I've been pondering to myself a little today about why I think all the RTS games being released really suck to me. It didn't take long to realize why I hate so many of these games. Some of the things I personally can't stand are as follows: (if you don't give a damn, skip the list.)

Multible Construction units on the field at the same time.

Construction units that can build anywhere on the map.

Structures that can supply enough funds to rack up an insane amount of money.

Over powered super weapons.

Ability to chug out units from multible factories.

Over powered units that are almost impossible for the same faction to fend off or atleast stop before reaching and destroying a target.

Mass use of invisible units that are hard to detect and kill.

Ok, so basically theres not much left is there? lol. Basically i realized really quickly that either I just plain don't like games or that games aren't ment to be this way. I mean that maybe games shouldn't be about how hard you can work but how well you can make choices to counter and attack your enemy. You need to have certain elements to have a decent strategy game by today's standards. Such as the ability to choose between whoring resources or doing a quick low tech or high tech attack.

Resources also come into play. It's usually the only reason why there are skirmishes on the battlefield. Fighting over hot spots on the map to gain power is just a basic element in most rts games. I play Terrace tournies all the time online and I love expanding. However, on newer games like Generals, Star Trek Armada 2, and Emperor Battle for Dune; it felt more like a chore than a reason to fight over it. Ok, maybe those games aren't so new... Buts it's what I like. Maybe I'm just getting lazy or old... 19 is pretty old... I just want to take the work out of RTS and leave in the key decision making to win a match. Basically chess which is what i compared TS to often. RA2, obviously is more like checkers with its focusing on super powered arcade like units. EVERYTHINGS a hero unit on that game.

Ok, so now I'm basically left with a game for people who love to turtle. OMFG AM I A NEWB? I thought about this some more and thought what a base would look like with only the elements I personally thought were needed. It turned out to look like a tree with branching structures. This wasn't very cool at all. I thought about components on a command center that also layed out the terrain surrounding it. I thought about what if the command center once deployed, layed down a defined "component" spot for all the structures you need to be able to be plugged into. That way there would be a limit to how many structures you can build. Now, ofcourse no one wants to be battling a tree base. I mean picture it, a ton of units surrounding and just raping this tree thing full of structures. Obviously, it has to be layed out flat and have plenty of room for invading units to roam around inside it. I couldn't for the life of me see how this thing could possibly deploy and make what i was picturing in my head.

This is my problem. I think I'm pretty close to MY perfect rts game. In the future I think there will be incredible changes to how we view rts games. I think for now though this is pretty close to the ultimate all around good rts game. I am not someone who makes or wants to make a mod or game. I got a lot of spare time this year and have a ton of time I could be using to do "projects" LUCKY ME... I'd like to make this idea for a 3d animation project. Maybe have a few videos of the hero units running around and hacking into a base. Or maybe have cool action sequences of them calling in air strikes. There's endless things I could do with obviously a TON of work involved. I'm curious to how to solve my problem and would like to know if you guys have any solutions to how this type of base would look.

I made a ruff tech tree to visualize what my models and base would look like. That would be the attachment you see below...

The tech tree may seem simple but if you study it I think you'll find it to be incredibly deep in some aspects. This obviously I'snt finished. I ended it at defense structures till I solve my base layout problem.

If your curious to why I named the factions Desolationists and assimilationists. Heres the answer.

Assimilationists
Description: Faction that takes technology from other civilzations on other planets and forces them to join them. (High tech - Military outpost base)

Desolationists
Description: Faction that goes to planets and takes resources while destroying any civilization that gets in its way. (Industrial - Civilization base)