Tiberium Alliances Simulation Screen Problem

If you are using the Tiberium Alliances Combat Simulator (TACS) on Firefox, you might experience a problem in the simulator screen. Sometimes, the screen would be "moved" left by about an inch, preventing you from witnessing the simulation for that "inch of a column". (See the image below)

I have tried updating Firefox, Greasemonkey, and even the TACS script from version 2.1 to 3.0 beta. But the issue has remained.

Through experimentation, I just tried minimizing the browser window using the 2-rectagles button at the top right corner of the browser, then maximizing again. (If you want to use a keyboard shortcut in Windows 7, use the Win key + down arrow to minimize, and Win key + up arrow to maximize). Finally, the simulation screen went back to normal. I hope this solution will be able to help you out in case you are experiencing the same problem.

Tiberium Alliance Greasemonkey Scripts No Longer Work

I logged in yesterday to do my usual rounds of killing Forgotten bases when I noticed that the TACS simulator button was gone. I checked Greasemonkey and none of the installed scripts were showing up.

So I tried reinstalling the scripts for Tiberium Alliances. But whenever I pressed the INSTALL button, all that appears is a new webpage with the .js (Javascript) file. (The reason for this is that the scripts are actually still installed. You just can't see them at this point.)

I tried reinstalling Greasemonkey instead. I removed Greasemonkey and then reinstalled from the Firefox add-ons page. That remedied the problem for one day. The next morning, the same problem was back. All Greasemonkey scripts for Tiberium Alliances were no longer working. And when I tried to uninstall Greasemonkey, there no longer was an option to remove the add-on. All installed add-ons were no longer visible.

So as a last resort, I decided to reinstall Firefox. There has been pop-ups the last couple of days about upgrading to version 20.0.1. And after much hassle about the need to be an administrator to install it, I finally finished. Lo, and behold, the scripts were working again. REALLY UNCOOL FIREFOX! All that trouble - forcing your users to a mandatory update.

I know, I know... it's like your mom making you eat vegetables because its good for you. Well I hope all the update does is protect us from vulnerabilities and not put more garbage on our drives.

Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances World

The Command and Conquer Tiberium Alliances world is huge. It is a circle with a radius of 800 locations. That's roughly 2 million possible places to put your first base in (given that the server will have a maximum of 50,000 players). But of course, not all that area is free space. In fact, as you approach the center of the world, space becomes more and more packed with bases of the enemy AI - dubbed the Forgotten.

Unlike Ikariam, which is a game that has no distinct goal, except to remain as one of the top players in the rankings, there is a goal in Tiberium Alliances, and that is to attack, and presumably conquer the Forgotten Fortress which is located at the center of the world. The base levels surrounding that fortress are between levels 44 and 46. So that base is probably at level 50. To put that in perspective, you start the game at level 1. The best player (since he is ranked 1) in the server I'm playing in is currently at level 20 and he is in the region of the world were base levels are between 23 and 26. He currently has the most number of bases for an individual player, numbered at four. Assuming he has been playing since the server started, and assuming that has been on March 2012, when this game was officially released, this game has a long ways to go before the end.

I don't know what will happen when the Forgotten Fortress is finally controlled by an alliance. But one thing is certain, it will be a tough challenge if alliances focus on defeating one another - a zero sum game - when they could all focus on defeating the Forgotten Fortress. Clearly, a single player who is un-alligned will be heavily burdened to defeat the AI Fortress on his own. There are eight shield control hubs about 20 locations away from the fortress on all eight regions (N, E, S, W and those in-between). Four of these have to be disabled before you can even attack the main fortress. And bases upon bases of the enemy is all around - ranging from camps to outposts.

Alliances are also limited in the number of player slots, maxing out at 50 each. So even if all players would want to band together, getting to the center would probably take several years. This is a time-span that a casual gamer might not readily commit to.

I would want to see that day, when the main Forgotten Fortress finally falls. Hopefully, I would be part of one of the alliances responsible for AI's downfall. It would be a glorious day, and perhaps, also sad, since it signifies the end of the CCTA journey. But you at least in this game, you have a solid goal to aim for.

Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances

For those of you who are into RTS (real-time simulation) games on the PC like Starcraft, Dune, or Generals, or if you like browser games like Travian and Ikariam, then Command and Conquer: Tiberium Alliances (henceforth CC:TA) might just be the game for you.

The game combines the familiar elements of an RTS - resource gathering, structure and army building and upgrading, and scientific research with the best elements of a browser based game - no installation, auto-saved game state, and accessibility wherever there is an internet connection.

Below is a screenshot of what your base might look like after a few days of development.

I will try to share some tips I've learned as I progress in the game. As of now, as a beginner in the game, one thing I've noticed is that a building's location can be optimized. You will become more familiar with this as you use the move button (the button that looks like a cross on the right side of the screen). When you move a structure, you will notice sometimes that arrows appear either flowing out or flowing into the structure. The more arrows flowing in, the better. This increases the output of that structure - whether it be Tiberium minerals, crystals, energy or credit (the monetary unit in the game).

So, make sure you optimize the structure's placement with respect to your mineral fields and to other structures.

Structure placement is also key in successfully preventing your base from being wiped out in a single attack. I haven't been attacked yet since I am under "newbie" protection. But from the attacks I've made against the game's artificial intelligence, the more structures you place along the path towards the command center, the more targets have to be wasted by the opponent's armies. And more targets means they run out of ammo if they ever reach your command center.

That's it for today. Stay tuned for more tips in the future!!!