why cant i figure out RTS games?

okay i been trying to get into rts games for about oh a year now, and i just cant seem to grasp them which blows cause i really like them. i just dont know im not some noob gamer (well with rts games i am) that thinks guitar hero is the greatest game ever! so why cant i play rts games, was i born without that part of the brain. would i be the worst general that ever lived if given the chance? so can anyone point me in the direction of some kind of SUPER NOOB RTS STRATEGY GUIDE 4 DUMMIES? (this is embarrasing)......help me please b4 i give up completely.

Play Dawn Of War 2. It really streamlines the RTS genre. When you're comfortable with that move on to more complicated games.

Play Dawn Of War 2. It really streamlines the RTS genre. When you're comfortable with that move on to more complicated games.

StormtrooprDave

I don't think playing DoW2 will get him acquainted with the RTS genre. DoW 2 is more of "dungeon siege with guns" than an RTS.

okay i been trying to get into rts games for about oh a year now, and i just cant seem to grasp them which blows cause i really like them. i just dont know im not some noob gamer (well with rts games i am) that thinks guitar hero is the greatest game ever! so why cant i play rts games, was i born without that part of the brain. would i be the worst general that ever lived if given the chance? so can anyone point me in the direction of some kind of SUPER NOOB RTS STRATEGY GUIDE 4 DUMMIES? (this is embarrasing)......help me please b4 i give up completely.

brentsonier

The main goal is usually to obliterate your opponent from the face of the game. You have to construct factories of war and the infrastructure to support them. You also need resources to fuel all those. You build up your forces strong enough then attack. Of course, the opponent may have other ideas and keep you on the defensive for a while. But, that's the main premise in a nutshell.

I usually stick to the easier ones first such as Command & Conquer: Generals.

okay i been trying to get into rts games for about oh a year now, and i just cant seem to grasp them which blows cause i really like them. i just dont know im not some noob gamer (well with rts games i am) that thinks guitar hero is the greatest game ever! so why cant i play rts games, was i born without that part of the brain. would i be the worst general that ever lived if given the chance? so can anyone point me in the direction of some kind of SUPER NOOB RTS STRATEGY GUIDE 4 DUMMIES? (this is embarrasing)......help me please b4 i give up completely.

brentsonier

Maybe C&C3. But that's just me. I really don't know cause I was owning in Rome: total war when I was ten.

Well, RTS games are a bit of an acquired taste IMO. I hated pretty much all RTSes until I played Warcraft 2 at my friend's house, and since then they've started to grow on me and atwo of my all-time favorite games(Medieval Total War 2 and Warcraft 3) were games I hated first off. A lot of the games in the genre you can't really jump into without playing another RTS first though...I'd suggest trying a Warcraft game(not WoW, of course, since that's not an RTS), an Age Of Empires(maye)or a Command And Conquer to start you off. It takes some getting used to, but IMO it's worth every second. =P

Look up strategy guides using the popular search engine "Google". You can find it at www.google.com

Look up strategy guides using the popular search engine "Google". You can find it at www.google.com

BornGamer

hard to say really, some games just aint for some people, that said most RTS games are not that similar.

If I were to point to a few games that are good places to start in RTS gaming, Id say the DOW series (dow1 not 2). And something like wc3 (2 is better tho :P)or starcraft.

I think the only real advice I can give you is to play through the sp campaign first, before heading into mp, ive always seen the sp campaigns as the worlds longest tutorial, often focusing on a specific unit and its usage in each map.

Anyways, DoW1 has some fairly simple to grasp mechanics, it is not a game that focuses on spitting out as many troops as possible, since there is a limit on how many you can have at any given time, so you will not have to know keyboard shortcuts, or have to have a certain clicks per second to play that.

And since troops are gathred in units, and players cant have too many of them, it is nice and each to get a good overview of the maps, and your own troops.

Resources are gained from taking specific areas of the map, so you do not need to spend alot of time making sure the income is acceptible, and build a ton of farms and other.

It does have the basic concepts of an RTS tho, so when you playied DoW you will not really be lost in any rts.

+ its a bloody fun and cool game.

WC3, is more of the old school one, there are 2 parts of this kind of rts game, base building/ economics and troop building and overview.

I think this kind of RTS are far more diffecult for new players, because you have to pay attention, to your base, how many workers there are working, and spit out a constant stream of units, each unit is on thier own in this game, so it can be hard to remember where everyone is.

it is alot faster paced aswell, but the good thing is: If you suceed in playing through the sp campaign with WC or SC, then you will likely be able to hop into just about any rts known to man, and grasp the basic similaritys between the games, and understand teh premises of them.

But as for a "for dummys" guide, I doubt there is one :S trail and error seems to be the name of teh game in rts games, and no 2 people play the same, or build the same.

its just genetics, kid.

RTS all have a common failing... If you want to kick back andwatchthe battles and lovely graphics, you will lose. I like RTS games, but I have a bad habit of stopping and watching - and losing because I should have been working it.

EM

RTS all have a common failing... If you want to kick back and the battles and lovely graphics, you will lose. I like RTS games, but I have a bad habit of stopping and watching - and losing because I should have been working it.

EM

Evilmeanie

I have this same problem lol. But RTS games in general aren't really hard to grasp. I first started off playing Age of Empires II, which isn't very hard, and is really representative of most RTS games. You can also download a free demo for it, so that you can get a feel for the game. For practice, just start a custom game with the computers set on easiest, and they'll basically never attack you so you can take your time to build up and get used to the game.

I also played Warcraft 3, and I thought it was super hard so you may not wanna try that one. Which RTS games have you played, anyway?

Focus on learning the hotkeys and study build orders and you should be OK. The point is basically to be like a parasite to the resources on the map, and use them to build your army. You never want to just let your resources pile up, so make sure you're always making something-- whether it be expansions, buildings, units, or upgrades. If you can master this, you'll be great at any RTS.

[QUOTE="Evilmeanie"]

RTS all have a common failing... If you want to kick back and the battles and lovely graphics, you will lose. I like RTS games, but I have a bad habit of stopping and watching - and losing because I should have been working it.

EM

Slim_Pup

I have this same problem lol. But RTS games in general aren't really hard to grasp. I first started off playing Age of Empires II, which isn't very hard, and is really representative of most RTS games. You can also download a free demo for it, so that you can get a feel for the game. For practice, just start a custom game with the computers set on easiest, and they'll basically never attack you so you can take your time to build up and get used to the game.

I also played Warcraft 3, and I thought it was super hard so you may not wanna try that one. Which RTS games have you played, anyway?

CnC 3 is ridiculously accessible. It's about as basic and straight forward as you can get in a modern RTS.

You can also watch recorded games on those internets, which should give you a good idea of what to do.

If you were good at Chess, or Risk, or similar board games, then you should eventually become acclimated with the RTS genre. If you had a hard time with those games, then maybe RTS is the wrong genre for you.

[QUOTE="StormtrooprDave"]

Play Dawn Of War 2. It really streamlines the RTS genre. When you're comfortable with that move on to more complicated games.

i_saw_a_mudcrab

I don't think playing DoW2 will get him acquainted with the RTS genre. DoW 2 is more of "dungeon siege with guns" than an RTS.

agreed

tbh you should start with one or both of the following:

1. Command and Conquer: The First Decade. Its a collection of all the C&C games up to and including Red Alert 2 and its expansion. C&C is essentially the foundation of RTS games, an incredible amount of fun, and considering the package includes 10+ games for 20-30 bucks, it is a helluva deal. Any avid RTS fan should own this (if they dont already own the games already), and it is an excellent place to start

2. Starcraft or Warcraft 3. Both have excellent singleplayer stories, and have good examples of the fundamentals of RTS. Warcraft 3 is a teeny tiny bit more complex in terms of mechanics, but ultimately not that difficult to learn. Furthermore, both have a strong online component, though it is extremely competitive and not noob-friendly.

There are a lot of great RTSs out there, but those two are the only ones I can recommend for an RTS noob. Theyre quality, fun, and basic in terms of gameplay.

Warcraft 3 and Battle For Middle Earth 2 are VERY streamlined, yet fun. I think since you are new to the genre you will find them most excellent.

the first battle for middle earth would be my suggestion. though it gives u less building capabilities like BFME2 its got simplicity to it. and only one kinda resource called "resources" so no need for cobinations. its not expensive and not so new so ur comp could definetly run it. and the enviroment and battles are beautiful. anuther suggestion would be starcraft. cant go wrong with that. its got balance and starcraft was the reason i myself got into rts games.