Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 12:42 pm Post subject:
C&C Red Alert 2 Unofficial Patch
Version 1.3.2
Changes
Updated 28/12/2012
Performance
- Tweaks to the game engine to improve graphics rendering speed and efficiency.
- Network tweaks for windows 7 to improve latency.
- Optimized game loading speed.
- Optimized downloading of the RA2 map patch addon.
- Optimized memory management through cleanmem addon.
- The game doesn't load any intro videos anymore thus it loads faster.
- The game can run without a CD in the drive with less to no errors, this improves loading speed.
- No black screen after installing the patch and less time waiting for the map patch to update.
Updates & bug fixes
- The interface texts have been updated to be correspond to the current modern standard and to accommodate XWIS instead of WOL.
- The interface layouts have been simplified and improved to make navigation smoother and easier.
- The interface icons have been improved and modernized.
- Improved and simplified online lobby.
- There should be less, "failed to initialize, reinstall game" errors now due to added data files.
- Fixed error where the map and GUI were not displayed correctly. This should also fix a rare missing map error with some official maps.
- The chat boxes in the main lobby and custom game lobby have been re-sized to show more text making it more convenient to read.
- Fixed the menu button in multiplayer lobby which now leads directly to http://xwis.net/forums to improve interactivity between the game and the forum.
- Added Heck no lamez as an official map with the name "Heck Tournament Edition". This popular map can now be used as a battlefield for 1v1 and Battleclan tournaments.
- Tweaked the layout of hosted and joined games lobbies.
- Added WOL online components to reduce bugs and fix registry keys on some installations.
- Added Binkw32.dll to fix a missing dll error in case of some installations.
Enhancements
- Red alert 2 map patch developed by Josh and Frank. Adds new maps to Quick match and custom match game modes.
- Auto screen-shot taker and uploader developed by Olaf. This acts as an anti cheat and helps with reporting cheaters.
- Added official Westwood map packs and an official version of heck freezes over as well as the FFG version.
- Slightly improved detail of temperate terrain graphics.
- Better interface graphics have been added to improve the look of menus while still following a soviet theme set by the standard interface.
- New game shortcut icon for easy identification.
- Pro hotkeys have been added through "keyboard.ini" ( A = Sell, F= Fix, U= Health select, I= Vet select, O= All combatants)
Rest of the hotkeys remain as default.
- To make it work perfectly, make sure you have a clean installation of C&C Red Alert 2 from either the original CD or XWIS download and then patched to v1.006 default.
- Download. Make sure the game is not running. Start the game by double clicking the new Kirov icon.
That looks like this.
Olaf Van Der Speck for developing the new launcher for red alert 2 and the SS uploader.
Frank Razenberg and Josh for developing the map patch addon.
Aleksander Bavdaz for helping me figure out the directdraw registry keys from a patcher source code.
A Little request... can you also incorporate the unit lines from YR? I know its not much but the distinctiveness in unit sounds usually make the game also more fun. _________________ ~ Excelsior ~ QUICK_EDIT
A Little request... can you also incorporate the unit lines from YR? I know its not much but the distinctiveness in unit sounds usually make the game also more fun.
That would require editing of the sound.ini ? QUICK_EDIT
As long as everybody have all the files it's fine. (Which should be a good thing so you'll know if somebody is using a hacked ini) _________________ ~ Excelsior ~ QUICK_EDIT
I guess he wants this to be compatible with non-special-unofficial-DaRTzO-patched versions of Red Alert 2. _________________ mentalomega.com QUICK_EDIT
No I don't mind at all. I'm grateful for your support.
I will update the links on XWIS Forums as well on the 30th.
Any chance of a highlight?
BTW some updates will be on the way in the future.
- Increased map data base, from user made maps in mmx format for official ladder play.
- A selection of an allied and sov skin. Due to high request. Many people have asked me to produce a allied skin.
If you could also suggest any optimizations to the game database, along with voxel parsing. One point that I was considering was removing redundant voxels on all the default voxel to reduce a render impact of 100+ rhinos on one screen along with 100 grizzlies and so on. Especially in 2v2 games on large maps.
I would appreciate your professional opinion on the subject. QUICK_EDIT
Joined: 22 Nov 2010 Location: Iszkaszentgyorgy, Hungary
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 2:53 pm Post subject:
As far as I remember to the standard fugly RA2 voxels... they don't really have redundant voxels within them. But even then, use VXLSE 1.39's 8-faced algorythm, older ones (1.38 only has 4-faced) causes black dots. _________________ "If you didn't get angry and mad and frustrated, that means you don't care about the end result, and are doing something wrong." - Greg Kroah-Hartman
=======================
Past C&C projects: Attacque Supérior (2010-2019); Valiant Shades (2019-2021)
=======================
WeiDU mods: Random Graion Tweaks | Graion's Soundsets
Maintainance: Extra Expanded Enhanced Encounters! | BGEESpawn
Contributions: EE Fixpack | Enhanced Edition Trilogy | DSotSC (Trilogy) | UB_IWD | SotSC & a lot more... QUICK_EDIT
If you could also suggest any optimizations to the game database, along with voxel parsing. One point that I was considering was removing redundant voxels on all the default voxel to reduce a render impact of 100+ rhinos on one screen along with 100 grizzlies and so on. Especially in 2v2 games on large maps.
I would appreciate your professional opinion on the subject.
Make all Translucent=Yes Files to Translucent=No (That reduces Lag slightly I think)
"Fixing" some of the the Vanilla voxels will just cause them to suffer from getting holes though.
We're talking about Basic Red Alert 2 right? Not Yuri's Revenge? So let's see...
I'm assuming you've already added the fixes and optimization tips posted in CnC Guild?
Proper Coloring of the Allied Unit Cameos maybe? (Like make them all Blue)
The Ares "Prism Forwarding fix"
Demolition Truck requiring to Face targets to explode, Giving it Deploy Mode.
They xcan't mess with inis, Jem. That'd blow up the compat with nonpatch users.
Which is a heresy.
Those silly puritans...
If you guys would mess with INIS at least I think that'll stop the Cheaters since everyone would need to have the same files and of course if someone else is using a modified ini the game usually crashes. _________________ ~ Excelsior ~ QUICK_EDIT
If you could also suggest any optimizations to the game database, along with voxel parsing. One point that I was considering was removing redundant voxels on all the default voxel to reduce a render impact of 100+ rhinos on one screen along with 100 grizzlies and so on. Especially in 2v2 games on large maps.
I would appreciate your professional opinion on the subject.
Make all Translucent=Yes Files to Translucent=No (That reduces Lag slightly I think)
"Fixing" some of the the Vanilla voxels will just cause them to suffer from getting holes though.
We're talking about Basic Red Alert 2 right? Not Yuri's Revenge? So let's see...
I'm assuming you've already added the fixes and optimization tips posted in CnC Guild?
Proper Coloring of the Allied Unit Cameos maybe? (Like make them all Blue)
The Ares "Prism Forwarding fix"
Demolition Truck requiring to Face targets to explode, Giving it Deploy Mode.
Removing the unnecessary text in the ini's...
Proper Shadows on Infantry, (Using TS Shadows)
NO InI edits! As said it will cause heresy!
Yes, this is Ra2 only.
No I don't know much about CnC Guild. Would you like to link me to those tips?
Eh?? Cameos are fine IMO Unless a unique side identifying style could be included along with a siderbar reskin which I'm not willing to make at the moment.
Anying that will improve the look, usability and modernize the interface is welcome.
What is the prism forwarding fix? Is this the cliff link power up bug fix?
I've also considered improving ini parsing and filesize by removing the comments and the crap that's not needed, but yet again even with no real changes to game workings it gives compatibility errors. I do like the added snappiness feel to optimized ini's though.
Wouldn't shadow editing require huge amounts of shp editing work?
The INI edits you're talking about have all been considered, though we can't release any "official auto updating patches" Which would solve all of the compatibility issues.
Along with anti cheat fixes, some re orderings of the tags to make all unit enabling trainers to be confusing or causing them to crash. QUICK_EDIT
Make all Translucent=Yes Files to Translucent=No (That reduces Lag slightly I think)
hehe I am using translucent no on flak explosion to get better black cloud explosion! Thats much better than translucent one.
DaRTzO wrote:
Eh?? Cameos are fine IMO Unless a unique side identifying style could be included along with a siderbar reskin which I'm not willing to make at the moment.
Are you joking? Cameos are fine?
Well prism tank and mirage tanks are yellow, in GDI color csheme because they are supposed to have GDI colors at first place, it is even show on trailer when yellow prism tanks are destroying Soviet Nuclear silo in Moscow.
But later in final version all ingame units got allied bluish scheme, and green apperience on cameos. So you need to recolor both Mirage and prism tank to match other greenish blue style of IFV, Grizzly, Tank destroyer. Chrono Miner and Battle fortress are ok but they also need some touches too.
Soviet Siege chopper is out of place too with Migs cameo. Also apocalypse is black. Soviets were supposed to have black scheme.
Yuris Gattling Tank is also in Allied Colors.
So, like Atomic_Noodles said, it needs some work on cameos. _________________ PPM Halloween Season 2021 QUICK_EDIT
Well, this is going too far into what most people don't notice or care about. Color scheme is not that important I also like the variation. A same scheme could be nice though. I still think it's not worth the effort.
If you have some performance or gameplay directed suggestions such as interface improvements then I'm all 'eyes'. QUICK_EDIT
Well, this is going too far into what most people don't notice or care about. Color scheme is not that important I also like the variation. A same scheme could be nice though. I still think it's not worth the effort.
If you have some performance or gameplay directed suggestions such as interface improvements then I'm all 'eyes'.
IIRC if its just Graphic Changes and you don't mess with sequences or INIs you can safely replace Voxels and SHPs.
Give Infantry proper SHPs which have TS Shadows instead of the solid black one.
Soviet Wall Cameo has Remap (Residual from PreRelease where Walls had Remap) I could send you the Cameos in SHP Format. This won't crash the game iirc since it only changes aesthetics on your side and it already exists. _________________ ~ Excelsior ~ QUICK_EDIT
I've also made a modified SHP of the Engineer without the blue edges.
Some are modified and or fixed. They're already in Cameo Palette as well.
I'm in the process of making proper Brick Soviet & Allied Blue Cameos as well...
Though if you are gonna use the new versions of the Cameos I've made you'll have to use them all since my Veteran Ones have Shadow on the Chevron where the Vanilla Ones don't... _________________ ~ Excelsior ~ QUICK_EDIT
- Added WOL components to fix bugs.
- Added Binkw32.dll to fix bugs.
- Added Pro Hotkeys enhancement.
- Added some misc fixes and edits to the strings file.
- Added a few multiplayer maps.
A Little request... can you also incorporate the unit lines from YR? I know its not much but the distinctiveness in unit sounds usually make the game also more fun.
To do that he would have to edit sound.ini/provide altered audio.bag and no doubt that is again off limits as no touching inis while I can't recall if sync is an issue in this case but usually is.
I love how he doesn't get unit lines what it means in this case and needs explaining QUICK_EDIT
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C&C Red Alert 2 Unofficial Patch
so yeah unless you can pursuade XWIS to allow this Mod slide...
