History Main / FourX

* ''{{Videogames/Empire}}'' (a.k.a. ''Classic Empire'') \\

An [[UnbuiltTrope Unbuilt]] contributor to the genre, including most of the basic tropes except diplomacy and the technology tree.

The '''4X''' videogame genre is a sub-genre of the strategy genre. The name comes from the 4 "X"'s that comprise a summary of the genre's gameplay:

Just to make sure you can't be completely pacifist, you will usually encounter {{barbarian tribe}}s (pirates/guerillas/terrorists/angry alien fungi) that appear out of nowhere and cannot be negotiated with (although their units may be captured instead of destroyed if the player is clever).

[[AC:Videogames]]

** ''[[MasterOfOrion Master of Orion]] 3'' riffed off this by including "The Xs" as actual [[McGuffin McGuffins]] within the game, including a semi-mythical "5th X".

Originally based off an even older board game, invented, refined or [[TropeCodifier codified]] most of the tropes of this genre while allowing the player to shepherd a civilization through Earth's history.

*** But with some significant differences: no tech tree, and very, very specialized units. (Fur Trapper versus Fur Trader, anyone?) Also, Wonders are replaced by "Founding Fathers" (plus Pocahontas.)

** FallFromHeaven is one of the more well known or many civilization GameMods.

* ''{{Videogames/Empire}}'' (a.k.a. ''Classic Empire'') was a [[SpiritualSuccessor Spiritual Ancestor]] to the genre, including most of the basic tropes except diplomacy and the technology tree.
* ''[[{{Civilization}} Sid Meier's Civilization]]'' series, originally based off an even older board game, invented, refined or [[TropeCodifier codified]] most of the tropes of this genre while allowing the player to shepherd a civilization through Earth's history.
** ''FreeCiv'' is a very customizable {{Civilization}} clone.

** ''[[{{Ptitlenhy07uuq}} Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri]]'', its [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual "sequel"]], is ''Civilization'' [-[[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE!]]-] The game's tagline is "Explore. Discover. Build. Conquer."

*** They even managed to integrate that into the gameplay on a second level: Technologies are divided into types (Explore=scout/exploration/environmental technologies, Discover=pure science, Build=industrial technologies, Conquer=military tech) and a player can have the AI "Governor" of any given base focus on one or more tracks if he/she doesn't care for micromanaging.
*** Well, at least they didn't do [[{{Pokemon}} a red/blue version]] and call it a day.

** ''FreeCiv'' is a very customizable {{Civilization}} clone.
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** ''[[{{Ptitlenhy07uuq}} Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri]]'', its [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual "sequel"]], is ''Civilization'' [-[[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE!]]-] The game's tagline is "Explore. Discover. Build. Conquer."

* ''Twilight Imperium'' It's basically ''Master of Orion'' as a boardgame.

* The board/computer game ''Empire'' that is the source of the Wopuld family's wealth in Iain Banks' ''The Steep Approach to Garbadale'' is a particularly complicated one of these. A similar game: ''Despot'' features in his earlier novel ''Complicity''. I think the author might just be a fan of the genre.

* The ''{{Dominions}}'' trilogy revolves around various entities attempting to achieve godhood through the expedient method of wiping out all competition

* The ''SpaceEmpires'' series are highly-customizable 4X games with such an extensive system of micromanagement as to make the micromanagement need in the Civ games pale in comparison.

* ''Twilight Imperium'' It's basically ''Galactic Civilizations'' as a boardgame.

* The boardgame SettlersOfCatan is basically this, although the X-plore factor is a little bit lessened by the fact that it's a boardgame....and the X-terminate factor is non-existent.

** ''[[{{Ptitlenhy07uuq}} Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri]]'', its [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual "sequel"]], is ''Civilization'' [-[[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE!]]-]

* Same for ''RiseOfNations'', created when its developers realized they wanted a RealTime ''Civilization'' game. It's an RTS with a RiskStyleMap, but covers a lot of the same ground.