Build 98 Alpha

This is a sub-page of Proto:Command & Conquer: Generals.

This prototype was released by a former playtester after the game went gold. Unfortunately, the build doesn't have the executable, essentially making the entirety of its content unused. The build seems to contain an assortment of files from various development phases and because of its inconsistent nature, it may not be an actual build, rather a collection of files. Some of which are leftovers from very early stages in development before the factions were finalized.

The build also contains assets unrelated to the game itself, these might be leftovers from other SAGE projects being developed at the time. For more information, check the LegacyArt and GDFDatabase sections below.

Sub-Pages#

ModelsModels of things that never made it to the final game. GraphicsEarly selection icons for some units as well as some concept art. MoviesTransmission videos during missions, animated generals' portraits and much more. MapsVarious maps from different stages of development. Sound filesEarly\placeholder SFX and voicelines for units.

LegacyArt#

The folder LegacyArt contains some rather interesting models.

AISEAL#

A basic, cartoonish-looking model of a SEAL. It's different from the actual SEAL model found in this prototype and Zero Hour, it could be a very old relic of development. Some of his animations consist of him going prone, firing while prone and firing on the move. Which is strange since no such feature was ever showcased in game previews, nor is it possible to replicate in the final game but perhaps it was intended for infantry units in Generals to go prone just like in old Command & Conquer Games.

There is an unused, non-working Prone module in the final game. It may be tied to this.

Cmdo-Skin#

A relatively high detailed model of a soldier. This model was probably made for a Tiberian-styled game unrelated to Generals since according to game interviews, the SAGE engine (Which runs Generals) was given to Westwood Studios for their development of Command & Conquer 3: Incursion (also known as Tiberian Twilight), a cancelled game that would've been the sequel to Tiberian Sun. This is further supported by the fact its main mesh refers to it as NOD TROOPER. He has a full unique animation set. This model is used by the Nod Commando and the American Soldiers mentioned in the GDF files below. It's identical to the model named NIFOOTMAN used by the Asian Empire soldiers in the earliest released screenshots of the game although the texture is not the same.

GXMammothFX#

Same with Cmdo-Skin, this Mammoth Tank model was also made for a Tiberium-styled game, judging by the G in its model name, "GXMammothFX", which probably stands for GDI, and its file path ("..\Art\Models\GDI\Mammoth\GXMammothFX.w3d") in the file Generals(Assets).gdf. Its use in the earliest screenshots of the game was either placeholder or that the developer team intended for the Mammoth Tank from the original Command and Conquer to appear in the game in some capacity.

GDFDatabase#

There is a folder in the build named GDFDatabase, four of the six files there use the GDF extension, no such file extension is used by the final game.

It seems that the game was originally reliant on those GDF files to store its object data, unlike the final game which uses INI files. This could explain why some prototype maps, when opened in the Worldbuilder, ask you to replace missing objects despite said objects being in the game, because these maps were created early in development when the game used these GDF files and those objects in these maps call their data entries from the now non-existent GDF files. These files share a similar language syntax to the INI files of the final game.

Some of these files contain data unrelated to Generals such as GDI and NOD units and buildings. Their presence here could be explained by the aforementioned use of the SAGE engine by Westwood Studios for their then-upcoming game Command & Conquer 3: Incursion (also known as Tiberian Twilight) which was cancelled in the same time frame Generals was released. There are also leftovers of Red Alert units and buildings, these were used very early in development to test the 3D capacities of the SAGE engine. Recently released archived footage of Generals shows Red Alert-styled units and buildings in an engine prototype/tech demo from July 2001.

The files meant for Generals are very early leftovers since they reference the original three concept factions - American Strike Force, Asian Empire and Europa Alliance. At some point during development, the game switched to INI files for its object data. And this switch in formats very likely coincided with the faction redesign. This had left the GDF files outdated and obsolete, which is why they don't mention China or the GLA whatsoever.

The file format is still mentioned in few files in the game's source code.

Generals(Asset Types).gdf#

// Save file <Generals(Asset Types).gdf> for database <Generals>



AssetType: Texture/Targa {};

AssetType: W3D/Model {};

AssetType: Audio/Wav {};

Generals(Assets).gdf#

Generals(Assets).gdf

Generals(Data).gdf#

Generals(Data).gdf

Generals(Definitions).gdf#

Generals(Definitions).gdf

Generals.gdb#

// Main database file <Generals.gdb>

Root: "Data"
{
    SaveFile: "Generals(Data).gdf";
};

Root: "Data Defintions"
{
    SaveFile: "Generals(Definitions).gdf";
};

Root: "Assets"
{
    SaveFile: "Generals(Assets).gdf";
};

Root: "Asset Types"
{
    SaveFile: "Generals(Asset Types).gdf";
};

StaticFile: MappedImages.gdf ;

Generals.gdp#

 // Project file <Generals.gdp>

Image.gdf#

Image.gdf

MappedImages.gdf#

 #include "Image.gdf"

 // ============================================================================
 ItemSet: MappedImages
 {
   ItemType: GFX/Image; 
 };

 #include "MappedImagesGDF/GenericGUI256.gdf"
 #include "MappedImagesGDF/ControlBar256.gdf"

Generals System#

The GLA in this build are named Fundamentalist, probably as a temporary placeholder name.

The game was originally supposed to have a generals system, as its name suggests. It worked similar but differently to the generals system which eventually got used in the Zero Hour expansion pack - you did not select the general from the menu, but instead just selected your faction and then got the opportunity in-game to select your desired general. As a result, there were no vanilla factions like in Zero Hour. The generals system was removed from the final game mostly because the developers thought it would just weaken gameplay.

You select your choice of General from the Command Center through a special menu screen. The menu would've consisted of the General's portrait placed center left, with their name above and their sub faction name underneath. To the right are four possible units, upgrades and perks that would be unlocked for you by choosing the respective General. All relayed though animations.

Every faction had three generals. They were as follows:

• America Tank Command
• America Special Forces
• America Airforce
• China Red Army
• China Special Weapons
• China Secret Police
• Fundamentalists Terror Cell
• Fundamentalists Biowar Command
• Fundamentalists Warlord Command

This General System was supposed to offer bonuses and penalties for the player depending on their choice of the chosen general through modules that would increase or decrease the cost or training time by a percentage for certain units or give veterancy levels to some units. Some of these modules are commented out, suggesting they weren't fully coded by the time this build was compiled.

American Tank Command#

• A 20% decrease in cost and a 15% decrease in training time for his Supply Trucks.
  
• A 20% or 15% increase in cost for all trained aircraft.
  
• All trained tanks, including Predator Tanks would start as veterans.
  

America Special Forces#

• A 20% decrease in cost and a 15% decrease in training time for his Infantry, including Rangers.
  
• A 20% increase in cost and a 15% increase in building time for his Patriot Battery and other defensive building.
  
• All trained Rangers, SEALs and Pathfinders would start as veterans.
  

America Airforce#

• A 20% decrease in cost and a 15% decrease in building time for his Patriot Battery and other defensive buildings.
  
• A 20% increase in cost and a 15% increase in training time for his Predator Tanks and other tanks.
  
• All trained Aircraft units would start as veterans.
  

China Red Army#

• A 20% decrease in cost and a 15% decrease in training time for his Infantry, including Conscripts.
  
• A 20% or 15% increase in cost for all trained aircraft.
  
• All trained tanks, including Overlord Tanks would start as veterans.
  

China Special Weapons#

• A 20% decrease in cost and a 15% decrease in building time for his base defenses.
  
• A 20% increase in cost and a 15% increase in training time for his tanks.
  
• All trained Artillery units would start as veterans.
  

China Secret Police#

• A 20% decrease in cost and a 15% decrease in building time for his propaganda units.
  
• A 20% increase in cost and a 15% increase in training time for his aircraft.
  
• All trained Hackers would start as veterans.
  

Fundamentalists Terror Cell#

• A 20% decrease in cost and a 15% decrease in building time for his bomb units.
  
• A 20% increase in cost and a 15% increase in training time for his Scorpion Tanks.
  
• All trained Infantry, including Rebels would start as veterans.
  

Fundamentalists Biowar Command#

• A 20% decrease in cost and a 15% decrease in building time for his base defenses.
  
• A 20% increase in cost and a 15% increase in training time for his Infantry, including Rebels.
  
• All trained Toxin Tractors would start as veterans.
  

Fundamentalists Warlord Command#

• A 20% decrease in cost and a 15% decrease in building time for his Infantry, including Rebels.
  
• A 20% increase in cost and a 15% increase in training time for his aircraft.
  
• All trained Technicals would start as veterans.
  

GUIEdit#

GUIEdit is a development tool included with the prototype game that edits the window (WND) files which make up the user interface. It still works today (but only in compatibility mode) and can still edit the WND files, but it has certain glitches.

Text#

This game does not contain much text yet at this stage, but what it contains is rather interesting.

Sky Blue

The Cyan color is named Sky Blue in this build. In the final game the string itself is still named Color:SkyBlue

Asian Empire

Europa Alliance

African Warlords

Leftovers from very early development stages of the game, these were some of the potential factions that would've appeared. The strings are internally named INI:FactionAsia, INI:FactionEurope and INI:FactionAfrica. The Asian Empire was redesigned into China with their Scorpion and Buggies becoming GLA units, the Europa Alliance was scrapped and the African Warlords never made it past the concept stage.

NATO Tank Command

NATO Special Forces

NATO Air Force

These strings are for the American generals, but they referred to as belonging to a NATO faction, which is probably an old name for USA.

America
Tank
Command

America 
Special 
Forces

America
Air
Force

China
Red
Army

China
Special
Weapons

China
Secret
Police

Fundamentalist
Terror
Cell

Fundamentalist
BioWar
Command

Fundamentalist
Warlord
Command

These strings would've been used for picking your choice of General in the command bar.

Typhoon

Apparently a scrapped Chinese aircraft. Many aircraft in real life have the designation Typhoon, and it is unknown what aircraft this referred to.

Anti-Tank
Gun

This sounds almost like a name an upgrade would bear, and is strangely similar to the Anti-Tank Grenades that appear just a few lines further down (and also in the final game).

Battlemaster

Perhaps at one point the battlemaster tank belonged to the Fundamentalists, since it's not found in the Chinese text strings, but in the Fundamentalists strings. It's also mentioned in the Sneak Peek.

Upgrades#

All available upgrades in this build cost 500 credits, take 10 seconds to finish researching and use placeholder art. Most of the upgrades from the final game are here, but a considerable number was cut from the game.

USA#

Ranger Scout Drones#

The Scout Drone that can be built for American vehicles in the final game was originally an upgrade for the Ranger. The upgrade would've worked just like it does in the final game, following its master. It differs in that it was also going to activate weapon bonuses in the Ranger's weapon set, providing him with double range, rate of fire, and damage. These weapon bonuses are still in the Ranger's weapon set in the final game.

Ranger Smart Grenades#

The Smart Grenades may've been an early name for the Flashbang Grenades of the final game, otherwise there isn't a clue as to its purpose.

Seal Training#

An upgrade for the SEALs. It'd probably provide them a bonus of sorts. With the removal of the SEALs themselves, the upgrade didn't stick around.

Hover Tank#

Likely an upgrade for activating the Crusader hover mode. As the Crusader was redesigned, the upgrade was cut. Surprisingly, it does have its own unique icon.

Tomahawk Remote Control#

This is a removed upgrade for the Tomahawk Launcher which allowed you to control the missile by setting its flight path waypoints. The upgrade was cut from the final game pretty late in development since it was still available by the time of the Multiplayer Sneak Peek but it doesn't function there. In the final game, there are several text strings and voice lines referring to it.

Aircraft Ammo#

This is actually three upgrades of the same name, for every faction. Probably for increasing their respective fighters' payload. The GLA were going to have an air force of their own at one point.

Only the American version has an unused icon.

Rail Gun#

Now this is an upgrade that doesn't have many clues to it. There's however a concept art of a Railgun Turret so perhaps this was going to be for putting Railguns on American defensive buildings.

Radar#

Again, three separate upgrades for the factions. In the final game, USA automatically get their Radar, China has to research it first and the GLA get their Radar through different means but it seems at one point all factions had to research this upgrade.

China#

Anti-Tank Grenades#

This is a cut Chinese upgrade. It may've worked like the TNT ability of the Tank Hunters in the final game.

Vehicle Hack#

This might've been the Disable Vehicle ability of Black Lotus of the final game.

Infrared Goggles#

A strange upgrade with no counterpart in the final game. Perhaps an upgrade for extending the Redguards' range or for giving them stealth detection.

GLA#

Bio-Bombs#

Perhaps the Bio bomb upgrade of the final game under a slightly different name.

Assassin Sniper#

Now this looks like the name of a unit (And there's one in the models named so) but it's actually defined as an upgrade with not much else to it. It might've been an upgrade for turning infantry units into sniper units of sorts

Sentry Training#

Probably an upgrade like the Seal Training, the Sentry in question is probably an old name for the Rebel.

Bio-War#

Now this one is the most mysterious of the bunch. Although unlikely, it may have became one of the Anthrax upgrades of the final game.

Coding#

There's not much coding in here yet, but there are some surprises to be found here.

BaseBuildRange = 200.0         ; furthest away from other buildings you can build stuff

This is eerily similar to classic Command & Conquer, where your build range was restricted to the immediate vicinity of the MCV. The game would have played much differently with this, so it's good that they decided to forgo this.

DozerRepairHealthPerSecond = 1.0 ;Repair this much health per second when repairing

This was probably removed so it could be set on a per-dozer basis, rather than globally. The other problem is that one health point (rather than percent) per second is extremely slow, and even with the old values, it would have taken the dozer fifteen minutes to repair a command center.

MinLowEnergyProductionSpeed = 0.5
MaxLowEnergyProductionSpeed = 0.8

Probably it was for the cut GLA Wind Powerplant to simulate fluctuations of wind force.

  WeaponBonus = CRATE_BONUS_ONE RATE_OF_FIRE 1.5 ; a Salvage unit gets more ROF when it picks up salvage crates
  WeaponBonus = CRATE_BONUS_TWO RATE_OF_FIRE 2 
  WeaponBonus = CRATE_BONUS_THREE RATE_OF_FIRE 3 
  WeaponBonus = CRATE_BONUS_FOUR RATE_OF_FIRE 4 
  WeaponBonus = CRATE_BONUS_FIVE RATE_OF_FIRE 5

This chunk of code that persists in the Quad Cannon and the Battlemaster weapon codes suggests that the rate of fire would increase when picking up salvage crates. Interestingly, Technical and Quad Cannon units already have separate weapon lines for the first and second upgrade, just like how it's done in the final game.

WeaponBonus = HORDE DAMAGE 1.5        ; when in a horde, weapons get 150% of normal damage

Cut Horde bonus. In the final game, Horde only affects firing speed. Note that, citation, "the HORDE bonus values are hokey and for testing purposes only.".

MultiplayerColor ColorPurple
    RGBColor = R:149 G:40 B:189
    TooltipName = Color:Purple
End

MultiplayerColor ColorPink
    RGBColor = R:255 G:154 B:235
    TooltipName = Color:Pink
End

The Purple and Pink colors for Multiplayer use slightly different RGB values. In the final game, they're RGB(150, 0, 200) and RGB(255, 150, 255) respectively.