Video:Basics for Playing Strategy Games

Transcript:Basics for Playing Strategy Games

Hi, I’m Shane Murphy, your technology Guru for About.com. Today we’ll review a few of the generic game conventions common to all strategy games.

All Strategy Games Share Similar Tactics

Strategy games proper take many shapes and forms, and there are even tons of games out there that employ rich strategy elements although they belong to other genres. Despite this variety there are certain rules you can rely on to meet with success more often than not. These are broad tactics that have worked from the invention of chess to the first computer games, overall approaches that come naturally from many iterations of experience.

Think Several Moves Ahead in Strategy Games

Most importantly, you need to be thinking several moves ahead of your opponent and the current state of the game. This means planning for multiple different situations and moves that your opponent may make, then adjusting your course of action to counter these scenarios. To think ahead you’ll have to know all of the possible moves your opponent may make, which of course means singular knowledge of the rules.

Learn From Other Players' Strategies

You should expect to lose a lot to better players, it’s the one of the best ways to improve. Just make sure that you understand exactly why you lost so you can learn from your mistakes. Ask your opponent if you’re not sure!You should be forming your tactics with a combination of projections based on your knowledge of the game and real-world testing. On one hand you don’t want to be stuck with trial and error, but on the other you won’t know if your brilliant plan will actually work until you give it a shot.

Finally, there’s nothing wrong with stealing ideas. If you see another player perform a novel strategic flourish then remember it and use it your next game. Even the best generals throughout the ages have played copycat. Check out About.com’s dedicated gaming channel for more information on everything video games.