Can't find an RTS better* than AoE2 :(

[Auryg]

I think I've played most RTS games known to man, at least the popular ones, and I can't find one that's as good as Age of Empires 2. Don't get me wrong, the gameplay is basic, but that's sort of what makes it so good. The basic fighting of rock/paper/scissors is there, but when you toss in a bunch of war wagons blocking the path to your onagers, the game suddenly gets a lot more strategic. Or maybe a line of teutonic knights are at your gates, blocking the paladins from getting in while your archers fire on them. Or sneaking said teutonic knights up the side of all of their siege equipment. Etc.

AoE3 doesn't have this - I'll now call it "situational fighting"...like, your musketeers just shoot at whatever is there. It's like playing a game with all archers in aoe2. I know that (the expansions especially) there are melee units, but it just isn't the same. Also, the battles aren't as large.

Rise of Legends is a cool game, but it doesn't really have that either (although it still does have a lot of strategy). Company of Heroes has it, but it doesn't have epic battles and I don't know if I'll be able to get my friends in to a WW2 game.

Anyone know of any games that have what I'm talking about? I'm sorry if I explained it badly. I guess in short it's just 'tactics'. But, at least for my friends to play it, it needs to have that plus the old school style RTS resource gathering and the such.

 

[KMFJD]

Originally posted by: Auryg
I think I've played most RTS games known to man, at least the popular ones, and I can't find one that's as good as Age of Empires 2. Don't get me wrong, the gameplay is basic, but that's sort of what makes it so good. The basic fighting of rock/paper/scissors is there, but when you toss in a bunch of war wagons blocking the path to your onagers, the game suddenly gets a lot more strategic. Or maybe a line of teutonic knights are at your gates, blocking the paladins from getting in while your archers fire on them. Or sneaking said teutonic knights up the side of all of their siege equipment. Etc.

AoE3 doesn't have this - I'll now call it "situational fighting"...like, your musketeers just shoot at whatever is there. It's like playing a game with all archers in aoe2. I know that (the expansions especially) there are melee units, but it just isn't the same. Also, the battles aren't as large.

Rise of Legends is a cool game, but it doesn't really have that either (although it still does have a lot of strategy). Company of Heroes has it, but it doesn't have epic battles and I don't know if I'll be able to get my friends in to a WW2 game.

Anyone know of any games that have what I'm talking about? I'm sorry if I explained it badly. I guess in short it's just 'tactics'. But, at least for my friends to play it, it needs to have that plus the old school style RTS resource gathering and the such.

I agree with you, no rts has held my intrest as much as AoE 2 did, played it to death on the zone, some of the best times ever playing a game.

 

[Soundmanred]

I'm not into RTS games, but I'll play AoE2 for hours. I'll chop down every tree, mine every rock possible and keep it going as long as possible.
I've tried alot of other RTS games, but I like the simplicity of AoE2.
I haven't played it for a while, but I might get another war elephant stampede going.

 

[Zenoth]

Try Rise of Nations.

 

[NoSoup4You]

Age of Mythology has this, although on a smaller scale. However, there are custom maps that allow you to have double the population points and thus field substantially larger armies...etc.

 

[Pocatello]

I still play AoE2 on occasion.

 

[Auryg]

Originally posted by: NoSoup4You
Age of Mythology has this, although on a smaller scale. However, there are custom maps that allow you to have double the population points and thus field substantially larger armies...etc.

Heh, I modded it to have like..5 times the population?

Still not the same. Decent game though.

As for rise of nations, I haven't tried it in a while, so I suppose I should again. It just seems like every 3D game lacks what AoE2 had.

 

[KMFJD]

Originally posted by: Auryg

Originally posted by: NoSoup4You
Age of Mythology has this, although on a smaller scale. However, there are custom maps that allow you to have double the population points and thus field substantially larger armies...etc.

Heh, I modded it to have like..5 times the population?

Still not the same. Decent game though.

As for rise of nations, I haven't tried it in a while, so I suppose I should again. It just seems like every 3D game lacks what AoE2 had.

Spanish Villager rush ftw...

 

[xSkyDrAx]

If you want tactics you can always try the Wh40k DoW series. There's a great mix of range/melee/vehicle combat that has to be considered in a match. The resource gathering is not very traditional though however it works greatly with the action in the game.

 

[Auryg]

Originally posted by: xSkyDrAx
If you want tactics you can always try the Wh40k DoW series. There's a great mix of range/melee/vehicle combat that has to be considered in a match. The resource gathering is not very traditional though however it works greatly with the action in the game.

Thanks for the recommendation, but I've tried it. I think it would be a decent amount of fun but it does get rid of the whole resource gathering aspect, which can lead to cool things like rushing their villagers, etc.

 

[datalink7]

Company of Heroes > all, in my opinion. (and yes, I've played them all. I am a PC game fanatic and RTS is probably my favorite genre).

If you want RTS/TBS combination, anything from the Total War series is outstanding. Both of the above games have more tactics than AoE2.

 

[calyco]

Originally posted by: datalink7
Company of Heroes > all, in my opinion. (and yes, I've played them all. I am a PC game fanatic and RTS is probably my favorite genre).

If you want RTS/TBS combination, anything from the Total War series is outstanding. Both of the above games have more tactics than AoE2.

Agreed but Im the opposite, never really cared for RTS. Tried some here and there from Command and Conquer to World in Conflict but never really caught my attention. COH OTOH Im still playing and its probably my favorite single player.

 

[TehMac]

Yes, I want Age of Empires 4 too.

I didn't have net at the time, but Age of Empires 2 was pretty cool, even in the single player. It had atmosphere and fun and...it was just great. Too bad they don't make em like that anymore.

 

[Gothgar]

AoE 2 was an awesome awesome game.

I also really liked RA1/RA2 and Company of Heroes more recently.

Red Alert 3 coming soon, that should be kick ass

 

[nsafreak]

I know its not a pure RTS but I'm surprised nobody has suggested Sins of a Solar Empire yet. Just an awesome game with great gameplay and a truly intuitive interface.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

Originally posted by: Auryg

Originally posted by: xSkyDrAx
If you want tactics you can always try the Wh40k DoW series. There's a great mix of range/melee/vehicle combat that has to be considered in a match. The resource gathering is not very traditional though however it works greatly with the action in the game.

Thanks for the recommendation, but I've tried it. I think it would be a decent amount of fun but it does get rid of the whole resource gathering aspect, which can lead to cool things like rushing their villagers, etc.

however you did have the very intense fighting for points of control which really made one think about hit and run tactics

 

[spunkz]

i loved aoe2 but i wish it wasn't so dependent on resource gathering. i can't get my friends into it because it isn't much fun until you've mastered the hotkeys and have your opening 5 minutes down to a science. until everyone has the timing down, it just comes down to who creates villagers faster. that's my experience with it anyway...

 

[WhipperSnapper]

I second the recommendation for Sins of a Solar Empire.

For a taste of the types of strategic issues the online multiplayer game offers, read some of the threads in the Sins strategy forum:

http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/forum/404

 

[MraK]

I'm looking forward to Empire: Total War that will be coming out this fall, thats another game to be looking forward to. AOE2 was also a great rts to go hours for, if only they revive it into 3d and make the soldier cap larger and have the battles more exhilarating, hell it almost sounds like Medieval II: total war lol *but thats just me*

 

[imported_Imp]

If you want AoE "old" style, try Rise of Nations. It was an absolute blast. However, resources are essentially infinite so you couldn't rape & pillage the land like in AoE. Good times catapulting trees.

 

[BeauJangles]

Originally posted by: Imp
If you want AoE "old" style, try Rise of Nations. It was an absolute blast. However, resources are essentially infinite so you couldn't rape & pillage the land like in AoE. Good times catapulting trees.

RoN was my favorite RTS, hands down.