Poll: The "Better" RTS Resourse System?

[Laft Kranz]

Across the course of my RTS experience I've always wondered what would be considered a ?better? resource system.

There?s the ?extrinsic? resource option ala Command and Conquer where the resource focus is on harvesting/protecting your harvester while it gathers ore/tiberium/etc.

The ?intrinsic? option ala Supreme Commander 2 where you construct mass extractors and you constantly gain from it.

For arguments sake; extrinsic = resources outside your base, intrinsic = resources that are stationary inside your base i.e. structures (also applies for DoW type control acquisition).

In my opinion the best resource system was in Emperor Battle for Dune, as the carry alls word with the harvesters to increase speed but they are more vulnerable as the carry alls have a lot less armour. I also liked the ?build on? option for the for the refineries as instead of 1 refinery = 1 resource dump stop, you can add 2 more.

 

[reg42]

I really liked DoW's resource system, so I'll vote for that.

 

[latenightapplepie]

My favourite RTS game is Age of Empires 2, which, while technically being slightly intrinsic, is really extrinsic. And so that's how I voted.

I guess I prefer it that way because then scouting becomes more important. You have to find the resources, not just your enemy.

 

[latenightapplepie]

Goddamn double post. How did that happen?

 

[GunstarHero]

My favourite game, maybe of all time, is RA2: Yuri's Revenge. Nothing maddens me more than crud unit AI resulting in my harvesters 'pathfinding' their may under enemy tank tracks. I much prefer the use of mods that let me build my own tech derricks, meaning I have valuable space occupied in my base, but that's earning me cash. It's still essential to protect them since if they are destroyed they blast, and would also mean no cash, but I don't have to rebuild them every time the 'safe zone' ore runs out.

Also, the system in LOTR:BFME was similar, occupying space but gathering resources, making it a tactical choice how quickly you can generate.

 

[Amnestic]

I'm leaning in the direction of the 'extrinsic' system thanks to Starcraft and Warcraft - though considering they both had the 'food' resource as well (for population) it's arguably a mix of both, as - especially in WC3 - you had to balance food output and input against your resource output/input. Larger army using more food meant slower intake of gold/wood.

Also I've been playing C&C since the first one, which was extrinsic too

 

[Lucifron]

I'll vote for nothing, as I belive the best resource system for an RTS, would be to have no resources at all. An exception to this would be Supreme Commander/Total Annihilation, where the gameplay actually echoed the nature of the warfare.

 

[Zacharine]

It all really depends ont he game and execution - there are several examples of both types where it has been done well, and RTS games like Ground Control where there are no resources and focus is on unit preservation trough use tactics.

 

[Raikov]

Company of Heroes had the best system by far. I really like games where you are forces to defend scattered resources, and games where there are no builder/collector units.

 

[John Funk]

It really depends on the game. Control points work fine in Company of Heroes and Dawn of War, but you can take my minerals and Vespene Gas from StarCraft over my cold dead body.

 

[UnhallowedDeceit]

It depends on the game really on how the game implements the resource gathering. Both have advantages and disadvantages but that's where tactics play a huge role in what you do.

Personally, out of all the RTS games I've played, I prefer Sins of a Solar Empires approach. While wholly intrinsic in nature your resource acquisition increases as you take over more and more planets and decreases as you lose planets. This has been the best implementation of resource gathering that I've in recent RTS games. Everything falls on how you manage your fleet and protect your planets instead of finding new areas to gather resources from.

 

[Icecoldcynic]

I had to vote for extrinsic, since i've NEVER liked the whole 'your base is your safe haven that you never need to leave' thing. I like the risk in having to send your units out to protect your tiberium fields.

 

[InsanityRequiem]

It's based on the game for me. Though I never really had a problem with all the ways one can harvest. I tended to have a lot of fun no matter what. Some RTS' like Halo Wars, with its intrinsic system, worked well. Though the drawback was the lack of space each supply depo took up. Other RTS' like Starcraft/Warcraft/C&C you made it a priority to determine who does what. As if you don't pay attention, your gathers would end up as fodder for the enemy.

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

I'm inclined to say extrinsic is the way to go. Having to seek out and protect resources while preventing your opponent from doing the same prevents turtling and generally makes for faster-paced and more aggressive battles.

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

It really depends on the game. Control points work fine in Company of Heroes and Dawn of War, but you can take my minerals and Vespene Gas from StarCraft over my cold dead body.

I'd argue that StarCraft has a strong extrinsic aspect as well. Sure, you start out with a bunch of resources right in your base, but if you don't hunt down other resource spots, your opponent will usually outproduce and overwhelm you, especially in longer games. Building expansion bases to harvest new resource spots and deny your opponent access to them is an important part of the game.

In StarCraft a base is built because there are resources nearby, but two out of three resource types are not tied to the base in any way.

[edit] Well I guess the gas extractor thingy could count as intrinsic as well since you need a building for it... but it still has to be harvested by your units. And minerals are not all that different from C&C's tiberium except that it's usually closer to your base.

 

[Spitfire175]

It really depends on the game. Control points work fine in Company of Heroes and Dawn of War, but you can take my minerals and Vespene Gas from StarCraft over my cold dead body.

For once I agree with Mr. Funk.
It really is up to the atmosphere and pedigree of the game.

 

[Srdjan]

Very much depands of the game rhytam. And how is working with other game aspects.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

personally i have always been an empire earth and AoE fan, so extrinsic has always been my favorite, plus it just makes real world sense, the supplies are out there, and i have got to develop a position that is tactically defendable from my enemy while being superclose to as many resources as possible

(somehow the cpu always has every resource right next to it, bahhh, bullshit, near impossible to beat on god mode)