RTS Classic Total Annihilation Comes to Steam

[Steven Bogos]

RTS Classic Total Annihilation Comes to Steam

You can pick up Total Annihilation, one of the PC's progenitor RTSs, for a mere $3.49.

In the late 90's, the PC was having a kind of RTS explosion, with classics like Command Conquer: Red Alert and now available on Steam [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/starcraft] for a mere $3.49.

Total Annihilation, with its self-replicating mech armies, all-power "commander" unit, and breathtaking symphonic score, was the inspiration behind 2007's Supreme Commander [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/supreme%20commander]. It has also inspired countless other RTSs since then, and you'll often hear people describe games as being "like Total Annihilation but with X."

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The Steam re-release of the game is functionally identical to the Good Old Games [http://www.gog.com/game/total_anihilation_commander_pack] release we saw earlier, adding nothing new to the game but simply reworking it to work on modern PCs.

Source: Steam [http://store.steampowered.com/app/298030/]

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[Tony2077]

Is it bad that when ever i see a price i wonder what the cnd price is for it

 

[Saulkar]

Is it bad that when ever i see a price i wonder what the cnd price is for it

Looks likes it is discounted by 30% for now and is only 40 cents more expensive.

OT: I heard that with a simple text edit you can make the unit limit just under 7000 units per side before the game engine simply cannot handle any more.

 

[Mistwraithe]

Ah, Total Annihilation. A work of genius. A bit too heavy on micro to be the perfect thinking man's RTS but it still had screeds more real strategy to it than any other RTS of its game. It wasn't until Kohan came out that there was a better strategic RTS.

 

[DSK-]

Is it bad that when ever i see a price i wonder what the cnd price is for it

Looks likes it is discounted by 30% for now and is only 40 cents more expensive.

OT: I heard that with a simple text edit you can make the unit limit just under 7000 units per side before the game engine simply cannot handle any more.

Yes, the original limit was 150 units I believe, but with the Core Contingency add-on (which added 75 units), it was increased to 250.

If you edit the Totala.ini you can a much, much higher unit limit, though I think you need the 3.1 patch first.

So many milestones were hit with this game, it puts Starcraft to shame in regards to how advanced it was at the time. Still my favourite game.

 

[Cartographer]

I do love that the SP was put together as an afterthought, they spent all their time on the mechanics then realised they actually needed a "story" for their game. Flimsiest of generic sci-fi plots that just worked as a framing device for the missions, but it worked.

I did love setting fire to a forest as enemy infantry ran through it

 

[Gutsripper]

Hooray for steam... meanwhile it's been on GOG.com for a couple of years now.

And Total Annihilation wasn't just the inspiration behind Supreme Commander. Supreme Commander was basically the spiritual successor to Total Annihilation with Chris Taylor behind both games.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

I played this so much more than Starcraft at LANs... I recall at one point closing my eyes to rest at a LAN and still seeing the game on my eyelids.
I had to quit for a few months after that. Still love TA.

 

[Riddle78]

Excuse me while I hyperventilate and pass out from the excitement.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

Hooray for steam... meanwhile it's been on GOG.com for a couple of years now.

I was about to point that out. TA (as well as TA: Kingdoms) have been on GOG for like 3 years now, I'm not sure why this is so newsworthy.

 

[Zontar]

Hooray for steam... meanwhile it's been on GOG.com for a couple of years now.

I was about to point that out. TA (as well as TA: Kingdoms) have been on GOG for like 3 years now, I'm not sure why this is so newsworthy.

It's newsworthy because Steam is the major distribution platform for the PC. When it comes to the buying and selling of digital games on the PC, the majority of all games bought and sold are on Steam despite there being countless distribution services.

 

[Gutsripper]

It's newsworthy because Steam is the major distribution platform for the PC. When it comes to the buying and selling of digital games on the PC, the majority of all games bought and sold are on Steam despite there being countless distribution services.

When it comes to old games like this GOG is their only competitor I think.
That being said steam isn't that great at optimizing old games while GOG pretty much always succeeds.

 

[Colt47]

It's newsworthy because Steam is the major distribution platform for the PC. When it comes to the buying and selling of digital games on the PC, the majority of all games bought and sold are on Steam despite there being countless distribution services.

When it comes to old games like this GOG is their only competitor I think.
That being said steam isn't that great at optimizing old games while GOG pretty much always succeeds.

Case in point the original Unreal Tournament. Bought that game and it is neigh unplayable without having to do a lot of ini editing and other shinaniganry.