Is this Game a RTS?

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Though Factorio may not fit in with games that fit the classic definition of a RTS, could it be considered one under a moderately loose definition of a RTS?

[Fel]

If the definition is "very" loose then kind of yes.
But if the definition is that loose then you could fit factorio in plenty of genres that have nothing to do with the game.

In fact it is much closer to a puzzle game than it is to a RTS.

You could say that it is lacking in the "strategy" side to qualify I guess.

[shadain597]

It doesn't really fit the commonly accepted definition of an RTS game; describing it as one is a little misleading. However, it does take place in "real time" and the textbook definition of the word "strategy" can be applied. After all, there's plenty of planning towards long-term goals. . .

[Hurkyl]

A description I've liked is that combat in Factorio is primarily a logistics challenge, not a strategy or tactics challenge.

Strategy and tactics can help, of course, but combat is primarily about researching, building, and supplying the "solution" to the enemy, rather than beating them by outwitting them or outmaneuvering them.

[Chindraba]

Originally posted by Hurkyl:

A description I've liked is that combat in Factorio is primarily a logistics challenge, not a strategy or tactics challenge.

Strategy and tactics can help, of course, but combat is primarily about researching, building, and supplying the "solution" to the enemy, rather than beating them by outwitting them or outmaneuvering them.

And, if you turn off biters, it's not even a logistics challenge. They can add spice to the game, when it is what's wanted. Sometimes I like spicy tacos, yet other times BLT is preferred.

I think of them more like the pointless, yet interesting side quests in other games, like the card game in FFX. When I do use an RTS, typically Civ, in describing Factorio I include the lack of other factions/leaders as one of the differences.

[Fel]

Originally posted by Chindraba:

When I do use an RTS, typically Civ, in describing Factorio I include the lack of other factions/leaders as one of the differences.

I think you meant "strategy" rather than RTS here, civ is turn-based and has nothing to do with the "real time" part.
RTS are games like command and conquer, age of empire or starcraft for example.

[Chindraba]

Civ is not RTS, but it is, for other folks I've mentioned Factorio to, closer to what they've played to which I can compare it. That and Minecraft are the two I most often find people I know are familiar with. Yes, I do include the lack of "turns" in contrast to Civ as well. Especially as that is one of the things they don't like about Civ, sometimes.

In my mum's case it was Minecraft which was the comparison. WoW and Trek just didn't seem to be in "common ground" territory.

[Quillithe]

I wouldn't really say it's a RTS by any standard, but this does remind me - there's a demo of an upcoming game that felt a little bit factorio-inspired crossed with more of an RTS

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1450900/Desynced/

[fractalgem]

I think you'd have to really squint to call it an RTS, despite having some elements thereof and meeting the "technical definition", as it were.

It's a logistcs game at its heart. The biters easily become a side note, and by the time you're even ABLE to command what you could consider traditional attack units, the spidertrons, you've already won.

Ther'es a few mods out there that push it closer to being an rts, though?

[Overeagerdragon]

I'd still say that Factorio is a base building resource management game...

however
If you install the full AAI suite you can turn it into a RTS...

[fractalgem]

That's probably the mod(s) I was thinking of, yeah.

[GAMING_Alligator]

It's a factory game. That's a genre in its own right.

[Galileus]

I would say no matter how loose the definition, resounding NO.

At a point of loosening the definition at which Factorio is an RTS, the definition is so loose it's useless. Overwatch would be a multiplayer RTS, as it has turrets and enemies... and these things are the only RTS elements in Factorio I can think of.

And let's not pretend RTS is defined as "strategy in real-time". That would not only catch 90% non-turn-based games, but be as definition-accurate as trying to emit radio waves by waving a radio.

[Chindraba]

Originally posted by Bookworm:

It's a factory game. That's a genre in its own right.

That's what makes it hard to define for anyone interested in "what do you play?" when there's not many games they do know to compare it to. Some of the RTS have the concept of building upon a basic structure to make bigger and better structures.

Though, for the first while, few minutes or hour depending on style, the opening could loosely be compared to a grinder, what with hand mining resources and waiting for output so you can get that first ASM.

Since I've not even played Minecraft myself, I often find that using it as a descriptive bases is lacking, and fall back to adding in something else, also unplayed, for which the description seems to have elements of Factorio. Civ is one that's helpful as well, though it is turn-based. Factorio's style of building actually feels more turn-based than something like a racing, sports, of FPS game.

"Some of this, a bit of that, all mixed in with a lot of those." Seems like a good comparison.

[Guardian of the Blind]

Factorio is less of a RTS than Anno 1800 and Anno 1800 is alrady not a RTS

[Purpleganja]

It's not an rts, but if you get a Havoc vs zergs vibe when playing, you're not alone.