Spring RTS Engine

There's a SupCom/TA style proper RTS called Land Air Sea Warfare on the App Store, I figure I'm not the only one here who's been looking for a proper RTS for the iPod instead of the ten thousandth doodle-tower-defense pile of crap. It's 5$ but there's a PC demo here, the interface works pretty well (the button for setting factories to repeat their queue infinitely is in the Info tab) but it's currently skirmish-only on the iPod so it's still somewhat more casual than an actual competitive RTS. Judging by the number of 8v8 and higher games on Spring most people are looking for a more relaxed RTS anyway.

KDR_11k wrote:iPhone

No.

Regret wrote:

KDR_11k wrote:iPhone

No.

N900 ftw. Lol LASW supports mac, windows, iPhone and even windows mobile soon, but not linux.

Regret wrote:

KDR_11k wrote:iPhone

No.

You're looking at it the wrong way. It's not meant to replace PC, but to keep gaming where no PC can be used.

zwzsg wrote:

Regret wrote:

KDR_11k wrote:iPhone

No.

You're looking at it the wrong way. It's not meant to replace PC, but to keep gaming where no PC can be used.

Exactly, there isn't a big choice of proper RTSes for portable systems that fit into your pocket. They're so rare that I felt the need to point this one out because if you look for "strategy" games on the App Store all you get is Tower Defense (lane and power grid varieties), Galcon-clones and linear walking "RTS" games where you just make troops and they automatically walk forward, often with a gun to support them and some RPG-style upgrade system (not even remotely as good as Swords & Soldiers, no idea what this brand of game is called though). And of course the n-th version of peg solitaire, various "cheat" guides and a rare few TBS games.

Plus it's an indie game made mostly by one guy so it needs all the exposure it can get.

looks good for a phone game

Regret wrote:

KDR_11k wrote:iPhone

No.

This.

I'm just confused how you could even do a large-scale RTS on the iPhone. I mean, UI elements on the iPhone have to be huge to accomodate your fingers.

If you had something like the DS with more horsepower - where you have 5 buttons available to the left-hand and a stylus (the smaller point allows you higher detail UI) I could see it working. I just can't imagine the UI for a large-scale RTS on the iPhone. Maybe the iPad, but not the iPhone.

Still, more power to them if it plays well. RTS titles on handhelds have been disappointing-to-nonexistent. Last one I saw that was any good was a C&C clone for Palm OS 4 called Warfare Incorporated.

It's not really difficult, by default you get a build menu on the right side of the screen (only the categories, tap one to see the list of buildings), if you tap on a factory you get the build menu for that, etc. Selecting units is just putting two fingers on the screen at once to use the selection box, then tap somewhere to move them there (or attack), for advanced commands the buttons that usually house the build menu become order buttons (one of them handles stuff like switching to explore, patrol, attack move, hold position, etc), to their right there are four group buttons that you just hold down for two seconds to assign units to. Multiple selections are a bit clunkier with the small + button you have to hit to make the next selection additive but there's also just a "add to last selected group" button that works fine and units get automatically assigned to the groups after production. Scrolling is of course just dragging with the finger (keeps scrolling if you hold at the edge of the screen but tapping the minimap works better most of the time). You do need to use the tip of your finger for accurate tapping but it's not hard. I wish it had a zoomed out view that you could toggle since the default view doesn't show a lot (but unit ranges are extremely short so it's not terribly problematic), it's not perfect but it's pretty good and could be improved (Apps usually receive patches).

There's an iPhone port of Warfare Inc too but I find this game more appealing. The third RTS I know of is Red Conquest which has interesting control stuff but overall is more clunky and has a REALLY limited unit selection (the default red faction has only two combat units!).

Theres also a iphone Red Alert
http://www.commandandconquer.com/iphone/


But I wouldnt play an rts on a phone in any case...

I played Red Alert on a Play Station 1 and it was LOLWTFOMGTHISSUX.
Now, I'm trying to picture this on a phone...

Also, I heard of a RTS on ths PS3 which you command with your voice, anyone else heard/played this? Is it any good? Sounds kinda annoying.

Raghna wrote:I played Red Alert on a Play Station 1 and it was LOLWTFOMGTHISSUX.
Now, I'm trying to picture this on a phone...

Also, I heard of a RTS on ths PS3 which you command with your voice, anyone else heard/played this? Is it any good? Sounds kinda annoying.

I think the stylus would make a huge difference vs the PS controller. You can play the game like a mouse only user, which while admittedly isn't ideal, it's alot better than the retarded scroll and select abilities the ps controller has.

CA has a radial gesture menu that only appears when you want to build something.

Raghna wrote:I played Red Alert on a Play Station 1 and it was LOLWTFOMGTHISSUX.
Now, I'm trying to picture this on a phone...

Also, I heard of a RTS on ths PS3 which you command with your voice, anyone else heard/played this? Is it any good? Sounds kinda annoying.

End War probably, the voice stuff is really just an option. You can get the game for dirt cheap these days so I guess it didn't work out.

SwiftSpear wrote: I think the stylus would make a huge difference vs the PS controller. You can play the game like a mouse only user, which while admittedly isn't ideal, it's alot better than the retarded scroll and select abilities the ps controller has.

No stylus on iPhone - it's designed for fingers only. There's a stylus you can buy, but it's more like a stick of chalk than a pen. Capacitive screens allow for lots of multi-touch convenience, but they fail hard when it comes to precision.

Unfortunately, the only major handheld plaform designed for a stylus is the DS, which just might barely have enough power to run the original Total Annihilation at a stretch (and nowhere near the display resolution to make it look good).

But yes, pointing devices are a huge difference when it comes to certain genres - this is why there are no good RTS games on consoles (and the reverse is why there's no street-fighter games on PCs).

Eh, fingertips work well enough, the units are fairly large. Since you're using your fingers it's almost like pressing physical buttons and reasonably fast.

there's no street-fighter games on PCs

not completely true .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glHjUFjjfy8

Sleksa plays SF4 on the PC but yeah, Super Street Fighter 4 has no PC version.

playing a rts on a phone what's wrong with you ?

Then again... You can play Starcraft with just 8 buttons too nowadays
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XLEdsEFQWE