The groundbreaking feature allows for unit groupings that are easily called and deployed, a style that was emulated by countless RTS titles including the Total War series. Command & Conquer received critical acclaim for its innovative interface. This attracted a wide audience and set the stage for the development of the modern RTS genre. Command & Conquer injected fast-paced action into a genre previously defined by slower, turn-based gameplay. The story is told through cutting-edge live-action cutscenes and mission reports, a feature that became standard in future titles. Gameplay focuses on base creation, resource management, and combat. Commanding either the NOD or GDI, players take charge of troop units, air strikes, base installations, production facilities, and ground vehicles. The two factions are involved in an intense battle over a powerful alien resource called Tiberium and the future of the world hangs in the balance. Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn places players in the middle of a global conflict between the criminal organization Brotherhood of Nod (NOD) and the Global Defense Initiative (GDI), a UN task force. Publisher Virgin Interactive and developer Westwood Studios released the first game in the Command & Conquer series in 1995. The Command & Conquer franchise is credited with defining and popularizing the real-time strategy (RTS) genre of video games.
