It is simultaneously an obnoxious speed bump that slows down my ability to binge when I’ve got free time and a needy attention drain when I’m absorbed in something else.
I’ve been playing Total Annihilation the last couple days. The 1997 game that you can still get on GOG for $5. I had it as a kid and played all the time.
My son has been wanting to play it with me, so I gave him a quick rundown on “skirmish” mode earlier tonight. He caught on pretty quick. It can get brutal though. Hopefully I can get the network muliplayer working so we can play together.
I would say the biggest problem TA had was simply lag. Once you really get going with the volume of units - especially over a network - the loads on the system can get heavy. Basically, you get carried away having too much fun building some absurd army.
There’s a new iteration of the franchise - Planetary Annihilation - that I’ve been meaning to check out as soon as I have some free time. Good reviews on Steam. Stick it on your list and wait for a sale, if the $30 price point bothers you. But I think it’ll probably look a little nicer and run a little smoother.
Once you really get going with the volume of units - especially over a network - the loads on the system can get heavy. Basically, you get carried away having too much fun building some absurd army.
I haven’t really run into that recently… Though I imagine pretty much any x86 system made in the last 20 years or so should handle it fine. I remember getting to that point on my old PIII-powered Optiplex GX1, that was a fun time. Trying to build nukes, an army of assault kbots/vehicles, bombers, and construction bots, and trying to guide what remains of your previous armada to where you think the enemy is because they took out your long range radar units…
I do have the CDs in storage somewhere, too, I should dig those out and see if they play nice.
It is simultaneously an obnoxious speed bump that slows down my ability to binge when I’ve got free time and a needy attention drain when I’m absorbed in something else.
Truly the worst of both worlds.
I’ve been playing Total Annihilation the last couple days. The 1997 game that you can still get on GOG for $5. I had it as a kid and played all the time.
My son has been wanting to play it with me, so I gave him a quick rundown on “skirmish” mode earlier tonight. He caught on pretty quick. It can get brutal though. Hopefully I can get the network muliplayer working so we can play together.
Worth every penny.
Ah, probably my favorite RTS.
I would say the biggest problem TA had was simply lag. Once you really get going with the volume of units - especially over a network - the loads on the system can get heavy. Basically, you get carried away having too much fun building some absurd army.
There’s a new iteration of the franchise - Planetary Annihilation - that I’ve been meaning to check out as soon as I have some free time. Good reviews on Steam. Stick it on your list and wait for a sale, if the $30 price point bothers you. But I think it’ll probably look a little nicer and run a little smoother.
I haven’t really run into that recently… Though I imagine pretty much any x86 system made in the last 20 years or so should handle it fine. I remember getting to that point on my old PIII-powered Optiplex GX1, that was a fun time. Trying to build nukes, an army of assault kbots/vehicles, bombers, and construction bots, and trying to guide what remains of your previous armada to where you think the enemy is because they took out your long range radar units…
I do have the CDs in storage somewhere, too, I should dig those out and see if they play nice.