Poll: An odd RTS?

[GroundWalker]

Been looking a while for an RTS which isn't the standard RTS.
What I'm looking for is an RTS, where it doesn't feel like I'm playing a 'match'...rather that I'm building up a civilization.

Perhaps a mix of Spore (from Tribal upward, but without the horrible space combat), Civilization, and your run of the mill RTS.

Kinda like a RTS/RPG...but not taking the normal solution to that. (Heroes)
CivPG?

Anyways, if it doesn't exist, is there anyone else who think it might've been a good game?

Going to list a few things to discuss and/or just plain suggestions.

Multiplayer?
Perhaps do it kinda like browser RTS games? But with closed lobbies.

Fantasy-ish? Realistic? Historic?
Changeable game length? With everything from 1 hour games to games spanning several weeks.
Turn based? Real Time? Hybrid? (Like Total War, or RoN)
Make it easy to add new technologies, units etc.
Both randomly generated maps and pre-built ones.
Heroes? (Personally, I'm skeptic to this kind of thing...even any kind of 'leader' unit)

So...what do you think?

 

[Laveno]

What would be the difference between this and Civilization? Do you mean that (in the beginning?) you equip the soldiers one by one? More customisation than a game of Civilization allows?

Is it simply trying to salvage the most of the elements of Civilization and dumping it into the RTS-format? Personally, the last idea doesn't sound that good to me, seeing how one of the main focuses of Civilization is having the time to think tactically and move away from the APM that defines RTS (at least, on the more 'advanced levels'), at the cost of playtime increasing many times over.

 

[GroundWalker]

I was thinking more of making it a somewhat slower paced RTS.
...and it'd be more Civilization than Civilization. (Wait...what?)
Also...I did put it up for discussion wether it'd be real time, or turn based. Since for me it doesn't really matter. All that matters to me is that it doesn't feel like I'm playing a match, but that I'm developing a civilization.
Think of it as the 'Bioware' version of an RTS?

 

[Tharwen]

From your post, it seems you've already played some Total War, but it seems the best match for what you're looking for, since you literally build up a civilisation over several days.

 

[Sandernista]

From your post, it seems you've already played some Total War, but it seems the best match for what you're looking for, since you literally build up a civilisation over several days.

I'd like to second this. Have you tried Medieval 2, or Shogun 2? (the OP that is)

Those two games are I think the best for what you're looking for.

 

[GroundWalker]

Well...I've played pretty much all the Total War games...except for some expansions.
Thanks anyway.

 

[Coldie]

Sounds sort of like Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends (the fantasy "version"). Although the grand campaigns in both are turn-based, the actual campaign battles and individual scenarios work pretty much like "realtime Civilization". They are decent games, definitely playable. Nations has the usual Civ-style selection of, well, nations, each with unique units and powers, while Legends has 3 completely distinct factions - steampunk, arabian magics, and Mayincatek.

Also see Age of Empires and its own family of Age of Mythology fantasy sidequel, although the progression there is limited to Stone Age - around Middle Ages-ish.

 

[N1ceDreamz]

Try empire earth 1 or 2, they're both old games but they seem to be just what your looking for.

 

[Llil]

Have you tried Sins of a Solar Empire? It's a 4X game, but real time. It's complex enough that it feels like a proper 4X game, but simple enough that you can manage everything in real time.

 

[lythande2002]

Should try Earth 2150. Its an older game but still pretty fun.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

They should make a Civ game where you don't HAVE to be tied down to ACTUAL Human civilizations. You give a rough interpretation of what your race looks like, what they're architecture looks like and (at one point) what they're vehicles look like. Then just build them up till they your specific faction is the dominant power on the planet.

That sound quite similar to what you have in mind so Yes. That should absolutely be a game.

 

[Trivun]

Hey, I love RTS and strategy games, and I'm all for mixing it up and being experimental in game design (experimental games are awesome for their sheer random uniqueness ). So I'd be all over something like this like a shot...

 

[Outcast107]

Dawn of War 2. Buy that if you want a RTS/RPG.

At least buy the first game and its expansion. Then get the 2nd one to get the extra armies and units to play MP. At least if you like the Dawn of War 2 and all. The SP has you controlling four units(5 on one mission) at a time while you have about...6 I believe to choose from.

Now whats cool about this game is for every enemy you kill they have a chance to drop something. Weapon, Armor, etc. You also level up your char and gain different abilities or change how some of your chars actually play in battle.

Like for example. You can have your commander unit (He only one unit) be a number of different things. A melee power house, a range fighter, a mix of both, having a jet pack with any of the three, or actually just wear freaking huge pieces of armor that makes you like a walking tank(Which is called Terminator armor.)

Edit: Never mind about my game. Its more of a squad type rts lol. Though still check it out if you bored any time.

 

[Rems]

Based on your criteria i could recommend Hearts of Iron (3), Europa Universalis (2) Crusader Kings and Elemental War of Magic. They're the least 'rts' (as in starcraft for example) like rts games.

In Hearts of Iron you take control of a nation in the 1930's and lead them through world war 2 and the preceding years. You have complete control of your nation's economy, politics, production, industry, military etc. It is a wonderfully deep and complex game.

Europa Universalis 2 (and the rest in the series) are similar except you control a medieval (though its more post renaissance really) nation or principality and its royal house. You have a few hundred years to play with.

Crusader Kings is like Europa Universalis (also a paradox game) but focus more on building a dynasty than the country and has some rpg elements. Again a few centuries. All three of the above are macro focused rather than micro.

Don't be fooled by the relatively poor reviews of Elemental, its a stardock game (galcivs, sins) and hence has been patched to hell and back and still receives support and updates. It's like the civilization games but with magic and rpg elements. You have your sovereign, can create a dynasty and send heroes about on quests. Its turnbased and there is a hell of lot customablity if your a palyer who likes creating his own factions, units characters, maps, spells, tiles (as in the buildings that make up your cities) etc. A very large, tech tree and unit designs. It also has a truly innovative magic system. Not only are there the usual combat spells to use in battle but lots of stragic spells to use on the campaign map. You can raise mountains to block off a pass, plunge land into the sea or call up a volcano in the midst of your enemies realm and more. Geography and terrain is your plaything. Also everything in your list of features there can be found in elemental.

The best part is you can get all of these for cheap off digital distribution, steam, impulse or gamers gate.