The Stronghold Series

[Unsung]

An RTS series that I think is too often overlooked is the Stronghold series, by Firefly. Stronghold 3 is coming out in September, and this has resparked my enthusiasm for the main game: mapmaking.

Every iteration has come with a subtly powerful editor (I can't speak for Legends, though). When I say subtly, I mean the community has found bugs and tricks to create incredible things that weren't actually added, like snow/ice (thousand rocks trick) flattened stone wall "roads" (another rock trick) and switching game modes and resaving them as new maps.

I suggest every fan of RTS games should give it a shot. Furthermore--if you choose to play the original/Crusader--I suggest you head over to Stronghold Heaven.com (google it, the actual address is trickier) and grab some of the finest looking maps ever made. My username is Captain Diablo and I've made 8 or 9 maps, all scored 4/5 or more.

Some mappers you should check out: Warlord Designs, Sulis, Jawhawk, Battlemage Corp, Lord Avo--pretty much anyone in the top 300 bundle and everyone who was nominated. I think those 300 maps were included in the recently released bundle, but I'm not sure. Do yourselves a favor and give it a whirl.

 

[SammiYin]

I agree with the above post, while I didn't like Stronghold 2s map editor as much as the originals it still kept me engrossed. I'm hoping Stronghold 3 doesn't disappoint.

Edit: Notoriously short post, so here's some moar.
The main thing I'd ever do in Stronghold map editors would be sieges, eye candy maps were never my thing [also I could never get the hang of most of them bugs >.<] but I did make quite a good one based on historical Dracula, but the AI wouldn't do what I wanted and now the map is gone.
Everyone needs to give these games a look.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

So far I've loved the series, just for letting me build my perfect castle, no matter how long it took to get it right. I can't wait for Stronghold 3 later this year.

Definitely something I'd recommend.

 

[Aeshi]

I loved the first one, never played the second and will probably get the third if it's good enough.

 

[Truth Cake]

I never got into Stronghold 1, but I've played Crusaders, Stronghold 2 and Legends a lot.

My favorite was Stronghold 2, I just liked all the little features they took out in Legends, and Legend's AI brought back their annoyance factor that Crusader had but they got rid of in 2, but in a different way- now it was 'BWA HA HA! I WILL DESTROY YOU NOW!!' -5 seconds later- 'NOOOO HOW DID YOU BEAT ME!?'

That was as opposed to your allies in Crusader- 'GIMME SUPPLIES!!!' -5 seconds later- 'MOAR SUPPLIES!!!'

Still a good series overall, though they need to fix some of the AI's techniques for building their castles- in Crusader, each different AI built a distinct castle EVERY TIME, even if the terrain wouldn't allow their particular castle to be built, they did it anyways, and often left blatantly obvious holes.
After Crusader, everyone builds the same. exact castle, resources and terrain allowing- and it's just too easy to take over the same kind of castle over and over again with the same seige force, especially if you just spam frost giants in Legends, basically a game-breaker.