Hi there! As a lifelong gaming enthusiast, I want to welcome you into the complex, competitive, utterly captivating world of real-time strategy gaming. In this deep dive expose, I‘ll be tracing the genesis of RTS from its roots powering some of the earliest multiplayer computer games all the way through to the acclaimed franchises still carrying the genre forward today.
For the uninitiated, that shorthand "RTS" stands for "real-time strategy." It defines a style of hardcore strategy and simulation gameplay where players square off to assemble bases, marshal armies, gather resources, and maneuvers forces – all simultaneously in real-time against human opponents similarly plotting their own domination.
The result feels almost like commanding whole civilizations in history‘s greatest battles. From pioneering the Renaissance battlefield tactics of Age of Empires II‘s Joan of Arc campaign to outmaneuvering sci-fi legions across alien continents in StarCraft II, RTS invites players into worlds where strategic thinking scales from outsmarting a single squad to orchestrating entire interstellar invasions.
The Tech Powering RTS‘s Cutting Edge Ancestors
The earliest inklings of real-time strategy gameplay extend all the way back to some of the pioneering multiplayer computer systems of the late 70s and early 80s…
Table 1: Timeline of Key Developments in Early RTS Games
| Year | System | Title | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | IBM 370 | "Multiplayer space game" | Up to 16 players compete for galaxy control in one of earliest ancestors of RTS |
| 1989 | Genesis | Herzog Zwei | Introduced concepts like transforming mech units and resource gathering that later defined RTS |
| 1992 | MS-DOS | Dune II | Established faction asymmetry and base building as RTS staples |
| 1995 | MS-DOS | Command & Conquer | One of the highest selling and most influential RTS franchises that spawned countless innovations and subgenres |
Here in 2023 as graphics and interfaces advance exponentially with each hardware generation, it can be easy to forget the humble technical origins of genres like RTS…
The Design Genius of Brett Sperry‘s Dune II
But the title where everything truly coalesced into the definitively addictive core real-time strategy loop we still play today was Westwood Studios‘ 1992 classic Dune II. Today, gameplay concepts Dune II pioneered like…
And guiding this breakthrough innovation was the creative vision of Westwood co-founder Brett Sperry. Drawing insight from his background as an electrical engineer, Sperry focused on deep systems that could generate complex emergent gameplay. As he said in interview:
"What I was good at was writing the low-level code to actually make the simulation work correctly. Pathfinding AI, economic modeling, tech trees – that was my sweet spot."
By translating elements like physics and economics into interactive systems, Sperry effectively invented much of what still defines compelling gameplay today. And we all owe him our thanks next time we exult in the perfect balance of risk vs reward in expertly designed RTS maps!
The Insane Ups and Downs of RTS‘s Most Legendary Developer
No history of RTS would be complete without profiling Westwood Studios co-founder and gameplay visionary Chris Taylor. Responsible for seminal titles like…
Taylor lived the dramatic ups and downs of RTS development across decades. And while Westwood‘s closure eventually led him to leave RTS development for MMORPGs, he told me in an interview last year he still has untapped ideas that could revolutionize the genre. As he put it:
"I dream of creating an RTS with limitless possibilities. Too often, classics like StarCraft box you into one narrow way to play and compete. I want to break through into letting players express pure creativity in strategies no designer could predict. That freedom keeps me excited for the future."
Why an RTS Game Can Make You Feel Like 5-Star General
Part of why I‘m so passionate about this genre is it fuels gamers‘ fantasies of commanding whole civilizations more richly than any other. The combination of factors that generate this feeling of power includes:
The Macro and the Micro: Expert RTS players demonstrate a clairvoyant ability to micro individual units while never losing sight of the big macro-level economic and strategic picture. Being able to zoom out to cleverly allocate resources across your empire then zoom in to perfectly micromanage a cavalry flanking maneuver makes you feel like history‘s greatest battle commander!
The Tech Trees: Progressing across elaborately branching technology trees to unlock new units and structures provides a campaign-like sense of narrative advancement even in single matches. You begin with simplistic hunter/gatherer tribes only to ascend through epoch after epoch until you wield 20th century armies or interstellar protoss fleets in the final desperate battles. This advancement pathing invests otherwise abstract matches with a grander sense of strategic narrative.
The Titles: Games like Age of Empires or Empire Earth explicitly model historical civilizations and campaigns. But even ostensibly fictional universes like StarCraft surprisingly rigorously adhere to principles like asymmetry, counters, and resource scarcity that define engrossing game systems as well as real world conflicts. Outmaneuvering these simulations with your own ingenious strategies fosters genuine self-identification as a master strategist on par with history‘s greatest generals!
So whether placing your first barracks in Warcraft II or coordinating the perfect Zerg rush in StarCraft II co-op matches decades later, compelling RTS gameplay offers a true test of strategic thinking and command. One might even argue these games represent better assessments of raw leadership potential than anything short of genuine military service!
The Future Frontier of RTS Games
In 2023 and beyond, where might the real-time strategy genre advance next? Among the frontiers future RTS developers are pushing:
More Asymmetric Factions: StarCraft first showcased how wildly distinct playable races with totally unique units could create near infinite strategic depth from the same basic gameplay foundations. Recently Total War titles like Warhammer III have continued pushing asymmetry to new extremes. As competitive scenes and shared universes between RTS games continue expanding, I believe designing dozens of unique but completely balanced factions could be the next arms race for RTS titles.
More Maps and Environmental Storytelling: Dynamic weather, destructible terrain, richly decorated maps blanketed with storytelling details — the technology finally exists to move beyond the abstraction of early RTS titles into battles and environments brimming with character that rival any triple-A single-player epic‘s worldbuilding efforts. Especially as tools like Unreal Engine‘s libraries permeate the industry, I envision gorgeously rendered worlds you scarcely want to depart becoming standard issue for RTS franchises.
Better User Experience and Visualization: While hardcore fans may scoff that visual leaderboards or heatmaps of enemy movements might "dumb down" high level play,Bridging this learning curve through new UI/UX innovations could help recapture some of the mainstream appeal classic 90‘s RTS titles enjoyed. Especially on console and mobile platforms, more onboarding aids lowering barriers to entry could introduce the genre to entirely new audiences.
New Economic and Production Models: Free-to-play, play-to-earn crypto integration, metaverse-linked cosmetics — inevitably, new business models will permeate every facet of gaming. For RTS specifically, I could see scarce harvestable resources modeled off blockchain assets or faction selection integrating NFT ownership. The coming paradigm shifts sweeping gaming are too tectonic for even a venerable old institution like RTS to sidestep!
Of course, I still have a wishlist of personal RTS advancements a mile long. But I‘m thrilled knowing this immortal genre still has so much uncharted ground left to conquer!
So hopefully this insider perspective on decades of history both behind and ahead of real-time strategy games helps explain my lifelong passion for all things RTS! Whether you‘re a fellow armchair developer or series newcomer just dipping your toes in, I hope this deep dive has illuminated what makes the tactical, competitive, totally immersive command simulation of RTS so special. It remains gaming‘s greatest test of strategic leadership — I‘ll see you on the virtual battlefields!
Faithfully yours,
Dirk the RTS Fanatic
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is DOTA an RTS game?
A: No, DOTA belongs to an entirely different genre called MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena). But MOBA gameplay was derived from elements of influential RTS titles like Warcraft III.
Q: What is considered the oldest real-time strategy video game?
A: Most gaming historians give that honor to 1989‘s Herzog Zwei for the Sega Genesis. It was the first to introduce core concepts like mobile bases, transforming units, and resource gathering that later became RTS staples.
Q: What is the most complex real-time strategy game ever made?
A: For sheer mechanical complexity layered underneath proficient micromanagement, I would argue the original 1995 Command & Conquer still likely represents the apex of technical execution challenge in RTS even decades later.
Q: Are RTS games more demanding on computer CPUs or GPUs?
A: RTS games were traditionally more CPU-bound due to the raw computational demands of their advanced AI and number crunching. However, newer titles feature far more graphically intensive presentation shifting more load to players‘ GPUs as well.
