a game like Europa Universalis IV, decisions made at the start of the game, such as which alliances to form or which provinces to conquer, can affect the player’s position hundreds of years later in-game time. These decisions are not isolated; they are part of a larger dynamic system where each choice interacts with others in complex ways. The study of dynamic systems in strategy games highlights how even seemingly small decisions can snowball into significant outcomes, making long-term planning essential.

One of the best examples of dynamic systems at work is in Crusader Kings III. In this grand strategy game, players control a dynasty rather than just a nation. The game emphasizes character relationships, inheritance laws, and personal politics, where every decision made by a ruler could have ripple effects across generations. The blend of strategy, diplomacy, and character management creates a highly dynamic system where players must constantly adapt to changing political landscapes.

Subgenres of Strategy Games

The strategy genre has branched out into multiple subgenres, each offering a unique blend of tactical and strategic decision-making. Some of the most prominent subgenres include:

1. Turn-Based Strategy (TBS): In TBS games, players take turns making their moves, which allows for thoughtful planning and deliberation. Games like Civilization and XCOM are iconic in this genre. In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, for example, players command a squad of soldiers fighting an alien invasion. Each turn requires careful positioning of units, use of resources, and calculated risks to outmaneuver the enemy. The turn-based structure gives players time to think through their decisions, making the game feel more methodical and strategic.
2. Real-Time Strategy (RTS): In RTS games, players must make decisions in real-time, adding an element of time pressure to their strategic thinking. Classic games like StarCraft and Warcraft III demand not only strategic foresight but also quick reactions and multitasking abilities. Players must manage resources, build units, and control armies simultaneously, making every second count. RTS games are known for their competitive nature, particularly in multiplayer environments, where players’ speed and precision can determine victory or defeat.
3. 4X Games: The 4X subgenre (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) emphasizes large-scale empire-building, where players control entire civilizations or galaxies. Sid Meier’s Civilization and Stellaris are two popular 4X titles. In these games, players must manage everything from diplomacy and trade to military conquest and technological research. The long-term nature of 4X games requires players to think several steps ahead, balancing short-term gains with long-term goals. Diplomacy, warfare, and economics are often intertwined, making each playthrough unique and challenging.
4. Grand Strategy: Grand strategy games take 4X mechanics to the next level, offering detailed control over not just military and economic systems but also politics, culture, and espionage. Paradox Interactive’s Hearts of Iron and Europa Universalis series are key examples of this genre. In Hearts of Iron IV, players manage the military and political decisions of a nation during World War II, controlling everything from troop movements to economic production and international diplomacy. The level of depth in grand strategy games can be daunting but provides an unparalleled sense of immersion and control over the game world.

Psychological Impact of Strategy Games

Playing strategy games can have a profound impact on a player’s cognitive abilities. As Coelho points out, strategy games put players in a “flow” state, where they are fully immersed in the gameplay and focused on achieving their goals. This state of flow is highly rewarding, both mentally and emotionally, as players feel a sense of accomplishment when their plans succeed.

Moreover, strategy games improve problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and decision-making under pressure. Players learn to analyze complex situations, evaluate multiple options, and choose the best course of action, often with limited information. This cognitive training can translate into real-world skills, making strategy games not only entertaining but also beneficial for mental development. Studies have shown that playing strategy games can enhance memory, improve multitasking abilities, and boost decision-making speed.

Challenges in Designing Strategy Games

Designing a successful strategy game is no easy task. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that the game offers a balance of meaningful choices without overwhelming the player. If a game presents too many obvious decisions, players may lose interest. On the other hand, if the game offers too many blind decisions, players can become frustrated by the lack of control.

Another challenge is ensuring balance between different strategies. In a well-designed strategy game, there should be no single dominant strategy that guarantees victory every time. Instead, players should be encouraged to experiment with different approaches and adapt to the unique circumstances of each game. This is especially important in multiplayer strategy games, where balance ensures fair competition and keeps the game engaging for all players.

In multiplayer RTS games like StarCraft II, balance is key to ensuring competitive integrity. Each of the game’s factions—Terran, Protoss, and Zerg—has distinct strengths and weaknesses, but no faction is inherently stronger than the others. This balance allows for a dynamic and evolving meta-game, where players constantly refine their strategies to stay competitive.

Examples of Notable Strategy Games

To illustrate the concepts discussed above, here are a few examples of popular strategy games and how they implement strategic decision-making:

1. Civilization (Turn-Based Strategy): In this game, players must guide their civilization through centuries of history, making decisions about diplomacy, warfare, and technological advancement. Each decision has long-term consequences, and players must constantly adapt their strategy based on the actions of rival civilizations.
2. StarCraft (Real-Time Strategy): In this fast-paced game, players must manage resources, build armies, and outmaneuver their opponents in real-time. The balance between macro (long-term strategy) and micro (short-term tactics) is critical to success, making it one of the most demanding strategy games in terms of skill.
3. Total War (Grand Strategy/RTS Hybrid): This series combines large-scale empire-building with real-time tactical battles. Players must manage their empire’s economy, diplomacy, and military while also commanding troops in battle. The combination of long-term strategy and short-term tactics makes for a deeply engaging experience.

The Future of Strategy Games

The future of strategy games is bright, with advances in technology opening up new possibilities for dynamic, evolving game worlds. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are likely to play a big role in the development of more complex and adaptive strategy games, where the game world responds intelligently to the player’s actions. This could lead to truly dynamic systems, where no two playthroughs are the same, and the player’s choices shape the game world in meaningful ways.

Procedural generation is another promising area, allowing developers to create vast, unpredictable game worlds that change with each new game. This technology has already been used in games like No Man’s Sky, and its application in strategy games could result in endless replayability and deeper strategic complexity.

Conclusion

Strategy games offer a unique blend of intellectual challenge and entertainment, requiring players to think critically, plan ahead, and make difficult decisions. Whether through turn-based or real-time mechanics, these games simulate complex systems that reward careful planning and adaptation. As technology continues to advance, the future of strategy games promises even more dynamic, immersive, and intellectually stimulating experiences. The art of strategy in video games is not just about winning; it’s about mastering the process of decision-making and understanding the far-reaching consequences of each choice.

Sources:

1. Coelho, Francisco. “Elements of Strategy – Game Design.” Departamento de Informática, Universidade de Évora, High Performance Computing Chair, NOVA-LINCS, n.d.
2. Eshaghi Gordji, Madjid, and Gholamreza Askari. “Dynamic System of Strategic Games.” International Journal of Nonlinear Analysis and Applications, vol. 9, no. 1, 2018, pp. 83-98