4 ms·

Wait, Dune II was the start of the RTS genre? That's amazing.

petercooper 6y ago
Start of the genre really, but not strictly the "first RTS" which was probably https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herzog_Zwei https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herzog_Zwei .. the term RTS was coined for Dune II, however, and it was the first popular such game.
- inetknght 6y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ancient_Art_of_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ancient_Art_of_War > published by Broderbund in 1984. It is generally recognized as one of the first real-time strategy or real-time tactics games.
  - kbenson 6y ago
    That's definitely the oldest I've seen. From the videos, it definitely qualifies as well. There doesn't appear to be resource management (but that's not required, some Warcraft maps don't even have that), and it can be played with two separate timescales, where you go to a separate battle real-time tactics, but apparently that's optional and you can let the unit battle come to a conclusion without ever leaving the overhead map and timescale.
  - drivers99 6y ago
    That’s older than the one I was going to post, but probably still of interest: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modem_Wars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modem_Wars
    - zentiggr 6y ago
      I had a fantastic time with Modem Wars solo... I can't say I learned any football tactics but I got a taste of what the "jocks" were enjoying out on the field, in a convenient wargaming package :) /s
- RTSlave 6y ago
  Wow you're good at history. If you would like to moderate both the Transformers site, and Lord of the rings, send me an email. Subscribed! <3
- donio 6y ago
  Nether Earth on the Spectrum might qualify too. It had many of the elements: map and resource control, combat, building and directing units with the possibility of either microing individual ones or giving them goals, all in real time. I've spent many hours playing that game and always thought that it was something special.
- Retric 6y ago
  It’s somewhat fuzzy what qualifies as RTS, but Dune II was much closer to what we think of as RTS than anything before it. The Dune II interface was the template for subsequent RTS designs Some key elements that first appeared in Dune II and later appear in many other RTS games include: A world map from which the next mission is chosen Resource-gathering to fund unit construction Simple base and unit construction Building construction dependencies (technology tree) Mobile units that can be deployed as buildings Different sides/factions (the Houses), each with unique unit-types and super weapons A context-sensitive mouse cursor to issue commands (introduced in the Mega Drive/Genesis version) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_II https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_II
- mumblemumble 6y ago
  There are a lot of games that are played in real time and involve strategy before then, and I'll happily call them real time strategy games. But Dune II is the earliest I know of that combined all the key elements of the classic RTS formula - resource collection and management, base building, technological development, etc.
Keyframe 6y ago
That would be Herzog Zwei, but Dune II was definitely the popular one, a trend-setter.

Start of the genre really, but not strictly the "first RTS" which was probably https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herzog_Zwei https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herzog_Zwei .. the term RTS was coined for Dune II, however, and it was the first popular such game.

inetknght 6y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ancient_Art_of_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ancient_Art_of_War > published by Broderbund in 1984. It is generally recognized as one of the first real-time strategy or real-time tactics games.
- kbenson 6y ago
  That's definitely the oldest I've seen. From the videos, it definitely qualifies as well. There doesn't appear to be resource management (but that's not required, some Warcraft maps don't even have that), and it can be played with two separate timescales, where you go to a separate battle real-time tactics, but apparently that's optional and you can let the unit battle come to a conclusion without ever leaving the overhead map and timescale.
- drivers99 6y ago
  That’s older than the one I was going to post, but probably still of interest: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modem_Wars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modem_Wars
  - zentiggr 6y ago
    I had a fantastic time with Modem Wars solo... I can't say I learned any football tactics but I got a taste of what the "jocks" were enjoying out on the field, in a convenient wargaming package :) /s
RTSlave 6y ago
Wow you're good at history. If you would like to moderate both the Transformers site, and Lord of the rings, send me an email. Subscribed! <3
donio 6y ago
Nether Earth on the Spectrum might qualify too. It had many of the elements: map and resource control, combat, building and directing units with the possibility of either microing individual ones or giving them goals, all in real time. I've spent many hours playing that game and always thought that it was something special.
Retric 6y ago
It’s somewhat fuzzy what qualifies as RTS, but Dune II was much closer to what we think of as RTS than anything before it. The Dune II interface was the template for subsequent RTS designs Some key elements that first appeared in Dune II and later appear in many other RTS games include: A world map from which the next mission is chosen Resource-gathering to fund unit construction Simple base and unit construction Building construction dependencies (technology tree) Mobile units that can be deployed as buildings Different sides/factions (the Houses), each with unique unit-types and super weapons A context-sensitive mouse cursor to issue commands (introduced in the Mega Drive/Genesis version) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_II https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_II
mumblemumble 6y ago
There are a lot of games that are played in real time and involve strategy before then, and I'll happily call them real time strategy games. But Dune II is the earliest I know of that combined all the key elements of the classic RTS formula - resource collection and management, base building, technological development, etc.

Keyframe 6y ago

That would be Herzog Zwei, but Dune II was definitely the popular one, a trend-setter.