@shiftycake

Why do you go in every thread referring to real time shooters? Real time shooter is not a genre. RTS means real time strategy. Shooters are FPS or TPS and they are all real time... This is the third thread you have done this in.

you are right, I actually typed it up all at once late at night and my brain did one of those switch word meanings things. Or acronyms in this case. Oh well, I'll have to edit my posts later and apologise.

[quote name='Orymus3' timestamp='1357683189' post='5019217']
This goes to my second point. Decrease speed. And by speed, I don't mean how quickly units fight and whatnot, I mean actual movement speed. And increase sight ranges for "scout" units.

The idea is that you'll give players the ability to spot enemy movements from afar and think of a way to counter this.
[/quote]

Brilliant! This is exactly what I was hoping for! I think that Dark Reign did this well. the vision range to Movement speed ratio was very different in Dark Reign compared to Star Craft. Some vehicles, that moved VERY SLOWLY, could shoot half way across a map. Though there shots didn't do a huge amount of damage, you get a few of them together, and they could do huge amounts of damage. Especially when the terrain held huge amounts of winding boulder ravines that these could shoot over. sort of like siege tanks but not as powerful per shot, nor as rapid fire.

That also reminds me of a few other things. You could build a look out post, right at the edge of the woods, and it would be hard to see. pretty much it would only be noticed if enemy troops stopped next to it, or another player moved over it with their mouse. Things could actually hide in the tree line in that game.

[quote name='Orymus3' timestamp='1357683189' post='5019217']
Buildings were insanely long to kill, and it was frustrating, but at least, it made it so that the concept of a settlement had a more permanent nature.
[/quote]

Good point. Buildings don't typically collapse from gun fire, though they can be taken over with it. But I agree about Warcraft 1, it did take a while. same thing with walls that you could build. Cheap, and excellent stoppers for oncoming troops, giving you time to react.

I am working on a game with supply lines. Basically resources are local and you have to work from stockpiles. So you place a foundation indicator with a stockpile. Then you have to physically move the resources in a unit to the foundation. But you can build in spurts and resources are spent over time so you don't need it all at once. And you also have some economics and moving weapons and armor to barracks and armories and so forth.

And you do indeed need to decide where to produce, and not only units, but do you process resources and create items on site of raw material gathering or do you ship it to a city. It would certainly be interesting to see how smart players are at dealing with those decisions.

I'm starting to like the idea of having to follow the money. I.e. supply lines to buildings. Either by train, vehicle or building the factories in chains off of the supply mines/drills/etc...

[quote name='AltarofScience' timestamp='1357702927' post='5019346']
Dropping actual move speed is something that I have been looking into. Most commercial devs and mainstream gamers don't like it though, because they want fast 30minute session games.
[/quote]

true, but those are also based on completing a battle/war in 30 minutes or less as well. This game is on going, with battles lasting longer periods, with or without player activity. That is a significant change to the modern RTS, and I believe would account for allowing the change.

[quote name='AltarofScience' timestamp='1357702927' post='5019346']

I have been looking into some sort of perception stat so you can hide units in tall grass or trees and so forth as well as reduced vision ranges. Not only for all factions but for specialist factions. Imagine a faction based on forest control. They see farther there, they hide better
[/quote]

This sounds quite good. I know there are often upgrades about better vision. But what about better hiding. In starcraft, a group of troops left alone just stand there. they don't stay near cover, or get down, or try to hide them selves. (not including zerg burying, which you have to activate yourself) but perhaps additional training can be given to troops to help them hide their information longer.

"Knowing is half the battle" right? this would be a great way to start putting that to use. The art of deception should be part of war. The AI Bar will tell you what things appear to be, and what is absolutely known. Which will often be different.

[quote name='AltarofScience' timestamp='1357702927' post='5019346']

they can move through normally impassible forest. Now moving in the forest is slower and harder to do formation, but if its big being the only one who can navigate it safely is a nice advantage, other groups having to take the long way around.
[/quote]

The skill to use certain items of scenery sounds like a good idea. This could also include learning to use ditches/objects for cover, instead of just standing in the open shooting.

Perhaps Accuracy can play a bigger role here as well. Just because you shoot at a target doesn't mean you'll hit it, and not just in a "not dealing as much damage" kind of way, but "shooting things behind it/next to it" kind of way. So surrounding your enemy is great, so long as your guys have good accuracy, otherwise you might deal as much damage to your self as to others. Also information/tactics use that the AI can provide info on. with such fun info as "38% chance your troops will shoot them selves."