To prepare for the creation of the project, I will have to do a large amount of research.  I would look through the history of the genre, which includes titles like X-Com, Final Fantasy Tactics, Fire Emblem, Civilization, etc. All of these different games use different objects and mechanics, but they all share some similarities, and build upon each other.  The genre is fairly old, and has quite a bit of history. There have also been a lot of evolutions in recent years, with some of the games exploring new directions from previous installments of the franchise. It may even be worthwhile to play some sections from the games that I end up researching. I should also look at how the team structure for the games has changed, if at all, and pay close attention to the directors and lead designers.  Additionally, I also need to do some technical research. I need to find good examples of UI from the genre, along with different methods of creating grid-based games. It is important to me that the game controls and flows well, which would require looking into the control schemes and methods present in other types of the game. I should also look into the sound design, as these are very helpful when it comes to conveying the actions of the player and the AI.
For aesthetic research, I would look at board games like Chess, and how the pieces are designed. Additionally, I will look at units in most strategy RPG’s and look at how the units are distinguished from each other. This is because every piece and unit type needs to be recognizable at a glance, so mistakes are more the fault of the player as opposed to the game. This is something games like Chess and Fire Emblem do pretty well. I need to understand which aspects cause the ability to recognize the different designs easily.