Real-time strategy

Real-time strategy (RTS) is a subgenre of strategy video games that does not progress incrementally in turns,^[1] but allow all players to play simultaneously, in "real time." By contrast, in turn-based strategy (TBS) games, players take turns to play. The term "real-time strategy" was coined by Brett Sperry to market Dune II in the early 1990s.^[2]^[3]

In a real-time strategy game, each participant positions structures and maneuvers multiple units under their indirect control to secure areas of the map and destroy their opponents' assets. In a typical RTS game, it is possible to create additional units and structures generally limited by a requirement to expend accumulated resources. These resources are in turn garnered by controlling special points on the map or possessing certain types of units and structures devoted to this purpose. More specifically, the typical game in the RTS genre features resource-gathering, base-building, in-game technological development, and indirect control of units.^[4]^[5]

The tasks a player must perform to win an RTS game can be very demanding, and complex user interfaces have evolved for them. Some features have been borrowed from desktop environments; for example, the technique of "clicking and dragging" to create a box that selects all units under a given area. Though some video game genres share conceptual and gameplay similarities with the RTS template, recognized genres are generally not subsumed as RTS games.^[5] For instance, city-building games, construction and management simulations, and games of real-time tactics are generally not considered real-time strategy per se. This would only apply to anything considered a god game, where the player assumes a god-like role of creation.^[6]

^ Bruce Geryk. "A History of Real-Time Strategy Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2008. Early computer strategy games adhered firmly to the turn-based concepts of their board game ancestors, where—by necessity—players had time to plan their turns before their opponents had a chance to move. Real-time strategy changed all of that so that games would begin to more closely resemble reality: Time was limited, and if you wasted yours, your opponents would probably be taking advantage of theirs.
^ Bruce Geryk. "A History of Real-Time Strategy Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2008. It wasn't until some time after the game was in development that I decided to call it "real-time strategy"--it seems obvious now, but there was a lot of back and forth between calling it a "real-time war game", "real-time war", "wargame", or "strategy game". I was deeply concerned that words like "strategy" and "wargame" would keep many players from even trying this completely new game dynamic. Before 1992, wargames and strategy games were very much niche markets—with the exception of Sid Meier's work—so my fears were justified. But in the end, it was best to call it an "RTS" because that is exactly what it was.
^ "Top ten real-time strategy games of all time". GameSpy. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2008. You can't really talk about the real-time strategy genre without giving a nod to Dune II, the title that kicked off the phenomena.
^ Geryk, Bruce. "A History of Real-Time Strategy Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2007.
^ ^a ^b Adams, Dan (April 7, 2006). "The State of the RTS". IGN. Archived from the original on April 9, 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
^ Bruce Geryk. "A History of Real-Time Strategy Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2008. Although games such as Populous and SimCity are certainly played in real time, these give rise to the "god game" genre, which includes such titles as the city-builder series from Impressions, Will Wright's innovative designs, and much of Peter Molyneux's work, including the upcoming Black & White. Games in this genre tend to appeal to their own fans, and while there definitely is an overlap between these two genres, gamers generally see them as distinct from one another.

[c-1] Bruce Geryk. "A History of Real-Time Strategy Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2008. Early computer strategy games adhered firmly to the turn-based concepts of their board game ancestors, where—by necessity—players had time to plan their turns before their opponents had a chance to move. Real-time strategy changed all of that so that games would begin to more closely resemble reality: Time was limited, and if you wasted yours, your opponents would probably be taking advantage of theirs.

[a-2] Bruce Geryk. "A History of Real-Time Strategy Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2008. It wasn't until some time after the game was in development that I decided to call it "real-time strategy"--it seems obvious now, but there was a lot of back and forth between calling it a "real-time war game", "real-time war", "wargame", or "strategy game". I was deeply concerned that words like "strategy" and "wargame" would keep many players from even trying this completely new game dynamic. Before 1992, wargames and strategy games were very much niche markets—with the exception of Sid Meier's work—so my fears were justified. But in the end, it was best to call it an "RTS" because that is exactly what it was.

[b-3] "Top ten real-time strategy games of all time". GameSpy. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2008. You can't really talk about the real-time strategy genre without giving a nod to Dune II, the title that kicked off the phenomena.

[bgeryk_gspot-4] Geryk, Bruce. "A History of Real-Time Strategy Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2007.

[ignstate-5] Adams, Dan (April 7, 2006). "The State of the RTS". IGN. Archived from the original on April 9, 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2007.

[6] Bruce Geryk. "A History of Real-Time Strategy Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2008. Although games such as Populous and SimCity are certainly played in real time, these give rise to the "god game" genre, which includes such titles as the city-builder series from Impressions, Will Wright's innovative designs, and much of Peter Molyneux's work, including the upcoming Black & White. Games in this genre tend to appeal to their own fans, and while there definitely is an overlap between these two genres, gamers generally see them as distinct from one another.

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