It Came From Red Alert!
Beta Release 1
A mod by Daz
-----------------------------------------What's this ICFRA Beta Release 1 thing all about then?

This is the first beta release of my Red Alert mod.
The mod aims to bring Red Alert into the Red Alert 2: Yuri's Revenge engine.  I intend to replace all units and structures, bring in the RA sounds and other key elements like the infantry remains.  It's likely that I will make a campaign map or two for each side at some stage too.
Whilst the mod's name is a reference to the B-Movie style screen from the Counterstrike ant missions, it is unlikely I'll be bringing the ants back for another crack at fame.  It could happen though, if I get bored and fancy making some shp ants.

This first beta release has all of the non-graphics coding done (although alot of that is done too), the AI coding has been modified to make the AI use everything it should and not use things it shouldn't.  The AI is not final by any means however.  Some graphics have been introduced but these are certainly subject to change, some are placeholders that are not necessarily anything like the final version will be whilst others are early versions of the final graphics - this is in more detail below.

-----------------------------------------You say this is a "Beta Release"?

Yes, I have spent a good few days testing this myself as I went along adding and changing things and have squashed all the bugs I can find.
I'm now handing over to the public to try and find any problems so I can fix them for the second release.  It gives me chance to work on the graphics and in an ideal world would mean only two beta releases before Release Version 1.

I'd like all feedback posted in this topic on the Revora Forums (http://forums.revora.net/index.php?showtopic=42170), this topic also details areas which may contain bugs.  If you don't have a Revora account and for whatever reason refuse to register for one you can send feedback to this e-mail address (icfra@dazw.co.uk)

-----------------------------------------So what's actually in there?

All weapons, warheads, units and structures have been modified to use the RA attributes (strength, speed, cost, damage, etc).
The tech trees have been made to match the RA ones.

All selection, moving, firing, exploding and squishing sounds have been replaced, aswell as some miscellaneous ones.

The skirmish countries have been modified to match the RA countries as much as possible.  Some of the tags do not carry over into RA2 however, so alternate bonuses have been put in place from what is available.

Some ingame graphics have been changed, these are either first versions of the new art or placeholders and so are likely to change.
New ingame art is as follows: Artillery, APC, Light Tank, V2, Ore Truck, MCV.
New ingame placeholder art is as follows: Medium Tank, Yak, Hind, Radar Jammer, Ranger, Demolition Truck.
Any instance of a structure or unit using original RA2 art is a placeholder, except for infantry which may remain unchanged.

Some UI graphics have been changed, these are likely to only have small modifications in their final versions.

The blood from RA has been added, however it just the original animations resized by 150%.  I haven't decided if this looks okay or if I am going to have to make new blood graphics.

There may be some other changes that have slipped my mind.  If you find any let me know so I can include them here.

-----------------------------------------Well how do I play?

You should have a .exe file called "It Came From Red Alert! - Beta R1", run the program and click play.
It's worth mentioning the mod requires Red Alert 2: Yuri's Revenge version 1.001, though why anyone would be using anything else is beyond me.
The mod does not require the Rock Patch, if more Red Alert features are resurrectied through RP then I may use it but for now I don't feel the need.

-----------------------------------------Who made this stuff?

Any new voxels or shps are made by me (Daz).  The sounds are ported from Red Alert and as such are © Westwood Studios/EA Games, as is any unmodified Red Alert 2 content and the wallpaper graphics distributed as part of the Red Alert Themes Pack.