You favorite RTS

[xxdaggerxx]

hi guys im currently developing a RTS and i would like to find out what you guys like best about the RTS genre.

- Which is your favorite RTS and why.
- What do you hate about RTS’s
- Controls, whats the best and most efficient UI or control you’ve seen in an RTS.
- What would you like in an RTS, improvements, enhancements etc.
- micromanagement, to much? to little?
- Finally what would be your dream RTS?

Thx guys for your input.

[pigpen32]

Currently my favorite RTS games are Rise of Nations and Warhammer 40k Dawn of War (DoW).

I like Rise of Nations just for the bevy of features, replayability. The dynamic changing of borders & influence is cool, and allows me to conquer the world over and over starting at different countries, which is a lot like Risk. I like games with a lot of techs, and do like empire building games, so this has a fair amount of "Build your base" elements. Its a slower paced RTS but allows for a lot of strategy.

On the flipside I like DoW for its fast action. In the more arcade-y RTS genre, I found DoW to be a modern game to feed my old Starcraft urges. THe setting is cool, I like the fact resource management isn't a big issue, letting you get into fighting fast. I like the fact you can fortify and dig in position to increase defense and fire coverage.

Still for me though, Total Annihilation really kicked ass for its unique unit system. I haven't played in years but really anticipating the new spiritual successor to Total Annihiliation made by the same guy. I'm blanking on the name for the moment.

I do like the recent attempts at combining RPG into RTS games, as I like persistant characters or units (warcraft 3, spellforce, warlords battlecry), but its a fine line combing the two genres well. I like the feeling of progression, instead of starting new all over again with each level. It would be cool to revisit previous levels where you already had a base going, but you needed to do new things.

[xxdaggerxx]

I like Rise of Nations just for the bevy of features, replayability. The dynamic changing of borders & influence is cool, and allows me to conquer the world over and over starting at different countries, which is a lot like Risk. I like games with a lot of techs, and do like empire building games, so this has a fair amount of "Build your base" elements. Its a slower paced RTS but allows for a lot of strategy.

I love empire building too. I just love to 'own' the map.
*Replayability
*Variety of technologies
*Empire building

On the flipside I like DoW for its fast action. In the more arcade-y RTS genre, I found DoW to be a modern game to feed my old Starcraft urges. THe setting is cool, I like the fact resource management isn't a big issue, letting you get into fighting fast. I like the fact you can fortify and dig in position to increase defense and fire coverage.

How do you feel about micromanagement?

Still for me though, Total Annihilation really kicked ass for its unique unit system. I haven't played in years but really anticipating the new spiritual successor to Total Annihiliation made by the same guy. I'm blanking on the name for the moment.

What else do you like about total Annihilation? Why do you think it became such a sucess? Cant wait for supreme commander though!
*Varaiety of units

[Gloo pot]

Supreme Commader!!!!!!
Well im shore it will my favourite RTS when its released...

What i like in RTS's...
I like a huge array of units
I dont like any of those age of empire games, medievil stuff just aint my cup of tea
I dont like fog o war, although its best kept on for stratagy purposes
I dont like having 1 beefy huge mofo killing machine unit, i like being able to use different units in different situations, just buulding 10 bhmkmu's and winning just ain fun any more...
I like speed, i like having things move along realy fast.
I wish somebody invented a way to stop people from deffending there ass's till the games unit limit has been reached and then attacking...

I love Wiked Explosions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pigpen32]

I love empire building too. I just love to 'own' the map.
*Replayability
*Variety of technologies
*Empire building

How do you feel about micromanagement?

See I'm one of those gamers who both like slow-plodding strategy/base building games, and fast arcade games (like FPS games), so micromanagement if done well, is something I can enjoy. However, tedium is not what I enjoy. Repetitive tasks, like manuallysending a peasant to continually re-farm a field isn't fun (ala Age of Empires II with its fast depleting farms). I like how Rise of Nations has "smart" peasants. If I spawn some and let them idle, after awhile they'll go to the nearest building that needs work.

I figure the more options for micromanagement you have, a way of automating repetitive tasks would be ideal. And these automated tasks/option can be customized (ie. have my peasants wait after certain amount of time before going to work at nearest building, also prioritize iron resource gathering over wood first, etc).

What else do you like about total Annihilation? Why do you think it became such a sucess? Cant wait for supreme commander though!

When the game came out, I loved the fact they released new units every week. The variety of units not only led you to explore many different tactics, but also on different scales, small fighting units, global strategies using nukes, air war, etc. Love the fact your base was essentially one big badass unit in itself.

I also really loved the fact TA took use of a true 3d terrain with different heights. Something I've especially enjoyed with the Total War series (Shogun, Medieval, Rome). While they aren't classic RTS games, I love the tactic involving high ground, flanking, routing troops, advanced grouping controls.

It would be nice if some of the more sophisticated fighting/grouping features of the Total War series could find its way into traditional RTS games, thus avoiding the zerg rushes commonplace in early games (StarCraft and Command and Conquer tank rushes).

However, like I said before, something about Warhammer 40k Dawn of War was just fun to me. I liked the physics effects when you got shelled or blown up, scattering your troops. Like the use of 3D terrain, like setting up your sniper units on hills overlooking bases. So this game didn't have much micro management and base building but concentration more on tactics.

[xxdaggerxx]

What i like in RTS's...
I like a huge array of units
I dont like any of those age of empire games, medievil stuff just aint my cup of tea
I dont like fog o war, although its best kept on for stratagy purposes
I dont like having 1 beefy huge mofo killing machine unit, i like being able to use different units in different situations, just buulding 10 bhmkmu's and winning just ain fun any more...
I like speed, i like having things move along realy fast.
I wish somebody invented a way to stop people from deffending there ass's till the games unit limit has been reached and then attacking...

I love Wiked Explosions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Luckily, the RTS im doing is in space ad theres no fog of war .
*variety of units
*great special FX

See I'm one of those gamers who both like slow-plodding strategy/base building games, and fast arcade games (like FPS games), so micromanagement if done well, is something I can enjoy. However, tedium is not what I enjoy. Repetitive tasks, like manuallysending a peasant to continually re-farm a field isn't fun (ala Age of Empires II with its fast depleting farms). I like how Rise of Nations has "smart" peasants. If I spawn some and let them idle, after awhile they'll go to the nearest building that needs work.

I agree micromanagement gets really frustrating at times, especially when you're in a heated battle and you notice all your woodcutters are'nt doin anything..
*Little/self governing micromanagement.

When the game came out, I loved the fact they released new units every week. The variety of units not only led you to explore many different tactics, but also on different scales, small fighting units, global strategies using nukes, air war, etc. Love the fact your base was essentially one big badass unit in itself.

*Variety of units

However, like I said before, something about Warhammer 40k Dawn of War was just fun to me. I liked the physics effects when you got shelled or blown up, scattering your troops.

*Physics

Keep it comin guys!

[Ray Beez]

Red Alert

[webgeek]

Red Alert is without a doubt one of the best of the old-school RTS games. I also love Rise of Nations. I really enjoy Rise of Legends as well.

As for end-game units, I LIKE having an uber kick-asci unit to beat all others. The trick is to prevent me from making 10 of them. Rise of Legends has these uber units that are god-like but you can have only one at a time. Like this monster:
http://media.pc.gamespy.com/media/74...g_3621150.html
This prevents the end-game from getting stale while you try and duke it out with larger and larger groups of units. Starcraft suffered from this as did Red Alert to a lesser extent.

I find that I also like the "campaign" version of the game to work something like Risk. Here is a shot of Rise of Legends campaign screen:
http://media.pc.gamespy.com/media/74...g_3621162.html
This gives me the ability to make strategic decisions (when to fight, vs run, etc) as well as tactical decisions when I'm in a battle. I like this "big picture" type of control. Addtionally Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends (along with the newer Age of Empires) support a "card" concept where you earn bonus cards that can be used prior to a battle to give you an edge. They are VERY useful at times. Things like forcing a cease fire for 1 minute, extra materials, etc.

I also like games that use resource management at their core. The provides much more strategy them simply throwing units around. I can go after your mines and cripple you, likewise you can heavily defend your mines and have the resources to create anything.

[VENGEANCE MX]

Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour (for the amazing battles and military strategy)
Age of Empires II: Gold Edition (for the great map editor which has given rise to many ingenius scenarios)
Caesar III (for the AMAZING economy management simultion)

[webgeek]

Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour

I agree here too. This was and is still a very good RTS. Nothing too original, just well polished all the way.

[Archbob]

Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2

Warcraft III is pretty good too, although I think it puts too much emphasis on the micro side.

[alillm]

Warcraft 3, total war series and AoE. Ok, so thats quite a mix.. never owned a futuristic RTS with guns, spaceships etc but i will probably pick up supreme cammander, looks great.

I like warcraft for the units and for the general style of fighting etc. Also online play is great. total war is great for stratergy and more realistic battles and AoE is great for town building but is pretty good on the whole really.

Can i ask what sort of skill level you are when it comes to coding? Would be nice to see a decent RTS in flash.

Ali

[Jay2391]

Hand down the best two RTS of all time real fast easy IU best controls ever

Read Alert 2
General

[T1ger]

Warcraft 3, total war series and AoE. Ok, so thats quite a mix.. never owned a futuristic RTS with guns, spaceships etc but i will probably pick up supreme cammander, looks great.

I like warcraft for the units and for the general style of fighting etc. Also online play is great. total war is great for stratergy and more realistic battles and AoE is great for town building but is pretty good on the whole really.

Can i ask what sort of skill level you are when it comes to coding? Would be nice to see a decent RTS in flash.

Ali

I think theres a reason that theres not many made in flash...

I've played AoE2 a whole bit, and I really like it. Me and my friends often bring our laptops together and play some battles

Reason I think its good? Hmm.. It has many upgrades, and theres so much strategy in which upgrades to spend your resourses on.. But the main thing that makes it good is the variety of teams to choose from, the fact that not everybody is equally good on everything. Teutons are good against all melee type of units, but the brits can outconquer them with their excellent archers and so on.. Everybody has their strengths and their weaknesses..

[VENGEANCE MX]

No good RTS'es in Flash? What?! Perhaps you're forgetting about...



Sorry, couldn't resist.

T1ger, I agree with you all the way on the AoE 2 stuff. Try this Scenario with your friends:

http://aok.heavengames.com/blacksmit...hp?fileid=6616

Btw, if you play over Zone (or GameRanger if you're on a Mac), you won't need to bring your laptops over, you can just play over the net! I'd do that with my friends, except they're Windows users who don't have the game at home, so I just set them up on a few of the 8 Macs we've got currently plugged in around the house.

[T1ger]

Haha, 8 macs! Freak!

But its something about the atmosphere when we are all together, maybe were two teams on two different rooms.. And then we talk about the match afterwards Ill take a look at that scenario now

[OpethRockr55]

I wish I could say I had a favorite, but I'm not very good at multi-tasking so I usually give up on a good majority of my RTSes, even though I play them every once in a while.

I have, however, taken a liking to some RPG/RTS type games, like Shattered Galaxy, but again, it'll be lucky to see more than 45 minutes of play a day.

[VENGEANCE MX]

Haha, 8 macs! Freak!

But its something about the atmosphere when we are all together, maybe were two teams on two different rooms.. And then we talk about the match afterwards Ill take a look at that scenario now

Heh. It's just because Macs last very long, so whenever we get a faster one, we can keep the older ones in circulation rather than abandoning them. There are plenty more Macs that are broken, in our attic, or have been delegated to relatives.

I totally agree with you on the 'atmosphere' of playing in the same house. Whenever we have a Zero Hour match, there's always a few minutes of aftermatch discussion, with much bragging from the winner. (Btw, thanks for reminding me, I needed to ask dad to bring back the DVD drive so that we can use a fourth computer to play Zero Hour).

About that AoE II scenario:
'Blood' scenarios such as that require 3 or more people playing in order for it to be fun. With only two players, there's no double-teaming, co-operation, or backstabbing, and the first person to get an upgrade generally wins, so it's far too monotonous. When you get more people involved, it's great. Don't try using computer players, as they obviously don't know how to operate the scenario, as it's a non-standard one.
If you liked that scenario, I can zip up a few more of my favourites and upload them for you. If you like co-op matches, you'll love the Lapis RPG scenario. If you're interested, give me a PM (and if anyone else is interested, I can post them on the board for others to download, too).

[Gloo pot]

I totally agree with you on the 'atmosphere' of playing in the same house. Whenever we have a Zero Hour match, there's always a few minutes of aftermatch discussion, with much bragging from the winner. (Btw, thanks for reminding me, I needed to ask dad to bring back the DVD drive so that we can use a fourth computer to play Zero Hour).

Does any one here agree that having a LAN Party with ya best mates is one of the best times you can have and then spending a good hour or two yapping about who owned who, how had the best stradagy, who did what at the perfect time, what was so cool?

Its probably not healthy for us to get up at about 8 get to who evers house is hosting it with your xbox's and PC's and not leave tilll about 7:30 the next morning

[VENGEANCE MX]

Gloo pot, you are so correct.