First off, Gunrunner Clan update: I'm having trouble logging onto the forums. They don't really get used anymore, so I'm considering just turning them off (if I hear back from the guy hosting them) after saving some config stuff off like the theme. Maybe I'll bring them back some day if we think they could be useful again.
Next up: Supreme Commander. If you've ever played an RTS, you have got to check this out. The most innovative thing is the map navigation, and it puts games like C&C to shame - you zoom out of the battlefield with the mouse wheel, can go all the way to where units show up as icons, then reposition the mouse cursor and zoom back in. Incredibly easy.
Filefront has the demo for download (212.17 MB)
Some other innovations, if you're still interested: You play an actual role on the battlefield. Your unit is a giant robot-like vehicle that starts off the construction when you're dropped on the battlefield. It's pretty powerful, but if you lose it, game over. (It blows up like a nuke, btw. Nifty.) Also, if you play the single-player missions, at various stages your operational theater gets expanded and the map size increases, which is a nice change from rebuilding a base from scrap each time. In fact, your theater gets expanded three times per mission.
Also, the sheer size is staggering - up to 500 units per side, multiplayer is supposed to support 8 players. Enormous maps, you have to utilize transports to get your troops around. The game requires a bit of muscle to play, but if you've got the specs you can run it in very high resolution on a widescreen (it's optimized for multiprocessor) and have a split-screen tactical map, or better yet on dual monitors using one as the tactical. makes me wish for another 20" widescreen to sit side-by-side... mmmmmmm......
Anyways, I know not everybody is into RTS, but give it a try if you have some spare cycles. I took a snow day yesterday (by the time my street was plowed I missed the last train) and played around with it. I think I lost track of a few hours there...
Next up: Supreme Commander. If you've ever played an RTS, you have got to check this out. The most innovative thing is the map navigation, and it puts games like C&C to shame - you zoom out of the battlefield with the mouse wheel, can go all the way to where units show up as icons, then reposition the mouse cursor and zoom back in. Incredibly easy.
Filefront has the demo for download (212.17 MB)
Some other innovations, if you're still interested: You play an actual role on the battlefield. Your unit is a giant robot-like vehicle that starts off the construction when you're dropped on the battlefield. It's pretty powerful, but if you lose it, game over. (It blows up like a nuke, btw. Nifty.) Also, if you play the single-player missions, at various stages your operational theater gets expanded and the map size increases, which is a nice change from rebuilding a base from scrap each time. In fact, your theater gets expanded three times per mission.
Also, the sheer size is staggering - up to 500 units per side, multiplayer is supposed to support 8 players. Enormous maps, you have to utilize transports to get your troops around. The game requires a bit of muscle to play, but if you've got the specs you can run it in very high resolution on a widescreen (it's optimized for multiprocessor) and have a split-screen tactical map, or better yet on dual monitors using one as the tactical. makes me wish for another 20" widescreen to sit side-by-side... mmmmmmm......
Anyways, I know not everybody is into RTS, but give it a try if you have some spare cycles. I took a snow day yesterday (by the time my street was plowed I missed the last train) and played around with it. I think I lost track of a few hours there...
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