Real-time strategy games belong to a sub-genre that encourages you, as a player, to make decisions. It may be that you have to manage resources, build units or defend your territory from hostile invaders. You’ll have to do this while racing against the clock, and other people. Real-time strategy games are all about pace, and whether you are in charge of a whole civilisation or working as a simple farmer trying to make a profitable harvest, time management and solid strategy adoption are key to success.
Real-Time Strategy is Changing the Game
Real-time strategy games are influencing the gaming ecosystem as we know it. Strategy games are known for being both fast and intensive. In some ways, however, they also force you to slow down. When building an empire, it may take you several hours to establish a barracks or construct a stable so you can train horsemen. At the same time though, you may be forced to make important decisions regarding your battle strategy in a matter of seconds. Pacing is everything, and the ebb and flow of this genre is one of the many things that helps to make it so appealing.
Casino games follow a very similar concept. Games like poker happen in real time, with players having to make quick decisions based on the cards that are dealt. You may spend hours coming up with a strategy, only to pivot at the last second in an attempt to outsmart opponents. Other casino games, including online pokies at Sky City also work in real-time, with strategic decisions including whether to hold or nudge, along with the introduction of bonus rounds. Games like this show that real-time strategy games are not localised to consoles, and in reality, play a major part in the traditional gaming ecosystem too.
The Boom Behind Real-Time Strategy Games
Real-time strategy games are experiencing a huge boom right now. A lot of this comes down to the fact that people simply want more from the games that they play. At one point, people wanted better graphics, which then moved to people valuing the importance of a good storyline. Game developers are continually trying to keep up with the constant demand of players, and this is where real-time strategy games have a big part to play. Real-time strategy games utilise something human in a very digital world, the concept of time. They bring a human element to virtual games and force you to use the time you have to your advantage. Time management is key, and although with some games, when you hit pause, the game stops, that isn’t usually the case with RTS games. The virtual world will keep ticking over as the hours in your day go by. Your crops will grow, your armies will continue to fight under your banner and things will continually develop.
AI mechanics play a huge part in RTS games and with the recent advancement of AI, it’s no surprise to see that it is helping to bring this underground genre back into the forefront.
