The Future Of The Real-Time Strategy Game

[wraggster]

Have you ever experienced this feeling after playing a real-time strategy game? You get used to the controls, learn all the hotkeys, become efficient with the mouse, and find that the best way to win is to build units and firepower as fast as possible and throw them at the opponent in successive, inexorable waves.

It's not that the game ceases to be fun, but that it ceases to be fresh: the basic strategy never really changes. Essentially, your only viable strategy -- your overall plan for success -- is to wear down your opponent and destroy him.

I have experienced this feeling. As empowering -- and, at least initially, as fun -- as real-time strategy (RTS) games are, I often find that they turn into real-time tactics (RTT) games after a while. So often, there is no other viable plan for success beyond attrition. Sure, I may construct that building here instead of there, or gain control of those resources over there instead of these here, but I can never really change my basic plan for victory.

I cannot win by convincing my opponent to lay down his arms, since he knows that the only way I can win is for me to destroy him. I must collect more resources than my opponent in order that he not wear me out first. The threat of force or the limited use of force would not convince my opponent that I would win if our military forces engaged one another. Since there is only one viable strategy -- attrition -- victory will go to the best tactician, not the best strategist.

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3515/the_future_of_the_realtime_.php

[**1_Man_Matrix**]

I know what you mean, but they can still be fun. I'm still playing Red Alert 1, and with Endwar coming out, there's still alot to look forward to.

As far as tactics go but, your right. My mate is a major tactician in RTS games, I usually don't stand a chance. That's why I employed the 'Snatch & Grab' technique in a game of Red Alert once :)

The trick is that while he's builing soldiers, tanks, fighter jets and major artillery, I built engineers. The fat little guys with the yellow hats and spanners that steal buildings. You send a wave of about 300 of those mo' fo's into someone's base, it doesn't stay there's for long. Just a tip ;)

[osgeld]

the first RTS i seriously played was C&C tiberian sun

and altho ive played a billion of them since then with buddies thats the only RTS ive ever bought

cause they are ALL the same, and i dont have 50+$ a month to get the latest and greatest same ol thing

[penileartery]

i still play starcraft to this day... haha i love it and it will never get old, at least until starcraft 2 comes out!

[Spotfist]

I was thinking this very thing the other day, I was also thinking of how lame some on-line shooters are so limited, you know u got a small map and you just run around shooting! well I was thinking... Why not put the two together? It would bring such a dynamic feal to the RTS world, obviously it would need some good thinking out but I was thinking along the lines of BF2, larger maps with all the vehicles. if done propperly it would make for much better strategy planning, due to ur units being of different skill levels. Would just have to watch think a way around people doing whatever they wanted but I think it would be ace!!! perhaps some sort of points system for listening to orders, allowing you to purchase better weapons?

[Broadus]

What does that have to do with the FUTURE of the RTS?

They actually have RTS/FPS mixes. They're focused mostly on the FPS part, though. A Half-Life 1 mod called Natural Selection has a lot of RTS elements, though on a small scale. One player makes "buildings" and equipment and whatnot while the rest of the players fight as the ground unit.
A Half-Life 2 mod called Empires is even more of an RTS, as both teams get a single leader with buildings and vehicles. Still, they're ultimately FPSs.
Company of Heroes has AI that are really intelligent in comparison to other RTSs, in that individual soldiers use cover, move around and act like the AI of an FPS game, except, y'know, an RTS.

I dunno' how RTSs could change to be more than just build-and-smite, but it'd be nice to have some more complicated depth than the same strategy every level.

[CoderX]

This is why we all have something called Diplo and WorldMap Role Play. I mean in the end its the same thing.

My End Goal is to always Cut down all the trees!!! :rofl:
Im serious, AOE/AOEII, Try it sometime its a blast!

[JKKDARK]

These real-time strategy games are very generic lately.

[Cerepol]

Diplo is awesome. You can make break and trade alliances. but it reqs a number of people.

[Spotfist]

Ye there are all ready examples of RTS\FPS mixes but as stated they all are based on the FPS, I was thinking of almost two different games, but combining the two to form an end result, in a way most fps games like BF2 are getting more tactical but not as in being controlled by a leader who is one step ahead. It was just an idea ;)