Original behavior by default
Combat, ballistics, armor, metal and energy, construction and unit scripts are checked against original TA. TA parity remains active work, guided by evidence from the game itself.
A modern engine for Total Annihilation
Total Annihilation.
At your command.
The battles you know, with more room to command. AEX keeps original TA behavior as the default and adds a 16-player lobby, clearer battlefield setup and controls you can make your own. Play with your own TA data and mods. AEX is proprietary software. It is not open source.
- Original TA behavior
- Up to 16 players
- macOS · Windows · Linux
The TA experience
Keep the game you love. Choose what you add.
TA's behavior is the starting point: its units, weapons, economy and scripts, checked against the original game. AEX enhancements can be enabled individually in that same game. You choose the additions without giving up the classic foundation.
Up to 16 players
Bring more commanders to the battlefield. The AEX lobby fits all sixteen seats, with player colors, sides, teams, ready checks and computer opponents in one view.
See the plan before you launch
Browse maps with previews and start-point details. Open the enlarged map to choose commander positions and see player and team markers before the battle begins.
Command your way
Choose classic TA or standard RTS mouse controls, rebind shortcuts, organize control groups and lay out lines of buildings. Use TA's menu style or the AEX Tactical Command interface.
Your units, maps and mods
AEX reads original TA archives and runs the units' own compiled COB scripts. Point it at your TA installation and load your existing content without a conversion step.
Record in native 4K
Press F9 to capture menus, the lobby and gameplay with game audio, at native resolution up to 4K. Choose 30 or 60 fps in the recording settings; simulation replays are separate.
Available now: public beta
AEX Unit Editor
A desktop tool for building and fixing TA units without launching a match. It uses the same parsers, COB VM and rendering rules as the engine, so what you see in the editor is what you get in game, and in the original TA.
Open any unit from stock TA or a mod, change its model, script, stats or art, check it for
problems, and write it back to a loose file, a mod archive or a new .ufo mod pack.
- 3DO modelerEdit piece hierarchies, faces and textures. Import Wings3D/OBJ models one piece per object, use 3DO Builder-style four-pane views, and export to OBJ.
- BOS / COB scriptingA BOS editor with compile, a Motion Builder for walk and aim animation, and a COB debugger with breakpoints.
- Live combat previewFire each weapon slot, play Explode As and Self-Destruct As blasts, and walk units over scrolling ground, including multi-legged walkers.
- GAF StudioUnpack a GAF to PNG frames, edit them in any image editor, and repack. Colours are matched back to the TA palette.
- Conflict Crusher and health checksFind duplicate unit and weapon names, missing models, scripts, build pictures and corpses, TDF syntax errors, and script pieces with no matching model piece.
- Build pictures and rendersCapture TA-style build pictures and transparent PNG renders, with team colour, lighting and backdrop controls.
- Safe writesEvery edit to existing data keeps a one-time
.aexbackup, and version history lets you compare and restore earlier revisions.
The AEX Lobby
Build a bigger battle. Get everyone ready.
Up to sixteen players, a readable roster and a map you can actually plan on. Set up the battlefield together, then take command.
- A complete room: all sixteen seats fit in the AEX lobby, with unique colors, sides, teams and ready status.
- A closer look at the map: browse previews and map details, then open the enlarged placement view.
- Choose your opening: use fixed starts, random positions or player-selected commander locations, with player and team markers on the map.
- Set the challenge: add computer opponents and choose their difficulty and defensive, balanced or aggressive style.
- Everyone sees the setup: the host's map, match options and roster are shared across the room.
- Ready to launch: human players mark themselves ready before the host starts the match.
16 playersOne room. Every seat in view.
Choose the map · place your commanders · ready up
macOSApple Silicon
Windowsx64
Linuxx64
Play together across macOS, Windows and Linux
Mod support
Your mods, as they are
Classic TA mods load straight from their folders and archives, with no repacking or conversion. Add a mod under Options > Mods, pick it from the main menu, and play. In multiplayer, AEX checks that every player has the same mods.
Familiar conveniences include line building, larger factory orders and selection shortcuts. Configure the experience around the way you play, while original TA behavior remains the default.
New mods can describe themselves with a mod.toml manifest, and the Unit Editor exports
your work as a .ufo mod pack.
Less friction. More command.
- Match setup: choose the unit cap and starting resources in the lobby.
- Simulation replays: replays with variable speed, a free camera and any player's view.
- Line building: hold X and drag to lay out rows of structures.
- Selection shortcuts: double-click for all units of a type; Ctrl+B idle builders, Ctrl+F factories, Ctrl+S combat units on screen.
- Big queues: Shift for 5, Shift+Ctrl for 100 units per factory order.
- Rebindable keys: every shortcut can be changed in the settings menu.
File formats
Native TA formats, plus AEX's own
AEX reads TA's original files directly; TA game data is not included. Its own replay and save formats keep match state separate from the units, maps and mods in your TA collection.
| Format | Contents | Support |
|---|---|---|
| HPI · UFO · CCX · GP3 | Game and mod archives | read / write |
| 3DO | Unit and feature models | read / write |
| COB · BOS | Unit scripts, run by the COB VM | run / compile |
| FBI · TDF | Unit, weapon, feature and config data | read / write |
| GAF | Sprites, animations and cursors | read / write |
| OTA · TNT | Map definitions and terrain | read / write |
| PCX · PAL | Images, build pictures and palettes | read / write |
| SCT | Map sections | read |
| GUI | TA's own menu screens | read |
| WAV · SMK | Sounds and Smacker movies | read |
| TAD | TA demo recordings | write |
| Format | Contents | Status |
|---|---|---|
| .aexreplay | Match replay | supported |
| .aexsave | Single-player save game | supported |
| .aexmatch | Multiplayer saved match | supported |
| mod.toml | Mod manifest | supported |
Performance
Focused on the way a battle feels.
Performance is a core priority for AEX. Our work targets responsive command, smooth play and demanding battles, while preserving original TA behavior. We are continuing to refine the experience as development progresses.
More room to command
Up to sixteen players, with performance work focused on keeping the battle playable and the interface responsive as the action grows.
Your game. Your platform.
AEX runs on macOS, Windows and Linux. The goal is a consistent, comfortable experience on the machine you choose to play on.
Quality you control
Tune video, sound, interface and accessibility settings to suit your setup. Choose the balance that feels right for you.