Spring RTS Engine

This is just one of those "what is your ___?" threads, hoping to draw some inspiration as I am starting planning of CT's third faction.

What are your favorite RTS features? I mean like the quirky (or maybe not so quirky) things that are sort of unique to some games that helps them stand out.

Of course applies to any RTS evar.

I'll get it rolling by saying that one of my favorite features is infantry that can build buildings. Some units in Age of Empires 3 could do this, as can the Norse infantry in Age of Empires Online.

I also like the ability to customize gear loadouts for infantry squads in Dawn of War.

speed burst units. Gundam RTS had them and battleforge did them the best. Between the enforce and juggernaut, I loved the way they did this feature!

You mean units that do a little sprint and then attack when they see an enemy?

I think he means more like marines in SC2

So far nothing i've seen beats being a teleportable first-person-controllable flying mothership factory that uses your resources for its shields.

Modular guns loadout is also a bonus, but the original didn't have those.

Sheeps

Being able to queue up commands.

Mouse cursors

I like action RTSes but I guess that doesn't count.

Good story: e.g. Warcraft 3

Don't think SanadaUjiosan can use any of these, but there are 2 or 3 rts game elements that i think are really cool/fun and if I made a game (and if it where feasible tot combine them) I would try to put them in it.

1a) Netstorm
The player needs a dude to walk over to the enemy base to pick up and abduct his primary builder unit (i.e. a commander or something similar) and carry it to the home base where there is a structure that can destroy it. In Netstorm this is how victory is ultimately achieved.

1b) The Settlers: Fourth Edition
Similar: Thief(s) can be send out to enemy base to steal minerals or other stuff that is lying around.

1c) Syndicate wars
Abduct scientists not yet aligned with any faction during your missions to do research between missions.

But I would make the scientist get to work for you right away right after they have been acquired, like in Startopia.

2) Startopia
Conduct research by having a random item/unit and a scientist together in a laboratory building.

In *A terms this would mean that you would send for instance a peewee to/inside a research building, then research would start, and when finished the Peewee has been consumed but for example the Zeus has become available as a new build option. (but naturally it would be/look nothing like a *A game.)

If the scientist working in the lab could have been abducted form a neutral faction and/or location, that would complete the idea how I think it would be nicest.

SanadaUjiosan wrote:You mean units that do a little sprint and then attack when they see an enemy?

Nope, I mean they charge and do something.

In battleforge, the juggernaut destroys buildings and the enforcer plows over enemy units.

smoth wrote:Nope, I mean they charge and do something.

In battleforge, the juggernaut destroys buildings and the enforcer plows over enemy units.

Yeah I think this is what I meant. Just didn't word it correctly. Yeah I like that too

To Firestorm, nah I'm not really fishing for ideas. More of just wondering what people like, for the heck of it. Thought it would be an interesting collection of ideas.

The research building idea is pretty neat, I like that.

gajop wrote:Good story: e.g. Warcraft 3

Indeed! Also, Starcraft.

malric wrote:

gajop wrote:Good story: e.g. Warcraft 3

Indeed! Also, Starcraft.

one of the keys to the Blizzard games* was not only that there was a good story but that you learned to play the game by following the story... the story included you building your first town hall and recruiting your first neutral units and researching your first techs... the tutorial was seamlessly integrated.

*And Total Annihilation too I guess.

Custom formations and hero units like in Warcraft 3.

Land grab rushes. Z was one of my faves back in the day.

Simplicity - no upgrade mechanics, no complicated hidden behavior - everything behaves in a clear, obvious manner.

Aggressive defense creep.

steal jumping from zk

Vladimir wrote:I think he means more like marines in SC2

More like chargelots or ultralisk burrow charge.

Dropping in units from space (like SC2)

And arcade maps (like SC2)