Supreme Commander, or RTS incarnate.

[Ishmael]

Supreme Commander, a RTS game coming out in a few days, looks absolutely brilliant.

Look at the movie section there. Sure, it doesn't have a HUD, so it has to be super-optimized, etc. BUT, still. The sheer scale of the game is massive. It's supposed to be a strategy game, rather than a tactical, so it'll be giant.

It seems to have the standard RTS stuff, unit wise and the like. But the graphics look amazing, the scale gigantic, and the playability even better. I can't even get close to imaging the fun of the multiplayer battles.

The one disadvantage, though, is it's a freaking large game. Powerful. The ideal processor speed is 3.0 gHz, with 2 gB of RAM. I am, sadly, lacking in those--damn my non-dual core processor, and 1 gig of RAM! I will need to upgrade slightly if I want to optimize.

Overall, though, the game looks beautiful for strategy gamers.

[Penguinizer]

I saw a preview in a game magazine. Sounds really epic with big explosions :P

[J_Muller]

Played the beta. For a spiritual sequel to something people claim to love (I never played the original) I found it rather lackluster. Might play the demo to see what they've improved.

[416365416c]

I've played it (Demo and Beta), and would say that it is a true spiritual successor of arguably the best RTS ever, Total Annihilation. But some things about it are so different from most RTS games (except TA) that it takes some getting used to, such as static defenses having real value, simulation based counters as opposed to damage-multiplier based, and the Commander unit. Also, it treats buildings as the equals of units. It's economic model is also unusual, with it being more based on input rates as opposed to already stockpiled resources.

I think that all of these differences are improvements, but not everyone will agree. However most people will probably agree that the graphics are amazing, and that the scale can be larger than most other games (maps range approx from 25km² to 6400km², with up to 1000 units per team), and the explosions can be larger (Every game even starts with a large explosion).

The thing I like most about this game however, is that it is one that I can really apply strategy to. If I defeat someone, I can mention specific strategic vulnerabilities that I exploited, and suggest a revised strategy to counter this. In other games it's usually that I micromanged the battles more effectively if I win. Also, I can quote Sun Tzu's the Art of War when offering advice. It's not that there are no tactics in Supreme Commander, but they are not as often the decisive factor. This really makes it 'Real Time Strategy incarnate', as opposed to Real Time Tactics.

Because of all these reasons, I am really looking forward to Supreme Commander. So far it looks like Total Annihilation 2, in that it continues with the excellent elements which made TA so enjoyable, which other games never really picked up upon, and improves TA's weaker points, like the violent sounding name and relatively weak story.

[The Evil Thing]

The radiator in my room is broken and the window is stuck open. But that's ok. Whenever I get cold I'll just break out SupCom and play for a bit. Hurrah.

EDIT: nota bene: I've heard it said that even powerhouse computers can get slowdown when the maps get too cluttered. Recommended specs are, to be honest, bare minimum specs.

[Om]

I saw a preview in a game magazine. Sounds really epic with big explosions :P

Be honest: Have you ever seen a bad preview of a game?

[416365416c]

With regard to the worry about system requirements, my experiences have so far been positive, and I don't play it what would be called a powerful computer this year (3.2Ghz P4, 1GB ram, nVidia 6600GT). Even in the biggest games I've played online there has been little, if any slowdown. I have only really played two player games however, and eight players on the largest maps could strain my system. I doubt that I would ever be in an eight player game however.

However since I use a dedicated gaming computer that runs very few background processes, my small memory space might be more effective than usual.

[Murongo]

Supreme commander looks awesome, I've got the duel moniters and godly comp to handle it and I've got it preordered. If its as fun to me now as TA was to me years ago, I'll have a good way to spend some time for at least a few months.

[nightinverse]

I'm not particularly interested in Supreme Commander - they remove the economy from the player using an automated AI element, and this removes a tremendous portion of the strategic element. If I wanted to play a RTT, I would pick up MechCommander.

I am involved with the open source Spring Project, which seems both more promising and imbued with the Total Annihilation spirit. Many of the features for Supreme Commander, including some praised as revolutionary, appeared first in the Spring engine. In addition, we have a wide array of games for the engine already.

[Penguinizer]

Its okay, but seriously slowed down in bigger battles. Otherwise its fun.

[blackout]

Haven't played it. But, when my friend told me about it, I immediately liked it. These are his exact words.
"Supreme Commander is summed up like so: Rock, paper, nuke. :) "

[Penguinizer]

big boom,big boom, big boom.

I always drive myself out of energy. This time I took more time building mass fabricators.

[J_Muller]

Downloading the demo now... I'll see how improved it is over the beta.

[Weezer]

The demo for supreme commander is AWESOME. Definitely buying it on launch day!!

[J_Muller]

Hmph... I was rather annoyed that you can't play as humans in the demo. Anyway, it looks decent. The air units are cool, at least. It's fun even with the tech level 1 bombers to watch your opponent's buildings get blown up.

[416365416c]

Hmph... I was rather annoyed that you can't play as humans in the demo.

Actually, all three sides are humans. The only alien race in it's story has been xenocided by humans already.

Possibly you did actually know that, but meant the United Earth Federation (the traditional style humans). In the story the Cybran (the demo's only playable race) are oppressed because the other humans don't see them as equal members of humanity due to their cybernetic enhancements. Makes it a very realistic story if that is the reaction of real people to this fictional faction.

I think the story is a strong aspect of supreme commander, but that may be because I am very fond of the concept of cybernetically enhanced humans.

[blackout]

Whoa, cyborgs? We got cyborgs? SCHWEET!

[Penguinizer]

Bombers are fun, put in heavy artiller barrages, send in your tech 3 bombers and artillery units to barrage. End with a nuker. Instant enemy base death.

[Premier]

I am involved with the open source Spring Project, which seems both more promising and imbued with the Total Annihilation spirit. Many of the features for Supreme Commander, including some praised as revolutionary, appeared first in the Spring engine. In addition, we have a wide array of games for the engine already.

Since you're involved in its creation, let me ask a quick question. I have a 1.7 Ghz CPU, 256 Mb RAM, and a GeForce 4 Mx card. Would this be able to run the program with reasonable graphical detail and no chopping?

[Thervold]

I've played it (Demo and Beta), and would say that it is a true spiritual successor of arguably the best RTS ever, Total Annihilation.

I loved TA... Nothing like picking up the enemy commander with a transport and then detonating said transport over another opponent's commander. If you're right, this game will be on my to-buy list very soon.

[The Evil Thing]

Bombers are fun, put in heavy artiller barrages, send in your tech 3 bombers and artillery units to barrage. End with a nuker. Instant enemy base death.

Turtling FTW!
Mount heaps and heaps on SAMs, arties and shields then watch them fail miserably to take your base. Missile defence is good too.

[416365416c]

That's one of the things I like most about supreme commander. It allows turtling as a viable strategy. In many other RTS games (almost all the recent ones I can think of) playing defensively is actively punished, due to non-renewable resources or a territory resource model combined with nothing that is really long range. In science fiction, or even modern, settings this only makes sense, what with the long range of some current missiles and our knowledge of renewable resources.

There is also the fact that I enjoy the base building in these games, and have a playing style that can neglect building an army to build a more awesome base. In TA and Supreme Commander, I can do this and not lose horribly against their units which are overpowered compared to my buildings, as they are in many RTS games (Thinking currently of The Battle for Middle Earth 2. I think it's changed, but for a long time you could destroy the enemies walls and fortifications with your raiding cavalry easily. And lots of units could just climb over the walls. And these walls were really expensive too, and of dwarven construction. Appalling).

[Penguinizer]

yep, base defenses are necessary. Although almost nothing can get past a wall composed off tech 1-3 laser turrets, with tech 2-3 artillery turrets and aa turrets. With 3-5 layers of wall in front.

[Dragor]

It's good, but can be annoying at times- moving large amounts of ground troops around when you're trying to keep them tight usually involves them going into one, big, slooooooooow convoy, making them easy pickings for bombers. That ticks me off a lot.

Apart from that, I love it. Good explosions, good strategy, good graphics, and I like the input put into the races- they're all quite interesting.

[The Evil Thing]

It's good, but can be annoying at times- moving large amounts of ground troops around when you're trying to keep them tight usually involves them going into one, big, slooooooooow convoy, making them easy pickings for bombers. That ticks me off a lot.

That's what the T3 fighters are for.

I've also found my computer's limits. It can't handle the 81x81km maps. Blast.

(Also, it doesn't like it when 30 SAMs start firing at a fleet of planes all at once)

[Dragor]

That's what the T3 fighters are for.

I've also found my computer's limits. It can't handle the 81x81km maps. Blast.

(Also, it doesn't like it when 30 SAMs start firing at a fleet of planes all at once)

My comp can handle it pretty well- a dual core processor works wonders

But you shouldn't have to protect a unit which could move as a block and have its anti-flak ground units protecting everything, as well as mobile shields. Nooo, the game wants you to move in a freaking column....

[Murongo]

I am commander Kailas, usually of the UEF, phear my masses of T1 interceptors and small units of T3 mechs!

[Desidus]

I've formed a strange bond with the cybrans as of late. Gods I love mobile death on 6 legs. Of course, the UEF strategic artillery is just plain sexy... ugh, so much love, so little time!

Cybran destroyers FTW!

[blackout]

TURTLE, TURTLE!*loves turtling*Just got the game. I just played flat out base defense for TWO HOURS STRAIGHT! :) Then, I had an army so ridiculously powerful that I just literally steamrolled over my enemy. :)

[The Evil Thing]

My comp can handle it pretty well- a dual core processor works wonders

But you shouldn't have to protect a unit which could move as a block and have its anti-flak ground units protecting everything, as well as mobile shields. Nooo, the game wants you to move in a freaking column....

Maybe I should clarify, after about an hour or two of playing an enemy the game CTDs on me. This is against one opponent so I figured the thing simply couldn't handle 6561km² maps.

And I don't experience any slowdown when said SAMs are firing... provided they aren't in the screen at the time.

(Yes, I have a dual-core, it's an E6400 - I feel a bit stupid for not getting the E6600 but there you go.)

TURTLE, TURTLE!*loves turtling*Just got the game. I just played flat out base defense for TWO HOURS STRAIGHT! :) Then, I had an army so ridiculously powerful that I just literally steamrolled over my enemy. :)

Colossus Rush FTW!