Total Annihilation

Release Date: 2015-12-18

Developer: Cavedog Entertainment

Genres: Strategy

Price: 3.99

What began as a conflict over the transfer of consciousness from flesh to machines escalated into a war which has decimated a million worlds. The Core and the Arm have all but exhausted the resources of a galaxy in their struggle for domination. Both sides now crippled beyond repair the remnants of their armies continue to battle on ravaged planets their hatred fuelled by over four thousand years of total war. This is a fight to the death. For each side the only acceptable outcome is the complete elimination of the other.Story / Background In the distant future the galaxy is ruled by a central body of humans and artificial intelligences called the Core (a contraction of "Consciousness Repository"). The Cores technological and economic triumphs have allowed humanity to colonize most of the Milky Way and enjoy peace and prosperity. However the balance is broken by a technological breakthrough that allows the consciousness of a human being to be reliably transferred into a machine thereby theoretically granting infinite life in a process called "patterning." Following a mandate imposed on humanity by the Core requiring everyone to undergo patterning as a public health measure a rebel band is formed out of colonies from the edges of the galaxy (hence their name the Arm) whose members refused to leave their natural bodies to join the Cores machines. A war lasting 4000 years followed with the Arm mass-producing clones as pilots for its vehicles and the Core duplicating consciousness-embedded microchips to pilot its own machines.Key information Total Annihilation (TA) is a real-time strategy (RTS) video game created by Cavedog Entertainment under the guidance of lead designer Chris Taylor. It was released on September 30 1997 and was the first RTS game to feature 3D units and terrain. Two expansion packs were released: The Core Contingency on April 30 1998 and Battle Tactics exactly 2 months later on June 30 1998. When TA was released the minimum computer requirements were a Pentium 100 MHz processor and 16 MB of RAM. Of course these requirements were for computers in 1997; modern day machines easily exceed those recommended specifications but it is still recommended to have a 1 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM for the updated game engine.Game features Upon release the original TA game boasted:Fully-articulated 3D units and buildings with a diverse complement of unit types — for example aircraft amphibious tanks infantry bots (kbots) vehicles hovercraft ships submarines unit production factories powerful stationary defenses and long-range weapons. A unique tracking feature allows players to follow single units entire armies or even projectiles across the landscape.True 3D terrain that units can climb over into and around on extra-large 3D-generated maps. TA runs comfortably in high resolutions and even on modern dual monitor setups so players can see more of the battlefield.Numerous world types to do battle on such as grasslands forests deserts archipelagos open water lava metal ice crystal acid and even moons.More than 150 official units and 25 official missions per side in a single player campaign. The Core Contingency expansion pack added 75 new units (including the infamous Krogoth) 50 new maps 25 new missions and 6 new world types. Battle Tactics added 4 new units 6 new maps and 100 new missions. A final patch (version 3.1c and included here) added 6 new units including a resurrection kbot!Detailed and exciting campaigns that focus on their respective sides leaders the Commanders. The stories of either the Core or the Arm start with an effort to defend the protagonists home world and initiate a turning point in the war followed by a series of battles on numerous planets and moons (using Galactic Gates as a form of faster-than-light transportation) before a final strike on the enemys home world: either on the Arms bucolic Empyrean or the Cores artificial Jupiter Brain world of Core Prime. Mission objectives include protecting a vital structure or area capturing a pivotal enemy unit or simply eliminating all enemy units. More powerful units and weapons are gradually unlocked throughout the campaigns after specific missions or events.Single-player skirmish battles and full multiplayer support allowing players to watch and join battles and form allied teams to share resources information and units.Highly advanced weaponry including lasers energy machine guns (EMGs) starburst missiles plasma shells lightning pulses paralyzers and nuclear warheads.Variables such as gravity tides and wind to disrupt the effectiveness of certain weapon types or to enhance resource production.Intelligence measures to detect or jam enemy units using radar and sonar the ability to cloak or provide stealth shielding for units and the means to revive destroyed units from their wreckages.Over the years the TA community has created literally thousands of third-party units and hundreds of maps to customize a players TA experience. Numerous utilities missions mods and factions have also been created to rebalance or totally convert the game; many of these units are still in competitive online and skirmish play today. Modern modifications to the game push the venerable 16-year-old TA engine to new limits with complex scripting allowing for mass unit transporting instant map-wide teleportation upgradeable units and true shields — plus much more. Dont forget to visit File Universe and Unit Universe to download and test the TA communitys many maps missions mods races standalone units utilities and other extras!More information You can find more detailed information about the many aspects of TA — including the perfect installation troubleshooting techniques and tutorials on how to use / create third-party mods units maps and missions — in TA FAQ. Further reading — about the gameplay story Jeremy Soules eponymous soundtrack reception and the 58 awards that TA received — can be found by visiting the TA article on Wikipedia. You can also find entries on TAs expansion packs The Core Contingency and Battle Tactics there.