Total Annihilation Spring

Alright, I've been talking about this a bit in game, and I've been spending a bit of time trying to get this 'right'.. I want to make a good impression of it after all.

Total Annihilation, one of the greatest RTS [real time strategy] games created as of yet, which was made back in 1997, a full year before starcraft. It used physics to determine shots, and had emulated 3d graphics. With various units and an emphasis on gameplay, tactics, and resource management instead of story and 'memorable characters'.

Sporting a full orchestral soundtrack created by Jeremy Seoule, whom is found in most of the 'big name' games that have been released, guildwars among them. The soundtrack would react to the different moods of the particular match, such as battle, base building, and aftermath of a battle. Something like this has not been seen in very many games after this one, and definately none before.

The problem? terrible network code and low publicity, Starcraft blew this game out of the water and very few people heard of it.


I'm sure most of you have heard of Supreme Commander, the graphics heavy, large scale robot based RTS.
This is the 'spiritual sequal' of Total Annihilation, created by most of the same people, merely under a different company.
In many ways they have improved apon the gameplay of Total Annihilation, but at the same time they have drastically veered off course from the 'heart' of the game. It is a great game, no doubt about it. But it isn't Total Annihilation.


The middle ground? Total Annihilation Spring.

This is a fan made project which is built apon its own 3d engine, which even older pc's can run, albiet at lowered graphics quality. It was designed to be able to play the original total annihilation, as well as use all the old mod's that total annihilation could run.

The project has grown since then and is capable of running various different kinds of RTS games, including starwars, and gundam based ones. There is even a battletech mod. Some of these mods are quite similar in gameplay while others are drastically different, merely using the same graphics engine.

There are plenty of Total Annihilation based mods which keep the same core game, but with different units.

Here's enough of my yammering, and I'm sure many people wouldn't want to read all this background stuff. Just enjoy the video's.

Two Computer controlled AI's sending wave after wave of troops to their death against each other. Starts slow and picks up around the five minute mark

A battle two players staged for cinematic purposes, which looks really good but is unlikely [not impossible] to have happen in a real match.

Beginning of the video shows a short clip from the original Total Annihilation, then several clips of the different TA based mods on the spring engine.

An example of the completely different types of mods you can find on the Spring engine. This one is akin to the game darwinia. [Not exactly of course, but based on the same concept]

Starts off with audio from the Original Total Annihilation's intro, and shows gameplay clips of TA spring [Total Annihilation Spring]

Trailer of the 'NOTA' mod on the spring engine. NOTA standing for 'not original total annihilation'. I have not played this one, but I believe it just uses many of the same units, but has some drastic changes.

Another example of the different types of mods the Spring engine can run.

Another video showing various gameplay clips

A clip showing how even one little bullet [from a superweapon, a Very Long Range Plasma Cannon (LRPC)] Can ruin your day.

The game can be found here

o_o;;

RTS FTL?

jpjp. Nice post, but I don't see the real point in all this.

I wouldn't have posted this if there was no interest. I asked in game and a few people were interested, and I told them I would post information on the forum. I'm sorry if you don't like these kind of games, would be really fun to play with you.

I was kiddin'.

I'm no one to go against what you like.

and the fact is, I like RTS games too. ^^;

Just not really too much into them.

Maybe I'll try to play with you. ^^

The game looks pretty cool. Nice post btw, some cool vids. dmg ftw :]

Just an important thing people need to do, is set their graphics options decently.

If you don't, you'll at best experience bad lag, and at worst..crash. A lot.

Here are my settings, adapt them to your machine as needed [such as the resolution]. And tweak them after having played a match or two. You may be able to increase your options, or need to decrease them.

Enabling 'LUA' takes quite a bit more system power, but is needed for some mods [Complete annihilation] So use at your own preference.

THat is AWESOME

Nice to see someone agree's. I'd love for people to play sometime...

I do hope my leaving the guild doesn't mean I have to be silent here..I would like to be involved still..

After I learn the game, I'll play online.

Learned yet?

Bah, i love the original total annihilation! I still play it AND i still have the original 2 discs lol. It came with the first computer I got. This game was years ahead of its time and should deserve more recognition in the world of gaming...

Hey guys