Level with me. I want a discussion comparing various aspects of top games objectively. How many types and amounts of units and buildings do games like WC3 and SC 1 and 2 have at once? How does map size factor into simultaneously available strategies? How does this all compare to Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance?
i dont care. i just want handcannoneers to be buffed
A lot of RTS discussion collapses "depth" into one axis, but RTS design actually spans multiple: map size and interaction density, unit/building variety, simultaneous unit counts, and how micro, macro, economy, and scale interact under pressure. StarCraft II (and similarly Warcraft III and StarCraft: Brood War) compress most decisions into small maps, tight army compositions, and high interaction density -- depth is expressed through execution, timing, and composition control. Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance spreads those same layers across scale: larger maps, multiple simultaneous fronts, higher unit counts, and economy systems that continuously interact through expansion, adjacency, and tech transitions.The interesting question isn’t "which has more depth", but which design space produces more meaningful simultaneous decisions: compressed systems where precision and timing dominate, or distributed systems where prioritization, scaling, and coordination across layers matter more.How do you personally weigh these dimensions -- map scale, unit diversity, unit counts, and system interaction -- when you think about RTS depth?
I like Beyond All Reason
>>738286783What do you like about it?Are the factions' lore good?
>>738288802The lore is non existant even tho its already written for about 2 monthsThe balance is pretty great in far as mechanics and faction differences: Armada hits fast, Cortex is slow but hard hitting, and Legion is spammy and specialized
>>738284918I've been playing Rise of Legends lately and having a lot of fun with it. Does Rise of Nations hold up?
>another daily ai bot thread with the same canned replies
>>738290627This thread already has good replies. What are you talking about?
>>738288802Not that anon but BAR is pretty impressive and makes the (((others))) seethe Its on the Spring Engine now called Recoil Engine. It was a remake of Total Annihilation called Balanced Annihilation Reloaded back then, but it got big and good and got renamed as Beyond All Reason. Basically, it controls great, the graphics are great, the scaling and balance is great, and most of all its FUN. Either you play 1v1 or up to 8v8 or even more memey events, the game has a shitton of content and it is deep enough to be easy to learn hard to master. Microing is easy and engaging, and macroing is easy as well as in the controls are super refined and intuitive. 3 factions, 2 PvE modes and skirmish AIs and some challenges. The community is alive even though you can find cool people and spergs all the same.Lots of maps and its free.To be honest it is a miracle that it exists as it is because it is very polished and fun. But only got up to that point by being open source and being like 13 years in development.
Post about RTSWhat you're playing right now?What's your favorite RTS of all time?What's your favorite unit in any RTS?What is your favorite unit quote in any RTS?What was your favorite play/moment you've had in a match?
>>738292692>What you're playing right now?Age of Mythology Retold>What's your favorite RTS of all time?Hard to pick, I'll say it's between Age of Mythology, Dawn of War and Starcraft 2>What's your favorite unit in any RTS?Maybe Siege Tanks, haven't, thought too much about it>What is your favorite unit quote in any RTS?"You want a piece of me boy", "Work work", and a bunch of AoM ones come to mind>What was your favorite play/moment you've had in a match?There was a TvZ match I played in SC2 where I fell super far behind after an early rush but I managed to micro the shit out of my marines against the Zerg's banelings and made a comeback. I'm usually absolutely terrible at micro so that game stood out, not sure how I managed to do it so perfectly exactly that one time and then never again.
>>738284918SC1+(2) have a "supply" of 200 units. some powerful units cost more than 1 supply in an effort to balance the cost and potential power.In supcom there is a unit cap but its to manage performance and each unit is only valued at 1 supply, and there arent actual "supply" costs the same way as starcraft.You dont need unit/supply caps in RTS games to be balanced but they can be a good tool in a system of balance.Every part of the system can be interacting with another or all other parts. The depth can be wildly different depending on how they do so. One thing that is essential for one game can be entirely unneeded for another.
