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I am looking for an easy and fun RTS game, that can be played over the LAN.

Very very old graphics apart, I think Warcraft 2 would have been fun, but I seem unable to connect over LAN, since dial up modem is not in use anymore.

Starcraft is maybe too complex. I wonder if there is a cartoony and simple RTS series out there, somewhat similiar to Warcraft 2 and 3. There will be up to 4 computers running XP, playing this, a few months from now, once I can find it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

C&C games are a good bet as others have said.

I'd recommend RUSE but it doesn't have LAN support from what I can tell (although you can still play it online even if you are in the same room). Most of my favorite strategy games aren't what you'd call simple though (TA, SupCom, Sins, Homeworld, Shogun 2). Company of Heroes could be one but its slow and works off a lot of subtleties.

Starcraft isn't complex whatsoever, honestly. :)

Command and Conquer 3 could be a good one to try, or Command and Conquer Generals since you're graphics aren't amazing.

*raises an eyebrow* StarCraft is definitely complex.

Second your recommendation of C&C though.

I am looking for an easy and fun RTS game, that can be played over the LAN.

Very very old graphics apart, I think Warcraft 2 would have been fun, but I seem unable to connect over LAN, since dial up modem is not in use anymore.

Starcraft is maybe too complex. I wonder if there is a cartoony and simple RTS series out there, somewhat similiar to Warcraft 2 and 3. There will be up to 4 computers running XP, playing this, a few months from now, once I can find it.

If you liked warcraft 2 you might like dota, there are also many addons and stuff for the game, tower defense and such!

How do you consider Starcraft to be more complex than C&C or other RTSes? It has the same basic principles, number of units, structures, controls, etc.

Could just be that I play StarCraft 2 at a high level and by comparison other RTS games generally feel much easier, and Brood War is even more complex than SC2. The mechanics are definitely different despite the basic principles being the same. So it could just be me, but from my viewpoint SC is a lot more complex than C&C and other RTS games. Especially the newer RTS games.

*raises an eyebrow* StarCraft is definitely complex.

Second your recommendation of C&C though.

If you pit 2 people are have never played it before, they will not find it any harder than playing C&C. Half the joy of starcraft is that it's as complex as you want it to be.

Could just be that I play StarCraft 2 at a high level and by comparison other RTS games generally feel much easier, and Brood War is even more complex than SC2. The mechanics are definitely different despite the basic principles being the same. So it could just be me, but from my viewpoint SC is a lot more complex than C&C and other RTS games. Especially the newer RTS games.

Most other RTS's don't focus on mirco as much. There are a select few games that focus on it more than the macro portions (CoH, Warhammer, etc). Games like CnC, Total Annihilation, SupCom, Sins, and RUSE focus much more heavily on the macro build structure which is in some cases far simpler than microing every unit command. It's just a matter of memorization at that point. Just remember, if you play C&C: RA or RA2 Prism Tanks will be the death of you :p

If you pit 2 people are have never played it before, they will not find it any harder than playing C&C. Half the joy of starcraft is that it's as complex as you want it to be.

That goes for pretty much any rts. If you're a hard core C&C player it's more complex than SC. But then again, even SC players should agree they're oth playboys compared to TA and it's legacy SupCom(maybe not so much the sequel).

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