Grand Strategy Gaming...

In the multiverse of gaming, a small, yet fanatical group of gamers exist who overthrow governments, create empires, explore and conquer entire galaxies. Many are very successful and all have immense fun. These are the gamers that enjoy strategy games. There are two basic types of strategy games: the quick action, typically single player, 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) computer game and the more complex, typically hosted, multiplayer Grand Strategy game.

Grand Strategy games primarily trace their roots back to Play By Mail (PBM/PBEM) gaming, and also pull many design elements from miniatures combat rules and dice and paper Role Playing games.

True Grand Strategy games are massively multiplayer by nature. They tend not to include many computer controlled (AI) positions, though some games do have them for added interest. Do not be fooled by the typical 4X single/limited-multi player empire building game, while these excellent games can provide hours of fun they are mere shadows of the Grand Strategy experience. A typical Grand Strategy game will support 100's to 1000's of players in a single game universe, players typically interact through diplomacy and economic actions building alliances and helping each other grow their empires and explore the game universe. The games are not all peaceful exploration, discoveries of advanced technology, rare resources or the seemingly harmless incursion into another empires territory can spark wars of a galactic magnitude.

In a grand strategy game patience is a virtue. Some games can take years to reach their conclusion. Plans may take weeks and even months to unfold and it is not unheard of for player to loose sleep at the endgame of a long term plan - wondering if their intell reports were correct about the enemies weakness or worried that one of their trusted allies has made a secret pact with their most hated enemy and will turn on them at the worst possible moment. Will the plan to deliver a death blow your most hated enemy succeed? Or will it be your own swan song? Only time will tell! No other type of game can build the level of suspense that a Grand Strategy game can.

Grand Strategy games encompass numerous genres in gaming. Warped Studios is currently working on a space empire title, codenamed Galacticus, in which the player controls the destiny of a spacefaring race through economics, diplomacy, research and exploration. Portions of the current Galacticus design and codebase stretch back over 10 years to game master tools created by the designer, Andrew Rielly, for traditional Role Playing games he participated in.

Grand Strategy games do not have to be space empire games, once Galacticus is complete Warped Studios plans to bring a new depth of multiplayer interaction to other genres.