Originally developed by Cavedog back in 1997, the rights eventually came into the hands of Atari who has given us permission to re-release it.
Stardock is handling the support for Total Annihilation directly and includes a new launcher that helps automatically configure the game for modern systems, streamlines getting multiplayer games going and includes easy access to tips and tricks for getting the most out of it.
As part of Stardock's support for the game, it will be releasing subsequent updates (with Atari's permission) to further streamline multiplayer, incorporate Impulse Reactor and work with fan sites to incorporate new content into the "official" release. It will also be further enhancing the release to prepare it for eventual availability on other digital distributors.
In other words, we’re treating Total Annihilation similarly to a newly released title with ongoing updates wherever possible.
The package includes Total Annihilation + Core Contingency as a single integrated package.
What makes Total Annihilation particularly special is that (depending on your modern setup and trouble shooting skills) you can get the game playing at crazy high resolutions and the game runs fine.
Total Annihilation at 2500x1600
Now, a word of warning – if you’re a PC novice, Total Annihilation won’t be for you. It’s a serious RTS and, depending on your setup, we are talking about a game developed 14 years ago when DirectX 3 was state of the art. Running it in a window has had good success for me on my Windows 7 64-bit desktop.
If you try to run it full-screen at a very high resolution you can end up with a goofy color mess of it. Anything beyond 1024x768 in full screen can be a crap shoot but if you run it windowed, you can go nuts. Back in 1997, anything beyond 1024x768 probably seemed like science fiction. The fact it will run at 2500x1600 is just…wow.
To get it, go here:
http://bit.ly/amPYVd
Grrr I am having problems posting.Anyway guys I went and double checked and I am running 1920xsomething
I feel so ashamed and beg forgiveness but I looked at the size of that first screenshot and just remembered I used +makeposter to get that one
Anyhow hey it sounded cool for a little while.
I have a Asus 23" HD monitor.
Regarding "streamlines getting multiplayer games" -- can those of us who have the original CDs play in games with people who have the Impulse version?
So if you're releasing "updates"... does that mean you guys actually have the original TA source code available? It seems like it would be awfully hard to modify multiplayer and integrate Impulse Reactor if you didn't. Because if you really do have access to the TA source, there's a whole lot of tweaks the TA community would love to have made to the game engine.
You'd be surprised what we can do without the source code.
We make WindowBlinds. It skins the OS and we don't have the source code to Windows.
Our goal is to indeed inject Impulse::Reactor into TA so that you can play multiplayer.
Can people with the existing version of TA play? Yes. There is no DRM or copy protection on it so you should be able to play with others no problem.
BTW, I don't know if this is commonly known but I am the same Frogboy that was #1 on Boneyards for about a year in the FFA category.
So your real motivations become clear...
Indeed. Given how much of a TA fan Frogboy is, I'm surprised it took even this long for Stardock/Impulse to acquire the rights to sell it. (Then again, they did have to deal with Atari, so....)
Quick question for you guys. I was looking for the totala.ini file in order to raise the unit cap and can't seem to find it in the Impulse version. Does it still exist? Am I just missing it?
Also, I can't seem to go past 1280x1024 in windowed mode. If anybody could enlighten me as to how to get a higher resolution (like frogboy's 2560x1600) please let me know.
Thanks
I have TA (CD). I cannot see any option for windowed mode. It runs ok 1600x900 though.
One thing I did have was BT and CC refused to install on W7, so I just copied the files off the disc.
You need to download or make a Totala.ini its not created by default I just checked my install and its not there.
Use notepad and open a txt file and paste this then save as Totala.ini make sure to check the all files so it doesnt save as a txt file. *edit* Windowed mode is a command line -d like this in your ta shortcut C:\Cavedog\TotalA\Totala.exe -d
or go to http://files.tauniverse.com/library/ta/unofficial-patches/500-unit-patch/500unitpatch.zip
[Preferences] ; Specifies the maximum number of units per player. Default is 200. ; Warning: The higher the number, the more resources are required. ; If the game slows down with higher numbers, you will need ; more RAM and/or a faster CPU. UnitLimit = 500 ; ; Disable the use of DirectSound. Set this to 1 to disable ; sound in the game. Set it to 0 to use sound normally. ; ; Disable the sound if you do not have a sound card or ; the game crashes while trying to play sounds. NoDirectSound = 0 ; ; Use the standard Windows multimedia interface for playing sounds ; instead of DirectSound. Set this to 1 to use Windows sound, and ; 0 to use DirectSound. ; ; Note: Setting this value to 1 will allow you to play the ; game if DirectSound does not work properly on your system. ; However, the audio quality will be greatly decreased, ; especially during heavy battles. Also, you will not get any ; audio narration with your mission briefings or any sound in the ; movies. UseWindowsSound = 0;
You actually don't need to install anything if you have the original discs. My original CD was starting to die on me, so I just copied the whole TA directory on my old machine (with the expansions) onto a DVD. Copied that as is on to a new machine and it runs fine. Registry entries are only needed if you want the autoplay to work right.
And if Stardock gets a working matchmaking system going for this, I will buy gift copies for everyone I know and demand they play it. The hell with Starcraft 2.
@Jerry60k: Thanks for the ini help. +rep
I still have my original TA and CC CD's, but the TA disc has since become scratched and nearly unreadable. I had remedied this by simply copying my old TA directory and transfering it from PC to PC as I upgraded (just like lbgsloan posted), but I lost the files a little while back. $10 to get my game back with some potential upgrades if things go well? Sold!
Okay... what's so special in TA? Hear about it a lot, never "why" though.
I downloaded the demo.
...
I move around units that look identical and they shoot the enemies. I build some more units. The Commander has some sort super gun too and apparently it's peon unit too. And repeat. I've got no idea why i'm doing this (the story doesn't interest me at all). I have no idea what units do. Okay, they shoot different stuff but that's it pretty much. Sounds are horrible btw.
I guess the demo doesn't really tell much but... seriously. Why is TA so liked? Is its multiplayer somehow very strategic or is it just big battles that appeal to people?
Frankly, i think i like more of games where there are limited amount of units but each one being special... though i hate microing each ability (Too much microing in WC3/TFT ><)
EDIT been reading about the gameplay in Wikipedia. Innovative RTS for its time... and even when compared to some modern ones. Gravity being different is fun idea... too bad small and identical units and too many of them make idea somewhat useless. At least in my mind; maybe extra-long range artillery...
Thats just it the game is moddable beyong what most any other RTS is.There are balance packs,total conversions the list goes on.
The main thing is people like stuff that goes boom,and TA has lots of it.
Its TA man!...T...F**kin'....A.
Its innovations (or rather, revolutions) were ground-breaking. 3D terrain, simulated projectiles, flow economy, 100+ units, build queue's, tier system, complete land/naval/air compliment, wreckage, intricate unit orders such as patrol creation, intel through the use of radar/sonar etc, weekly free downloads, full compliment of modder tools for the community, persistant online universe (poor boneyards ).
Thats just stuff it added to the genre. It pretty much improved on everything else aswell and was supremely polished on release. Looked great, unit animations rocked (i played it again for the first time in a while a few weeks ago and while i was idling around noticed my hawk fighter...did a barrel roll. No reason other than it looks cool. Thats the sort of quality you got).
There really is no other game, in any genre on any platform that introduced so much in one fell swoop.
I see. I have the say that the ground breaking additions sound nice but i'm not really a fan of battles with hundreds of units per side... that is, unless we're talking about Total War (Rome).
Based on demo, i certainly didn't warm to the game... maybe with time, maybe not. Maybe i'm too much of a Starcraft (not-MP)player and i can't warm to it's rival (they're were rivals back then right?).
Too bad, well, depending on point of view, i got in SC2 beta so i can't/won't bother with TA demo anymore. Nor Elemental beta. Oh and of course i happen to be in Blur's 360 beta too. And in C&C4 beta but it sucked too much.
Actually, in TA the limit was 200 units. That isn't just mobile units, it included structures as well.
Hmm, i read that the limit was raised in patches/expansions. Or are mods only things to do that?
in TA:CC which is what you get with Impulse its raised to 250.
See my post above on how to set your unit limit to 500.
I might just shoot Impulse the ten bucks even though I've got the CDs, if the matchmaking thing takes off here.
This is great! I hope this is just the beginning. I really think this is an untapped digital distribution market. Updating AAA old Pc games for new hardware and OS`s. I`d like to suggest System Shock 2 and Alpha Centaurai if EA allow`s it. I really like this direction you`re taking with impulse, Great work!
Ok, so I broke down and got TA, and I love it. If we could get matchmaking, that would be awesome! I'd love to play against some people.
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