Book applying Sun Tzu's "Art of War" to FPS & RTS games

[Richdog]

Hi all,

I am in the process of writing an article applying Sun Tzu to my game of choice, SWBF2. I am also thinking of expanding my article into a book that would also cover real-time strategy games and apply different principles specifically to a wide variety of games.

I plan on applying the principals of Sun Tzu's "Art of War" to multiplayer games first person shooters (such as COD, SWBF2, Ghost Recon, or TF2) to real-time strategy games (such as Starcraft2 or any Age of Empires spinoffs). Would a book summarizing and applying "The Art of War" for the general gamer with chapters specifically tailored to current popular games have a market if I were to write it?

I know there are many game guides that give tips on which upgrades to buy or how best to manage resources in a strategy game, and I do not have the expertise to write those kinds of in depth guides for each game. Instead, what I propose is a set of general applications pertaining to the movement of troops, control of the advantages of terrain, manipulating the attitudes of opponents, and controlling and logically evaluating one's own actions with the sole purpose of winning. For example, in a given chapter, I would quote one of Sun Tzu's essay and then explicate it as it applies to that chapter's game and repeat this pattern half a dozen times each chapter.

Ideally I would post this to Amazon or somewhere for download for a small fee. What do you think of this? Questions, feedback and suggestions would be very much appreciated.

[Mandalore]

SUn Tzu say, "STOP SUCKING BRO. YOU'RE GETTING US KILLED!"
Really, it's not that Sun Tzu's tactics are crazy today, just that he was the first to codify them. Their main precepts center around stealth, deception, and knowing your own/enemies' capabilities and then you use those principles to launch a devastating attack with little loss to yourself.

[mrjamwin]

It's a stupid idea. Just play the game and have fun. If you get pissed off because of this then next time don't ask anyone here what we think.

[[m'kay]]

Hi all,

I am in the process of writing an article applying Sun Tzu to my game of choice, SWBF2. I am also thinking of expanding my article into a book that would also cover real-time strategy games and apply different principles specifically to a wide variety of games.

I plan on applying the principals of Sun Tzu's "Art of War" to multiplayer games first person shooters (such as COD, SWBF2, Ghost Recon, or TF2) to real-time strategy games (such as Starcraft2 or any Age of Empires spinoffs). Would a book summarizing and applying "The Art of War" for the general gamer with chapters specifically tailored to current popular games have a market if I were to write it?

I know there are many game guides that give tips on which upgrades to buy or how best to manage resources in a strategy game, and I do not have the expertise to write those kinds of in depth guides for each game. Instead, what I propose is a set of general applications pertaining to the movement of troops, control of the advantages of terrain, manipulating the attitudes of opponents, and controlling and logically evaluating one's own actions with the sole purpose of winning. For example, in a given chapter, I would quote one of Sun Tzu's essay and then explicate it as it applies to that chapter's game and repeat this pattern half a dozen times each chapter.

Ideally I would post this to Amazon or somewhere for download for a small fee. What do you think of this? Questions, feedback and suggestions would be very much appreciated.

That sounds mindnumbingly pointless. For every game you touch on for a chapter, there are likely dozens upon dozens of people more qualified than you talking about it, even if it isn't specifically on the Art of War. Not to mention, the most it can apply to most RTS games basically consists of "Know who you're playing against, know how they play, and do whatever [m'kay] with their playstyle.". Not to mention that it is largely useless for games such as COD, due to their arcadey nature. For games like BC2, maybe, but even then it would still be a tough sell. You're better off just sticking to one game, and writing up a guide about that. And no, you're not going to get cash for it.

[WD-40]

Write a book on 'How to 'read' your wife's mind', and you'll make millions...if it works.

[(SWGO)Minas_Thirith]

I had something similar in mind a while ago.
I was into RTS games, anything realistic was perfect to me.

Can you apply Tzu's Art of war to RTS games or maybe FPS, the answer is yes.
BUT you can get guides WAY more effective then that.

Tzu's Art of war is made for Real life strategies, not for a game battle simulation that is based on getting resources.
Tzu's book isn't made for it, while countless guides are.
My real advices are these:

1-Give up, play, don't worry and have fun

2-If you REALLY wan't to try something, then write it yourself, write a guide made by you but, i'm talking a big REALLY big detailed guide that is worth it.
Also making a in-game youtube video guide is even better.

MT

[Richdog]

Thanks MT, I was thinking of each person in a FPS being their own army or battallion. Applicable for both beginners and experienced players. I'm going to write it anyway, for as he writes,

If one gains the advantage of the ground then even weak and soft troops can conquer the enemy. How much more so if they are tough and strong!