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Command & Conquer

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
Revision as of 08:27, 27 December 2017 by Garrbot (talk | contribs) (updated template usage, typos fixed: english → English)
Command & Conquer
Command & Conquer cover
Developers
Westwood Studios
Publishers
Original Virgin Interactive
Current Electronic Arts
Release dates
DOS August 31, 1995
Mac OS (Classic) 1995
Windows March 10, 1997
Command & Conquer guide on StrategyWiki
Command & Conquer on Wikipedia
Command & Conquer 1995
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 1996
Command & Conquer: Sole Survivor 1997
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun 1999
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 2000
Command & Conquer: Renegade 2002
Command & Conquer: Generals 2003
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars 2007
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 2008
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - Uprising 2009
Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight 2010
OpenRA (unofficial) 2010
Command & Conquer (2013) Cancelled
Command & Conquer Remastered Collection 2020
Renegade X (unofficial) EA

Key points

Also titled as "Tiberian Dawn"
Re-released for free in 2007.
Command & Conquer Gold: Project 1.06 fan patch is highly recommended to install.
If you want a modernized C&C experience, check out OpenRA.
Language support can be further extended with language add-ons.
CD/ISO installer is 16-bit and doesn't run under modern systems; it's better to download fanmade installers instead.

General information

C&C Communications Center forums
CnCNet
Command & Conquer Wiki
Patch discussion

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Retail
Disc check (requires the CD/DVD in the drive to play)
The Windows version is often called the Gold Edition and is fully patched. It's also available as part of The First Decade.
DOS
Windows
Mac OS
Origin
Origin
The Ultimate Collection, bundled with other games in the franchise up to Tiberian Twilight.
Windows

DLC and expansion packs

A verity of unofficial commercial addons were made available for this game; some mere user level compilations whilst others original campaigns. Unfortunately they are far too numerous to list.
Name Notes
Command and Conquer: The Covert Operations Comes bundled with the The First Decade and Ultimate Collection compilations.
DOS
Windows

Unofficial downloads

OpenRA includes a modernized open-source version with its "Tiberian Dawn" mod.
CnCNet installer is a bare-bones version optimized for multiplayer (small size, portable). Missions, music and cutscenes are omitted. The music and map editor are downloadable inside the CnCNet settings.
Nyerguds' installer is a more fully-featured version which includes singleplayer missions (including Covert Operations and PSX/N64 missions) and soundtrack from the get-go. Cutscenes are available at Mod DB.

Essential improvements

1024x768 resolution with the Command & Conquer Gold: Project 1.06 compared to earlier versions.
1024x768 resolution with the Command & Conquer Gold: Project 1.06 compared to earlier versions.

Windows

Command & Conquer Gold: Project 1.06

Not needed for the unofficial packages.
This patch contains:
  • A large amount of fixes (changelog)
  • Support for newer Windows systems (including 64-bit)
  • LAN and online playability up to 6 players (includes new CnCNet lobby)
  • Support for higher resolutions
  • No-CD option
  • Missions from PSX and N64 versions and The Covert Operations
The site also offers Music Upgrade Pack if you installed the game through CDs/ISOs.
Support for regular installation, The First Decade and The Ultimate Collection.

DOS

Patches

1.22 is the last patch for the DOS version. Note it's included with the game's Covert Operations expansion making installation unnecessary to those who have it.
European versions' alternate languages, German and French, are still stuck at version 1.20 which can be downloaded here and here. If you have the English version and want to play netgames with the versions of another language you must use 1.20 too.

DOS32A

DOS32A is a more advanced extender and open source replacement to DOS4GW. It can improve both performance and stability of Command & Conquer.

Command & Conquer has DOS4GW bound its executable. Use the command sb /r game.dat to replace it.

Hidden Options Enabler

Allows enabling hidden options within the game. Most useful perhaps it the ability to increase the netgame player limit to 6 and allow 1v1 game with AI players. More info here.

Console levels

Conversions of the N64 exclusive levels can be found here whilst the PlayStation versions can be found here.

Play without the CD

You can boost the performance of DOSBox by running the game without the CD mounted. To do so copy the cd's contents (or at least it's most important files, SCORES.MIX and movies.mix) to a folder inside the game's virtual C drive. Launch the game with the parameter -cd[cd contents folder]. Note it is recommended to use the SCORES.MIX from The Covert Operations cd if you have the addon. You also may need to merge the different movies.mix files to get all the cutscenes, depending on your version of the game.

Miscellaneous

scb13ea_fix solves a crash issue with the map 13ea.
C&CToss enables the missing grenade "woosh" toss sound.

Game data

External video settings (for the fan patch.)
External video settings (for the fan patch.)

Configuration file(s) location

conquer.ini contains normal game settings.
ddraw.ini contains CnC-DDraw settings (added by the fan patch).
cncnet.ini contains CnCNet settings (added by the fan patch).

Save game data location

DOS save games not compatible with C&C Gold.

Save game cloud syncing

System Native Notes
Origin

Video settings

External options menu (for the original release.)
External options menu (for the original release.)
External video settings (for the fan patch.)
External video settings (for the fan patch.)
In-game video settings.
In-game video settings.

Template:Video settings

Borderless fullscreen windowed

Set in ddraw.ini[citation needed]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open ddraw.ini.
  3. Set: windowed=true, width, height = equal to computer resolution, border=false

Notes

The resolution settings in ddraw only stretch the image; to set internal resolution, you need to run CCConfig.

Vertical sync (Vsync)

Set in ddraw.ini[citation needed]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open ddraw.ini.
  3. Set: opengl=true, vsync=true

Input settings

Template:Input settings

Audio settings

External audio settings (for the fan patch.)
External audio settings (for the fan patch.)
In-game audio settings.
In-game audio settings.

Template:Audio settings

The DOS version of the game actually supports stereo sound despite not appearing as an option in the setup program. A guide explaining how to enable it can be found here.

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
French
Installed by patch 1.06, audio only from Fan mirror #2.
German
Installed by patch 1.06, audio only from Fan mirror #2.
Italian
Unofficial; use Language add-on.
Japanese
Installed by patch 1.06, audio only from Fan mirror #2.
Polish
Unofficial; use Language add-on.
Brazilian Portuguese
Partial audio; use Language add-on.
Spanish
Unofficial; use Language add-on.
C&C patch adds support for multiple languages. Download them from PCGamingWiki repository.

Network

External multiplayer settings (for the fan patch.)
External multiplayer settings (for the fan patch.)

Multiplayer types

Type Native Players Notes
LAN play
6 Versus
Use the Command & Conquer Gold: Project 1.06 fan patch to enable modern LAN support.
Online play
6 Versus
The original multiplayer service is no longer available. Use the Command & Conquer Gold: Project 1.06 fan patch and CnCNet.org to re-enable support.

Connection types

Issues unresolved

This list assumes you've installed the patches. If you experience a new issue, please create a thread at the CnC-Comm forums.
  • The game has some minor problems with missions that are smaller than the game resolution. This is nothing to be worried about, you can "fix" it by pressing Escape.
  • When playing in any resolution higher than 640x400, you can't place buildings with a placement height of only one cell on the lowest row of cells on the map.

Issues fixed

If you have problems with The First Decade or The Ultimate Collection, be sure to check this FAQ at EA forums.

General fixes

If you have not found a fix, be sure to also check:
Check these if you haven't[citation needed]
  1. If you have installed the patches properly.
  2. If everything in the compatibility tab is unchecked.
  3. If you have enabled "Back buffer in Video memory" and disabled "Allow hardware filled blits".
  4. If you may be able to initiate the game/lobby with administrator privileges.
  5. If you may be able to run it using a different renderer or enabling/disabling "singlecpu" in ddraw.ini
  6. If you may be able to run it by disabling cnc-ddraw (may introduce some other issues like scrambled colors).

Crash after overheating

Enable "singlecpu" in ddraw.ini[1]

Game is laggy after installing the patch

Change the renderer in ddraw.ini[2]

Game speed/Map scroll rate issue

Resolved by using frame-rate limiter in the fan patch, but this may cause an unresponsive in-game menu.[citation needed]
Set the slider in-game[citation needed]
  • While in-game, press Esc to open a menu, press game controls and move the game speed slider to adjust the game speed or scroll rate slider to adjust the scroll speed.

"Unable to set video mode" error

Change the resolution[citation needed]
There are 2 ways how to fix this error:
  • Change the resolution.
  • Enable windowed mode.
    • If you really want to play fullscreen, you might want to check how to enable Borderless fullscreen windowed mode.

No music in the CnCNet version

Go to CnCNet lobby and download the music in the settings[citation needed]

Scrambled colors (without ddraw.dll)

Ddraw.dll within the fan-patch already fixes that issue. However, if the game needs to run with ddraw.dll turned off and this appears, then this is for you.
Use palette fix[citation needed]

See Rainbow color problems in older games for solutions.

No videos after installing the patch

Download the videos[citation needed]
  • If you happen to have the game on CD, that means No-CD option is turned on. Either turn off the option, copy movies.mix from the CDs into the installation folder or just download the videos.

Other information

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
DirectDraw 3
DOS video modes MCGA, VGA
ExecutablePPC16-bit 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows
Mac OS (Classic)

Middleware

Middleware Notes
Audio Human Machine Interface (HMI) audio drivers
Multiplayer Westwood Online

Maps

C&C has support for external maps, both multiplayer and singleplayer.
CnCNet includes its own online map folder.
Map editors can be downloaded inside CnCNet's game options.
Cnc-Comm.com - Mapping discussion

Re-implementations

Thanks to dedicated C&C community, there are a couple of re-implementations and total conversion existing.
  • OpenRA - Open Source recreation that tries to modernize the classic gameplay.

Total conversions

System requirements

DOS
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) MS-DOS 5.0
Processor (CPU) 486 DX2 66 MHz
System memory (RAM) 8 MB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 800 MB
Video card (GPU) MCGA video card
Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) 95, 98
Processor (CPU) Intel Pentium
System memory (RAM) 8 MB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 40 MB
Video card (GPU) 1 MB of VRAM

References