The Core, for example, gets an advanced mech unit with a fast-firing, close-range flamethrower, while the Arm's analogue is a mech with a powerful, single-shot lightning gun. Both collect the same resources and have mostly the same types of units, though they do differ in some unit selections and gameplay options. Though they have differences in ideology that are explained in the story campaign, the two sides are largely similar in terms of gameplay. There are two factions in Total Annihilation: The Core and the Arm. Gameplay A screenshot from Total Annihilation The game is considered the spiritual precursor to Chris Taylor of Gas Powered Games’s Supreme Commander and the upcoming Planetary Annihilation.
The game is still played more than a decade after its release by an active fanbase, and has been remade by two notable projects with full 3D engines: as a mod for the Spring Engine and as TA3D.
The game was subject to numerous Game of the Year awards praised for its deep and unique gameplay, soundtrack, and first use of 3D models in a RTS. It is renowned for being years ahead of its time in scope and mechanics. It features large scale battles over large maps (the largest maps were so massive that they required a lot more RAM than the minimum requirements for the game) 150 unique units, later expanded to 230 with two subsequent expansions ( The Core Contingency and Battle Tactics), with tools available for users to create their own units to add to the game and up to 10 player online or LAN multiplayer.
It is unique in that it was the first RTS to use full 3D models and maps with height data (though they are still rendered in 2D) a year before the cult hit Starcraft was released, which still used 2D models. Total Annihilation (TA) is a 1997 RTS game developed by Chris Taylor’s now-defunct Cavedog Entertainment and published by GT Interactive, which is now part of the Atari brand.