I'm a big fan of the old Command & Conquer and Red Alert games, but I don't like how you can't generate a random map (I havn't played these games since 96 or so). I'm also a fan of the Age of Empires 1 and 2 gameplay and random map games, but I'm looking for a game that's more modern but not too futuristic... Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm not much of a gamer (as you can tell by me being so attached to games that are nearly a decade old) so I imagine that there has to be something out there that I'm not aware off... My computer can handle pretty much anything out there w. 32mb of ATI video memory, 512mb of ram and a 1.6ghz P4 so hardware requirements shouldn't be too much of an issue. Not bad for a notebook .

Ever played Total Annihilation? Cavedog wrote it, before they were bought out. Excellent game. Do NOT bother with TA:Kingdoms, the sequel. Core Contingency was a good add-on though.

I saw it yesterday at a grocery store for $3.00. If they had the PC version, I would have bought it.

Oh wait. It's pretty futuristic. So nevermind. Anyway, an excellent game.

For only $3 I can handle a little futuristic! Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try to find it.

Any others with modern day units?

You know what old RTS game really held my attention for a long time? Populous: The Beginning. I would play and replay certain levels over and over again. My favorite part was that you could cast spells to modify the landscape, creating mountain ranges, reshaping coastlines, making land bridges, etc. Very additcting.

Random maps? Turn-based? How about NetHack?

Empire Earth is a great RTS. The scope is crazy - you can go from guys throwing rocks all the way up to future mechs. I'm not sure if it supports random maps - I had more than enough fun playing the campaigns

Another game to check out is Age of Mythology. Unless I'm mistaken, it is by the same people who did Age of Empires. There is more emphasis on supernatural powers (calling meteor showers, earthquakes, malaria, etc.) instead of just regular combat - but still pretty fun.

Another game to check out is Age of Mythology. Unless I'm mistaken, it is by the same people who did Age of Empires.

Yeah, that's correct. There's a good post-mortem on it in a recent issue of Game Developer. I liked their development philosophy: Get a playable version really early on, even if the art is just placeholders. Then just keep tweaking and re-working the gameplay elements until it's ready to ship.

Too bad I had already burned myself out on that style of RTS with Warcraft/Starcraft by the time Age of Empires had come out.

Empire Earth is a great RTS

Thank you! I've been driving myself nuts trying to think of the name of that game. I played that too and it's pretty good. I wasn't sure if he wanted something in one "non-futuristic" time period or in multiple ones. It does get kinda ridiculous once you get the mechs, though

Yeah, I agree. It kind of lost its appeal in the mech stage. I did get The Art of Conquest addon though - more WWII campaigns

Oh, and Empire Earth has random maps - my boss (huge C&C fan) loves playing the skirmishes.

Any recommendations that are pretty much just tanks and stuff? I saw "Command and Conquer - Generals" but I'm not sure if it's any good or if it will do random maps.

I've heard that some of these games do random, single player maps but you have to enter "mulitplayer" mode and just pick the computer as the opponent... hmm..

Is the demo of Empire Earth a good reflection of the full game?
Given that the Gold Edition (orignal game with expansion and guide) it has peaked my intrest.
Hmmm....

I haven't even heard of the Gold Edition until your post, but if it is Empire Earth + Age of Conquest then it is definately worth it. There is just something primal about watching your M1A1s and Apaches (yeah, I'm biased) trouncing the bad guys

Way back in my student days I once spent 4 weeks playing the original Populous (on the Amiga) with a couple of hours sleep a night and minimal sustenance. At the end of the 4 week Easter break, I got on the ferry to go back to University and all the waves were grid based, I could raise them and lower them just by raising my hand, and I felt very godlike.

The wonders of sleep deprivation. I recommend it to anyone

Total Annihilation was my favorite game for years! It is a spectacular game. I would still be playing it, but I can't make it run correctly under Windows XP. Supposedly its possible, but I really haven't tried all that hard because I don't have anyone to play with anymore.

TA was one of the very first RTS games, about a year earlier than Starcraft, IIRC. There are hundreds of units available: air, land, even water, resulting in many different possible strategies.

There are thousands of maps available on-line as this game had a fanatic following in its day. Internet play is possible.

I can't recommend it enough. I still have all of the stuff including a hundred or so of my favorite maps.

Let me know if you get it, I'll get you going.

Jim

Hehehe.... I played it for years too. Unfortunately, my main CD is now scratched.

Send me a PM...

At the end of the 4 week Easter break, I got on the ferry to go back to University and all the waves were grid based, I could raise them and lower them just by raising my hand

Heh, yeah, that game was the business, too. Populous: The Beginning is quite different, but really a great game in its own right.