Command & Conquer: Generals

Development Info Prototype Info Prerelease Info Notes Bugs Unused Content in the OriginalUnused content found in the base game. Unused Content in the ExpansionEven more unused content is found here, for the expansion pack and the base game itself. Debug ToolsVarious advanced commands for the debugger.

Unused Content in the Worldbuilder#

Mesh Mold#

While Mesh Mold still exists as an option in the Worldbuilder, it is by default completely non-functional. However, by copying the "Editor" folder from the Build 98 Alpha prototype into the final game's Data folder, you can get it to work as intended. Mesh Mold allows you to create pre-defined forms, like slopes etc. in the map by just placing them with the mouse.

Unused Scripts#

The game contains a wealth of conditions and actions for its script engine. There are also some conditions and actions found in a folder called, appropriately, "UNUSED". While some of them work, others don't and are in most cases relics from older versions of the game.

• "Play a movie in the radar." and "Play a movie in fullscreen mode." are very old relics from a time where the game was actually going to have introduction FMV sequences and transmission videos throughout the mission, just like the classic Command & Conquer games. The prototype game did have these, and while the FMVs made a return appearance in the expansion pack, the transmission videos did not return.
• "Fire waypoint-weapon following waypoint path." is most likely related to the cut Tomahawk Remote Control upgrade, which allowed you to make the missile fly along a flight path specified by the player.
• "Set Cave connectivity index." Related to the cut Cave tech building which was removed from the final game. The script can be used to set specific caves to be connected to each other instead of a whole network, unlike with the GLA Tunnel Network. This script, alongside the caves themselves are fully functional in the Sneak Peek.
• "Player has attempted the mission a number of times." - Apparently the game was going to keep track of how often you won or lost a mission (maybe to make it easier after you've failed a number of times), but it no longer does that in the final version.
• "Player has discovered another player." Perhaps the game was going to notify you whenever you discover another player, like in Age of Empires, where you do not know how many and which players are playing on your map until you discover them. It doesn't really fit this game, considering that in multiplayer matches, the number of players, and their army choices is not hidden, thus it was probably meant for the campaign instead. A similar feature is used in Red Alert 3, where in Skirmish a short movie plays after encountering enemy forces for the first time.

On top of that, there was supposed to be a help system for the scripts. It still exists in the code, however all help messages are set to be "No help."

Anti-Piracy#

This game has a built-in check to see if the game executable has been altered. If it has, the game will start up correctly at first and you will be able to start a battle, but after about one minute all your units detonate and you will automatically lose the game.

BrowserEngine.dll#

If this file is opened with a resource extraction utility like Resource Hacker, one will find that this browser engine module came from Earth & Beyond. This was the last game to be developed by Westwood Studios.

Regional Differences#

Censored German Version DifferencesCommand & Conquer: Generäle, where cyborgs fight each other for liberation from other cyborgs.