Request: RTS Structure tutorial

hi web_scripter,

I would be interested in writing such a tutorial.

Would you like it in a general RTS style or

• focus on 2D or 3D graphics
  
• simply cover the mechanics of an RTS providing some of the algorithms used in making an RTS.
  
• perhaps, a ground up RTS development tutorial (from design phase to alpha)
  

Well whatever works, probably 3d because the new games are all in 3d. Also if you would like to do the whole rts development style tutorial that would be a great benefit to the readers. Algorithms are an important part of all games, so if you could include: pathfinding, group movement, and other rts algorithms that are in most games.

Thanks

3D is only a representation. While some basic algorithms may change (pathfinding in 3d might be very different from a 2d algorithm, although you can imagine a correct 2d solution which can be applied to 3d) most of the game itself don't change (game logic, opponent AI an so on).

A truly effective RTS tutorial (is it possible to write such a tutorial without going into in-depth explaination? (in which cas it is no longer a tutorial)) should describe the different aspects of a RTS but should simplify them to the core - thus, an explaination of what makes a 2d RTS is probably better than a long, confusing explaination with too much graphic related IMHO.

BTW, there are truly good (old) articles on gamasutra for those who are interested in RTS development. For exemple, the classical Pawn Captures Wyvern: How Computer Chess Can Improve Your Pathfinding (requires login).

Regards,

BTW, gamasutra just posted a new feature article which is highly interesting: Too Many Clicks! (registration required), which describe why today's RTS UI interface are inneficient in terms of user actions. Quite a good read.

Regards,

Thanks for the articles Emmanuel Deloget.

I agree that most of the algorithms that make up RTS games can be used and are used in very similar ways in both 2d and 3d.

Quote:

Original post by Anonymous Poster I'd like to see a good, in depth tutorial for an RTS. Long have I wanted to program one, but I don't have a clue where to begin. Even if it delt only with 2d tile based maps, the basic concepts could be carried over to better graphics systems (after all, how mush difference is there between a 2d game and a 3d game, except how the player sees it and a few pathfinding and collision detection things?) A tutorial based on a 2d map would be better for less skilled programmers, too. Someone who doesn't know 3d programming would be lost in a tutorial based on it, while the more advanced programmers can adapt what they learn from a 2d tutorial into their 3d game.

Good to hear that there are more people interested in RTS games. One of my favorite genres of computer games is RTS along with TBS (turned based strategy) games. That all started when I first played the original Civilization.

So far I have a 2D implementation and tutorial on how to do random map generation. It's very generic and there isn't much to it but I hope to show how you will go about adapting it to different tile types and vegetation or structures and later on to 3D with the added dimension. I hope to work on adding units and unit selection next. I will not go into depth about the collision detection but I will show a way to adapt it so that it can be used for both 2D and 3D games without changing the pathfinding algorithm.

Let me know if there is anything specific that is exceptionally hard about making a RTS game that you think I should include.

I was thinking of doing a tutorial for a 2D RTS, if anyone wants it...

Quote:

Original post by Anonymous Poster When I tried to make an RTS I had trouble with pathfinding and the AI. I've found a good pathfinding tutorial, but my problem with AI is general and all the articles I've found are specific, my problem is getting it to do anything, not as in it takes no action, but as in deciding which action to take.

Well when I have ever done AI you get or calculate a set of possible moves and then you ask the specific game your playing if that move will bring you closer to your goal. I'll try to show a very general solution but keeping things simple might be difficult so I'll show a standard specific implementation first like A* and generalize it later.