Then we mostly agree.
IMO playability matters 90%
>Best playability AND graphics.
If one make beatiful gfx,
then one must also see to that
the player wont be confused and mislead by it,
or unwantedly drawn to it.
for example that a background of a game
seems so real that it looks like it is a part of the foreground.
or forexample if the game character looks like he has more weapons, due to that (s)he is so graphically detailed.
or forexample that the gameworld looks so detailed that virtually all players are mislead to places that has no meaning in the game.
there are many problems that could occur from using good/detailed gfx.
but it would be positive for ppl that like art.
all such problems occuring from detailed gfx
can be solved by using simpler gfx.
The playability will then automatically rise,
unless the playability sucks, and it is more enjoyable to look at all the gfx,
wich I have actually experienced on some games.
but I better (finally) get to the threads topic:
An ultimate strategy game should:
-Be easy to use.
Don't present alot of features to the player at once, but better give them further into the game.
The user will then also enjoy the given features more than if (s)he had got them all at once.
-Have little or no stress factors.
but if required, not for a long time, and big pauses between the stress situations,
as humans will not feel good after longer amounts of stress.
-Start easy, then get harder, possibly also be able to get harder by request from the player.
-Have gfx that is meaningfull to the game
and lets the player know what is going on easily.
if the gametype allows it, then always add humouristic gfx, cause its always pleasant for the player whether its bad or good humour.
-Have sounds that are perfect at telling you if a good or bad thing happened, and wich sounds cool, not lame. And NEVER EVER use sounds that sound annoying.
Like in gfx, humoristic sounds never hurt.
Forexample a high pitched human voice is always funny.
-Have different subgames,
either long term total change in gametype or short small games within the main game.
This because the human brain likes variation
and will tire if the same elements are present over roughly 15 minutes or more time.
-Never make the player wait unneccesary.
unless it is something relaxing,
like a story sequence.
-Have as many options as possible,
but not an option that clearly only has one good choice and everybody always use it.
But if there are too many options,
the user might not want to bother change any of them.
In that case, eliminate the least important options.
-Have many many elements that interfere with eachother. and also add random events.
Don't close the game away from the player, but make it interact as much as possible.
If there is a catapult in the game, then the player will ofcourse want to try it, so make it available to be used.
-support ppl that like to be creative,
in terms of making maps or similar.
-Avoid situations where the player can get stuck or does not know what to do at all.
-Be friendly to the player, not wanting to kill the player in a hostile way.
Also, if possible, have a beginner mode.
Realtime or Turn based, 2D or 3D:
They have little effect on gameplay,
Other than that realtime adds a sense of a an alive world, but increases stress on the player.
Turn based adds time to think, and more control to the player.
2D gives a better overview,
while 3D can be annoying because the monitor is 2D so one cannot move the head to see what is behind an object.
But a final conclution is that different ppl like different games, so an 'ultimate' strategy game will probably never be.
The points above is probably more in my liking than in any others.
