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Spring is an open source engine in its own right now. Games like Zero-K are now based upon it.

Or you can just use Spring: http://springrts.com/, which is FOSS, cross platform, and has a bunch of working games already: http://springrts.com/wiki/Games.

Or you can just use Spring: http://springrts.com/, which is FOSS, cross platform, and has a bunch of working games already: http://springrts.com/wiki/Games.

I'm gonna recommend that you check out the Spring Engine. It's a fully 3D real-time strategy engine originally developed with the intent of recreating the 1997 RTS "Total Annihilation". If you've played Supreme Commander (Spring predates Supreme Commander and influenced the design), you have something of an idea of what to expect from the Total Annihilation style mods. .

I wasn't a fan of 3D real time strategy games until I played Spring. Almost every time I go back to another RTS now, I find myself utterly spoiled by Spring's excellent zooming and command queueing. Give it a whirl and see how shoddy those old timer RTSes actually are. Did I mention that it's Free? It's Free. That's important.

Well the graphical assets and the rights are probably owned by Atari.

However, check out Spring open source engine. It was developed to run Total Annihilation, but expanded to be quite an impressive RTS engine in its own right.

Perhaps if enough interest, someone will champion porting TA: Kingdoms assets to run under Spring.

Also done.

• nuke rush
• goliath/fatboy rush
• advanced fusion plant rush
• economy development standard: to the first regular fusion plant

If you could beat them, you'd be famous.

• nuke rush
• goliath/fatboy rush
• advanced fusion plant rush
• economy development standard: to the first regular fusion plant

If you could beat them, you'd be famous.

Have a look at the Spring Engine if you haven't already. There are a variety of RTS games, including some high-quality variants of Total Annihilation, which use the Spring Engine and allow for all sorts of client-side scripting through Lua. There are a variety of client-side lua "gadgets" that players have written already. You can move your units into custom formations by drawing lines or squiggles with the mouse; there are widgets to automate using air transports to ferry units between factories and rally points; there are even widgets to automatically alert the player when certain dangerous units are spotted. IIRC, someone was even working on a script for kiting with long-range units.

Maybe check out Spring RTS?

http://springrts.com/

I played Starcraft 1 with my gf yesterday. She complained that the graphics are rubbish and made her eyes hurt, compared to Warcraft 3 and so on. Games rarely last more than about fifteen years anyway... so if Steam does shut down, just get some newer game instead perhaps?

I mean, I do still play Populous 1 with her occasionally, but a game that old, I'd imagine someone would have worked out a way around any drm by that time anyway, or just rewritten it from scratch, eg Total Annihilation has been rewritten approximately as http://springrts.com/ .

I haven't tried them out yet, but some of the games on this page look rather nice: http://springrts.com/wiki/Games

total annihilation spring > that game
also open source and windows/linux.......

http://springrts.com/

If you wanted something like Supreme Commander but the actual implementation turned out to be too weak I'd suggest the stuff Spring offers. Full strategic zoom and whatnot are basic engine features, it's the gameplay where the real competition between developers starts.

Multiplayer just wouldn't work. The first one to grab a valuable asteroid (and the way the game is set up those would not be fairly distributed) or get a flower at the right time will win. As always I'll point at Kernel Panic which doesn't have such randomness despite being resourceless as well (and is free instead of 20$).

If you like TA, check out Spring at http://springrts.com/

This is an open source fully 3d replica of TA. They've now built it to the point where it is a base engine that can host one of several mods - mostly based on TA style models and concepts, although a few are completely unique. AI's are plugins that can work over several mods if the author chooses so.

My favourite is the Complete Annihillation Mod - http://springrts.com/wiki/Complete_Annihilation
The "chicken" mode has a weak AI, but enough brute force (attack waves) to keep you on your toes.

If you like TA, check out Spring at http://springrts.com/

This is an open source fully 3d replica of TA. They've now built it to the point where it is a base engine that can host one of several mods - mostly based on TA style models and concepts, although a few are completely unique. AI's are plugins that can work over several mods if the author chooses so.

My favourite is the Complete Annihillation Mod - http://springrts.com/wiki/Complete_Annihilation
The "chicken" mode has a weak AI, but enough brute force (attack waves) to keep you on your toes.

"[This point was really hammered down for me when "Supreme Commander", highly hailed as innovative, came out and it turns out it's an almost 1-to-1 copy of the old "Total Annihilation" from 10 years ago only with better graphics]"

And that's exactly as I and thousands of other fans wanted it. Most remakes are crap. SupCom isn't.

(actually, a 1:1 copy of the old with better graphics would better describe TA: Spring)

It did add a vital gameplay mechanic in the zoomable tactical display*. Starcraft II is going to hurt so much when I won't be able to do that.

*I'm sure other games did it before... Rome: Total War?

http://springrts.com/

Assuming you aren't already familiar with it, TA:Spring is well worth your attention. It is a wholly shameless clone of TA(though there are a whole bunch of other mods, some minor, some totally different gameworlds/unit sets); but with quite respectably modern graphics and controls. Good stuff, decently active multiplayer.

Just wanted to mention there is a mutli-platform (okay well, Mac support is still iffy :/), LANable, fun, RTS engine called Spring. It's FOSS, of course, and lots of mods are available for playing online.
Don't mean to preach or anything, I was just really happy when I found a game I could play at LAN parties with my friends without having to reboot. http://springrts.com/

Here, take Spring, no need for Supreme Commander II.

Check out Spring RTS.