YuriTD88

I'd like to experiment with new game modes through the launcher. I made a mod loooong time ago (time flies..), which I am planning to make compatible with CNCNET. At least for myself, but I might actually release a new version if there are nasty bugs that need crushing, as I remember a broken version was also circulating around. (Yuri's Revenge Skirmish Pack: https://download.cnet.com/Command-Conquer-Yuri-s-Revenge-Skirmish-Pack-Final/3000-2121_4-10264129.html ) oh wow.. 2004 What I found so far.. Steps: - In the /INI/Mapcode/ folder 1. I need to put the gamemode INI files, which I already have in my mod (inside the MIX) - In the /INI/ folder 2. I need to add the following MINIMAL code to MPMaps.ini, like: [CUSTOMGM] CustomIniPath=INI\Map Code\CustomGM.ini 3. I need to add the "CustomGM" gamemode to ALL maps that I want supported inside MPMaps.ini, like: [Maps\Yuri's Revenge\XMP25T6] Description=[6] DEFCON 6 GameModes=Battle,Free For All,Meat Grinder,Unholy Alliance,CustomGM (can be done quickly with some notepad tricks) My questions: 1. Will I be able to play online with the original game modes? 2. Will I be able to play online with the new game modes? (with a friend of mine that has the exact same mod) 3. Will I get a message that I have modified files and might be cheating, when I join a game room? 4. When CNCNET updates, will it overwrite the file? Or will it skip it, even though there is a newer version? 5. How often does MPMaps get updated? Isn't it a fixed set of YR maps that are already released by Westwood? (and therefore, not going to be updated?) 6. Would it be possible to created a MPMapsYRSPF.ini (for my own mod) that will append the dropdown list with my own game modes?

Please have this implemented as a game mode at least! (the VS_AI version of that mod, so only the AI improvements) The "Brutal AI" option should stay in its current form, as it is a an improvement to the AI, but makes it nice and playable when playing multiple AI's, for example 2v2 with a friend vs AI. It can also be used in combination with other game modes that you select. The mod that you talk about makes it the most brutal AI I have ever seen in RA2/YR, as 1 AI opponent is already challenging your skills. That's why this should be a seperate gamemode. (with permission of the author of course) (https://forums.cncnet.org/topic/8430-modvs_ini/?tab=comments#comment-73023) Ehm.. please? EDIT: Upon re-reading your comment, I notice that you suggested an extra button for a higher level AI next to Brutal AI. Now that I think of it again, yeah, let's add Extreme AI or something

I really appreciate your work on the AI. I've been using your VS_AI mod (just the AI modifications) and it really challenges me in my micro. It's also awesome to use it with CNCNET and have AI battle each other, with me being a spectator! I have a question, but it probably is related to how the CNCNET client works instead of your mod. To succesfully use it, I have to do the following: https://forums.cncnet.org/topic/6872-is-there-a-way-to-use-rulesmdini-for-local-skirmish-game/?tab=comments#comment-54037 Is there a way for the mod to co-exist with CNCNET, without interfering it? I kept renaming the files (spawner.xdp original and VSAI (rulesmd.ini) ) and moving back and forth, depending on if I needed to play online or not. One time I updated the client when it probably had VSAI in it, and my installation got corrupted, when I put back the original spawner.xdp (which then was probably was from the older version). I wish there was an easier way. Can I put it in the "gamemode" list in Skirmish somehow?

@ahhui / @Dyna There is a file called spawner.xdp. This is the RulesMD.ini of CnCNet. You can make a backup of this file (you could rename it to spawner_bkp.xdp and then rename your modified RulesMD.ini to spawner.xdp and put it in the same folder. If your friends use the exact same method and modified RulesMD, then it should work online with AI as well.

@Winston: Ah, the links have died after the migration to the new forums Basically I use the screenshot function in Steam. You can turn this on and configure the hotkey for it in the Steam settings. Then, you have to add the CnCNet shortcut "as a game" in your Steam library. Now, when you start CnCNet through Steam and start a game (try Skirmish), you can use the defined hotkey to make screenshots. The Steam overlay somehow does a good job of capturing the ingame. Also, you can choose where to save an uncompressed copy of your file. Whether you turn this option on or off, Steam will always make an uncompressed copy of the screenshot in one of its own directories. Though, since I want it saved in an "easy location like My Pictures", I decided to turn the other option on. This does mean you get unneeded copies in the Steam directories and I regularly "clean that up". SHIFT+S was never a problem for me on , the files got saved in the RA2 dir as PCX files. They can be viewed with Irfanview. @Langford: I have not tried this I use the TS-DDRAW renderer, which you can choose in the CnCNet client options. There was only one other (I think DxWnd) which worked almost as good, but slowed down whenever I moved units and the screen. I think using these renderers somehow is causing the screenshot programs not to catch what's happening ingame. But there seems to be no other choice if you actually want to play the game

I tried various stuff with winetricks / playonlinux. Once I got the clientdx (I think this one) to work, but it wouldnt read the settings and all. Starting a game through it didnt work. What exact .NET version do I need to test?

Forget my suggestion and try that one first ^ It is more likely the cause

This really sounds like the same problem I am having under Linux with Red Alert 2 (so without CnCNet), like I explained here: https://forums.cncnet.org/index.php?topic=7513.msg53226#msg53226 Though I see you are under Windows 10, in which case you should re-check which render option is selected in CnCNet. TS-DDRAW works under Windows 10 Home 64-bit for me. Better than the other options anyway. (see https://forums.cncnet.org/index.php?topic=7332.0 for more details of the Win 10 problems I am having)

This sounds a bit like you need to reconfigure your monitor to set the X and Y position. Try checking that first (when ingame). The CnCNet client puts the chosen resolution in your ra2md.ini file in the RA2 folder. I use the TS-DDRAW on Windows 10 and my INI file has the following values. Perhaps you can try copying this to yours, though do not forget to backup your file beforehand. You can also just make sure that the bolded part is in your INI file.

The option "save uncompressed version to location..." makes these high quality PNG files and you can also choose where you want them saved. And, when you click on the "Show on disk" button through the Steam library on the custom game YR, you get redirected to the JPG files which are lower quality in a Steam userdata directory. I settled with the first option, because with Irfanview you can easily batch rename + convert them to any name and image type/quality. Would have been nice if my screenshot application just worked like on Windows 7, so I wouldn't need to repeat those steps.

This solution does make ingame movement very laggy, especially when moving. This is what it does on my Win10 installation anyway, maybe it works for other people. Or perhaps I need to configure the INI in a different way? I tried all emulation modes and only two numbers work, including the default one (1).

Or the icon could be updated realtime when the host changes this option in the lobby, just like the current user count and selected map. This means less checkboxes when creating a game, keeping it as "clean" and simple as possible

I guess I have to try installing dotnet through winetricks or something. Maybe it will help some. More info on RA2 and YR under Linux to anyone who is interested: - I do notice more chance of internal errors on YR when playing under Linux. Happened twice when I played a longer game. I also don't think it's the unit count, because I had eliminated a couple AI before it even crashed. - Also, when I start RA2, I first have to alttab out of it and get back in it, to actually start playing. Also the preview maps when selecting game options is not looking so well. Luckily this is not the case with YR

Does anybody know how / did anybody get the CnCNet client to work on Linux? I have the latest Linux Mint 18.1 Cinnamon and got both RA2 and YR to work "alright" with some regedit additions and some DLL's including the ddraw.dll in the game folder, through Wine. The mouse ingame flickers a little and moves a little different than under Windows, but other than that it seems to run fine. If anyone got any info on this, that would help me as well The only thing I can't get running through Wine is the CnCNet client right now. Has anybody got experience with this? I've searched the forums for Linux info, but didn't find a way to run it.

I have the exact same issue on Windows 10. This is a working solution: https://forums.cncnet.org/index.php?topic=7332.msg52173#msg52173 Alternative is SHIFT+S, which is the ingame screenshot key and makes PCX files in the game folder (can be viewed with a free Image viewer like Irfanview)

Thanks for clarifying that

Okay, I started from scratch took the following steps on both computers: 1. Re-downloaded VSAI 2. Renamed spawner.xdp to spawnerX.xdp in the RA2 dir to disable it 3. Extracted VSAI files (aimd.ini and rulesmd.ini) in the RA2 dir 4. Renamed rulesmd.ini to spawner.xdp And.. it works! Seems there was one byte difference in the rulesmd file on the two computers, which was causing this. I remember making more money available through rulesmd.ini when I played without the CNCNet client, since it was max 10000. This did not matter of course with the CNCNet client, but the difference did cause the error. And for anyone that's interested: I did not enable modmode=yes anywhere, so that's not needed anymore it seems! ps: I edited the subject to notify it's solved

Did anybody get any mod to work online (besides MentalOmega, which is designed to work with the client)? Maybe I just need steps to follow in order, just in case I might have missed a tiny detail

Yes, without a mod we have also played against AI on a couple of maps. We did this both via CNCNET as on LAN and there was no strange behavior.

Anybody? Somebody? Dev team?

Good stuff Bryan. Been following your vids for a while, it's entertaining

First off, I have read the following topic: https://forums.cncnet.org/index.php?topic=6217.0 I tried it with a friend through LAN even on two different computers. We wanted to try the VSAI mod, which consists simply of rulesmd.ini and aimd.ini. On both computers I had renamed spawner.xdp to spawnerX.xdp to disable it and renamed the VSAI rulesmd.ini to spawner.xdp. The aimd.ini file I left untouched. Now when I play a Skirmish map on one computer, there is no issue and the AI is correctly upgraded brutally and I can play fine through the CnCNet client. When we try a LAN or Online game with one of the computers as a host and no other players, it does not work. We tried to start a simple game on Russian Roulette against one HARD AI to get it to work. When the host starts the game, both computers start loading. Though on both screens you only see yourself loading and the other one seems to have disconnected eventually. Both clients then proceed with a different session of the same map, so there is now effectively two clients with a 1v1 against the same AI. The reason I have not changed the value to modmode=true, is because I could not find the INI file which was mentioned in that topic. I have opened ALL INI files in the RA2 directory AND its subdirectories and searched for modmode with notepad++ on all opened files. It did not return a hit. Has this been changed since then? How can I get this to work?

That's already included in the CnCNet client options. It's the DxWnd renderer in display settings. The only external tool that I've personally found for taking screenshots that works is Steam (launch the client / game through Steam as a non-Steam game). But generally I just stick to the game's own screenshot hotkey. Ah, I thought I had tried all the options in the CnCNet client already, but seem to have missed that one Yes, it seems to be the same one (with the same side effects ingame). Are there people working on either of these DLL's for improvements? They are both close to completely fixing Windows 10 issues. Awesome, Steam ingame overlay seems to do the trick! I added the CnCNet client and it works Is there a way to change which type and compression to save it as?

So recently I got a new laptop with Windows 10 (Home). Beforehand I did some reading on what problems I could expect and I noticed there's luckily enough fixes around to get RA2/YR to work. Also, I am aware the every system is different and DLL's could react different for everyone. Though I hope to provide info for the RA2/YR community regarding the Win10 compatability and also hope that somebody might help me with some issues which I am having I'll begin by saying that simply with the TS-DDRAW through CnCNet, the game works on Windows 10 (ingame). This is of course the most important part of playing YR, being able to play it . So thumbsup to the folks who made this possible! So why am I posting? Well, in order of priority: 1. Right before the game starts (after the loading screen with every player), the screen "jumps to desktop and back to ingame" or "flickers for a while". Now this is not a very big deal, but still delays deploying the MCV / making my first move. 2. When I am ingame and want to switch to the "ally" or "settings" screen, it flickers again. A couple times for everytime I click to a new screen. I can still get done what I want, but the flicker is annoying and it takes more time to actually return back ingame, annoying especially if you want to quickly ally ingame in the beginning when you're still building and stuff. 3. Both RA2 and YR have problems starting (black screen and/or crash) when you run them (without CnCNet). 4. I cannot take screenshots ingame. (tried GreenShot, Lightshot, e.d. They give me either black screens or the YR menu instead of whats happening ingame. SHIFT+S works fine, but I'd like to save to a different location and apply date/time and use a different compression. So I managed to get #3 working for YR by using the No-CD files instead of the Origin files. I still had these lying around for my CD's of RA2/YR which I had. To make installations easy I purchased it on Origin and copied these No-CD files to the RA2/YR dir. Though the menu is working properly, I still experience the same flicker for every screen that I click on. Basically the same issue #1 and #2, except I can now do campaign or anything else through the original YR menu's I kept looking for the ultimate fix and I have tried various DDRAW files off the internet (for example https://www.dll-files.com/ddraw.dll.html) or anything I could find on CNC forums/websites, including the RA2/YR compatibility databases & exe fixes on these forums and the XWIS fix. I'll save you the trouble by not mentioning it all, but most of them just didn't work and the TS-DDRAW included with CnCNet just works the best. However there is one fix which came very close into fixing BOTH RA2 and YR with all the menu's, without flickering AND ingame play. It's the ts-yr_proxy, which I downloaded at https://ppmforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=548140&sid=803a5509c5106943ebffc5ef825426ef Direct download link: http://www.ppmsite.com/downloads/ts-yr_proxy.zip Also, because I noticed lots of fixes which are giving 404 errors which made me sad :roll:, I will also upload it with this post for anybody in the future who gets a 404 on the earlier link. So this replaces the ddraw.dll in the RA2/YR dir (do make a backup of it !) and adds two more files, of which one is an INI which can be configured. Though for me the default settings worked alright. When I start ra2.exe or ra2md.exe (these are the No-CD variants), the game starts fine and menu works fine! No more flickering and fast response in menu's. The problem with this fix however.... is when you select units, order them to move or just scroll around the map when there's units moving around, it gets LAGGY. I was very happy to have found this fix, but the ingame lag is a dealbreaker Conclusion: - CnCNet TS-DDRAW + No-CD exe files : RA2 does not start, YR does start but flickers, YR ingame works perfect! Cannot take ingame screenshots with external tools - TS Proxy + No-CD exe files: RA2 & YR both start fine. There is NO flickering of menu's. Ingame has lag when performing actions! Cannot take ingame screenshots with external tools My question(s): 1. Who can take the best properties of these 2 DLL's and make the perfect one? 2. Is anybody else experiencing this flicker? Did you find a fix for it? 3. Or... which other fix can I try which worked perfect for other Windows 10 users? So I want to be able to start both RA2 and YR standalone, have no menu lag and most importantly no ingame lag . Optionally I would like to be able to take screenshots with a program like GreenShot. And uh... it's good to be back at RA2/YR after all these years. Seeing an active online communities surprised me, but more important... makes me want to go all out RA2/YR again.