Hello everybody! This issue started froming in my head as I tried my very first RTS, Company of Heroes. Now, make no mistake, I think that COH is an absolute blast to play and was a great game for a first-time RTS player. For the most part, I believe that the factions are mostly balanced (with a few exceptions). My main issue is with the maps: never before have I've seen a game that was so heavily map dependent. Sure, there were some fairly balanced maps (such as Angoville and arguably Langres), but there were quite a large number that favored one side and/or faction (Wrecked Train, Sturzdorf, St. Mere Dumont, etc.) So I've come to ask all you RTS players out there; what is the most balanced RTS (multiplayer-wise) out right now? When I say that, I mean which one comes to down to (essentially) pure skill, and is not dependent on faction, map, or anything else. You get bonus points if the game's community isn't dominated by a bunch of jerk-offs and smartasses (another problem with COH).
In your opinion, the most balanced RTS
- Thread starter Aleksandr2291
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Most people will probably say Starcraft or Starcraft 2, and I'd say they're right.
Both those games were meticulously balanced and SC2 was explicitly designed for esports competition.
That being siad, its community is dominated by a bunch of jerk-offs and smartasses as you put it
Both those games were meticulously balanced and SC2 was explicitly designed for esports competition.
That being siad, its community is dominated by a bunch of jerk-offs and smartasses as you put it
It's Starcraft and Starcraft 2.
Company of Heroes is a pretty solid game, but Starcraft and Starcraft 2 are pretty much the only RTS games I've ever found worth playing if you're seriously concerned with balance.
Company of Heroes is a pretty solid game, but Starcraft and Starcraft 2 are pretty much the only RTS games I've ever found worth playing if you're seriously concerned with balance.
I'd have to go with the oringal Command & Conquer, although as i recall the game had no online or skirmish mode, it did have two seperate campaigns for the GDI and the Nod, alot of the units could counter or be countered by another one and from an RTS standpoint it should always be considered, if your talking in terms of strickly online or versus modes though its hard to say, Starcraft 2 is a good example but its full of silly exploits that do debalance the game, a titan surrounded by scv's comes to mind, im sure it wont be the last exploit either.
Although I agree with Seishisha that C&C was extremely well balanced, my vote has to go to Total Annihilation.
Okay, so it's a bit older, but I found it to be much more balanced to forms of gameplay than SC or SC2. This is because Starcraft games seem to boil down to a few different strategies that are proven winners and the limited unit and building selection doesn't help that, whereas in TA there was ample room for all playstyles to succeed (Turtle, Rushing, etc.) given adequate planning and setup. Only game I ever knew (not counting it's sequel) where you could set up factories and units to perform complicated plans and let them go for the rest of the game, developing grand strategies in the process.
Okay, so it's a bit older, but I found it to be much more balanced to forms of gameplay than SC or SC2. This is because Starcraft games seem to boil down to a few different strategies that are proven winners and the limited unit and building selection doesn't help that, whereas in TA there was ample room for all playstyles to succeed (Turtle, Rushing, etc.) given adequate planning and setup. Only game I ever knew (not counting it's sequel) where you could set up factories and units to perform complicated plans and let them go for the rest of the game, developing grand strategies in the process.
Hi man! I've always found Age of Empires 2 to be rock solid in this department. Clever players will have a counter for anything. It's truly a test of tactical skills, and far less about clicks per minute.
This also goes for the original Total Annihilation. A spectacular, fast-paced game where the wily will come out on top every time. It swamps you in resources though. You can't really starve out your opponent. You gotta be quick on your feet. But it's one of the most balanced strategy games ever. With incredible music, btw.
This also goes for the original Total Annihilation. A spectacular, fast-paced game where the wily will come out on top every time. It swamps you in resources though. You can't really starve out your opponent. You gotta be quick on your feet. But it's one of the most balanced strategy games ever. With incredible music, btw.
Total Annihilation, which as many people will probably say is what I talk about 100% of the time on here when the subject is about RTS games. There aren't many differences between the two playable sides, and the game only gets unbalanced if you fuck up your economy and use custom units. Some of those custom units are so sick, though.
Starcraft is also very balanced. Probably more so that TA, but then again I chose TA simply because there is more freedom in gameplay.
Starcraft is also very balanced. Probably more so that TA, but then again I chose TA simply because there is more freedom in gameplay.
Gotta go with Starcraft. I haven't really played many RTS games other than SC though so my opinion may not be completely valid, but every unit in that game has at least one counter to it so there is no combination that will give someone sure chance of winning without some skill.
StarCraft 1 definitely. Each race catered to a different type of playstyle but amazingly all three were extremely well balanced.
I would go with Supreme Commander and its expansion pack Forged Alliance.
3 seperate factions with unique units and buildings.
the tech trees and units are similar but have different playstyles. I would say you would have to know your faction fairly well to win alot of the time. However, unless you completely stuff up your economy and building style, you cant really go wrong.
But if you just simply spam experimental units, then you will most likely win. unless your'e versing a pro.
3 seperate factions with unique units and buildings.
the tech trees and units are similar but have different playstyles. I would say you would have to know your faction fairly well to win alot of the time. However, unless you completely stuff up your economy and building style, you cant really go wrong.
But if you just simply spam experimental units, then you will most likely win. unless your'e versing a pro.
Balanced?
All the teams are very much the same except for a few stat tweaks, unit availability and unique units, but other than that, yeah... Of course, that's not a bad thing by any means, I loved that game, but I much prefer the huge team differences that more modern games provide. CoH, C&C Generals and DoW rank as my favourite RTSes of all time, nice team variety, and god they're just so much fun. CoH takes honours as one of my favourite games of ALL TIME.
^thisSkoldpadda said:
All the teams are very much the same except for a few stat tweaks, unit availability and unique units, but other than that, yeah... Of course, that's not a bad thing by any means, I loved that game, but I much prefer the huge team differences that more modern games provide. CoH, C&C Generals and DoW rank as my favourite RTSes of all time, nice team variety, and god they're just so much fun. CoH takes honours as one of my favourite games of ALL TIME.
Your right in that there is more than a few choice builds that require APM spam and AoE requires actual thinking, but you are wrong in thinking it is competitively balanced. Depending on certain maps, you were either a god, or totally boned, and the different races were not all that well balanced. Although I believe that AoE2 is a completely superior game to SC, I will concede that it is not competitively balanced.Skoldpadda said:
People saying SC was balanced are also wrong. The amount of balance bitching in the community was 10x as much compared to SC2. SC2 was designed for Korean APM nerds.