so whats up with Big Huge Games

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Jeje2

So there is room for a great innovation

Maybe so. But it should be acknowledged that the reason most games are about war is that RTS games are often crap without an opponent to fight against, even if that fighting doesn't take the form of a war.

The main alternative (which perhaps you should check out) are games you can enjoy in sandbox mode as well, or games that are one big sandbox (not mentioning any names )

[Urban Ranger]

There's no "S" in RTS. Liars.

[Kuciwalker]

Maxis needs to create SimCiv

[lord of the mark]

1. "RTS" in comp gaming circles really means a particular genre that involves building stuff and then fighting in realtime - no point in quibbling about the name, anymore than complaining that some CRPG's dont have real roleplaying, while many games that aint CRPGs do. They shoulda called it something else, but the name stuck. So C&C is a "RTS" whether it has strat or not, and EU and citybuilders are not "RTS" even if they have strat and are in real time. By this conventional definition of "RTS" they all are focused on combat.

2. There are several good games in RT that are not war focused, notably citybuilders and related. But the folks who left Impressions are coming out with a new one called Children of the Nile, we can probably expect a successor to 1602/1503 at some point, and Maxis will birth Simcity5 at some point, so its not an uncrowded market. Oh, and Poptop, right?

3. Id love to see a more simmish civ game (focusing on the internal development of a country, with war subordinate and offscreen) - Sid has said that Simcity was largely the first inspiration for civ - but that does sound like a maxis thing, or maybe a maxis/Sid thing

4. Given BHG's strengths, I still see them sticking with innovating WITHIN the classic RTS - and yeah, sci-fi space does seem like a ripe market. And the economies of using an existing engine are probably appealing.

[Jeje2]

Originally posted by DrSpike
Maybe so. But it should be acknowledged that the reason most games are about war is that RTS games are often crap without an opponent to fight against, even if that fighting doesn't take the form of a war.

Sure you'll need an opponent.
In Colonization I seldom have actual wars with the other powers, but they keep me hurring well. Railroad tycon then??

What buggers me in RTS is "who has the fastet mousehand".
(And yes I have a slow mousehand)
RoN was OK - as I could stop it at need. (Like X-Com Apocalypse)


Have you ever palyed a boardgame named Die siedler von Catan (aka Settlers of Catan) - It is a great game, a marveollus game - whitout a single war.

[DrSpike]

I meant Railroad Tycoon as a one of those games you could play in sandbox, and should check out if you haven't already. Of course the campaign involves 'fighting' in many respects when you are competing with other companies.

BHG though are associated with what has come to be called RTS. Now Railroad Tycoon and co are RT and S but not in the same genre as core RTS if you get my point.

Most RTS games (in both camps) you can pause in SP btw. I don't play much SP RTS as I don't think it's a good SP genre. In MP it rules though, and those who dismiss such games as mere clickfests don't know what they are talking about I'm afraid.