What I'm looking for are games that allow you to build up "civilizations" and interact with other "civilizations" etc without the constant war effort / pushing to win sort of thing.
Imagine Civilization without victory conditions and you get the basic idea.
Some examples of what I'm looking for:-
- Pretty much all Paradox Interactive games. Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis, Victoria are perfect examples. You don't constantly rush to win since it's all about building your nation / family up rather than "winning".
- Distant Worlds is another example. Sure, it has win conditions but they're usually so far away that they're very unimportant. And you can switch them off and there is not really a massive difference in playstyle.
- Sid Meier's Pirates. DO WHAT YOU WANT BECAUSE A PIRATE IS FREE. YOU ARE A PIRATE. YARR HARR DIDDLY DEE. etc.
What I am not looking for:-
- Total War games. These are the exact opposite. As much as I love them, the games are still, ultimately, "wait fifteen turns, start a war, win a war, wait fifteen turns, start another war, win that war" ad infinitum. Diplomacy is only in game to get breathers between wars.
- Civilization. Sort of, anyway. I like Civilization's mechanics (yes, all the series), but the game is ultimately about pushing for a win. Without that win, the gameplay is meaningless. Also, I have to set the difficulty to Deity in order for the AI to expand properly and that results is rapage.
Notes:-
- It doesn't have to be a civilization. It can be a family, a noble house, hell, even a single person's livelihood. I just want something that results in me playing along with a bunch of AI.
So, ladies and gents, got any game suggestions for me?