So real-time strategy games are more about the real-time, and less about the strategy. You’re managing resources, producing units, researching upgrades, defending your base, launching attacks, and harassing your opponent. All while trying to think about the actual strategy.
It’s also a competition of productivity. If your opponent is more productive than you, you usually lose. Say you’re focusing on your attack. And oops, you forgot to build workers. Oops, you forgot to build tanks. Oops, your base is gone.
Because RTS is so productivity-demanding, the developers needed a UI that could handle it. They decided to copy the most productive interface at the time. The Classic Mac OS desktop.
Here’s a screenshot of StarCraft. You can see the Mac OS inspirations everywhere. The units are like file icons on your desktop. You click to select them with your pointer, and drag to select multiple. You can even use modifier keys like shift-click or shift-drag to add or remove units from your selection.
The 3x3 grid at the bottom right is basically a menu bar. Some actions need multiple steps. Like constructing buildings. You get a submenu for those. And like the Mac OS menu bar, it stays in the same place no matter which unit or building you’ve selected. So you can rely on muscle memory and spatial awareness. And like everything about productivity, you can use shortcut keys. Select a worker, then B-B for Build Barracks.
The thing on the bottom left is a minimap. It’s basically a two-dimensional scrollbar. It tells you where you are and gives you a sense of how big the total area is. You can click on the minimap to jump to that location. But you can also use it as a shorthand for issuing destinations. For example, you select some units, issue a move command, then click on the minimap like, go across the river. Your units will treat it as if you clicked the actual location.
Finally there’s a portrait of the unit for flavor. And a Get Info panel in the middle. It shows the unit’s HP and some extra info. Like the name of the unit, damage type, upgrades.
So a typical game goes like this. Select workers, right-click on resources to gather. Select the headquarters, press the shortcut key to build workers. Select workers. B-B for Build Barracks. V-F for adVanced build Factory. Select your barracks, press M for Marines. Select your 4 factories, one at a time, press T for Tanks. Click tank, click tank, click tank, click tank. Select your marines and tanks, press A for attack, then click on the opponent’s base.
When you describe the gameplay like this, it’s crazy that anyone thinks it’s fun. But at least this UI is honest. M always means move. S always means stop. When you press T, you always get a tank. The only limitation is how fast your hands can move.
Follow up: The User Interface of Stormgate