...what would it be like? This is a share-your-ideas thread.

If I didn't have pretty much the next year of my life planned out, I'd be inclined to make one myself. My idea for an RTS is pretty simple. I'll sum it up in one word:

I've always wanted to make an RTS where the player is a unit on the battlefield. The player would order units around with their character... maybe something like those newer Battlezone games, except with a more top-down view. May or may not be a good idea, it's just something I'm interested in .

I'd aim for a Warzone 2100-like style with research (trees of weapons and tanks).

Maybe incorporate real-world factions and scenarios in the story (including ones that aren't so militaristic, like New Zealand ) so people could say "Nah, Sweden could sooo beat Finland's butt". But that would be said by Swedes to Finns.

Though, incoporating so many factions would make them only differ by their flags, names, starting positions etc.

It would be 2D using from the side view (like a platformer). There aren't enough of those.

I've always wanted to play/make an RTS where you can really mess with the terrain. Divert a river around you base for defense, blow up a hydrodam to flood a whole heap of land, drop a bomb and make a huge crater that's there forever. Set fire to a forest to provide smoke cover but now you have nowhere to hide later on...

Oh, and lets keep New Zealand out of these wars eh, we've done a pretty good job at it so far considering the world today... (although our gumboot throwing squadran would surely be a force to be reckoned with)

I would try to eliminate resource collecting and instead have reinforcements come in at designated locations and times. Victory will depend on killing your opponent faster and more efficiently than he is killing you. Perhaps I would have the reinforcements come in on vulnerable transports so occupying possible resupply zones would prevent the players from turtling.

I never got a chance to play Z. I heard about it back in the day but it was not on my list of stuff to buy. It is a pity because it sounds a lot like what I would want to make. My favorite RTS game to date is Total Annihilation.

Wilson; there is always Ground Control 1 and 2, both are pretty nice (no resource gathering, just dropships etc).

Oh and if you like TA (which btw is the best RTS ever), there is the (unofficial, made by the same guy) sequel out now; Supreme commander. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks awesome.

Having put some thought into making a RTS of my own here are some thoughts:

*Do all the rendering in 90 degree top down so I can rotate the units with rotate sprite and not have to worry about multiple sprites for multiple directions.

*Have neutral buildings that can be occupied by infantry. theninfantry can be killed by the destruction of the building or enemy infantry entering the building and succeeding in (non rendered) melee combat.

*Zoom in and out function for a better view of the carnage.

*Beyond line of sight artillery. Big Bertha is my favorite TA unit (that sound bad if taken out of context).

FrankyR and Peitz bring up the best ideas I've seen so far in this thread.

Some time ago I posted this thread about RTS design. I'd really love to do that one. Meanwhile I'm doing some brainstorming.

Anyway I've always dreamt about making something like Homeworld clone, with major tweaks in management etc. Like you'd be able to drop the hammer of indiscriminate justice upon the planets, build starbases etc.

They beat you to it .

He could do to BrikWars what Relic did to Warhammer. As in, make the most awesome RTS ever.

Edit: Argh, beaten. (kind of)