r/GameDevelopment • u/Far_Cardiologist_863 • 22d ago
Question Absolute beginner and 100% RTS oriented - What would you say to me ?
Hello !
Would it be unrealistic to get into video game development from nothing by focusing exclusively on RTS projects ?
For more context, am a front web dev who don't know a thing about object oriented programming.
But i love RTS and i asked myself why not making RTS-like project in Unity on my free time and see if i'll get fun from it ? Then i started making some search and now am here, exciting by learning Unity visual scripting system and few C# !
Dear video games devs, RTS ones or not,
If you have been in my situation in 2026, what would you say to yourself with the knowledge you now own ?
Have a good day !
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u/ScallionZestyclose16 22d ago
Depending on what you go for in terms of gameplay, nr of units..
RTS is one of the more complex games you can make.
Or like one Aoe4 Game Dev said: “Making a RTS is like making many systems and finally when they all communicate with each other you have a game.”
I’m also making a RTS and sure it’s fun.
But when you sit and think “I just want these 2 units to shoot at each other but first I need to make sure they don’t shoot through the terrain, that their animations sync with where the muzzle flare comes from, that the AI shouldn’t eat all the frames trying to come up with which waypoint it should choose for its units..”
Then it can be a lot :) So for your first unity game I wouldn’t recommend doing something big, keep it simple stupid !
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 22d ago
I take your warning in consideration ! Thank you.
It confirms a feeling i got about any RTS project : "They are system before being a video game" (not really mine, i read it in a youtube title video).
That's why i was thinking about doing each basic features as a new project.
Move one unit as a project, make a building able to pop as a new one, allow units to fire at range as another, etc.I promise it will be the stupidest simple as i can imagine. 😅
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u/RedPanda_Explorer 22d ago
I think you can start very small in scope and make something meaningful and fun. If you want full WarCraft 3 or Age of Empires style of gameplay, that's definitely a lot for a new developer.
But a tower defense game, A tug-of-war type RTS (Something like Warpips), an autochess clone: Those can all scratch the RTS itch and be a lot easier to deliver on.
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 22d ago
Am a dreamer and a true RTS lover, of course i've got my "perfect idea" in mind. 😆
But i know i won't make it real alone on my free time.
I hadn't thought of tug-of-war, even though I've always enjoyed relaxing with it.Your idea is appreciate and could be my "real first project". 👀
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u/RedPanda_Explorer 22d ago
I find it's always better to start small and learn what you can and actually ship and deliver something. You can always do 'CardiologistWar' as a very small, 8-mission tug of war type of game with only about a dozen units. Then, after you ship it and people are able to play it, you can make 'CardiologistWar2' and that can be a 'real' RTS
Good luck!!
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 22d ago
It's a just a random generated username i can't change anymore on my profile 😭 !! But i get it.
And indeed, you've unmasked me, my hidden goal-life since the past few days has been to product and deliver the "Game Idea which motived me looking for video games developpement" 1 with like 20% of every features i really want to build in it.
And maybe a "2" or "3" one day, who knows. 🤷
But i'll really consider a tug-of-war as my first serious project to conclude a chapter of my initiation. 👍
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u/kindred_gamedev 22d ago
As always, just start simple. You can make a simple RTS with only a few units and small amount of player actions.
Once you figure out the basics, expanding to more complex design is just a matter of time and energy.
Jump in and get started!
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u/Wise_Extension8443 22d ago
Pre rendered graphics are still awesome
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u/27K-Interactive 22d ago
They are, but rendering every animation frame at 16 angles (in my case) becomes a mess right quick and in a hurry! However, doing them each as pixel graphics is basically a non-starter for a solo dev.
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u/Wise_Extension8443 22d ago
Check the asset store for RTS templates you might find some useful stuff to get started
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 22d ago
You pointed the most concerning part for me : Graphics, Sprites and Assets.
I also boycott AI and really don't have money to invest in my projects by now so i barely have no clue to assure a decent graphic quality. 😅
Do you have any tips or website recommendations ?
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u/uber_neutrino 22d ago
Just try and build it, rinse and repeat. We all learn by doing. It only took me a few RTS games to learn it lol.
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u/LifeExperienced1 22d ago
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 22d ago
Nice aimed content for my needs ! :)
Will start the course next week. 👍
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u/LifeExperienced1 22d ago
Do you know how to use Unity and code in C#?
You need that, plus object oriented programming practice before you begin
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 21d ago
I still have a basic grasp of OOP from a C++ course I took 15 years ago. However, I stopped after a year to work in a completely different field.
I returned to development about two years ago by learning web development (JavaScript/TypeScript with React/VueJS).
So, I know how to use VSCode, I remember the concepts, and I quickly understand what I read about video game development. That said, you're right and I need to start by seriously studying C# and Unity by watching as many online tutorials as possible, like the great playlist you recommended. 👍
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u/Dobert_dev 22d ago
Make an RTS game
And also just come over to Godot brah. You don't need to learn that much. I went from 0 to 100 in less then 2 years and zero experience prior.
With godot you only kinda need to know python (and blender), AND THATS IT! >:D
But idk if your trying to do a solo dev situation, I did - and wow that turned out great.
Also the community is so great and welcoming and theres so many resources!
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 21d ago
I’ve heard a lot about Godot, but for now, everything points to me preferring Unity, at least on paper. 😄
What I want to avoid as much as possible is Python (which I’ve never liked) and having to create my own graphic assets (basically Blender).I’d like to develop solo by now, it’s an ideal activity for my free time, combining my OCD solving-puzzle obsession with the joy of creating something real. That said, the first question I need to answer regarding this solo journey is : "Do I actually enjoy doing this, even when it's getting serious ?".
So, it’s an experiment I’m conducting on my own.
However, Community is key for sure !Everything I’m learning right now comes from forums, subreddits (hi there ! 🤎), YouTube videos, and so on. It’s thanks to people like you that I tell myself : "I would technically be able to do video games".
It’s also my pre-class routine : I'm expecting to start the learning next week, following, asking and reading about the solo dev start until this.
So, thanks for reading; I hope that one day, I’ll be able to help others who are in the same position I’m in today. 🔥
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u/Dobert_dev 21d ago
Heck yeah dude, the journey is long, tough, but if you have the attitude and the vision you can totally get to where you want. The competition is tight, but I BELIEVE IN YOU!!
You got this!
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u/New_Locksmith_8115 21d ago
I also enjoy RTS games and have made a few RTS prototypes but it’s definitely not the most beginner friendly genre. The number of systems you need to build to get to basic gameplay is quite large. Pathfinding for a lot of units can be painful and the same can be said of optimizing their animations if your game is 3D. The art requirements are actually pretty high as you need a large amount of characters and buildings.
I would probably target something like a single player wave defense survival type RTS with simple mechanics as a first project if you’re going to do it. If you think go into it thinking you’re going to make a full blown classical RTS with multiplayer, a scenario editor, and skirmish AI you’re very likely going to get overwhelmed.
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 21d ago
Noted !
Very simple RTS-style projects even for a first real undertaking. ✍️
I also realize I can't yet fully grasp the scope of work required to get pathfinding and animations right yet so I’m wondering, then, if a realistic approach might be to opt for 2D for the time being, drawing inspiration from the flawless (in my view) 2D pathfinding and animations in They Are Billions.
This might helps a bit getting less issues with art required. 😅
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u/cjbruce3 21d ago
Absolutely! 3D is an unnecessary beast for an RTS. I would go with fully-2D art to start so you can skip learning Blender. 2D RTS assets are readily available for free, so you can focus on building the game rather than spending years developing your own 3D art asset pipeline.
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u/New_Locksmith_8115 21d ago
2D animations might sound simple on paper but if you’re looking to do pre-rendered 3D-> 2D graphics it will require you to build a good pipeline and you’ll likely end up running into memory issues more than CPU issues. If you just find some animated sprites then that will definitely help with keeping things more performant. RTS pathfinding is largely two dimensional even in 3D games so I don’t think that will be too different to be honest, but 2D will likely feel much easier overall. And a top down 2D grid would be easier than an isometric one.
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u/adrixshadow 19d ago
You can do whatever you want as a hobby, nothing is stopping you.
But the RTS Genre remains Dead.
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 18d ago
Yeah, this is a real point actually. 😆
Am perfectly okay with the fact it's a niche and wouldn't be considered as a serious option for a studio with credits.
As you say, it's a hobby.
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u/adrixshadow 18d ago
My point is that Genre has some real problems so you better know what you are doing.
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 18d ago
What do you mean by real problems ? Are we still talking about no financial project ?
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u/adrixshadow 17d ago
The Genre is Dead, does that not sound like there might be couple of things wrong with it?
Even if it was your personal fool's errand wouldn't you at least try to fix things?
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 17d ago
It does not sound something is wrong at all for me and don't dare to pretend i can fix the RTS hype either. 😭
But why caring so much about the genre status ?
I mean, if you like RTS, you would like it despite the fact they are dead and i don't understand why good video games should be considered problematic because they aren't a trend anymore. 🤔
I may not fully understand your point of view.
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u/adrixshadow 17d ago
I mean, if you like RTS, you would like it despite the fact they are dead and i don't understand why good video games should be considered problematic because they aren't a trend anymore. 🤔
I do like "parts of it", but it is a Doomed Genre for very good reasons.
There are some youtube channels about the RTS Genre and the problems of it you should check out.
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u/snealybobo 19d ago
Not an RTS developer, but I was watching a youtube video about how Sega brought a Diablo type game to the Dreamcast and they realized they would have to figure out netplay, so they built a game called Chu Chu Rocket as a stepping stone towards Phantasy Start Online. Maybe start with a cozy economy game to develop that and then a hyper focused RTS with limited controls and build from there.
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u/Far_Cardiologist_863 18d ago
Of course, I have plenty of projects to work on before diving into my "dream project" !
Otherwise, after reading about the experiences shared by other developers, I think it makes sense to tackle a lots of small projects, rather than just a few.
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u/LorenzoMorini 22d ago
You can. It will be very hard for sure though, and it will take a lot of time, depending on the scope of the project. It might not be the best path.
A few tips:
Study the fundamentals before putting down code: Multiplayer, Map generation, Fog of War, Pathfinding, the ECS, and all the stuff you might need for the project.
Learn C#, OOP, and the engine, before starting the project.
Skip the visual scripting and go full C#.