What is an RTS?

An RTS, or Real-Time Strategy Game, is a fairly recent innovation in the world of games. Like any strategy game, RTS games are fun because the player has to formulate strategies to creatively solve various problems. In most flavors of RTS, the problems are military ones, and the solutions have to do with both the choice and application of military units. RTS games differ from most other strategy games in that they happen in real-time. This means that the game proceeds at a constant rate regardless of what players do. RTS games are designed so that there is not enough time for a player to perform all the actions they would normally desire. Time-management and fast-paced decision making create one of the most intense multi-player experiences available today!

The most common subtype of RTS games are those in the vein of the first well-known RTS, Dune 2(Westwood Studios), and ours is a new significant step forward in this 10-year-old tradition. Other games similar to that include Command and Conquer (tm) and Warcraft and Starcraft (tm). These games have three major parts: the map, the players & their units and buildings, and resources. The map is effectively the board on which the game takes place. Everything in the game happens on the map, which is in our case a large expanse of terrain ranging from grasslands to lava flows. There are multiple maps for the game to be played on, each with unique characteristics that lead to different styles of play.

Players each possess a collection of buildings and units, which are located somewhere on the map. Units are a lot like pieces in other strategy games, such as chess, and buildings typically create additional units for the player when needed. Units can take a variety of forms -- in Strifeshadow, swordsmen, archers, wizards and fantasy creatures are among the units players can hold. Each unit has a variety of unique traits and abilities, which make it particularly well-suited to do specific things. Units also cost different amounts depending on just how powerful they are. Players pick and choose their units with limited resources in order to defeat the other players units in battle and eventually win the game (which is done by eliminating all of another players buildings with ones units). Buildings are production facilities for developing new capabilities, new troops, or both.

Resources are found throughout the map, and can be gathered by players through special units and buildings. Resources allow the player to produce units and additional buildings. Since no new units or buildings can be created without additional resources, the players typically struggle over resource locations, since possessing larger amounts of resources is a large strategic advantage.

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Starcraft and Warcraft are registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment. Command and Conquer is a registered trademark of Westwood Studios.