Red Alert Modding

[Kodan]

...How exactly do you replace a units graphics? So. I just wanna mess around, and do something odd, and replace the Ranger with the Hummer from C&C >_> But. I'm having a little problem with that. As in, I don't know how to do it. I thought maybe it might be like, say Generals, just drop in the file the same folder, rename it and it'll instantly take affect, but it won't.

[Fenring]

It should, unless you named it wrong or it's not in a mix file.

[Kodan]

Ah, so it needs its own .mix file? Or does it need to be in the actual Red Alert .mix file?

[Fenring]

Should be able to be custom. I've replaced unit graphics before. I mean, I'm turning it into Tiberian Dawn...

[Kodan]

Hm.

I created a custom Red Alert .mix file, using XCC Mixer, and exported the Hummers Cameo and Model file, then renamed them to the same as the Ranger's, and imported them into the custom .mix and moved the .mix to the Red Alert folder, but the change never took affect. I might be doing this wrong, so. I have no idea. I'm just going by my experience with Generals and Tiberian Sun >_>

[Tesla]

You have to have "Image=(name of shp in capitals without .shp extension)" in the unit's section in rules.ini.

[Fenring]

Not if he's modifying the image.

[Tesla]

I don't think that usually works unless the .mix file is the same kind of .mix file that Red Alert uses. I think he should change the name of the SHP and do what I said above.
EDIT: The mix file needs to be named SC-XXXXX.MIX, where X is any letter or number. That may be why it isn't working.

[Kodan]

Ah. Yeah. That was why it didn't work. Be nice to have mentioned that earlier :P

Renamed the .mix to SC-xxx.mix, and made the changes and it worked.

Another question. Is it possible to use Tiberian Dawn sound files in Red Alert?
That's one change I wanna do. Tiberian Dawn sound effects are so much better then Red Alert's. >_>

[Kodan]

>_>

Another question/problem. All the imported things, appear in game as rainbow colored o_o
What's up with that? I used XCC Mixer to extract and create everything.

[Tesla]

You'll need to re-palette the graphics. This will take a lot of time and patience. Use XCC Mixer to convert the .SHP file to PCX images. Then you'll need a graphics program that can open PCX images, and open pre-saved palettes (such as a trial version of Paint Shop Pro or something). Use the palettes that I have attached at the end of this post. Go into each image individually, go to Image>Palette>Load palette, select the file "temperat.pal" and select the option "Maintain Indexes". Then go to Load Palette again, and load "RAJask.pal" and choose the option "Nearest Color". Save the image. Do this for each individual image, and then use XCC Mixer to convert all of the images into one SHP.
EDIT: I should mention that the method I have just described requires some version of Paint Shop Pro. If you have another graphics editor on hand with the same capabilities, adapt the method.

[Kodan]

...How exactly do you use XCC Mixer to do that?

[Tesla]

Using the box in the far left of the XCC Mixer window that contains directories and files, navigate to the folder that your SHP file is in. To convert it into a number of PCX images, right click on the filename of the SHP and choose "Copy as PCX". When you have finished with the palette conversion, select all of the images (in XCC Mixer, of course) and choose "Copy as SHP".

[Fenring]

You can quicken the process by using PCX (single).

[Kodan]

I got everything sorted now. Thanks for the help, both of you.

[Kodan]

Guess I ain't done modding. >_>

Is there a way to MAKE a unit that has no turret, have a turret? I changed the Allied Artillery, and turned it into the GDI MRLS. Retrofitted the Patrol Boats cannon into a missile weapon that works correctly.

However, the turret doesn't show since the Artillery has no turret. Is there a way to make the turret not only show, but ALSO work?

[Tesla]

Is there a way to MAKE a unit that has no turret, have a turret? I changed the Allied Artillery, and turned it into the GDI MRLS....However, the turret doesn't show since the Artillery has no turret. Is there a way to make the turret not only show, but ALSO work?
Unfortunately, no. Red Alert is a fairly old game (it came out in the mid-90s, a few years after C&C: TD), so a lot of the unit-related stuff is hard-coded (which means that it can't be changed by .INIs because it's coded into the program). Replace something else instead that actually has a turret, like one of the tanks. Private message me if you want a list I made of recommended replacement units.

[Kodan]

Yeah. I've been playing Red Alert for... ****, it's gotta be going on 10 years now. I got it shortly after it came out. I go through random spouts of playing it >_>

This is actually the first time I've ever HEAVILY modified the game. I did mod it before, but it was all minor stupid stuff. I was fine with the imbalances in the past, but. Now? Now I can't STAND them and want a BALANCED game.
Turret that doesn't suck? Yay!
Artillery (Now MRLS) that doesn't suck? Amazing.
Medium Tank can now go toe-to-toe with the Heavy. Holy crap!
Light Tank given an anti-infantry weapon. Sweet.
Ranger (Now Hummer) given dual role of light AA (Missile) and anti-infantry.
Tanya was turned into the Commando. (Commando >> Tanya in terms of badassness. I GOT A PRESENT FOR YA!)

Through yours and Fenring's help with the changing of graphics, I've brought a few of the old units back.

Anyway. I have a new problem. (Did you expect anything less from me? lol)

I'm trying to give the Allies the Advanced Guard Tower, to give them a defense that is on par with the Tesla Coil.
However, there's a problem with it. Absolutely no building I convert will display it. The icon on the sidebar is there, but the model in game doesn't actually show up.
I converted the following buildings:
[HBOX] (Camo Pill Box*)
[V09] (Single Tile Civilian house)
[V17] (Single Tile Civilian Field)

* = This was actually originally moved by me. It's main weapon was given to the Turret for a dual-role. But eventually that changed and the Turret returned to anti-vehicle, and the regular pillbox was turned into the Guard Tower.

[Tesla]

I suggest that you don't replace the Camo Pillbox with the Advanced Guard Tower, because you'll get graphical glitches: the part of the Adv. Guard Tower's graphics that is outside the normal size for the pillbox graphics will flicker. You should replace the Gap Generator instead (give it the image of the Adv. Guard Tower and change the GapRadius [or whatever it is] to 0). Since the Gap Generator has 64 frames (32 for healthy, 32 for damaged) because it's animated, you'll need an Advanced Guard Tower SHP with added frames. I've attached one at the end of this post.
EDIT: As to your problem of it being invisible, did you put the actual building SHP in the mix file and not just the icon?

[Kodan]

Can't do that with the Gap, I'm afraid.

Both a friend and I run this mod together online, and most of the time our games boil down to a 1v1 match after the comps are dead. (I usually kick his ass)
And because of this, we pretty much make HEAVY use of the Gap Generator. <3 the Gap.

Yeah. They are, the Make and file itself are named correctly. Anything I use it with, the model itself is invisible. I tried other Civilian Structures and they all failed too.

[Tesla]

Okay, I've looked at a few buildings in Red Alert. I now suggest that you replace the AA Gun ([AGUN] in rules.ini) with the advanced guard tower. It would be fairly pointless to give the allies two anti-aircraft defenses.

[Fenring]

You could replace a pillbox. Recommended on the regular one since it's rarely taken over it's camo'd counterpart. Size should take the shape of the host image instead of a hardcode. Even the AA Gun would fall short and it's a minor issue with the selection box anyway.

[Kodan]

Heh. I got the AA Gun to "work".
Had to make 128 frames (Pain the ass!) for it, but it properly displayed, unlike everything else. However, now it doesn't attack at all. Lol.

Edit: Ignore that. It DOES attack, but you can't manually attack with it >_<

[Tesla]

You could have used the SHPs I posted above. The ATWR SHP in that .zip has 128 frames (I remembered wrong when I posted it), and was designed for use with the AA Gun.

[Kodan]

Yeah. I never thought of using yours. When I finished making it into a .shp, I realized that you had uploaded one >_>
Think I'm good for now. I hope. Lol.

Thanks again for all the help... Well, I suppose I actually should say, thanks for the patience. :p
I know I'm not the easiest person to teach >_>