Command & Conquer: Red Alert (DOS, Windows)
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| Command & Conquer: Red Alert |
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Developer: Westwood Studios
 This game has a prototype article This game has a prerelease article |
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 | To do: Dig into the source code. A mention of 'building capture announcements' |
Command & Conquer: Red Alert is the successor to the original Command & Conquer. Playing in an alternate universe, where Hitler is exterminated by means of a time machine, the Allies and the Soviets fight for world domination. It is notable for playing its premise much more straight than any of its sequels.
In order to help groom mod support for Command & Conquer: Remastered Collection, the source code for this game, and for the original C&C, was released under GPL v3. It can be found on the official Electronic Arts GitHub repository. Since this is actually the code of the back-end game engine core for the Remastered edition, it contains some bug fixes and upgrades compared to the actual original game. The recovered code also lacks some components related to playing music and video, but for the remaster this wasn't an issue since it doesn't use the old game's media formats.
Contents
Sub-Pages
| Prototype Info |
| Prerelease Info |
Unused Text
DEBUG.ENG
Inside REDALERT.MIX -> LOCAL.MIX -> DEBUG.ENG, there are a load of strings from the game's debugging functions. These functions are missing from the final game, so they are never used. The definitions of these strings can be found in the released source code, in DEBUG.H, and a lot of the code that used them can be traced from there. Most of that code is disabled, but a lot of it is intact in the source files.
Special Options
In Command & Conquer 1, there was a debug dialog that could be opened to change a bunch of special / experimental options while playing. These also corresponded to secret switches that could be put in the game's settings file. In Red Alert, most of these options were migrated to RULES.INI. The DEBUG.ENG matches the dialog options in C&C1, and the code to show the dialog can be found in the released code in SPECIAL.CPP, in the function Special_Dialog(bool simple). The only options that remain in there are the three-point turning logic and the accelerated construction time ones.
First, we have the dialog header.
Select Special Options
Then the actual options. These are identical to the C&C1 ones, except that "Tiberium" was replaced by "Ore".
Targeting flash visible to all. Allow targeting of trees. Allow undeploy of construction yard. Employ smarter self defense logic. Moderate production speed. Use three point turn logic. Ore will grow. Ore will spread. Disable building "bib" pieces. Allow running from immediate threats. Show true object names. Defender has the advantage. Allow separate helipad purchase
Two newer options, probably meant for the same dialog, appear further in the file:
Friendly units avoid friendly mines Building constructin time accelerated?
Password Screen Text
These were used in internal debug versions. Each employee had their own custom-built version in which only their own password unlocked the game. This system both prevented leaked betas from being functional, and made it traceable whose version was leaked. The code using these can still be found in the game's released source code, in INIT.CPP, in the Init_Authorization(void) function.
Password Request Enter Red Alert access code to gain access. Access code error detected. Try Again
When reactivated in the code, these dialogs looks like this:
Monochrome Debug Screens
The file contains several ASCII tables. They were probably used as a debug readout and output to a secondary monochrome monitor while the game was running, as was done on many other DOS games of the time. Each of these is stored as one block of text without line breaks, padded with spaces at the ends of the lines to use the screen wraparound at 80 characters.
┌Frames:─┬F/R:┬CPU:──┬F/R:──┬Cells:┬Targ:─┬S-Bar:┬Paths:────┬Sprung Triggers:─┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├G-Time:─┼────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├────────┘ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Object Count:┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ -Units │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ -Infantry ├CPU Workload:┴──────┴──────┴──────┴──────────┴─────────────────┤ │ -Aircraft │ │ │ -Ships │ │ │ -Buildings│ │ │ -Terrain │ │ │ -Bullets │ │ │ -Anims │ │ │ -Teams │ │ │ -Triggers │ │ │ -TrigTypes│ │ │ -Factories│ │ └─────────────┴───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ <- F11 Stress Tracking F12 ->
┌Full Name:────────┬Coord:──┬Hgt:┬Str:┬Ace:┬Spd:┬Ammo┬Arm:┬Grp:┬Cloak:┬Price:─┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Owner:────────────┼Trigger:┼TarCom:─┬STarCom:┬PFace:┼Path:────┴──┬Try:┬Delay:┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Cargo:───┬Target:─┼Next:───┼NavCom:─┼SNavCom:┼SFace:┼PBrk:┬HeadTo:─┬Archive:─┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Tmr:┬St:┬Rt:┬Stage┼Radio:──┼Radio Message History:──┴─────┴────────┴─────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Mission:┴───┴─┬Queue:──────┤ │ │ │ │ │ ├Gems:┬Gold:┬──┴────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ │ ├─────┴─────┴┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┤ │Is Down │AnimAttached│Primary │Player Owned│Initiated │Is Dumping │ │To Damage │Falling [ ]│Loaner │Player Aware│Deploying │Teleported │ │To Display │Useless │Locked │AI aware │Firing │ │ │In Limbo │Ticked Off │Recoil │Lemon │Rotating │ │ │Selected │Cloakable │Tethered │Invul [ ]│Driving │ │ │To Look │Unloading │Formation │ │ │ │ ╞Team:═══╤Mmbrs:╤Qnt:╤Center:═╤Target:═╪Formation:══╪════════════╪════════════╡ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Understrngth│Moving │ ├Mission:┴──────┴────┴────────┼────────┴────────────┤FullStrength│ForcedActive│ │ │ │HasBeen │Reforming │ └─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────┴────────────┴────────────┘ <- F11 Vehicle F12 ->
┌Full Name:────────┬Coord:──┬Hgt:┬Str:┬Ace:┬Spd:┬Ammo┬Arm:┬Grp:┬Cloak:┬Price:─┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Owner:────────────┼Trigger:┼TarCom:─┬STarCom:┬PFace:┼Path:────┴──┬Try:┬Delay:┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Cargo:───┬Target:─┼Next:───┼NavCom:─┼SNavCom:┼SFace:┼PBrk:┬HeadTo:─┬Archive:─┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Tmr:┬St:┬Rt:┬Stage┼Radio:──┼Radio Message History:──┴─────┴────────┴─────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Mission:┴───┴─┬Queue:──────┤ │ │ │ │ │ ├Doing:┬Fear:┬─┴────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ │ ├──────┴─────┼────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┤ │Is Down │AnimAttached│Primary │Player Owned│Initiated │Technician │ │To Damage │Falling [ ]│Loaner │Player Aware│Deploying │Stoked │ │To Display │Useless │Locked │AI Aware │Firing │Prone │ │In Limbo │Ticked Off │Recoil │Lemon │Rotating │ │ │Selected │Cloakable │Tethered │Invul [ ]│Driving │ │ │To Look │Unloading │Formation │ │ │ │ ╞Team:═══╤Mmbrs:╤Qnt:╤Center:═╤Target:═╪Formation:══╪════════════╪════════════╡ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Understrngth│Moving │ ├Mission:┴──────┴────┴────────┼────────┴────────────┤FullStrength│ForcedActive│ │ │ │HasBeen │Reforming │ └─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────┴────────────┴────────────┘ <- F11 Infantry F12 ->
┌Full Name:────────┬Coord:──┬Hgt:┬Str:┬Ace:┬Spd:┬Ammo┬Arm:┬Grp:┬Cloak:┬Price:─┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Owner:────────────┼Trigger:┼TarCom:─┬STarCom:┬PFace:┼Path:────┴──┬Try:┬Delay:┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Cargo:───┬Target:─┼Next:───┼NavCom:─┼SNavCom:┼SFace:┼PBrk:┬HeadTo:─┬Archive:─┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Tmr:┬St:┬Rt:┬Stage┼Radio:──┼Radio Message History:──┴─────┴────────┴─────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Mission:┴───┴─┬Queue:──────┤ │ │ │ │ │ ├──────────────┴────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ ├────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┤ │Is Down │AnimAttached│Primary │Player Owned│Initiated │Repairing │ │To Damage │Falling [ ]│Loaner │Player Aware│Deploying │ToSelfRepair│ │To Display │Useless │Locked │AI Aware │Firing │ │ │In Limbo │Ticked Off │Recoil │Lemon │Rotating │ │ │Selected │Cloakable │Tethered │Invul [ ]│Driving │ │ │To Look │Unloading │Formation │ │ │ │ ╞Team:═══╤Mmbrs:╤Qnt:╤Center:═╤Target:═╪Formation:══╪════════════╪════════════╡ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Understrngth│Moving │ ├Mission:┴──────┴────┴────────┼────────┴────────────┤FullStrength│ForcedActive│ │ │ │HasBeen │Reforming │ └─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────┴────────────┴────────────┘ <- F11 Ship F12 ->
┌Full Name:────────┬Coord:──┬Hgt:┬Str:┬Ace:┬Spd:┬Ammo┬Arm:┬Grp:┬Cloak:┬Price:─┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Owner:────────────┼Trigger:┼TarCom:─┬STarCom:┬PFace:┼Path:────┴──┬Try:┬Delay:┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Cargo:───┬Target:─┼Next:───┼NavCom:─┼SNavCom:┼SFace:┼PBrk:┬HeadTo:─┬Archive:─┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Tmr:┬St:┬Rt:┬Stage┼Radio:──┼Radio Message History:──┴─────┴────────┴─────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Mission:┴───┴─┬Queue:──────┤ │ │ │ │ │ ├Building:─────┼────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ ├────────────┬─┴──────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┤ │Is Down │AnimAttached│Primary │Player Owned│Initiated │Reparing │ │To Damage │Falling [ ]│Loaner │Player Aware│Deploying │To Rebuild │ │To Display │Useless │Locked │AI Aware │Firing │To Sell │ │In Limbo │Ticked Off │Recoil │Lemon │Rotating │Charging │ │Selected │Cloakable │Tethered │Invul [ ]│Driving │Charged │ │To Look │Unloading │Formation │ │ │Captured │ ├────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┤Jamming │ │ │Jammed │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┴────────────┘ <- F11 Building F12 ->
Game Objects│ Drawing │System │Map Display │ │ Game Init │ ╒Find-Path:══╪Cell:═══════╪Palette:════╪Full Process╪════════════╪RULES.INI:══╡ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Target Scan:┼Objects:────┼────────────┼Sidebar:────┼────────────┼SCENARIO.INI┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├AI:─────────┼Anims:──────┼────────────┼Radar:──────┼────────────┼────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Per-Cell-AI─┼────────────┼────────────┼Tactical:───┼────────────┼────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Eval Object:┼────────────┼────────────┼Power Bar:──┼────────────┼────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Eval Cell:──┼────────────┼────────────┼Shroud:─────┼────────────┼────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Eval Wall:──┼────────────┼────────────┼Tabs:───────┼────────────┼────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Mission:────┼────────────┼────────────┼DirectX Blit┼────────────┼────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┘ <- F11 Performance Benchmarks F12 ->
┌Full Name:────────┬Coord:──┬Hgt:┬Str:┬Ace:┬Spd:┬Ammo┬Arm:┬Grp:┬Cloak:┬Price:─┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Owner:────────────┼Trigger:┼TarCom:─┬STarCom:┬PFace:┼Path:────┴──┬Try:┬Delay:┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Cargo:───┬Target:─┼Next:───┼NavCom:─┼SNavCom:┼SFace:┼PBrk:┬HeadTo:─┬Archive:─┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Tmr:┬St:┬Rt:┬Stage┼Radio:──┼Radio Message History:──┴─────┴────────┴─────────┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├Mission:┴───┴─┬Queue:──────┤ │ │ │ │ │ ├Attk:┬────────┴────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ ├─────┴──────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┤ │Is Down │AnimAttached│Primary │Player Owned│Initiated │ │ │To Damage │Falling [ ]│Loaner │Player Aware│Deploying │ │ │To Display │Useless │Locked │AI aware │Firing │ │ │In Limbo │Ticked Off │Recoil │Lemon │Rotating │ │ │Selected │Cloakable │Tethered │Invul [ ]│Driving │ │ │To Look │Unloading │Formation │ │ │ │ ╞Team:═══╤Mmbrs:╤Qnt:╤Center:═╤Target:═╪Formation:══╪════════════╪════════════╡ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Understrngth│Moving │ ├Mission:┴──────┴────┴────────┼────────┴────────────┤FullStrength│ForcedActive│ │ │ │HasBeen │Reforming │ └─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────┴────────────┴────────────┘ <- F11 Aircraft F12 ->
┌Full Name:────────┬Act Like:────────┬Tech:┬Diff:┬State:┬Block:┬IQ:──┬Repair:─┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├AScan:──┬Air:────┬Q-Air──┬Credits:┬Power:─┼R-Spy:┬Score:───┬Team:───┼Alert:──┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├BScan:──┼Building┼Q-Bld──┼Ore:────┼Drain:─┼P-Targ:─────────┼Trigger:┼Borrow:─┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├UScan:──┼Unit:───┼Q-Unit─┼ICreds:─┼U-Lost:┼Allies:─┬───────┴────────┼Attack:─┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├IScan:──┼Infantry┼Q-Inf──┼Capacity┼B-Lost:┼Radius:─┤ ├AI-Time:┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├VScan:──┼Vessel:─┼Q-Ship─┼North:──┴───────┴────────┼Center Cell:────┼Damage:─┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├West:───┴────────┴───────┼Core:────────────────────┼East:───────────┴────────┤ │ │ │ │ ├Globals:─────────────────┼South:───────────────────┼Enemy:───────────────────┤ │ │ │ │ ├────────────┬────────────┼────────────┬────────────┼────────────┬────────────┤ │Is Active │Defeated │Visionary │Resigned │ │ │ │Is Human │To Die │Low Ore │Gave Up │ │ │ │Player Ctrl │To Win │Spied │Built Smthng│ │ │ │Autocreate │To Lose │Thieved │Auto Base AI│ │ │ │Discovered │Civ. Evac │GPS Active │ │ │ │ │Max Capacity│Recalc Flag │Production │ │ │ │ └────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┘ <- F11 House F12 ->
Map Editor Leftovers
Also inside DEBUG.ENG, there are leftovers of the map editor.
From the map editor's scripting editor:
Trigger Editor
Configuring how multiple events and actions are used by the scripts:
Just This Event ... and ... ... or ... ... linked ... Just This Action
From the map editor's unit group definitions for scripting:
Team Editor
Building properties:
Sellable Rebuild
General map properties:
Size Map Trucks drop crate when destroyed?
The one about the trucks corresponds with the mission option "TruckCrate" that can be put in a missions's [Basic] section. The game has a whole set of special mission behaviour options like that, though only that one appears in the debug file.
Benchmarking Text
This is a leftover of a benchmarking function used in the development the game. The code using it can be found in DEBUG.CPP, in the Benchmarks(MonoClass * mono) function.
******************************* ** Pentium CPU not detected. ** *******************************
This message was shown to indicate that the benchmarking could not be done on the current machine, since it used CPU instructions specific to the Pentium chipset.
Scenario Authentication Text
A scenario authentication failure message. This message might be related to the [Digest] blocks saved in maps as check against tampering, or possibly to some unknown map password protection mechanism from the development days that might have been implemented to prevent information leaks.
Scenario authentication code missing or invalid. Re-save scenario to correct it.
Unused Graphics
Crate Powerups
| To do: Other crate powerups likely go unused. |
A four frame icon of a mine, possibly a crate powerup.
Terrain Tiles
Interior Theater Alternate Tiles
In the game's Interior theater, almost all floor tiles, and some wall tiles, contain several different versions of the graphics, showing the same tile in a slightly different state of being damaged or smudged. The tile files identify themselves to the game as having a footprint size of 1×1 cell, but contain more tiles, indicating that the ones beyond the first tile are alternate versions. None of these alternates are used in the game, but all of them (except ARRO0003; see below) are usable if a map editor allows placing them down.
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| ARRO0001; 6 tiles. |
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| ARRO0002; 6 tiles. |
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| ARRO0003; 6 tiles. |
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| ARRO0004; 6 tiles. |
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| ARRO0005; 6 tiles. |
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| ARRO0006; 6 tiles. |
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| FLOR0001; 12 tiles. |
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| FLOR0002; 12 tiles. |
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| FLOR0003; 12 tiles. |
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| FLOR0004; 12 tiles. |
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| FLOR0005; 12 tiles. |
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| FLOR0006; 12 tiles. |
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| FLOR0007; 12 tiles. |
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| GFLR0001; 13 tiles. |
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| GFLR0002; 13 tiles. |
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| GFLR0003; 13 tiles. |
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| GFLR0004; 13 tiles. |
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| GFLR0005; 13 tiles. |
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| GSTR0001; 6 tiles. |
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| GSTR0002; 8 tiles. |
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| LWAL0001; 4 tiles. |
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| LWAL0002; 4 tiles. |
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| LWAL0003; 4 tiles. |
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| LWAL0004; 4 tiles. |
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| LWAL0005; 7 tiles. |
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| STRP0001; 12 tiles. |
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| STRP0002; 12 tiles. |
The Remaster contains remastered versions of all these extra tiles. There is a fan-upgraded version of the Remaster's map editor which allows access to the alternate tiles, including a function to automatically randomise them.
The only tile from these alternate graphics that is used in the game in some way is the second tile of GFLR0001. The hidden mini-campaign with giant ants in the Counterstrike expansion pack features Ant Larvae and a Queen Ant in the final mission, which are classified as structures in-game. The mission is set in Interior theater, and rather than using transparency and generated shadows, these structures are combined with the GFLR0001 tile graphics they are on, with the 2-cell Queen Ant using the second tile from the set for its second cell, under the thorax and head; the floor is noticeably more orange above the thorax. Since the official missions only use the first tile for the actual floor, this has the side effect that the floor texture under the front of the Queen Ant changes slightly when it is destroyed.
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| QUEE.SHP | ||
| The first two tiles of GFLR0001. | ||
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| The first tile of GFLR0001, repeated twice. |
In the Remastered edition, the Queen and Larvae sprites were given proper transparency, so this is no longer present. Unlike in the original game, however, the Queen Ant no longer uses remappable house colours, and is simply always coloured red.
Interior Theater ARRO0003 Tile
The tileset ARRO0003, present in the Interior theater game files as ARRO0003.INT, has internal ID number 255. Unfortunately, since this is the maximum value that can be stored in a byte, this was used as general indication for "Clear Terrain" in earlier versions of the map format, before the tile IDs stored in maps were expanded to two bytes. Since many of the game's older maps still contain tile 255 as clear terrain, the game automatically assumes that any tile with ID 255 is meant to be clear terrain.
Because of this, the ARRO0003 tile, and any of its alternate variants, are replaced by the normal tiling 4x4 blocks of the CLEAR1 tileset, and its real graphics are never shown. This means that interior theater maps can contain floor arrows pointing to the north, east and south, but not west.
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| ARRO0003.INT with all its alternates. |
When used in Interior theater, there is one noticeable difference between normal clear terrain and the ARRO0003 tile, namely that, despite replacing its graphics, the game will still use the terrain type stored inside the ARRO0003.INT file. The default black clear terrain in Interior theater is impassable, but ARRO0003 is not, resulting in passable black map tiles.
Snow Theater Clear Terrain
Like the wall and floor tiles in the Interior theater, the game's default clear terrain files for all theaters identify themselves as having tile dimensions of 1×1, but contain multiple tiles. Unlike the Interior tiles, though, their extra tiles are used; they are tiled over the map in 4×4 cell blocks, filling any cell on the map indicated as 'empty'.
The Snow theater's clear terrain contains 20 tiles, and is still just tiled as 4x4 pattern, meaning the remaining four tiles are never used. However, further analysis of the extra tiles shows that they are copies of tile 3, 6, 9 and 12 of the original 4×4 pattern.
| CLEAR1.SNO | Analysis |
|---|---|
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Unit / Structure Graphics
Badger Bomber
The badger bomber, used for parabombs and paradrops has its own icon that goes unused as it's not buildable.
| DOS | Windows | Remastered |
|---|---|---|
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Helicarrier
The helicarrier is a cut unit from The Aftermath expansion. It carries up to five helicopters and launches them when ordered to attack. It has both unit graphics and build icons, and is completely usable when configured to be buildable. The Remastered version also contains remastered versions of all the necessary graphics to make the unit function.
| DOS / Windows | Remastered |
|---|---|
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| DOS | Windows | Remastered |
|---|---|---|
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Phase Transport
The phase transport from The Aftermath also has an icon despite being a unique, non-buildable unit. INI editing allows it to be buildable in the original game.
| DOS | Windows | Remastered |
|---|---|---|
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Construction Yard
The construction yard cannot be built directly (excluding its fake version), rendering its full version unused. Interestingly the DOS version uses the Tiberian Dawn graphic.
| DOS | Windows | Remastered |
|---|---|---|
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Supply Truck
The trucks used in the campaign are unbuildable, rendering their cameos unseen. The DOS version has an explosion but is not to be confused with the demo truck's different icon.
| DOS | Windows | Remastered |
|---|---|---|
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Spy Plane
The spyplane itself seems to have an icon which is a horizontally flipped version of the ability's icon, without shroud. The DOS version matches the ability's.
| Ability | Unit |
|---|---|
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| Remastered | Remastered |
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Mine Layer
The game manual features two separate icons for the Allied and Soviet minelayer units, "AT" (anti-tank) and "AP" (anti-personnel) ones respectively, while in the retail version they both use the same icon. Additionally, the AP one is mirrored. It is possible that minelayers were intended to be separate units with their own icons, while in the final game they're the same unit with logic to deploy different types of mines depending on the owner; another, more simplistic explanation is that manual authors just added these icons themselves, to help players distinguish units' functions.
| Final, Windows (shared) | Anti-personnel | Anti-tank |
|---|---|---|
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Tiberian Dawn Leftovers
Nod's flametank's graphics.
The truncated deploy animation of the prerelease MCV, with the faction logo appearing at the end.
The orca, with "HIND" superimposed.
The SSM Launcher's graphics.
| Body | Weapons |
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Hidden Command Line Arguments
Using the command line argument FROMINSTALL allows the player to run the game as if it were freshly installed.
Editor Mode
There is a hidden command line parameter "EDITOR" which causes the game to start in a strange mode which loads the first game mission automatically on startup, where no sidebar is drawn, where projectiles don't spawn (and thus no damage can be done by anything), and where the mouse controls for commanding units are disabled (though the keyboard commands still work). This was theorized to be the defunct remains of a map editor built into the game engine, which was confirmed when the game's source code was released. On the retail game, the editor was split off into the separate EDDOS and EDWIN editors, though they are dumbed down to only allow the creation of fixed-size multiplayer maps.
The full code for the internal map editor was later found in the released code of the Remastered Edition, and the editor is usable in the Vanilla Conquer project, which reconstructed the entire game code from the released Remastered source.
Developer Messages
Typing a secret password message into the network chat shows a number of developer messages. The password is only stored as hash 0x72A47EF6 internally, which is the result of performing the Obfuscate function on the given text plus a line terminator.
The password was originally brute-force-decoded to FELTPLAYWORK, but given the hashed origin, this is no guarantee that this was indeed the original password. Later, other likely matches BOT FOGIES and DOTHISMYSELF were also found.
Map History Tracing
The use of the old clear terrain with tile id 255 (see Interior Theater ARRO0003 Tile) has some interesting side effects for tracing the history of the game's missions and maps. Not only can it be used to see which maps were made in the early stage of the game, since they will be using the old clear terrain, but it can also be used to see where edits were made on such maps in later game development stages, since such edits did not convert the entire map, but simply used the modern Clear terrain on the edited parts. On top of showing cleared areas, this method also seems to show places where walls were added or removed; this also seems to have converted any clear terrain underneath the walls. On Interior maps viewed in an editor that (unlike the game) correctly displays the ARRO0003 tileset, these changes are very obvious, since it will show ARRO0003 everywhere except on these more recently-edited parts. Here you see how in mission SCG10EB, "Evidence", four room-shaped areas, and a connection to the west edge of the map, were clearly removed in later edits:
| SCG10EB |
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Because this quirk has been known for a long time, most map editors will automatically show ARRO0003 tiles on Temperate and Snow maps as Clear terrain. However, if this is not done, this same method can be used to detect edits on these maps. Here you see SCG05EA; the mission "Tanya's Tale", compared between the v0.09c version and the retail version, with the old Clear terrain cells marked in grey-bordered white:
| SCG05EA - v0.09c | SCG05EA - Retail | SCG05EA - Edits |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
On the retail version of the map, two areas at the east side, and the north-east corner of the south-west peninsula, clearly stand out as being expanded with modern Clear terrain. And indeed, these areas are different on the beta map. However, since the beta already uses the new format, even older edits can be traced: even on the beta map, it can be seen that near the beach in the north-west corner, a cliff was opened up.
Here is a full overview of all maps on which edits could be detected or which were detected to predate the modern map format, and any terrain edits identified on these maps. The dark pink colour indicates where edits were made. Generally, this is modern clear terrain on maps mainly using the old clear terrain, but on one Aftermath multiplayer map, it is the mentioned W2 tile.
Allied Campaign
This lists all the maps in the Allied campaign using old Clear terrain. The maps SCG03EB, SCG05EB, SCG05EC, SCG08EB, SCG09EB, SCG11EB, SCG12EA, SCG13EA, and SCG14EA are all completely new.
| Map | Notable edits | Visualised |
|---|---|---|
| SCG01EA | Cliff around the south-east power plants is opened up, and some small edits around the barrels and in the south-west corner. | 
|
| SCG02EA | Small edits outside the border, and around the barrels in the north-east. | 
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| SCG03EA | Some edits around the ford north of the War Factory. The crossing might be newly added. A single leftover river cell at 7638 also shows there was a more diagonal river at that point. | 
|
| SCG04EA | In the center north of the map there are two fords with a waterfall in between. The cliff leading west from that waterfall seems to be shortened. | 
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| SCG05EA | New areas were opened up at the north-east shore, where the shore touches the east edge of the map, and in the north-east corner of the south-west peninsula. A cliff going parallel with the shoreline in the north-west corner also appears to have been shortened. | 
|
| SCG06EA | Significant edits can be seen in the cliff south-west of the start position, and in the center of the main enemy base. The southern resources area of the enemy base was expanded, and the island full of resources seems to be completely new. | 
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| SCG06EB | Appears to be completely new, but made on an older map which was copied and cleared. Only the area outside the map, and a little bit of the north, use the old terrain. | 
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| SCG07EA | Minor edits on cliffs. Oddly, a rather large area south-west of the accessible map is cleared with the new clear terrain. | 
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| SCG08EA | The south-west corner ore field seems to be completely new, and the island to the west also seems to be made up mostly of new clear terrain. The ore field north-east of the Allied base looks like cliffs were removed from it. It also looks like walls were added and removed, and this also cleared the terrain underneath. | 
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| SCG09EA | Significant edits to the south of the main southern island, as well as to area leading to the north-east bridge. From leftovers outside the accessible map, the whole map seems to have been 14 cells higher initially, but that change predates the conversion to the new Clear terrain. | 
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| SCG10EA | Quite some edits appear to have been made to the cliffs in this mission. However, the most noticeable change is a huge silhouette of a removed area north of the accessible map. Given that this matches the ends of rivers and roads, it appears that the map was planned to be an 80×80 map (24 cells higher) with the Soviet base dead center. The 0.09c version of the map contains the entire undamaged top part. It was most likely cleared to reduce the size of the compressed [MapPack] data block in the final map file. |
|
| SCG10EB | Three room-shaped areas connecting to the main complex, and a connection to the west edge of the map, were removed. A hole can also be seen in the north-east corner, possibly where more off-map power plants and/or a construction yard were placed. The elevator start position in the center also shows new clear tiles. | 
|
| SCG11EA | On the east side, most ore field areas appear to have been expanded. A vertical strip seems to indicate the removal of a road leading towards the Soviet base. On the west side, it seems cliffs were removed to give the player more space to establish a base. In the center, the most northern island was significantly expanded in size. | 
|
Soviet Campaign
This lists all the maps in the Campaign campaign using old Clear terrain. The maps SCU04EB, SCU07EA, SCU08EB, SCU11EA, SCU11EB, SCU13EA, SCU13EB and SCU14EA are all completely new.
| Map | Notable edits | Visualised |
|---|---|---|
| SCU01EA | Many edits both inside and outside the accessible bounds. The areas outside the map, and image material used in the briefing videos, seem to indicate the original map was most likely quite a bit larger; around 42x50. | 
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| SCU02EA | The entire center of the map, and the shore south of the soviet base, seem to have been redone. Only the west and south-west parts remain untouched. | 
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| SCU03EA | Edits can be seen to shores, cliffs and open areas all over the map. The area outside the accessible map seem to indicate the map went through many revisions, making it increasingly smaller; the full edited area is more than 20 cells wider than the final map. | 
|
| SCU04EA | This map went through significant edits, with the roads appearing to be the only remaining original features. This map was also looks like it went through several revisions that made it smaller, with the full area extending 8 cells to the north and 12 cells to the west. | 
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| SCU05EA | This map was edited so much no distinguishing leftovers of the original remain, besides the road on the west side of the map. The map also seems to have gone through a few changes in size. | 
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| SCU06EA | The most significant edits on this map are that the area where you are supposed to build your base was opened up, and the islands in the center north seem to be completely new. Besides that, to the east of the accessible area, the remains of a bridge can be found which has the footprint of the Tiberian Dawn version. | 
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| SCU06EB | This is an edit of the original older version of the A map. It shows some of the features removed from the A map, and shows how the main bridge is still the same. Most of the edits visible on this map match the removal of elements on the A version. | 
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| SCU08EA | Most of this map seems to be unedited since the conversion. The only significant edits are the western side of the starting area, and the north-east of the Allied base. | 
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| SCU09EA | This map appears to have been larger, showing content 13 cells farther to the east. Significant edits were made to the western escape route, the cliff area south of the Soviet base, and the little peninsula in the north-east with German buildings guarding crates. | 
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| SCU10EA | Some changes were made in the center south part, and at the inaccessible areas north and south of the canyon guarded by Gun Turrets. The map seems largely unmodified from its original design, though. | 
|
| SCU12EA | The starting area in the north-west seems to be completely redone. Besides that, an edit to the east side of the Chronosphere island seems to indicate they made space to add more Advanced Power Plants, and it can be seen that originally, there was an opening in the walls allowing direct access to the Chronosphere. | 
|
Multiplayer Maps
This lists all multiplayer maps that either use old Clear terrain, or which have edits which could be detected in some other way.
| Map | Name | Release | Notable edits | Visualised |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCM01EA | Coastal Influence (4-6) | Red Alert | Uses tile 255. Some edits on the center north and south shores, and the island in the center. | 
|
| SCM04EA | Marooned II (4-6) | Red Alert | Uses tile 255. No significant edits, but a cross of new clear terrain appears to have been drawn across the center axes. This might have been a line of walls temporarily added for visualising map symmetry. | 
|
| SCM17EA | No Escape (4-6) | Red Alert | Uses tile 255, without any edits. | 
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| SCM20EA | Pond Skirmish (2-4) | Red Alert | Uses tile 255, without any edits. | 
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| SCM24EA | Treasure Isle (4-6) | Red Alert | Uses tile 255, without any edits. | 
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| SCMK4EA | Circles of Death (Mega 8p) [AM only] | Aftermath | Does not use tile 255, but this is an edit of the Counterstrike map "Bullseye (Lg)". All edits on the water are done with the W2 tile, while all original water only uses W1, making it easy to see the original boundaries, and where bridges and islands were removed. | 
|
| SCMK7EA | Death Valley (Mega 8 players) | Aftermath | Uses tile 255, with some slight edits. It is surprising to find a megamap in The Aftermath that predates a lot of the game's missions. | 
|
Regional Differences
| To do: Needs to be fleshed out a bit more, preferably by someone who knows more about the game than I do. |
As to be expected of the Command & Conquer series, the game was censored upon being released in Germany.
- The intro had a portion cut out, specifically a flashback to 1924 where Hitler is knocked out as he's shaking hands. While German laws don't prohibit displays of Hitler (unlike symbols such as the swastika), games still frequently remove or replace Hitler as a character.
- The game is reworked so that the humans become cyborgs. The soldiers become all kinds of robots, cyborgs, and androids. Killing or running over enemies results in robotic noises being played, instead of human screams.
- Blood is recolored black to make it look more like oil.
- The track Hell March was also censored to remove the marching sounds and commands that can be heard in the background of the song.
- There are a lot of censorship in the game's cinematics:
- Allies:
- A scene was cut out where Tanya Adams is hit in the face and knocked unconscious by the interrogator in prison.
- The Allied failure video, which shows a soldier frozen to death in the snow, was removed completely; instead, it shows the Soviet logo.
- Another failure video, which shows Tanya Adams' grave, was also removed; instead, it plays the video where Europe becomes part of the USSR.
- In the video where Paris is hit by a nuclear bomb, the voices before the impact were replaced with honking horns. The screams after the impact were removed altogether.
- The video where two soldiers barely make it out of their defensive position before they're overrun by enemy tanks was removed. Instead, it plays a video meant for the Soviet missions where tanks cross a river and destroy an enemy base.
- The Allied ending had the last portion cut out where the commander uncovers Stalin's face, puts a towel in his mouth, covers it up with rubble again and then happily dances.
- Soviets:
- The scene where Stalin and friends watch a video about the effects of gas was censored. Instead of the video, they just look at a map of Europe for one second and then immediately turn back to the table.
- The video played after completing the first mission, which shows an airplane attacking a village with children screaming in the background, was completely removed. Instead, the Soviet logo is displayed.
- The video which shows a soldier being executed was removed and, again, replaced by the Soviet logo.
- The famous scene where Stalin says "if you kill one human, it is a tragedy, if you kill 10 million, it is a statistic" was cut out. In the German version, the cinematic starts at the part where you are promoted.
- The same failure video from the Allies, showing the soldier frozen to death, was removed here as well and, yet again, replaced by the Soviet logo.
- The video where you see three soldiers through binoculars was removed. Instead, it plays a video from another mission that shows aircraft starting up.
- The failure video which shows a military graveyard was removed; instead you get to see burning remains of Soviet armory that are already shown elsewhere.
- Allies:
The Command & Conquer series
| |
|---|---|
| DOS | Command & Conquer (Demos) • Red Alert (Prototypes) |
| Windows | Command & Conquer (Demos) • Red Alert (Prototypes) • Tiberian Sun • Red Alert 2 • Renegade • Generals • Red Alert 3 (Prototypes) |
| PlayStation | Red Alert • Commando |
| Nintendo 64 | Command & Conquer |
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- To do
- Command & Conquer series
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