Good Starting Points?

[DraQ]

Also, simulation.

You cannot mention simulation without me pimping COADE.

 

[Citizen]

What’s wrong with HoMM 1?

Its an inferior version of HoMM2 in most aspects, so worth playing only out of historical interest (also for sexy purple dragons)

 

[deama]

I was gonna say Stronghold, but I think you're more of a grand strategy guy.

 

[Catacombs]

having some type of base building

Dwarf Fortress

 

[smaug]

having some type of base building

Dwarf Fortress

I look forward to trying out some Roguelikes, however, Dwarf Fortress is going to be last

 

[Silentstorm]

Simulation as well?

Then Theme Park and Theme Hospital are worth picking up, and Railroad Tycoon, and the Simcity games, and Prison Architect, and Parkitect or Kingdoms And Castles.

Yes, they aren't all the most complex games out there(particularly Kingdoms And Castles), but they are good games and you mentioned "good starting points" and honestly, Paradox games, even their more simplistic ones, tend to have way too many menus and options to go through and are complex enough that people make hours long series to act as tutorials that are recommended by fans to newcomers.

And maybe i just have a strange definition of a "good starting point" than people here, but i don't think a game that people feel like making various long videos to act as tutorials count as good games for newcomers to a genre, so i wouldn't recommend Crusader Kings 2 and other Paradox games, but that is just me.

 

[smaug]

Simulation as well?

Then Theme Park and Theme Hospital are worth picking up, and Railroad Tycoon, and the Simcity games, and Prison Architect, and Parkitect or Kingdoms And Castles.

Yes, they aren't all the most complex games out there(particularly Kingdoms And Castles), but they are good games and you mentioned "good starting points" and honestly, Paradox games, even their more simplistic ones, tend to have way too many menus and options to go through and are complex enough that people make hours long series to act as tutorials that are recommended by fans to newcomers.

And maybe i just have a strange definition of a "good starting point" than people here, but i don't think a game that people feel like making various long videos to act as tutorials count as good games for newcomers to a genre, so i wouldn't recommend Crusader Kings 2 and other Paradox games, but that is just me.

I don’t want simple things, I can deal with complexity and consequences.

 

[coldcrow]

SMAC, Civ4, Sacrifice, MoO3 with chocolate mod, Fantasy Wars/ Elven Legacy, Dominions 5, Pandora (with AI mod it is probably one of the hardest games to win against the AI), M.A.X.

 

[BING XI LAO]

Starcraft:Broodwar is freely available on the Blizzard store.

Age of Wonders is very good, but it has only very limited 'base-building' or 'empire management' stuff.