Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

This poll is about that classic gaming genre-the RTS or 'Real-Time Strategy'. Aside from possibly the 1st person shooter, this is my favourite game genre, but which is the best? YOU DECIDE! Vote now!

BTW I voted for Worms! Tiny pink homicidal guys FTW!

Got to be the total war series. Its the most realistic of all the RTS as it takes into account morale, fatuige etc. also the fact some of the battle are brilliant and beautiful (in some sick way) to watch, all thanks to the excellent graphics.

Why is TA/SupCom not in this list? As far as online play goes, they rule over all. I mean seriously, SPORE? Quit smoking polystyrene.

I also thoroughly enjoyed Medieval 2 in the Total War series. It's incredibly buggy, but very enjoyable for straightforward pitched battles. Got the expansion recently and got back into it.

Calm down Arctik! I hadn't put TA/SupCom on the list because I've never heard of it, I'll smoke whatever the damn hell I like! But I see your point and will remove Spore as an option
EDIT As you see, I added your precious TA/SupCom

Surprised at the lack of Blizzard games on the list.

Same here. Found it funny that Worms made the list before any Blizzard Games, or half of the Westwood Studios Originals.

My vote definetly goes in for Starcraft. Or Dune. Either one is under 'Other', so it doesn't really make a difference.

Total Annihilation / Supreme Commander I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't heard or seen of them. It does seem to be a lot of people.

I can't re-vote, so the poll is just making it look bad now.

Company of Heroes?

~sA

As much as I look down on 'Real-Time Strategy' games (mostly due to the lack of strategy involved) it kind of surprises me that warcraft (the first really big RTS game after the original, Dune 2) isn't on here and neither is Starcraft. Both seem to be pivotal to the development of the genre.

I probably would have picked Total Annihilation, but it isn't really a franchise so I don't think it counts.

Edit: When I originally read the poll it hadn't been added. Even still I'm not sure how connected the two are since I can't run Supreme Commander. I would but I don't have my Cray Supercomputer up and running to get it to play at a decent framerate, like 15fps.

I'd say Starcraft.

Warcraft, however, would be my least favorite.

Starcraft & Warcraft are my tops

for me it has to be the original C&C and Red Alerts, anything after Red Alert 2 kinda just plain sucked, but thats EA for you

Well, I'm torn between Dawn of War (with its fast-paced, dynamic gameplay), Starcraft (with its easy learning curve and challenging AI), the Red Alert series (I love alternate history stories), and Kohan 2: Kings of War, which is awesome-sauce even though it's frustrating to master.

Warcraft shouldn't be added to the list, because Warcraft is the most poorly-written and derivative franchise is the history of gaming. It's not LIKE Warhammer fantasy, it IS Warhammer fantasy.

Cheese Elemental wrote:Warcraft shouldn't be added to the list, because Warcraft is the most poorly-written and derivative franchise is the history of gaming. It's not LIKE Warhammer fantasy, it IS Warhammer fantasy.

Amen.

Except you forgot that it also takes ten minutes for an orc with an axe to hack an unarmored elf archer to death in that game.

I swear, fortified towers die to archers more easily than basic footmen. It's horrible.

It's got to be age of empires since I pretty much grew up on that game.

Cheese Elemental wrote:Warcraft shouldn't be added to the list, because Warcraft is the most poorly-written and derivative franchise is the history of gaming. It's not LIKE Warhammer fantasy, it IS Warhammer fantasy.

It war originally designed as a Warhammer RTS, until GW got cold feet on the deal. But lack of originality doesn’t deny it a place in history, regardless of the derivative nature of its background it was still a well designed, well executed RTS.

My vote goes to Dune 2, because I played it more than anything else that came afterwards. I’ve a lot of fun with the other games that came along. The Westwood games made play quicker and brought real unit roles. The Blizzard games brought in unit balance and ultra-refined gameplay The Relic games brought in greater tactical and strategic considerations. But they were all refinements of that original model, so none of them have had that feel Dune 2 had – that you were playing a game quite unlike anything you’ve played before.

I, too, was totally surprised to find no Blizzard titles on the list. I ended up voting for DoW as I really, really liked the gameplay though the storyline was a weak and the campaign was way too short and one sided. However, the game mechanic rocked. That said, the best RTS of all time has got to be Starcraft. Nothing else compares. Outstanding storyline, completely different factions that play significantly differently from the others and on and on.

Of the list provided, the total war series.

My vote was for Age of Empires series. Big fan going back to the original. Combined ease of use with a little real history and decent graphics.

Orkeosaurus wrote:

Cheese Elemental wrote:Warcraft shouldn't be added to the list, because Warcraft is the most poorly-written and derivative franchise is the history of gaming. It's not LIKE Warhammer fantasy, it IS Warhammer fantasy.

Amen.

Except you forgot that it also takes ten minutes for an orc with an axe to hack an unarmored elf archer to death in that game.

I swear, fortified towers die to archers more easily than basic footmen. It's horrible.

Yeah, that was it. Run around with a few clusters of nine archers, a cluster of knights and a pair of wizards.

I still say it's preferable to WoW though.

man, this was actually a tough choice for me, since i love DoW.. but its really new. i grew up on C&C and Red Alert 2... also grew up with AoE, ended up voting AoE.
the main problems that i am seeing with the AoE series, is that people have grown beyond the "build a crap load of laborer/builder/gatherer people, build some killy units, and roll out" type games, epitomized by the AoE series, and the warcraft RTS games. Now we are in an age of "Gimme troops!! check... Gimme enemies!!! check....KILL THEM ALL!!!" type RTS games.


meh, now that ive retyped my response, maybe i should have voted for a different game than AoE.....

Of the list provided total war, i have been hooked on them ever since shogun... though close second would have to be Company of Heroes that aint on the list, its one of the few RTS games where spamming one unit wont work, and good combined assaults are generally the only way to win, specially when playing multiplayer.

For me games like C&C provide little in the way of actual strategy, just a case of bulking up best units. Its also where DOW fell down for me

weird no starcraft in the option.
i guess its animosity from the upcomming DOW2.

DoW was a great game, but it has only had one game with some expansions so I don't count it as a series quite yet. After DoW 2 has been out for a bit we can make a better call on its place in the RTS pantheon.

I voted For TA/SupCom, unfortunately for me, SupCom has totally ruined most other RTS games for me! I can't stand not having an unlocked camera and full scale zoom. I could only play RA 3 for about 5 minutes before I got fed up with it, that and the surprisingly low quality graphics!

Kroeger wrote:I voted For TA/SupCom, unfortunately for me, SupCom has totally ruined most other RTS games for me! I can't stand not having an unlocked camera and full scale zoom. I could only play RA 3 for about 5 minutes before I got fed up with it, that and the surprisingly low quality graphics!

me too, i love the massive amount of units involved.

Kroeger wrote:I voted For TA/SupCom, unfortunately for me, SupCom has totally ruined most other RTS games for me! I can't stand not having an unlocked camera and full scale zoom. I could only play RA 3 for about 5 minutes before I got fed up with it, that and the surprisingly low quality graphics!

Not to mention dual-monitor support and the ridiulously simple input system.

OTHER: I think i had the most fun with starcraft online. but it wasnt very fun by yourself.

Company of Heroes: Why is it not on here?

~sA