Development Status of Red Alert Redux (May 2023) news - RTS Fans

Work continues on developing the mod towards making a first release later this year. The two main factions along with their units, structures, and special abilities are completed along with several new mod exclusive units and abilities being available to both sides. The AI is also now mostly complete on all settings and is undergoing extensive testing to ensure optimization and stability. Several standard gameplay and Naval enabled maps are set to be included when a full release is made.

To start off, here is a gameplay video featuring the AI and some of the Naval warfare employed. This video is provided thanks to TaxOwlBear, one of several mod beta testers.

A lot of time was spent trying to optimize the AI gameplay while dealing with a somewhat unfriendly game engine when it comes to AI pathfinding. As a result with the revisions made the AI is much more intelligent with their general behavior including building placement with it sticking defenses around bridges and other choke points along with garrisoning important structures such as the new and improved Tech Artillery Platform. The AI can also be seen going full turtle mode building large lines of defenses on their outer base perimeter. The AI can deploy mines and utilize infantry APC rushes or even Engineer rushes under certain circumstances such as having too few base defenses built by the opposing player. Another thing done to help improve gameplay was an overhaul of the skirmish maps which fixed several poorly placed attack paths or some that were not even labeled properly for the respective player position. It was noticed that this was a problem in several of EA's original Generals maps so I am suspecting that too was a source of a lot of the original game's issues with the terrible lag and poor pathfinding.

The Allied AI makes use of Spies and Thieves and even it's Gap Generators and newly added Chrono Tanks. Soviet AI players can employ their Attack Dogs and Air Force quite effectively as well, they will even slip in and deploy M.A.D. Tanks and Demo Trucks on an unsuspecting player, late game. On hard difficulty the AI controlled Artillery Strike and Badger Bomber attacks will be mostly used in conjunction with an AI attack wave instead of at random so this may provide more of a challenge at fending off attacks. Same with some of the base defense placements.

First off, some new features and upgrades involve some legacy RA units along with the inclusion of some all new units. One of these is the ability to garrison the Pillbox with 4 infantry units. It can still retain it's weapon and the Camouflage Upgrade.

Both sides can now build the Cargo Transport Truck as a cheap lightly armored transport while the Soviets also get the GAZ Scout Car. The trucks can hold up to 8 infantry while the Scout Car can hold 2. A benefit of the Scout Car is the infantry can shoot while in transport. (think of the Rock-vees from Generals) The Allies still have the "normal" APC vehicle as well.

The Allies get the "FlakPanzer", a mobile version of their anti-air base defense, this vehicle can also detect stealthed/hidden units. It shares similar functions to the Radar Jammer which is replaced for the Allies.
(Soviets retain their vehicle) Despite being only slightly larger and having a bit more armor than the Light Tank, it's also their answer to the Soviet Mammoth Tank's anti-air capability. The main benefit here is mobility.

Another new vehicle is the Soviet Flame Tank. With the increased employment of the much more effective Tesla Coil as a base defense, the Flame Tower was becoming dated and obsolete as-is, especially against the latest Allied artillery and aircraft. However, Soviet Commanders still saw it's use for offensive purposes in order to clear out dug in forces in urban areas. The Flamethrower Infantry units were found to be far too vulnerable as the war progressed, so instead they had the idea of mounting the base defense structure to their surplus tank chassis, thus the "Flame Tank" was born.

Miscellaneous
1.) While being able to deploy mines by default, Mine Layers can also detect and destroy enemy mines simply by driving over them. Mine Layers can also be real trolls when used properly. Saw the AI once place some in front of an enemy Service Depot which the mine then blew it and the tank that was driving to it up in the process.
2.) Allied Chinook Transports loaded with infantry can make use of the "Combat Drop" to clear enemy garrisoned buildings. (this is the Allies only way to clear garrisons)
3.) Soviets can clear garrisons using their flame weapons.
4.) The Spy, Attack Dog, Agent Tanya, and the Soviet Commando can detect stealthed/hidden units, including mines.
5.) Both Soviet Submarines, the Allied Gun Boat, and the Allied Destroyer all have a Sonar Pulse ability to detect Mines/Subs.
6.) The Allied Gunboat & Destroyer can deploy mines, these are best used to combat enemy submarines as this was a compromise since Depth Charges couldn't be done right in this engine. What I usually do is just bait the other ship or sub to attack, place a mine, then retreat and hope they follow and hit it.
7.) New hotkey: The Structure Repair Command Button is now using the "r" hotkey while Guard Air is using the "i" hotkey instead. (used to be "r") This streamlines gameplay for human players during intense matches so you won't have to keep reaching over and clicking on the sidebar command button.
8.) On top of being able to steal funds from enemy Ore Refineries and Silos, Thieves can also hijack enemy Ore Trucks.
9.) For ease of use the Medic and Mechanic simply have a constant firing AOE heal/repair ability so they wont have to be micro-managed. The effective range is indicated by their radius decals. As a bonus, their abilities also still work when loaded into a truck or APC.
10.) Infantry wont always stand and shoot at oncoming vehicles in a suicidal manner, if the enemy vehicle gets too close to the infantry, they may try to dodge them to keep from getting ran over and squished.

Fake Structures

"Fake" Structures were also recently implemented for the sake of "completeness". You can use these to lure in enemy Commandos, Spies, or Thieves to waste their efforts on. They can also be upgraded to real structures or ordered to self destruct. Also the yellow indicator box shown is only visible to the owning player.

Chrono Tank & M.A.D. Tank

And finally, the Chrono Tank and M.A.D. Tank have indeed made it into the mod. Implementing the Chrono Tank into the Generals SAGE engine turned out better than expected thanks to exploiting an art bug with the code. Meanwhile, the seismic wave explosion code for the M.A.D. Tank (which actually reused some effects from the MOAB in ZH) had some unintended side effects here which was quite amusing. (Flying Chitzkoi!)

©2023 C&C Redux Development Team