AlexB

Spyda: Your debug logs do not show anything suspicious. The game is not stopped because of a crash, in which case an except file should be created. Are you using ddraw.dll? I know of some problems ddraw.dll fixes, like freezes. Several logs show not all required files are present in the game folder. Music and at least unit graphic files are missing. Extract all the Red Alert files from the downloadable package into a folder and install Arda into it. This should be enough to make it work. (The crashes are another issue, though.) Hi EchoLocation, thanks! The game tries to create an explosion animation which seems to have an invalid type. Which Counterstrike mission is it, or is it all of them? I'll have to check what causes this.

Du kannst die Anzahl der Gegner im Geplänkel in den Mehrspieler-Optionen des CCConfig-Programms ändern.

Jhonny: Go to the CnCNet settings and set the exe to syringe.exe and use the parameter "ra95.dat" (with quotes). IIRC the package removed ra95.exe and renamed ra95.dat, so if this does not work, use the parameter "ra95.exe". Spyda46: I need the "except-<date>-<time>.log" file from the same folder. (Please post it to pastebin or a one click hoster, the log would clutter the thread.) The log does not show anything suspicious. The score files are missing, because they aren't included in the package, walls don't have buildup anims and the building images do not exist.

Open or create arda.ini in the game folder and add this section: [Video] Width=1280 Height=720 Adjust=no If this does not work, can you post syringe.log on pastebin.com and give me the link?

Spyda46: Because no original disk contains all the required files, you would have to build your own main.mix to enable the "full installation/no-cd" mode. I'll try to make this easier to install RA, but it will take some time. Jhonny: How did you install RA (CD/TFD/some other package)? If you use the CD installation, disable NoCD mode in the launcher, if you got TFD, you can enable it. dolmeus2: The bar should get larger automatically (there is no option to turn it off). Can you put your syringe.log from the game folder (and maybe debug.log from the debug folder) on pastebin.com or on one of these free one click hosters that are still in business?

Wonderful comic. Made me laugh. I'll fix it in the next release, thanks! Even though I played through the campaigs, I didn't notice this. These odd resolutions might work with Arda and cnc-ddraw in windowed mode already. Just try to set them and disable Adjust in Arda.ini. @Spyda46 and Bullet: You don't have to pay and I won't accept any money. If a feature is fun to code, I'll eventually do it, but from what I know at the moment, extending the map size is a bumpy path into frustration. Rewriting the entire game should be faster.

What do you mean by "tried the change resolution trick"?

External addons / fixes: * CCConfig setzt den Kompatibilitätsmodus von C&C95.exe, wenn CnC-DDraw deaktiviert ist * CCConfig erlaubt jetzt die Option "Puffer im Grafikspeicher" zu deaktivieren, wenn CnC-DDraw aktiviert ist Code updates: * EIn Fehler wurde behoben, der die Erkennung der Spieleranzahl in Mehrspielerkarten in nicht-englischen Sprachversionen durcheinanderbrachte * Ein Fehler wurde behoben, der verhinderte, dass Mods ihre eigenen Musik-Einstellungen, rules.ini und Mauszeiger laden * Der erste Buchstabe des den Missionen im Menü Neue Missionen vorangestellen Seitenprefixes wird nicht mehr dazu benutzt herauszufinden, ob die ausgewählte Mission zu GDI oder Nod gehört. * Einstellung SkirmishPlayers=[1-5] zu conquer.ini hinzugefügt * Die Einstellung 'UseCreditsMusic' funktioniert jetzt richtig Graphics updates: * Das letzte Einzelbild der Turmgrafik des Nod-Raketenwerfers ohne Raketen wird nun in der richtigen Hausfarbe dargestellt.

They are looking for cinematic environment modelers with a requirement for "hard surface skinning" (opposed to organic surfaces). That does not really fit creating people (at least not to be used in the foreground of a movie). It could mean virtual sets or matte paintings for live action sequences, or action scenes like the ones featured in the earlier games. But of course, they could have hired people already who animate characters.

I'm still trying to figure out what some the excepts mean. I suspect this is a drawing function, but I don't know yet what it does. Was there anything special on the screen, like Tesla zap? Map size cannot be increased. It's just not worth the effort. My thoughts on map expansion are in there, they are the reason why I won't work on it and they explain the problems I know about as of this moment. But everyone is free to give it a try. And no, I haven't checked 1.04. I have no knowledge of 1.04. If I start exploring that now, you could expect first results in a few months. Most likely crashes while drawing something. I'm not done with it yet. Actually, that was just an ironic remark. But I don't think the renderer is the one who decides what a unit is doing.

@all: I'll take a look at the log files this evening. Hi Nyerguds The game always allocates 16384 cells, and this maximum number is hardcoded everywhere. Building foundations use seven bits for the x and y components, but the placement logic (and others) uses hardcoded offsets like -128, +1, +128 and -1 to get to the neighbour cells. Easy to miss one. Finding them all would be a pain in the lower back. And then there's the problem of classes containing fixed length fields, which would have to be replaced completely. Savegames format would have to be changed, causing incompatibilites. This also prevents me from enabling custom UnitTypes easily. The game is designed to do what it does, with very little room for expansions. Finally, cell indexes are saved as 16 bit unsigned shorts. Several methods checks whether the index is valid ("index<0x4000", index can't be less than 0, larger values than 16383 are invalid). Expanding maps to 256x256 would make every index valid ("index<0x10000", but 0xFFFF is the actual maximum for the data type, so this is always true), thus possibly units would drive out of the map southward and come in from the north again. And I don't think WW ever updates anything. The ore mine not spreading ore on the cell just south of it was because they used the same foundation that would fit the blossom tree from TD. And the limit of 74 cameos per sidebar list is known as Whiteboy bug in Yuri's Revenge, which makes me wonder whether the hunt command in Generals 2 will still target the most top-left unit...

@mrgreenno1: I'll see whether I can find the spot the players ally. @Spyda46: I need the debug.<date>.log and except.<date>.log files from the folder "debug". The syringe logs don't mention any crash happened. Do you use ddraw.dll? The NoCD-mode only works if all files (graphics, sounds, maps) are installed in the game directory. The original CD installation does not do that. At the moment, there is no easy way to fix this.

Hi all, sorry for the recent lack of updates. I'm currently working on my other project, Ares, which finally is nearing completion. I'll get back to Arda soon. Parabombs are indeed disabled in multiplayer modes. It is an easy change, but changing which SW is connected to which builiding type is more difficult. 1) Yeah, that's a problem, because adjust snaps the resolution to the 24x24-cell-grid. This results in a video mode the game does not support. I have yet to find a way to fix it. 2) I don't know where this tag is applied, and I don't know how it was supposed to work. 0) Thanks 1) Without the source code, maps will not get bigger in this decade. The maximum size of maps is hardcoded in places that can't be expanded without turning the game upside down, in the data formats of foundations and cell indexes and in sanity checks all though the game. Sorry. 2) Build queues are a rather complex feature. Too early to say anything definite.

I don't think it's a looping anim either, but for testing I made it a looping anim, because otherwise I had to wait for minutes just to see the anim play once. Extending the range is possible for the iron curtain, but not for the Chronosphere. I have not planned to extend the super weapons yet. All these features change great aspects of the game, gameplay-wise and code-wise. Without the source code, I won't even attempt this.

Hi Nyerguds, here's the german text: skirmish_opponents=Gegner im Geplänkel

Hi Chad1233, I've seen that bug. I'll try to solve it sometime. IIRC it is at the same location the repair bay fix is, but it is only a cosmetical issue. I enabled the Iron Curtain anim. it doesn't look that good if looped. I also tested a custom anim. Maybe I can enable it for the next version, but it won't make it into the final product. And a quick update for everyone: The bonus fixes don't work, because one expert made it calculate the multiplicative inverse every time the value is read. If it is set in rules, it would be fixed, but reading aftrmath.ini undoes this change again, which is no smart move. Sorry.

Hi all, I uploaded yet another testing version. This time, three bugs have been fixed: England and France country bonuses Instant Repair on Service Depot Shroud Regrowing from Gap Gens even with active GPS The features present on the last picture are: Turret on Back option draws the turret on the back of the unit, not centered (like MGG) Special "attack turret" like the MSAM has. If the unit is idling, the turret is lowered. Ammo turrets, displaying a number of missiles depending on ammo like the MRLS has (number is customizable) Auto-reloading for units like the V2RL. This adds the Reload= tag, which was not in RA. Also added, but not in the picture Alternate unit body graphics depending on ammo like the V2RL SelectionBrackets for units fixed. Now also accepts non-square rectangles. Portable mode: If enabled, CStrikeInstalled and AftermathInstalled are read from arda.ini. Some more changes. Get the latest version here. Examples (Image= files not included in Arda): ; MLRS from TD [unitType] Image=MLRS TurretOnBack=yes AmmoTurretCount=3 TurretAmmoFrames.Start=32 TurretAmmoFrames.Count=32 Reload=450 ; MSAM from TD [unitType] Image=MSAM TurretOnBack=yes TurretFrames.Start=64 TurretFrames.Count=32 TurretTargetFrames.Start=32 TurretTargetFrames.Count=32

Hi r34ch, I started coding a setup tool to create a combined main.mix from the ISO/CD mixes already, but it's not finished for a release yet. It requires about 2.5 GB free disk space in this process, but it creates a mix file that should have the same size as the TFD installation. I won't provide a complete package, though -- it would be too large to host it, and considering Arda's beta state, constant updates would kill my connection

This just in! Spokesman: "I've nothing to say!". Tension rises as nothing's happening. Sorry for always being so pessimistic, but shouldn't this go to the No-News forum? I hope they are not really crunching already. If they are, the game is either in the last development stages or they are up to the old working style again. For coders, crunching is like working up to 72 hours a day without food while your boss treats and strangles your loved ones with a whip to motivate you to work faster (the stuff EA Spouse ranted about). The result is software that has about the same quality as an automobile assembled in just one hour.

Hi r34ch, you'll need to install the game from english ISOs, then install the 3.03 patch (I recommend Nyerguds' 3.03 patch), then Arda. In the Arda launcher, deactivate the No-CD mode. Because the original installers do not copy all the files to the harddisk, No-CD will not work. I haven't tested with RA+ or any other packages except for the CnCNet ones. If you installed it that way and it still does not work (i.e. the Arda version number does not show below the main menu), can you send syringe.log? @zocom7: For the next release I'll try to squeeze the download link into the first post, if there's enough free space.

Hi all, more than a week without news. I'm still working on the next release. It will take one or two more days and there won't be many new toys. Until then, here's a new picture. The new feature is not "more UnitTypes", sorry. These are just original units with new Image=, and one tank's weapon is changed to SCUD. But still, there are some new features in this picture.

Now I'm feeling old. All my favorite games are now in the category "Dead or beyond". But please make the category at least viewable. at the moment it is impossible to see which subforums got new messages.

@KevinLancaster: Power Plants and barracks are 2x2 plus bib, which makes it 2x3. I never heard of that kind of bug. Will test. @Sonarpulse: Yes. Actually I think it was a good choice not to use floats in a game.

The foundation feature is quite complex and there is no easy way to define something like this in an INI-style way. X can be a number from 0 to 25. No gaps allowed. 2x3 (add Bib=yes if needed): Foundation=2,3 Foundation.Cell0=0,0 Foundation.Cell1=0,1 Foundation.Cell2=0,2 Foundation.Cell3=1,0 Foundation.Cell4=1,1 Foundation.Cell5=1,2 3x3 (add Bib=yes if needed): Foundation=3,3 Foundation.Cell0=0,0 Foundation.Cell1=0,1 Foundation.Cell2=0,2 Foundation.Cell3=1,0 Foundation.Cell4=1,1 Foundation.Cell5=1,2 Foundation.Cell6=2,0 Foundation.Cell7=2,1 Foundation.Cell8=2,2 The bib makes the building one additional cell "higher". I hope this is what you wanted it, the 2x3 foundation does not exist in the original game, 3x3 is like the Construction Yard. If you included the Bibs already (which would make the building foundation like the barracks or the weapons factory), this code will not do what you want.

Hi Bullet, I almost thought I scared you away. I don't see another way to change the ROF. It is a reloading time multiplier, because that is what needs to be changed to fire faster. Converting "Damage * ArmorBonus" to something like "Strength * ArmorBonus" is not possible for many reasons, and I guess it's the same reason WW didn't use that approach. A UnitType has a Strength= value. If a unit has a health of "Strength * ArmorBonus", it would have 110% health. The green health bar would overflow. Mechanics and Service Depots would only restore up to "Strength" health and the unit would not count as damaged if it had a health of not less than Strength=. The engine counts on the fact the unit health is never higher than Strength=. This assumption is made in so many places it would not be possible to fix it reliably. The damage modifier is (afaik) in only one spot, when an object takes damage.