Positioning, maneuvering, jockeying for position, and hoping that you're not eliminated in the process. This is the general makeup of a RTS (Real-Time Strategy) game. As a term created by Brett Sperry to market his game Dune II, RTS games are now flooding the market - having capitalized on much success and continuing to turn heads with changing themes and improved graphics. RTS games are exclusively computer war games which can sometimes be very complicated and demanding.
A RTS type of game is a strategic game that is distinctly NOT turn-based, meaning that each player in an RTS may interact with the game independently of other players, so that no player has to wait for someone else to finish a turn. Some important concepts related to RTS games include combat and twitch-oriented action. Other RTS gameplay mechanics implied are resource gathering, base building and technological development, as well as abstract unit control (giving orders, as opposed to controlling units directly like in shooters).
In typical RTS games, the player's screen is divided into a map, displaying various aspects of the game: buildings, units, terrain, and more. Usually, players are given an isometric view of the world, sometimes by a free-roaming camera or other such aerial viewpoint – especially in more modern 3D RTS games. Controls are typically simple, involving the player's mouse and a few 'shortcut' keyboard functions. Getting the hang of moving pieces and controlling game play is relatively easy – some may even liken it to placing bets on roulette at an online casino, i.e. drag&drop – but the actual plot of the game, depending on the story, can be lengthy and require a good deal of skill and patience.
The genre that is recognized today as real-time strategy emerged as a result of an extended period of evolution and refinement. Games that are today sometimes perceived as ancestors of the
real-time strategy genre were never marketed or designed as such at the original date of publication. Therefore, designating *early* RTS games titles is very problematic. Although the ZX Spectrum game Stonkers was published a year earlier, in 1983, The Ancient Art of War is generally recognised as one of the first RTS games, a genre which become hugely popular a decade later with Dune II and Warcraft. These games added an element of economic management with mining or gathering, as well as construction and base management, to the purely military.
In most RTS games players start with a bare minimum supply of buildings/units. As the player advances, so too does the power of his or her world – increasing in buildings and units. In essence, RTS games become a race against the clock. The better and faster you can gather resources, the better you chances are at doing what's necessary to win the game.
Command & Conquer became the first popular RTS game to utilize competitive multiplayer in 2005. Command and Conquer: Red Alert became the most popular early competitive RTS game that open up the path of online RTS games. Although Dune II gave birth of the genre's name, many other RTS games made their debut before the Westwood Studios' 1992 instant classic.
The first big-time, 3D graphic RTS game hit the scene in 1989, with Sega Genesis' Herzog Zwei for the Sega Genesis. The idea of controlling units other than yourself to destroy enemy bases seemed rather simple. And in practice it was. This game outlined the basic criteria for an RTS that many developers still use today. Build units that cost resources to strengthen your army, then unleash them onto your opponent. Many elements such as this are still with us today - unchanged since the beginning.
Many would say that where we are right now is where RTS developers are going to stop. There are no more things to invent in new RTS games, or innovative ideas that will come along. "The only things to do are to add more units and techs, and support more people on multiplayer, that's hardly enough to keep people coming back for more". All we can say is: they are wrong! Look at how something as simple as adding the third dimension added to the gameplay of Empire Earth, pushing it even further, and turning it into a marvelous RTS game. Also, some of today's indie free RTS games are bringing innovation to the table, even if they don't receive the exposure the big guys get. Over the years, the graphics have improved and the gameplay difficultly has clearly increased. Although the genre of RTS games is very popular, many find the challenge of excelling in the format to be very complex.
"Before 1992, wargames and strategy games were very much niche markets -- with the exception of Sid Meier's work. But in the end, it was best to call it an RTS because that is exactly what it was." (Bruce Geryk - A History of RTS Games)
"There's obviously a lot to look forward to in the future of real-time strategy. It's great that all of these developers seem very excited about the future and where the genre can go." (Dan Adams - The State of the RTS Games)
