The TA3D logo
Total Annihilation 3D (more commonly known as TA3D) is a free project developed under the Linux operating system, which is aimed at remaking the engine of Total Annihilation in true 3D, with perspective, camera management, hardware acceleration and more. Even though it is made for Linux systems, there is a Windows and a Mac version.
The Goal
The goal of TA3D is similar to The Spring Project - to recreate Total Annihilation in actual 3D, as the original used isometric 3D (3D models in 2D). The difference between TA3D and Spring is that while Spring is a game engine based on Total Annihilation, TA3D is the original Total Annihilation game but with improved graphics and additional features.
Differences from Total Annihilation
The ARM Adv. Vehicle Plant as it appears in TA3D
All units from the original Total Annihilation have been given a complete overhaul on a graphical basis with better shading, more detail and other extras including realistic sinking animations and explosions; the same applies to the original maps of Total Annihilation, especially on maps with water such as 'Two Continents', as the water flows unlike before. There is now the feature of easily setting build locations of units such as towers by dragging them in a line, [1] and a feature that allows the player to zoom in and out of the map, also known as 'Tactical Zoom'.
The actual game speed of TA3D is much faster than Total Annihilation, as a game speed of 3 in TA3D is about the same as a game speed of 10 in TA. Many of the limitations present in TA are not present in TA3D, allowing for better customisation and features that wouldn't previously work.
Differences from the Spring Engine
Comparison of TA3D ARM Commander (left) and Spring ARM Commander (right)
While TA3D has its perks of being an improved TA engine, Spring appears better on a graphical basis, as it uses completely remade models rather than the actual models used in TA. Being an engine, Spring can also handle a wider array of mods that can have nothing to do with TA whatsoever, which is why many TA fans prefer TA3D as it hasn't 'branched away' from TA's storyline and genre.
Mods
In total, there are 25 supported mods available for TA3D.
- TA33A - version 2.2
- TAAC - version 1.3
- GOK - version 1.31
- DEV - version 5.0
- Twilight - version 1.7
- TABA - version 2.0
- TALON - version 1.03
- TAbugFix - version 1.75b
- AA mod - version 60
- TA-merge - version 1.3
- The Pack - version 1.33
- SUH mod - version 2.7
- UH - version 4.0
- C&C mod - version unknown
- atotal - version 2.93
- sea hack - version 2.0
- tawd - version 5.0
- DuneTA - version Beta
- RTACP - version 1.20
- Tyta - version 1.12
- TA: Escalation - version Beta 4.2
- TA Excess II - version Alpha 2f
- XTA - version Beta 0.99
- Total Mayhem - version Beta 6.2
- TA3D free data set - version r2796