Zero-k: A libre sci-fi RTS game, with an economy based on metal and energy

Though in WC3 (and SC1/SC2) IMHO this was enabled by a very easy to use «map» editor, combined with a tremendous popularity of the base game.

So if even, in theory, you can do even more (libre software), in practice what you see is not as ebulliently diverse.

You can also compare it to the Spring lobby games - Zero-K has improved on the presentation, but something has been lost by not being able to easily fork the game yourself, build on it, and then just put up whatever the resulting mess is, start a game, and it being listed in the list of games :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8by5C6dJDA

Including «Com Shooter» FPS using the built-in «possess unit and use FPS controls» showcased here : https://youtu.be/MpKqQxTURik?t=107

Which shows another tension in game development : more recent Spring-Recoil games disable that feature outright, because of the balance headaches it causes, and potential modders can't use what they are not aware exists !

But modding scene does exist in ZK : http://zero-k.info/Mods

(In addition to the game setup itself being typically WAY more open than what you find in other RTS.)

The first indicator of that popped up, when valve ended greenlight, and just greenlit all the things. Which propped Evolution RTS upon the steam front page for half a day, flooding the original lobby system and showing how inadequat the whole ecosystem was for that. The original Evo dev Forb learned from the whole mess after he returned from his day job.

Zero-k then learned the lessons, developed a ingui lobby, started the whole matchmaking and better server deployment, detached from the whole "one central server" thing of the spring eco system.

BAR did some graphical overhaul, with Floris, Beherith, Sprung and the whole original crew supported by new faces like Teifion and on and on. They optimized the Spring engine into a new version- more tailored to BARs needs and reworked alot of the stuff.

Its gpl open source, so the project order and who invented what is pretty flowy.. everybody copies from everybody, one progress is everyones progress..

Edit: clarity