Looking for more play from your copy of Total Annihilation? Cavedog Entertainment announced a December beta launch of its new online gaming community called Boneyards. The site is set up to supply players of Cavedog and GT Interactive titles with an online matchmaking service combining new gameplay options and hefty competition.

　　The first game to be introduced on the beta site, Galactic Wars, will bring Total Annihilation players together in a cooperative multiplayer match.

　　All future Total Annihilation titles, Kingdoms, Amen: The Awakening, Elysium, and Good & Evil, along with select GT Interactive titles, will be Boneyards-enabled. After the beta test is complete, Boneyards will be available to all gamers for free - current TA players will only need to download an upgrade from Cavedog's site to play. While it seems that GT is trying to take the steam out of other services, the company will still allow gamers to play titles over other gaming services like Heat, IGZ, Kali, Mplayer, TEN, and Wireplay.

　　"We covered a lot of new territory and tried some new things, such as free downloadable units and 3D architecture, when we released Total Annihilation last year. Boneyards is just a natural extension of that effort to provide players with a better gaming experience," said Ron Gilbert, creative director and cofounder of Cavedog Entertainment. "Total Annihilation is still a very popular multiplayer game, and the Boneyards' game Galactic Wars should add some new fun and surprises to the mix."

　　Boneyards will feature personalized and scalable arenas for gamers to chat or challenge other players. The service will also host a ladder and ranking system, one-button entry, auto scorekeeping, sponsored tourneys, and custom user profiles.

　　"Boneyards, and Galactic Wars in particular, will add an entirely new level of strategic play to Total Annihilation," said Scott Wallin, senior director of online games at Cavedog Entertainment. "Besides, it's not every day that you can capture a planet, save the universe, and mock your friends all in one day."

　　Players of Galactic Wars will choose from the two warring factions from Total Annihilation, the Arm and the Core, and will be given the title of "private" - much like the Army. Moving up in rank requires skill, and promotions will only come based on your win ratios, effectiveness, andefficiency. If you become the king of the hill - you'll gain the status of "supreme commander."

　　After becoming a private, you're off to a galactic map composed of many planetary systems, with each system containing 50 to 70 worlds that each faction is trying to take over. Players will select a world to conquer and launch into a battle against another group or just a single person.

　　The High Command will update players on how their particular side, Arm or Core, is doing, as well as provide information concerning particular sectors that need protection or vulnerable sectors that may be easy to take. Players will also be able to examine a particular planet's status, map type, number of battles won/lost by each side, and its overall history. World maps will be selected from the original TA, The Core Contingency, or Battle Tactics. To make it more challenging, each world can have lower resources, or certain units may be restricted.

　　Each day at 1am PST, Boneyards will tally up the wins and losses for both sides with the ultimate goal being the complete control of an enemy's sector and homeworld. After a a side conquers a certain percentage of the opposing side's territory or its capitol, the Galactic Map becomes the victor's map. After this Victory Day is declared, a new map is given to players, and the uphill battle begins once more.

　　Much like other multiplayer services, players log onto the service through TA itself then will launch into a front-end program where they'll be able to find players, chat, see ladders, check out each side's status, and launch multiplayer matches. After you've won or lost a battle, you'll launch back out to the front end to view your army's and your personal stats or launch another game.

　　Sounds complex, doesn't it? Well, if you're not an adamant TA player and just want to play one or two games without worrying about the state of war at large, you'll be able to do that too.