I am currently in the early stages of developing a real-time strategy game that aims to combine elements from Age of Empires II and Warcraft III. Both of these titles have had a major influence on me as a player and as a designer. Age of Empires II is remarkable for its strategic depth, focus on economic management, and large-scale battles, although I have always felt it is somewhat limited in a few key areas, such as unique unit mechanics and hero-focused gameplay. Warcraft III, on the other hand, introduced those very features through its heroes, abilities, and more character-driven armies, yet it lost some of the depth found in other systems, particularly in the balance of ranged units, counter mechanics, and naval warfare.
My goal is to create a game that brings together the strongest qualities of both styles. I want to capture the grand scale and tactical complexity of Age of Empires II while incorporating the individuality, progression, and fantasy-driven personality of Warcraft III. The idea is to give players the satisfaction of building a thriving civilization and commanding large armies, while also offering memorable units, meaningful choices, and greater variety in strategy.
I would love to hear from the /vst/ community about what you would like to see in a project that blends these two approaches. Which mechanics or ideas from either Age of Empires II or Warcraft III do you think are essential to preserve, improve, or completely rework?
I am also open to suggestions for other RTS games that might serve as good sources of inspiration. Whether they are classic titles or more recent releases, I would really appreciate your thoughts on what makes those games stand out and what lessons they might offer for this project.
Thank you in advance for your insights. I am looking forward to hearing your ideas and discussing what could make an RTS like this both exciting and rewarding to play.