Video games - Command & Conquer

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	Video games - Command & Conquer

For the RTS game Command & Conquer, see Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn

Command & Conquer (commonly abbreviated as C&C or CnC) is a real-time strategy series of computer games released by the game developer Westwood Studios (1985 – 2003), which was purchased by Electronic Arts in 1998. In 2003, EA closed Westwood and absorbed it into EA Los Angeles, where Command & Conquer titles are currently being made. Some of the original Westwood Command & Conquer team remain at EA, but most left to form the new games company Petroglyph. Command & Conquer games were originally all in one series, however, EA has expanded the Command & Conquer franchise with the addition of a new series and several spin-offs of C&C's existing titles. These series of games are officially the best selling real time strategy games, selling in excess of 35 million units.

Tiberian series

The Tiberian series features two warring factions called the United Nations Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and the quasi-state terrorist group, the Brotherhood of Nod.

The original Command & Conquer (also referred to as Tiberian Dawn) was made by Westwood Studios in 1995, and distributed exclusively by Virgin. The opening sequence shows animation of the bombing of the fictitious Great Trade Center in Vienna. This act is blamed on NOD terrorists and their leader, Kane. It serves as the beginning of the Tiberian series storyline. The conflict centers on control of a new resource called Tiberium, an exotic substance that extracts minerals from the land it sits upon and deposits them in above-ground crystals that are simple to process into useful materials. It was speculated that Tiberium was named after the Tiber River where it was first discovered, yet the Brotherhood of Nod's leader, Kane, claims to have named it after Tiberius Caesar, having discovered it himself. However, Tiberium is also extremely toxic and mutagenic. Almost certainly extraterrestrial in origin, it is thought to have come to Earth in a meteor impact. There is speculation that it may be an alien terraforming agent.

While the GDI focuses on research on making Tiberium into useful materials and mitigating the damage to Earth's people and ecosystem, Nod's position is to embrace Tiberium as the herald of a new age. Nod has done heavy research into Tiberium-based weaponry, and its leader, Kane, has designs to convert the entire planet to a Tiberium-based ecosystem. The GDI was created by status quo nations to counter Kane's plans for a new world order. The Brotherhood of Nod excels at manipulating the media to turn world opinion against the GDI.

The Tiberium series has always utilized heavy biblical undertones. Kane, leader of Nod, is clearly a variation on the spelling of Cain, the first murderer. Indeed, Cain was banished for his crime to the land of Nod. It is unknown if this is an assumed name of a madman or truly Cain. Unlike the biblical story, it is Kane who murders Seth, the officer who instructs the player at the beginning of the series, and Kane's "right hand".

C&C was one of the first to utilise real-time gameplay, and cinematic animation sequences. To fund your campaign, you are required to harvest and sell Tiberium which oozes from the ground like petroleum, or oil, although Tiberium is a yellow crystal-like substance. Toxic to soldiers, you must not march troops over Tiberium fields or they will lose health and die.

Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun

The Game

Taking place several years after Kane was supposed to have been killed, the Brotherhood of Nod was splintered. The remaining generals vie for control of the brotherhood, while GDI is rebuilding its defenses and trying to learn more about the pathogenic material called "Tiberium". GDI has developed more powerful weaponry in the recent times, such as the Disruptor tank and the Firestorm Generator, while Nod has been developing more devious technology, such as the Chemical Missile and the Stealth Generator.

Global Defense Intiative (GDI)

Since the last game, GDI has been rebuilding itself. Stretched to its limits during the First Tiberian War (Tiberian Dawn), it is trying frantically to stop the spread of Tiberium and neutralize the threat of Nod. Using their informant in Nod, General Hassan, GDI quickly decapitates the snake that was the thorn in their side for so long. However, at the start of the GDI campaign, Kane makes a comeback, uniting the Brotherhood once again and assaulting all GDI bases within their reach. General Solomon, the leader of GDI forces, quickly calls on his best tacticians, McNeil (you) being one of them. Your job is to eliminate Nod, and (later on) to take back the Tacitus stolen from the Forgotten so that you can unlock its secrets and save humanity. In one of the missions you will go on, GDI discovers that a Scrin (alien) Ship had crashed and Nod had discovered it, and that this ship was both made of unknown materials and had amazing power in it. This is where you find the mutant Umagon, who agrees to help you if you help her get back her leader, Tratos, and, after saving Tratos, the Tacitus. For GDI, there are a multitude of new structures, vehicles, and infantry for you to take control of. These range from the Jumpjet Infantry (a flying, powerful infantry unit) to the almighty Mammoth Mark II (a vehicle similar to an AT-AT) to the awe-inspiring Firestorm Generator, which can defend anything that its wall segments are surrounded by with an impenetrable shield. These give GDI a major advantage in brute force and defense. However, with the Tacitus and the ability to decipher it under their control, Nod has the ability to create some very powerful technology of their own.

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Video games - Command & Conquer

Tiberian series

Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun

The Game

Global Defense Intiative (GDI)

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