Total Annihilation 3D
About
Total Annihilation is a 1997 science fiction real-time strategy game released for Windows and Mac OS by Cavedog Entertainment and distributed internationally by GT Interactive, followed by two 1998 expansions and a 1999 medieval-themed spin-off, Total Annihilation: Kingdoms. TA3D reimplements Total Annihilation in real 3D using OpenGL, rather than the original's 2D sprites, supporting unit movement and building, unit animations scripted from the original game, full map loading with perspective correction, shadowed units and buildings, a particle engine, water and lava effects, and a campaign mode. It's still unfinished, with an in-progress AI system and a debug console.
How it differs from the original
Unlike the original's 2D sprite-based rendering, TA3D renders everything in real 3D with OpenGL and adds features not in the original release, such as water/lava effects and a debug console; it still requires the original Total Annihilation's resource files (extractable from the original CD, or from a mod or demo) to supply maps, units, and weapons.
Getting started
Requires the original Total Annihilation CD, or HPI/UFO resource files from a mod or demo — run the included install helper to extract the needed resource files, then launch the game to open a menu for picking a map and starting a match.