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Real Time Strategy Games

Real-time strategy games are, simply, strategy games that do not use a turn-based system of play, forcing players to deal with competitors in a timely and efficient fashion. The genre claims some extremely successful series, including the popular Warcraft  games and Age of Empires.  RTS games have experienced rabid evolution and further detail has led several crossover games that bare the characteristics of RTS games as well as any number of other genres. The more detail that computers become capable of handing, the more the borders between RTS and RPG games seem to blur. As a result of genre convergence, it has become increasingly difficult to find "Real-time strategy" games currently being produced.

History and Development

Real-time strategy games developed slowly over the 1980s in an attempt to make tactical strategy and simulation games (both generally turn-based affairs in which graphics and action were afterthought) less boring. As such, it's hard to pinpoint the first RTS game. However, it wasn't until the early mid-90s that the genre was codified by a few classic games designed by Westwood Studios and Blizzard.

Dune II Though not technically the first RTS game, Dune II  set the parameters for which the genre is known by today. Players harvest spice to fuel massive armies. The game has aged surprisingly well, with many of its control still commonplace today.	Warcraft With the exception of the Sims, no series in PC gaming has managed the popularity of the Warcraft games. Although it would be vastly improved in following games, Warcraft  set the standard, and subsequent games in the series still follow its lead.	Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn The idea behind Command & Conquer  was simple: apply RTS style gaming to a modern military landscape. For the time, the results were stunning. Blowing competing military strategy games out of the water, this game  established a new subgenre.

The Golden Age

The Golden Age of real-time strategy games began in the late 1990s. During this period, RTS games experienced an incredible increase in sales and popularity. A handful of titles came out that did not make any fundamental changes to the parameters established by Dune II in the early 90s, but, because of improved processing speed and graphics capabilities, managed to invigorate the public with great visuals and more enemies. Two sequels led the charge, followed by a soon-to-be giant in the genre.

Warcraft II Warcraft II  brought RTS games to the forefront of all gaming. Warcraft II's addictive gameplay, map making abilities and awesome multiplayer capabilities made it arguably the best of the second generation.	Command & Conquer: Red Alert Not so much a sequel and an alternate take on the original, Red Alert  guided players through an alternative dimension in which the cold war was a hot one. Online play is easy and unit development is endlessly complicated in a good way.	Age of Empires The Age of Empires  series offered the last great thematic revision on the RTS format, setting the scene in classical antiquity, allowing players to lead armies from Asia to Europe. Its novel combination of nation building and combat stands out still.

3D And Beyond

Perhaps moreso than with any other genre, 3D gameplay has been slow to be integrated into real-time strategy games. For many players, the top-down view simply makes more sense. However, in recent years, certain titles adopted the 3D format with varying degrees of success. In the late 90s, Total Annihilation  introduced 3D graphics to the genre. The innovative and critically acclaimed Warzone 2100  was the next game to feature 3D graphics. However, it wasn't until 2002 that 3D  became the standard for RTS games, as genre lines continued to be blurred.

Warcraft III Warcraft III  ushered in the new age of 3D RTS games, making it the most truly innovative Warcraft title to date. A story mode and an increased focus on individual characters help define this RPG/RTS hybrid.	Age of Empires III Age of Empires III  perfected the formula the series had been working with since the first game. Set mostly in the new world, Age of Empires III follows your explorers from their home cities to America.	Dawn of War Dawn of War  combines features of tactics games (such as morale and a close combat systems) with the RTS model. Players must be more involved with individual units than in most RTS games.	Star Wars: Empire at War Empire at War  continues the franchise's history of strong PC games. In addition to the typical campaign and skirmish modes, players can take part in a sandbox-style galactic conquest.	Rise & Fall Some critics say that Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War  is indicative of the future of RTS gaming. In it, players can take control of individual units, making for a combination action RPG/RTS game.