What is important to you in an RTS game?

[runequester]

I prefer turn based, but for an RTS, I'd say, Dune 2 style but without having to click on "move" and "attack" constantly.

A pausable game is great too, for issuing orders.

[runequester]

You are joking right?  :confused:

Last year i played Dune2000 from start until the end and it is really showing it's age. Remember that the game is the same as Dune 2 but with better graphics and music.

Let's see. No presets available for making custom squadrons, stupid AI, etc. But the biggest criticism of all is the same for all other Real Time Strategy Games - the lack of strategy. They really should be called Real Time Tactics (RTT) instead because the person who can point and click the mouse faster will usually prevail which isn't really strategy.

If you are going to make an RTS (RTT?) i think you should look at modern games that puts focus on strategy like Warhammer. Just my opinion

To be honest, on the computer, virtually none of them are "strategy" games unless you get into something like Hearts of Iron.

Somewhat unrelated, I'd LOVE to see a game in the vein of the Close Combat series for the amiga. Obviously might need to be simplified a bit. Heck, could even have graphics ala Cannon Fodder

[runequester]

I can't stand the rock, paper, scissors style units either. Have a look at Panzer General 2 and related SSI games. The units are very variable in strength and terrain is a factor in battles. Do that in an RTS and it may hook me in.

Although you don't have to bother with single player in the networking age if you do... Have the AI mass armies instead of just sending out little skirmish forces at regular intervals.

Have a good story joining your campaign together.

Actually, I'd be all over more games in the vein of Battle Isle and Panzer General.

[runequester]

If you use tieght restrictions like 1MB ChipRam, the game wont be better than Dune2. This would be illusoric. It will be much worse because you have less time and less experience than the developers of Dune2.
For acceptable results, raise the specs at least to RTG, 64MB RAM, 50MHz+.

Note: Programming is totally different, if you target low-spec, mid-spec or high-spec. Probably your choise depends on what you want to learn.

Limiting yourself to those specs will pretty much mean nobody plays the game.

And hell, look at Populous, megalomania, K240 etc.

You can do tons of great gaming on an unexpanded machine

[runequester]

I recently installed syndicate again on my 2000.  Holy crap that platform had potential!  I have 1M chip and 2m fast and no expansion.  It bogs down some when there are a lot of people walking about, but I was struck at how easily a fallout style rpg could have been built on top of that.  I also am curious how the people spawn on the map (ie if they are in memory whether or not they are on the screen).  I wonder the odds of Looney Molyneux kicking the old Syndicate code out there to roam free

yeah, an RPG on something like that engine would have a ton of potential, or even a larger scale military tactical game.