5 ms·

Ensemble Studios, makers of Age of Empires, Age of Empires 2, and Age of Mythology, some of the best RTSs ever made. There are other great RTSs, but they're all

Ensemble Studios, makers of Age of Empires, Age of Empires 2, and Age of Mythology, some of the best RTSs ever made. There are other great RTSs, but they're all great in different ways from the Age series, which nothing else resembles. Microsoft bought them, and shut them down not long after for insufficient profits. Sigh. Age of Empires IV is being made now since they noticed there's demand, but the studio they chose is a well-known clown collective. Hopes are not high.

zawerf 8y ago
I thought it was being made because some redditor asked Bill Gates for it in an AMA? https://np.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/49jkhn/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/d0s9j8s/?sh=3648d883&st=J6N1TBZS https://np.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/49jkhn/im_bill_gates_c... Maybe they choose a random studio because were was just trying to appease Gates' whims? How bad is this "clown collective"?
- cperciva 8y ago
  No, that game was under development long before the AMA.
- BigJono 8y ago
  Well, they've had some success, but Dawn of War 3 was an absolute train wreck. Relic aren't exactly in the best form as of late.
samstave 8y ago
In a similar vein, i wish a remake of Knights and Merchants were available and good.
- bsagdiyev 8y ago
  Maybe not exactly what you were looking for but: http://www.kamremake.com http://www.kamremake.com
- Cthulhu_ 8y ago
  My mum played that one so much, she must've played it for years. Sometimes pausing for a couple months, only to fertle it up again somewhere and play it.
ebcase 8y ago
There’s a full chapter about Ensemble in this book: https://www.npr.org/2017/09/05/547367445/-blood-sweat-and-pixels-review https://www.npr.org/2017/09/05/547367445/-blood-sweat-and-pi... ...which I coincidentally listened to via Audible today. There’s a lot more to the story than, “...shut them down... for insufficient profits.” They wanted to branch out from the RTS genre, prototyped a bunch of different ideas, but didn’t really get far enough (or enough traction with MSFT, which wrote their checks) to ship them. Microsoft was wary of them launching new IP, so tasked them with making Halo Wars, which was an RTS for consoles. This was a drastically different undertaking than RTS-for-PCs due to controllers (instead of keyboards + mice), and they all got burned out working on it after many years. Microsoft shut them down after Halo Wars shipped.
sshagent 8y ago
I take it you've seen the HD version of AoE2 and the subsequent DLC/expansions. Its all on Steam. As with you and your list, the best made RTS were long ago. Sadly i don't think we'll likely see another AoE type game without all the shit that goes into modern gaming ( freemiums, DLC for even the minor thing, loot boxs and all that shit ).
neotek 8y ago
In the same vein, I really miss Bullfrog, and the company that was formed after Bullfrog was shuttered, Mucky Foot. They made some of the best casual RTS games I've ever played, particularly Dungeon Keeper and Startopia. I still play them to this day despite having spent thousands and thousands of hours on both, to the extent that I know them inside out, and yet they've never stopped being fun.
- cdoxsey 8y ago
  Check out Two Point Hospital: https://store.steampowered.com/app/535930/Two_Point_Hospital/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/535930/Two_Point_Hospital...
chaosbutters314 8y ago
You know aoe2 is pretty big on steam and voobly right now, right? They are even having a $60k tourney (I think sponsored by MS). It is still a pretty big and active community and easy to get a game. Plus, there have been a bunch of great DLCs in the past few years
- aerovistae 8y ago
  yeah, I'm one of the most active players there. But that just goes to underscore my point....I'm playing a game from 20 years ago because they're not around to make new ones anymore.
ConceptJunkie 8y ago
I loved playing Age of Empires on my PocketPC. I can't find anything like it for Android.
- stamps 8y ago
  What PocketPC do you use? Do you just use it for Age of Empires? Have you heard of the Pyra[0]? It's nearing completion, hardware should be final at this point. Just need the software to get a good run up. [0] https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/ https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/
  - ConceptJunkie 8y ago
    I used it for a number of things, around 2002 or so. I don't recall the specific model, but I used until it stopped working. I hadn't heard of the Pyra, but as with all these custom-designed open devices... they are cool, but the cost is always so much higher than any comparable commercial product you could buy. I guess RMS can afford one, but I can't.
    - stamps 8y ago
      Ah, I took it as you still use it today. I've got a bit of interest in the handheld world, but haven't pulled the trigger on a Pyra (not a fan of pre-orders). Also, what does RMS stand for?
      - mkingston 8y ago
        Richard M Stallman
        cannonedhamster 8y ago
        Met him at a metro station in Boston as I was going for a job interview. The company used Gnu/linux but the devs didn't even know who Stallman or Linus were. I didn't get the job because I wasn't "technical" enough. I was not asked any technical questions. Probably dodged a bullet there.

zawerf 8y ago

I thought it was being made because some redditor asked Bill Gates for it in an AMA? https://np.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/49jkhn/im_bill_gates_cochair_of_the_bill_melinda_gates/d0s9j8s/?sh=3648d883&st=J6N1TBZS https://np.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/49jkhn/im_bill_gates_c... Maybe they choose a random studio because were was just trying to appease Gates' whims? How bad is this "clown collective"?

cperciva 8y ago
No, that game was under development long before the AMA.
BigJono 8y ago
Well, they've had some success, but Dawn of War 3 was an absolute train wreck. Relic aren't exactly in the best form as of late.

samstave 8y ago

In a similar vein, i wish a remake of Knights and Merchants were available and good.

bsagdiyev 8y ago
Maybe not exactly what you were looking for but: http://www.kamremake.com http://www.kamremake.com
Cthulhu_ 8y ago
My mum played that one so much, she must've played it for years. Sometimes pausing for a couple months, only to fertle it up again somewhere and play it.

ebcase 8y ago

There’s a full chapter about Ensemble in this book: https://www.npr.org/2017/09/05/547367445/-blood-sweat-and-pixels-review https://www.npr.org/2017/09/05/547367445/-blood-sweat-and-pi... ...which I coincidentally listened to via Audible today. There’s a lot more to the story than, “...shut them down... for insufficient profits.” They wanted to branch out from the RTS genre, prototyped a bunch of different ideas, but didn’t really get far enough (or enough traction with MSFT, which wrote their checks) to ship them. Microsoft was wary of them launching new IP, so tasked them with making Halo Wars, which was an RTS for consoles. This was a drastically different undertaking than RTS-for-PCs due to controllers (instead of keyboards + mice), and they all got burned out working on it after many years. Microsoft shut them down after Halo Wars shipped.

sshagent 8y ago

I take it you've seen the HD version of AoE2 and the subsequent DLC/expansions. Its all on Steam. As with you and your list, the best made RTS were long ago. Sadly i don't think we'll likely see another AoE type game without all the shit that goes into modern gaming ( freemiums, DLC for even the minor thing, loot boxs and all that shit ).

neotek 8y ago

In the same vein, I really miss Bullfrog, and the company that was formed after Bullfrog was shuttered, Mucky Foot. They made some of the best casual RTS games I've ever played, particularly Dungeon Keeper and Startopia. I still play them to this day despite having spent thousands and thousands of hours on both, to the extent that I know them inside out, and yet they've never stopped being fun.

cdoxsey 8y ago
Check out Two Point Hospital: https://store.steampowered.com/app/535930/Two_Point_Hospital/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/535930/Two_Point_Hospital...

chaosbutters314 8y ago

You know aoe2 is pretty big on steam and voobly right now, right? They are even having a $60k tourney (I think sponsored by MS). It is still a pretty big and active community and easy to get a game. Plus, there have been a bunch of great DLCs in the past few years

aerovistae 8y ago
yeah, I'm one of the most active players there. But that just goes to underscore my point....I'm playing a game from 20 years ago because they're not around to make new ones anymore.

ConceptJunkie 8y ago

I loved playing Age of Empires on my PocketPC. I can't find anything like it for Android.

stamps 8y ago
What PocketPC do you use? Do you just use it for Age of Empires? Have you heard of the Pyra[0]? It's nearing completion, hardware should be final at this point. Just need the software to get a good run up. [0] https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/ https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/
- ConceptJunkie 8y ago
  I used it for a number of things, around 2002 or so. I don't recall the specific model, but I used until it stopped working. I hadn't heard of the Pyra, but as with all these custom-designed open devices... they are cool, but the cost is always so much higher than any comparable commercial product you could buy. I guess RMS can afford one, but I can't.
  - stamps 8y ago
    Ah, I took it as you still use it today. I've got a bit of interest in the handheld world, but haven't pulled the trigger on a Pyra (not a fan of pre-orders). Also, what does RMS stand for?
    - mkingston 8y ago
      Richard M Stallman
      - cannonedhamster 8y ago
        Met him at a metro station in Boston as I was going for a job interview. The company used Gnu/linux but the devs didn't even know who Stallman or Linus were. I didn't get the job because I wasn't "technical" enough. I was not asked any technical questions. Probably dodged a bullet there.