Original post by Trap Prebuilding bases frees the player from having to build his base ingame at the expense of not being able to react on his opponents actions within basebuilding. As you don't know the strategy ouf your opponent the outcome of your baseplanning is more or less random. Which doesn't add a lot of strategy...
Wait... you mean like in real life? Your oponent is (presumably) going to try to attack your base, somehow. Realistically, you should never know exactly how they're going to do that during construction (unless the attack is already in progress) - that's an issue to be dealt with when expanding, adding additional defences, deploying units within the base, etc.
Knowing the terrain allows you to predict potential directions of attack, and perhaps to guess what form the attack will take, and the types of games and tech-tree will give you an indication of starting forces the enemy might have. You plan as best you can based on that information, and then adjust when the game begins.
Trap makes a good point: when you plop down a completed base to start the game, you are taking a huge gamble no matter what base you choose and what action you take afterwards (unless you can see the whole map).
In addition, you take a lot of skill out of the game by not having control over how your base is built (unless your base doesn't matter) because you can leisurely (sp) copy a well-known base on your own time and use that when you play. Anything that automates such an important part of the game is bound to cut down on skill.
Original post by Extrarius Daniel Miller: Chess starts with a prebuilt base.
1. You can see the whole board 2. Both bases are the same 3. You can't expect to make a game as balanced as chess
I don't like arguing about this because it's an opinion: I like RTSs that are fast paced and that don't reward defense very much, others prefer slow-paced games that do reward defense. Even when I play chess I set the timer for at most 5 minutes, becuase it's fun to be forced to think quickly.
Original post by Extrarius Daniel Miller: Chess starts with a prebuilt base.
It also starts with a fully known battleground and enemy forces...
I like the idea where you can see the entire terrain [but not enemy forces or starting locations] beforehand, and are given a fixed amount of [map dependant, and/or per-game optional] resources and time to build a starting [or perhaps 'only'] base in your starting location.
I also think the standard '1 peon' start should be an option. Options are good.
I saw this thread, and it at first almost mirrored my own plans. I'm doing a space-rts, but it will probably be kind of slow paced, so you ahve plenty of time for thought and strategizing. I intend the focus to be on innovation and non-standard methods of attacking the enemy.
Why does a pre-invented base have to be prebuilt? Instead of loading a base from file and instantly creating it, script that creation. The 'base construction' option results in not a file that describes the location of a base, but a generated script telling villagers how and where to build things and in what order. In fact, make this the standard rather than the exception for all aspects of a game. Make the game far too complex for a human being to manage, and the player needs automation. make the game come with basic automation for basic tasks, so the game will run itself at the most basic level: peasants get resources, barracks produce soldiers, etc. You still start with a main building and single peasant, but left to itself, the game will produce peasants untill you have a certain number, soldiers indefinitely, and construc the base you defined. Of course, a clever human player must be able to outsmart the script system.
You could take it even farther, and require a unit to execute scripts. if you build an officer at your main-building at the beginning of the game, the officer will order the peasants or any nearby units according to the script assigned that officer.
Along the vein of increasing complexity, you could have supply lines, but not require the player to manage them. The player, or even an officer simply establishes a supply line, and another script takes over manageing the suply lines. It could even take an input from the player about how risky a particular position is. Similarly, a player could tell the construction officer what kind of base to build, or what standard modification to make to an already built base or in-progress base; This would allow you to adapt your tactics to the situation. This allows more things to be done at once, and also allows the player to delegate the "twitch skills to the computer.
Even more abnoxious strategic elements? Fine. Only allow direct control of units within shouting distance of a unit with a radio. All other units(including enemy units) become aware of the presence of the unit with the radio. Units only give vision to the player if they are in shouting distance of a radio operator, unless they make it safely back to a RO or Base. units such as scouts without radios rely on thier scripts to explore and make it back to base to report. if they are captured, enemy sees all terrain that scout ever saw.(through torture)
I hope someone finds this helpful:) I hope to eventually implement these ideas in a space combat rts, but it's in the design stage ATM.
Original post by Daniel Miller I don't like arguing about this because it's an opinion: I like RTSs that are fast paced and that don't reward defense very much, others prefer slow-paced games that do reward defense.
I don't see the problem, really. If i understand it right, the OP suggested game with access to pre-built bases as _mode of play_ selected when you create the "game room" or whatever... this allows those who like the frantic gameplay get what they like with 'regular' game mode, and those who like defense-oriented gameplay also get what they like with this suggested new mode. These player types will simply have easier work finding the gameplay they like, due to selected game mode making it more obvious.
How i see it is that it comes soley down to the access of strong offensive units too early into the game. Ever played Emperor: Battle For Dune? From what i can remember, rushing was pointless because the initial units were too weak to attack buildings with. Offensive units shouldnt be available until players have time to think over their strategy, Seige (anti structure) units shouldnt be available until a bit later into the game.
