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Bruce Shelley On Future Of The RTS

Posted by simoniker on from the age-of-rts-repetition? dept.

Thanks to GameSpy for posting an interview with Bruce Shelley of Ensemble Studios, talking to the strategy game veteran about his work on the Age Of Empires series, as well as the forthcoming Age Of Mythology expansion. However, Shelley also talks about the future of real-time strategy titles, suggesting: "There is a risk that gamers will become tired of the explore/build up/fight model for RTS games. The industry has now explored most of the good topics for an RTS game. Future excitement has to be generated largely by gameplay innovation."

3 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. Suggestions by Henry+V+.009 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I am constantly surprised by how conformist the game industry is. Game companies have barely scratched the surface of RTS. Combat could be drastically improved. Most current games concentrate mainly on unit differences. A far more interesting system could be made using the elements of formation, terrain, and maneuver. Control is rarely explored beyond simple point and click directions to individual units. An interesting system would be to make a few computer commanders which the human player could direct. With even simple AI such a system could have real potential. And RTS elements could also be easily combined with a true RPG style game or with FPS games to make for an interesting experience.

    1. Re:Suggestions by August_zero · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You should check (if you haven't already)out the Total War series of games.(Shogun, Medeival and upcoming Rome) These games are all about tactics and formation. THere is no real-time resource management either, if your playing the campaign you have to manage you empire but when battles arise you must fight with what you have available. Two people playing with the same army could have the battle turn out completly differently everytime they play it just based on the tactics employed.

      ANother game that took a decent and unique approach to RTS is the Kohan series; also fairly decent if not a little dry.

      --
      On Wall Street they say "buy low, sell high" On the pad we say, "buy high, sell high" Isn't that somehow better?
  2. Small Unit Combat Tactics by TheRealGigabyte · · Score: 4, Informative

    One new RTS im looking forward to is Homeworld 2. Its includeing the bundled unit system where you make one unit and it spits out a couple. You control the group together instead of the individual units. More groups you add together the more the AI will alter the tactics and formations for best effect. I think this will be the big new fad in RTS games. Small units with scaleing tactics and formations that respond dynamicaly to battlefield events and situations.