While no single individual or entity is universally credited with creating the entire real-time strategy (RTS) genre from scratch, Technosoft is widely recognized for developing Herzog Zwei (1989), a landmark game often considered the "progenitor of all modern real-time strategy games." This designation highlights Herzog Zwei's foundational role in defining the core mechanics and gameplay elements that would become hallmarks of the genre.
The Genesis of Modern RTS
The evolution of the RTS genre, rather than its singular creation, involved several pioneering titles that introduced key concepts. Herzog Zwei stands out for its innovative blend of action and strategy, allowing players to directly control a transforming mech unit while simultaneously issuing commands to other units on the battlefield. Chuck Sperry notably cited Herzog Zwei as a significant influence on the development of Dune II, another pivotal early RTS title.
Key aspects that solidified Herzog Zwei's status as a progenitor include:
- Real-time unit production and management: Players managed resources and built units dynamically during gameplay.
- Direct unit control and command issuance: The ability to control a primary unit while directing others.
- Objective-based gameplay: Focusing on capturing and holding bases.
- Map-based strategic decision-making: Emphasizing territory control and logistics.
Early Influential Titles
Before and around the same period as Herzog Zwei, several other games also contributed significantly to the nascent RTS landscape, showcasing diverse approaches to real-time strategic gameplay. These titles demonstrate the experimental phase of the genre's development, with various developers exploring different mechanics that would later coalesce into the established RTS format.
Here are some notable early real-time strategy or strategy-adjacent games:
| Game Name | Developer | Year | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herzog Zwei | Technosoft | 1989 | Credited as the progenitor of all modern RTS games, defining core mechanics. |
| Supremacy | Probe Software | 1990 | Also known as Overlord, an early example of real-time grand strategy. |
| Mega-Lo-Mania | Sensible Software | 1991 | A real-time strategy game with resource management and evolving technology trees. |
| Dune II | Westwood Studios | 1992 | Often considered the foundational game for the modern RTS genre's conventions. |
While Herzog Zwei laid much of the groundwork, games like Mega-Lo-Mania by Sensible Software and Supremacy (also called Overlord) also played crucial roles in shaping the genre's early years, each contributing unique elements to the real-time strategy formula. The collective innovation of these early developers and their respective titles progressively defined and refined the genre, leading to the sophisticated RTS games known today.
