Was there ever a true "golden age" for sci-fi 4x games?

[Martok]

This thought has been percolating in the back of my head for some time, but I haven't bothered to actually put it into words until now. 



For most of the last decade, whenever I've read an article discussing space strategy games -- and 4x games in particular -- nearly all of them will at some point make mention of how there's so few entries in the genre these days, and how far it's fallen compared to how things were back in the 1990's. 

Initially, I didn't question this claim:  There's little denying computer games were in general much more dominant at the time than they are now, and since of course pretty much all 4x games were exclusive to the PC, that statement seemed readily apparent...at least on the surface. 


Now, however, I wonder.  If you were to take the sum of all 4x titles produced during the 90's and average out how many were released in any given year, it seems like that number wouldn't be much higher than it is currently.  I mean, it's not as if we were blessed with 5-10 of them every year, is it? 

I guess I'm wondering if those of us fans of the genre are even more prone to viewing things through a nostalgia filter than is usual, and if it's not more because certain notable games (MOO1, MOO2, Alpha Centauri, etc.) were made during that decade (and which give us this collective impression). 



Am I off my rocker in thinking this? 

[JasonPratt]

Any age of 4x games that includes MoM, Civ and MoO, has to be the golden age. (Wasn't Warlords and the HoMM series released during that spread, too?--although it's hard for me to consider something 4X without a randomly created map.)

[Epee1]

Don't forget Empire Deluxe.

[republic]

I actually consider us in the 4x golden age now.  With all the space 4x games on the horizon, and GalCiv2/Distant Worlds/Star Ruler/etc somewhat recent.

I do think the Civilization type 4x has waned a bit.  Civ5 was a letdown to me, and there really is no competition for Civ.  Maybe the finally completed Elemental game might?  I think Alpha Centauri was great because it combined the Civilization style gameplay but also let you create your own destiny.  No matter how hard I try, my own knowledge of history ruins Civilization for me most of the time.  It also seems the Civilization mechanic has gone to Facebook...hopefully it will not stay long.  :)

[Martok]

Any age of 4x games that includes MoM, Civ and MoO, has to be the golden age. (Wasn't Warlords and the HoMM series released during that spread, too?--although it's hard for me to consider something 4X without a randomly created map.)

Don't forget Empire Deluxe.

Sorry, I should have specified I was referring mostly to space 4x games.  I even debated whether or not to include Alpha Centauri, since it's a borderline case (although I ultimately did because of its science-fiction setting). 



Still, my I think my point holds:  Yes, the first two MOO games are considered classics (as are MOM and the second Civ title), but how many other 4x games from that era can be considered "great"?  Say what you will about them, but I'd argue that games like Galactic Civilizations 2, Armada 2526, Distant Worlds, and Star Ruler are probably all just as good as (and maybe even better than) a lot of those old favorites of ours. 


I just think it may be difficult for us to see that, for at least two reasons: 

1.)  We're older (and perhaps more cynical) now, and are subsequently less likely to overlook a game's flaws than when we were younger.

2.)  We're more experienced now as gamers, and (for a variety of reasons) we have higher expectations of what a new game should include, especially value & replayability.  For a lot of us, time has become as precious a commodity as money (if not more so), and we hate to squander it on a game that's only mediocre. 



I wonder if republic isn't correct:  I almost think we may be in a 4x right now.  At the very least, I think the genre is probably just as robust currently as it was 15 years ago.