I got lots of christmas money to spend, and I'm looking for one of two things: a singleplayer RTS or MMORPG.

The MMORPG or MMOFPS has to be roleplay friendly, and something I haven't tried yet, which is unlikely. I considered darkfall but I hear the game is still in hell. 

As for the RTS, I'm looking for something with multiplayer that isn't so insanely difficult at first. The ones I've tried were C&C Generals, Rome: TW, LoTR:BFME and Dawn of War. I always get owned on multiplayer because everybody seems to just build multiple barracks, produce a massive force, and than zerg the crap out of me before I can do anything.

Thanks in advance :)

Have you tried Dawn of War II? The campaign is really a lot of fun and incorporates RPG elements and squad based combat. The multiplayer is also not your typical Starcraft type of resource and unit management. It's essentially capture point where you don't build any buildings but you generate troops from an HQ, which is already built at the beginning of the round.

It's really alot of fun and both aspects are very different from C&C or Starcraft.

Edit: spelling error

In regards to RTS.. my fav genre.

While you wait for starcraft 2 I highly recommend Company of Heroes upwards of 8000 players online all day and easy to get a game.

Want to go a little further back then why not pick up the Original Starcraft (12 year old game but upwards of 100,000+ players online all day - on the EU server atleast). Make sure your monitor if its widescreen can scale to 4:3 aspect, mind does not and its the only reason I dont play Starcraft currently.  the original Dawn of War is also still popular.

If you want something in RTS thats a little different check out the Homeworld series, RTS in space that works, doubt theres any online play any more though. Fantasic story.

Cannot comment for its online player base but Lord of rings: battle for middle earth 2 was a fun single player experience.

Stay away from the joke that has become the C&C franchise and the rush job that was Dawn of War 2.

So in summery my top 5 list in order of uber-ness

1. Starcraft
2. Company of heroes
3. Homeworld 1+2
4. Dawn of war
5. Lord of the rings

All 5 games can be picked up for $10 or less.

EDIT: OMG how did I forget Warcraft 3? it slots in between Starcraft & CoH, again its a 4:3 game that does not scale on my Monitor.. hum maybe I should get a better monitor?

Originally posted by fedfierce

Have you tried Dawn of War II? The campaign is really a lot of fun and incorporates RPG elements and squad based combat. The multiplayer is also not your typical Starcraft type of resource and unit management. It's essentially capture point where you don't build any buildings but you generate troops from an HQ, which is already built at the beginning of the round.

It's really alot of fun and both aspects are very different from C&C or Starcraft.

 

Edit: spelling error

Yeah, but the factions feel limited, and there aren't many maps as I recall. I still got owned there too.

Theres Warcraft 3, but I was hoping for a more timeline-correctness oriented game, since the timeline already progressed far past WC3 with WoW.

The previous posters summed up the RTS stuff nicely, but as far as MMORPG/FPS, I've heard good things about Fallen Earth, could be worth a look at least.  If you want something a little more visceral, Borderlands is a fantastic game, no matter the platform.  And well, there's always WoW.

 Tell me more about borderlands. Is the multiplayer gameplay kind of like that of Diablo 2?

You could try BattleForge. Costs nothing to try and you can spend a bunch of money later on. They also got some kind of christmas special I think. If you don't know it, it's basically a cooperative RTS (pvp exists also though) with some RPG elements mixed in (like you get titles and stuff) and all that mixed up with a trading card game. Like you start with a bunch of cards, build out of them your army, then go to a solo or multiplayer map, and summon units with your cards and cast spells and whatnot. If you are successful you get gold and upgrades or tokens and stuff.

It's not the best game ever but it looks good, has great sounds (especially the voices) has no monthly fee and get's updates with new card sets every now and then.

 To add to the list, a creepy game with creepy multiplayer would be sweet.

Maybe Doom 3 for coop, or Borderlands?

Originally posted by glord

 To add to the list, a creepy game with creepy multiplayer would be sweet.

Maybe Doom 3 for coop, or Borderlands?

L4D (Left4Dead) - its mostly a multiplayer game though,