I´ve planned to make a kind of medival RTS game. Based on a deep story. I will probebly not even begin with the real game this year (Maybe I´m a Wannabe that just has to much hope) I have just made som graphics and music :p Well here is the thing. How do YOU want a RTS to be? How do YOU want to raise soliders and figth with them? How do YOU want the economic part? // POWA Creations // [Edited by - POWA Creations on November 8, 2006 11:29:08 AM]

I would like a fantasy RTS with good graphics, a good interface like in AoE (Age of Empires), lots of strategy involvement. IMO RTS games are less strategy and more of a race to see who can build the more powerful army first, strategy games like Rome: Total War appeal to me, you make negotiations, build up armies, set taxes, and control trade. An RTS where you set up taxes on specific things, handle revolts, build up fortresses, and make alliances and other things on a large map with it looking in any shape you chose because it is a whole different world, so basically a Total War game with the look of the Battle field map, not the campaign map and some totally wicked graphics. If this is possible for a programmer to do then you would have an awesome best selling RTS strategy game like no other.

(edited) oops double post

Quote:Original post by POWA Creations
How do YOU want a RTS to be?
How do YOU want to raise soliders and figth with them?
How do YOU want the economic part?

Let me answer that with some different questions...

How do YOU want a RTS to be?
How do YOU want to raise soliders and figth with them?
How do YOU want the economic part?

You're the game designer, yes? So the important thing is that the game turns out like you want, and becomes something you can get excited about.

JBourrie: Keep in mind not everyone have english as their first language. It is however, possible to write deep stories in other languages. Or even, get someone else to translate it to english. [wink]

Sacrifice

I liked how you were more involved in the action. This made it a harder to manage multiple attacks etc but it was a very nice change of pace.

Quote:Original post by Spoonbender

Quote:Original post by POWA Creations
How do YOU want a RTS to be?
How do YOU want to raise soliders and figth with them?
How do YOU want the economic part?

Let me answer that with some different questions...

How do YOU want a RTS to be?
How do YOU want to raise soliders and figth with them?
How do YOU want the economic part?

Well, it could be good with some ideas. I love Rome:total war. But the 3D and all this factors :/ I don´t think I can do such a great game, at least not on wile...
I was thinking lika a mixture of American Conquest and Stronghold (ecept the fantasy thing of the later games)
and make economic thing large. BUT controllet by AI if you arn´t there. I wanted it to be like a Citybuilder-RTS. For example if you don´t have swords you can not make a Swordsman, even how much gold you pay(if you not import it). The sword must be made buy the blacksmith who need Iron, wood and workers, then you need a mine and a woodcutter (or import wood and iron). The workers need homes, food and entertainment to keep happy, and that makes the whole settlement popular.
I.e I don´t want it to be like the old classics. I want more depth, not just a competition of who makes most soliders.

Quote:
JBourrie: Keep in mind not everyone have english as their first language. It is however, possible to write deep stories in other languages. Or even, get someone else to translate it to english. [wink]

I have corrected all in the first post now. I´m Swedish but a misstake like putting a "d" in "maby" was´nt very proffetional.
The fact that I havent passed school maby a clue to the other misstakes.

You need to keep in mind that RTS is a very broad genre. The answers of your questions depend upon what kind of game you want to make and for who. Some people like micromanagement, even though very few people admit it. People often ask for more emphasis on the strategy element, however very few people would think too much strategy is fun.

In some RTSs you have a very big army which you can control (AoE, Warcraft, etc.), in these games micro-management is often a big part of the game play. You could quite easily however get rid of lots of the micro management, the question is, would it make the gameplay any better? This might seem obvious that it does however I think the companies which have made actual market research disagree with your obvious interpretation of gamers' needs.

Quote:How do YOU want a RTS to be?

Remember when asking this question on this forum, most responses will be from experienced players who is a little geeky. This might not represent the general gamers' opinions.

That said I'd like a game where I could assign different strategies to an AI, and the AI should be able to carry this out without being ten times worse than me.

Quote:How do YOU want to raise soliders and figth with them?

Simply put the soldier's in a queue, I don't want a message saying that my workers were ill, it might be more realistic, but it isn't as fun in my opinion.

Quote:How do YOU want the economic part?

If I were only to consider existing systems, then I'd prefer a one-resource system (like the C&C series use). It takes to much unnecessary management to consider several kinds of resources. KISS (keep it simple, stupid), that's my opinion anyway.

Quote:Secondary to the strategy. I'm sick of having to build/rebuild all of my millions of armories and farms and mines and etc. I want to be able to zone off a city, set some properties in it, and let it run itself until I choose to intervene. Consider giving more SimCity-like control over your buildings, where they can run themselves unless bad things happen, and they will train units and produce new technologies without you having to babysit them.

Couldn't economics increase and "complexify" the number of strategic actions (more factors to consider and more choices). Couldn't some of the properties you set be related to economics? How fast you want the development? The faster the more it costs. Which kind of resource do you want to primarily rely on? (if the game already have a multiple resource system anyway)

Quote:You're the game designer, yes? So the important thing is that the game turns out like you want, and becomes something you can get excited about.

Very few people thinks this way, personally I feel I have succeeded as a game designer if I have either a large audience or a previously not targeted audience (see casual games for a very good example of this).

Quote:Well, it could be good with some ideas. I love Rome:total war. But the 3D and all this factors :/ I don´t think I can do such a great game, at least not on wile...

You are trying to create your own game right? Why would you have to copy the graphics elements? Couldn't you just use a couple of the same basic design goals with a 2D/isometric engine?

Quote:nd make economic thing large. BUT controllet by AI if you arn´t there. I wanted it to be like a Citybuilder-RTS. For example if you don´t have swords you can not make a Swordsman, even how much gold you pay(if you not import it). The sword must be made buy the blacksmith who need Iron, wood and workers, then you need a mine and a woodcutter (or import wood and iron). The workers need homes, food and entertainment to keep happy, and that makes the whole settlement popular.

Wouldn't this just add to the micro management of the game? If you can get an AI to control this, then there is no reason to use such a complex system, to the player it will basically be "do I have enough resources". Don't add realism just for the sake of realism when you're making a fun game.

Quote:I have corrected all in the first post now. I´m Swedish but a misstake like putting a "d" in "maby" was´nt very proffetional.

To be honest, that line is much worse of than the "maby" word.

Quote:The fact that I havent passed school maby a clue to the other misstakes.

Yet you feel you can write a good story? Your players aren't going to consider this when judging your game, if you focuses on your story then you better make sure it can compete with other strategy games' stories. Many people here aren't done with school yet, but we don't use this as an excuse, because if we did then we weren't mature enough to be here (personally I still have 3 years left until I'm done with high-school). Of course if you plan to make the game Swedish-only then you don't need English, but do you only target the Swedish audience? Also you'll look much more professional and serious if you write proper English.