Warning: Long babbling about something that don't exist.

Have you ever think of or daydreaming about what kind of game would be the perfect game for you? I have, so many times. Since RTS is my favourite genre, I've been thinking of what kind of RTS I'd really love to see being made, although I don't think it will happen anytime soon. 

Like some other genres in modern day of gaming, the RTS genre seems to be slowly drifting away from its root. There are RTS titles that failed, ruined, or a straight disappointment for its series' fans. But still, I don't think it's right for me to say that this transformation is bad for RTS games as a whole, because not all of them are like that. If there's one thing that is really bad about this, it's how sometimes Real-Time Tactic mistakenly tagged as Real-Time Strategy.

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Don't you just love it when a game meets your expectation and exactly how you want it to be that you could overlook the flaws it may have? There's one upcoming RTS that I'm waiting for and so eager to play, Iron Harvest, that is planned to launch in 2019. I hope that one won't disappoint. And another one would be Hash Rush (@hashrushgame), an upcoming cryptocurrency RTS that I hope I'll be able to play.

This post is based on my experience in RTS games, and there may be some things I missed as I haven't play every single RTS that exist. Or, if you can't stand this long nonsense, you can just go straight to the comment and tell me what kind of game would be the perfect game for you, if you want. 

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Balanced Depth in Both Macro and Micromanagement

Micro is what makes me feel badass when I manage to put my units into the advantageous situation and winning the battle. Make me feel like I'm a worthy "General". But I also want to divide my attention to macromanagement as it makes me more like a King. 

I see when an RTS has its focus more on the micromanagement, chances are it leaves the macro to be not as deep. But not all games are like this, mind you. One example of this is Company of Heroes 2. Don't get me wrong, while I do prefer something with more depth and complexity on the macromanagement, Company of Heroes 2 was a damn great game thanks to well designed micromanagement by Relic Entertainment, that resulted in an astounding combat gameplay. 

I enjoyed how intense the tactical battle in CoH2 so much I feel so badass every time I managed to push the opponents back or wipe them out with Katyusha(s). But still, it's not my perfect RTS. So maybe make the tactical combat as intense as CoH but the resource management as strong as Age of Empires? That would be great.

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The Macromanagement

Traditional Base Building

Complexity might be not a good thing for some people, but for the other it's acceptable because there's a thin line between being complex and being confusing. However, I'm not saying RTS always have to be complex. But I wouldn't want something too simple and shallow as well. I want to work my mind as I build everything according to my plan as I hold my pants anticipating where and how will the enemy attack my defense and how long will it last. With resource collecting that become a bit trickier because of the...

Randomly Generated Map

There's a number of maps you can choose from in AoE each with different landscape such as archipelago, forests, continental, etc. However, the layout are always changing in each match. Why I like this system is because you need to think of new strategy every time you play. So players would have less pattern in their strategy, and will have no choice but to adapt to the environment.

Resource "Salvaging"

The primary resource is, based on the lore I have in mind, an underground mine of fictional mineral, and some other common type of resources such as food, metal and gold. But, not only can you gather resource by mining or farming, but also from the remains of the enemies. Such as metal from the taken down steam-powered mech.

The Micromanagement

A Deeper 'Rock-Paper-Scissors' Analogy

In strategy game, it's best to think of not only what we have in hands, but also what the opponents might have in theirs. The result depends on a handful of factors such as how well is your timing, map awareness, exploiting the enemy's weaknesses and mistakes, know an advantageous opportunity when you see one, etc. By "deeper" I meant a non-ultimate result between the Rock, the Paper, and the Scissor.

For example: On paper, unit X is stronger than unit Y. However, should they encounter each other, X will not always beats Y. Say, X is pinning down Y and is about to win. But Y quickly throw a grenade to X, who is making a mistake by dodging late. But even after that, doesn't mean Y will always win as well. That is one, very simple scenario with 3 or maybe more possible outcomes I could think of. This way, the diversity of tactics is broader even between only two types of basic units, which can be done by the help of the next points...

Fully Tactical Control Over Your Units

I think the very basic features that an RTS must implement to the army would be attack move and formation, something that some developers overlooked. From there, better addition such as special abilities could certainly make all the difference in the combat gameplay as it would require the players not only to carefully yet quickly move, position, and time their units' ability usage, but also to predict the opponent's action. This raise the intensity of the combat that is greatly raised further by...

Usable And Destructable Environments

Just because you take cover over something doesn't mean that cover will last forever to keep you safe. Combined with the previous points, these features and mechanic takes the dynamic flow of the combat gameplay to a satisfying level. The environment is an instrument for both teams to use cleverly and efficiently to outwit each other. An addition for the already dynamic map that I'd love to see in RTS games is...

Day and Night Cycle, and Potentially Problematic Weather

Imagine the units that gain some sort of boost or got nerfed based on the time of day, and each sides can counter and/or exploit each other if they play the cards right. But then, the heavy weather may require you to change your plan, for better or worse. That would certainly add more layers to the dynamically engaging level of the game as you'll have to cleverly combine your micro skill with the ever changing environment and time of day. 

The Game Mode

Different single-player campaigns for each faction that set before the time of the Skirmish mode. So like, a prequel that tell the beginning of the conflict that starts the clash, with a storyline I have in mind that, if I write down would be three posts long. And multiplayer mode that could be played by up to 10v10 players because I want some LotR level of chaotic battlefield. Whose PC blow up last is the winner. Add the ability to betray each other at any time to add a bit of a drama to it.

Trivial Stuff: Theme and Citizens

It would be awesome to add citizens walking around doing stuff in your base/kingdom. I personally like this because I feel like there's real people--my people--that I'm defending. Guess where this came from? Stronghold Crusader. You can even build entertainment stuff for your citizen in that game. Caliph's men are outside the wall burning my sh*t and his assassin's are climbing up, and there I was, building an amusement park because the game let me.

Everything above packed in one strategy game set in a fictional Steampunk world where magic co-exist with the steam-powered contraptions in contrast, my favourite theme/sub-genre in pretty much everything, featuring fictional Steampunk factions as well.

What you just read is my wet dream. These things might be too high of an expectation and probably will never happen, but I'll go nuts if I don't write them down. And this is the shortened version. This post was fun to write yet also painful. So thanks for stopping by, and your patience, Steemian. And feel free to tell me what kind of game would be perfect for you.

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Images credit: Cover, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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^{DISCLAIMER: All artworks in this post (except for the cited ones) are belongs to me and I don't allow you, your partner, your cassowary, or your waifu to use them without my consent. Think I'm a smug? Fine by me. Happened before. Hate it if it happen again.}