Digital Arts has launched the supply code for Command & Conquer to a group of modders who like designing new ranges for the classic real-time technique recreation.
It’s a good transfer for the group, nevertheless it additionally tells me that EA sees no actual technique to make stable revenues on remakers of the real-time technique model, which was well-liked once I was rising up. That half makes me unhappy, nevertheless it’s price dealing with actuality.
Jim Vessella, C&C producer at EA, famous that the corporate launched the C&C Final Assortment on Steam final yr. This was a optimistic step in the direction of sustaining the legacy of Command & Conquer, however he mentioned EA at all times had the ambition to ship much more C&C franchise enhancements to the group.
So shortly after launch in 2024, EA commissioned Luke “CCHyper” Feenan (a veteran of the C&C group who was part of our Group Council for the C&C Remastered Assortment). Feenan was additionally concerned in bringing the C&C Final Assortment to Steam again in March 2024.
EA requested Feenan to formally analysis enhancements to lots of the video games within the Final Assortment. With full entry to the C&C Archive at EA, Feenan proposed a pair bold concepts on behalf of the group, and over the previous yr, he has devoted himself to ship upon these initiatives.
In an announcement, Feenan mentioned, “For these of you superior C&C followers who I’ve not crossed paths with earlier than, my title is Luke Feenan, aka. “CCHyper”. I’m a 20+ yr veteran of the C&C Group, a very long time modder, and an Admin of CnCNet. I used to be additionally very lucky to have been concerned within the growth of the C&C Remastered Assortment below the mentorship of Jim Vessella.”
Over the previous yr he has labored alongside the C&C stakeholders at EA to revive the Perforce supply code archives for the C&C video games again to buildable states, which now supplies the workforce with the flexibility to patch these traditional video games in a deeper method going ahead. As a very long time modder, it was superb to lastly get an opportunity to deep dive into the supply code for these video games and see how they work, Feenan mentioned.
It’s virtually 5 years in the past now that EA launched the supply code for the C&C Remastered Assortment DLL recordsdata. This launch acquired reward throughout the video video games business, and has enabled the group to create superb content material for the Remastered Assortment. In response to the restoration technique of the C&C archives, EA is now releasing the absolutely recovered supply code for Command & Conquer (aka, Tiberian Daybreak) and C&C Crimson Alert below the GPL license.
This can empower these locally who proceed to create content material for these traditional entries within the franchise, and Feenan hopes it would assist communities like CnCNet to proceed to assist these video games and preserve them playable for future generations to return.
Feenan mentioned the group over at W3DHub has finished nice issues with the C&C Renegade engine for nearly 20 years now and their initiatives have been pushing absolutely the limits of the sport. To assist them in taking the sport and their superior initiatives to the subsequent stage, EA can be releasing the whole supply code for C&C Renegade below the GPL license.
“All of us listed below are all actually excited to see what’s subsequent in retailer for the group over at W3DHub and what they are going to be capable of do with this launch,” Feenan mentioned.
And lastly, in appreciation of the C&C Generals group who’ve saved the sport alive with their constant power and ardour, internet hosting multiplayer tournaments, and producing superb content material, Feenan mentioned the corporate is releasing the total supply code below GPL for C&C Generals and its enlargement pack, Zero Hour.
“I do know the Generals/ZH group goes to do superb issues with this supply code launch, and I’m excited to see what the workforce over at C&C On-line does subsequent with the multiplayer expertise for these video games,” Feenan mentioned.
EA additionally mentioned it’s enabling the Steam Workshop assist for extra C&C titles to permit customers to add their customized maps. This has been an ask from the group for a really very long time so EA can lastly give map creators an official and everlasting house on the Steam Workshop for content material.
Now Steam Workshop assist has gone reside for: C&C Renegade, C&C Generals & Zero Hour, C&C 3 Tiberium Wars and Kane’s Wrath, C&C Crimson Alert 3 & Rebellion and C&C 4 Tiberian Twilight.
EA has additionally up to date all of the Mission Editor and World Builder instruments so you may publish maps on to the Steam Workshop. While you subscribe to an merchandise on the Steam Workshop (through the Consumer or webpage), the video games will now pull that content material down once you subsequent launch the sport and the maps can be displayed within the singleplayer/multiplayer map choice menus.
“We’re all wanting ahead to seeing what enjoyable and loopy maps you add,” Feenan mentioned.
EA is releasing a “C&C Modding Assist” pack which accommodates the supply Xml, Schema, Script, Shader and Map recordsdata for all of the video games that use the SAGE engine. This has been one other want from the group for nearly 15 years now so Feenan mentioned he’s excited to lastly make this occur, and it ought to assist the group to make superb content material and mods for the years to return.
“I wish to take a second to thank all of our Group Playtesters who’ve supported us all through this journey with their invaluable suggestions and encouragement, additionally an enormous thanks to everybody who has reported bugs and points for the C&C video games on Reddit and Steam,” Feenan mentioned. “And in fact to the entire C&C group for supporting these video games for over 25+ years.”
Feenan thanked the workforce at EA working at numerous studios and departments throughout the globe who’ve helped make this occur (there are simply too many to call!). Their assist for this venture and the C&C franchise was actually motivating throughout the remaining push to launch. He additionally thanked EA Companions and supporters together with technical director Brian Barnes and Vessella.
Vessella mentioned that, as with earlier modding initiatives, consumer generated content material for C&C titles fall below the Command & Conquer Franchise Modding Pointers, which have been up to date to mirror this initiative. Kudos to EA. As we’ve seen currently, there are worse fates for growing older recreation properties.
