Chapter 98: Real-Time Strategy Games

Alex Parker clicked into "Legion Conquest," and the game loaded quickly.

This real-time strategy game, set in modern warfare, showcased tanks, planes, and other high-tech weaponry on its loading screen. Upon entering the game, the structure was clear, featuring two main modes: "Campaign Mode" and "Online Battle."

The game reminded Alex of "Red Alert," but with significant differences. For one, the graphics were much better, and the weapon designs were very different.

The game didn't feature fantastical units like Apocalypse Tanks or Prism Tanks but instead used real modern tanks alongside some futuristic weapons. The game didn't have a Cold War theme and avoided specific national factions.

"Legion Conquest" was set in an alternate universe where the Third World War had led to the overthrow of many nations, with various military factions now battling for dominance.

Players assumed the role of a faction leader in campaign mode, aiming to conquer the world. The game included real military equipment like main battle tanks and bombers, but all factions had access to these, blurring national distinctions—likely to facilitate global marketing.

Alex registered an account and started the campaign mode.

Overall, the game's quality was impressive, with a decent tutorial. The only downside was the thin plot. Alex played through two missions and found almost no main storyline; it was just orders from a commander without much immersion.

This likely stemmed from the game's alternate universe setting and the decision to blur national distinctions, limiting the narrative scope.

However, as a real-time strategy game, the plot wasn't crucial, so this didn't affect its popularity.

The game's control scheme was also somewhat crude, reminiscent of "Red Alert." The interface, hotkeys, and mouse functions felt inconvenient to Alex.

Selecting, moving, and attacking were all done with the left mouse button, while the right mouse button was only for "deselecting," which Alex found awkward.

As he played and analyzed the campaign mode, a student sat at the adjacent machine. Bored while waiting for his computer to start, the student glanced at Alex's screen.

Alex was maneuvering a tank to crush a group of soldiers, but they shot at the tank with machine guns, eventually destroying it.

"Damn!" Alex muttered, frustrated. "This is as illogical as 'Red Alert.' Why can these soldiers with machine guns blow up my tank? Is the tank's armor made of cardboard?"

The student chuckled, "New to the game?"

Alex nodded, "Yeah, just started."

The student advised, "Tanks are pretty weak here. You should either mass-produce infantry early on or save up for air units or superweapons later. Going heavy on tanks mid-game can be a waste."

Alex was puzzled, "Aren't tanks supposed to be the backbone of modern warfare?"

The student shrugged, "Yeah, it's weird, but that's how this game is set up."

He launched "Legion Conquest" and began searching for an online match.

Matches were found quickly, usually within a minute. The student joined a 1v1 on a four-player map.

Focusing on his game, the student started building structures and producing units.

Alex paused his campaign to watch the student play.

Mining resources, constructing buildings, producing units, scouting... the student was methodical and serious.

Early on, the opponent's rush caught the student off guard, but his defensive preparations held. Eventually, the student managed to build a fleet of thirty lightning jet fighters, sneaking them into the enemy's base for a successful counterattack.

"Yes!" the student exclaimed, thrilled.

Alex frowned, "The balance in this game seems off."

The student glanced at him, "You think this is unbalanced? It's the best RTS out there."

Alex pointed out, "Three tanks can't beat twenty infantry. That doesn't make sense."

The student sighed, "That's just how it's set up. It's still the most balanced RTS game."

Alex asked, "Why don't you play RPGs?"

The student replied, "They're too exhausting. Those games require endless grinding. RTS games, on the other hand, test your skill."

"I see," Alex nodded.

The student continued, "For RPGs, VR versions are the best. But RTS and simulation games are mainly on PC because converting them to VR isn't worth the effort. RTS games don't take up much time either; a match might last twenty or thirty minutes, so you can take a break afterward. It's not as tiring."

Alex asked, "Does this game have ranked matches?"

The student paused, "Oh, yeah. I was just playing a ranked match."

Alex clarified, "So ranked play is the core appeal of this game?"

The student nodded, "Exactly. You start with the campaign mode, but the real fun is in ranked play, competing against skilled players. RTS games have depth; you can spend years mastering them."

Alex continued, "Are there offline tournaments?"

The student confirmed, "Absolutely. In terms of PC games, RTS tournaments are the biggest deal. Every major club has a few star players—those guys are legends."

After chatting a bit more, the student returned to his ranked matches.

Alex studied "Legion Conquest" a bit longer, examining its mechanics before leaving the café.

He was surprised that RTS games, which had declined significantly in his previous life, were thriving in this world.

On reflection, it made sense.

While VR games significantly impacted PC gaming, not all PC gamers transitioned to VR. RTS games, with their fragmented, strategic depth, remained popular in this alternate world.

As for MOBAs? They hadn't even emerged yet!

Initially hesitant about developing an RPG, Alex now found a promising alternative.