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Instructions to set up optimal Red Alert 3 playing experience
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Red Alert 3 Setup.md

Red Alert 3 Setup

This is a highly opinionated guide helping you set up the "optimal" Red Alert 3 gaming experience. This install will allow you to:

  1. Play the game online using C&C:Online (Revora).
  2. Play the game over LAN using Hamachi VPN (LogMeIn).
  3. Enable use of a second monitor while playing instead of a black screen.
  4. Allow Zoom video chat overlay on top of the game.

Setup

  1. Download and install Red Alert 3 through Origin or Steam. While both are $19.99, Origin is much cheaper as it includes the entire Command & Conquer Collection while Steam is just the single game. Neverthless, I find Steam a bit more convenient.

  2. Create an account on C&C Online (Revora): https://cnc-online.net/en/connect/register/. Note that the login information for Revora is different from the login information for the game itself. You should be able to create/find your "Server Account" credentials here (in plaintext ☹️): https://cnc-online.net/en/account/.

  3. Download the C&C:Online Launcher. Install and open the app. In the Hook menu, click Red Alert 3 to star the C&C:Online Launcher automatically when the game is launched via Steam.

  4. Download the RA3Launcher/RA3QuickLoader which will turn on the game much faster as it stops pinging the now dead EA servers. For reference, the forum post related to this project is here.

  5. Download Borderless Gaming. After starting the app, click the "Options" menu and choose the following options:

    • "Run on Startup"
    • "Start Minimized to Tray"
    • "Close to Tray"

  6. In your Steam Library, right click RA3 and click Properties. Then click "Set Launch Options". Type "-win" and press OK. This will start the game in Windowed mode.

  7. Start the game for the first time and create your profile.

  8. Alt-Tab out to your desktop and open Borderless Gaming. Be sure not to open the app from the start menu or it will start a new instance of the app. Find the entry on the left side called "Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 [Title]" and press the right arrow button on the center of the screen. Then, click on the newly added RA3 entry on the right listbox and press the "borderless button" (the third from the top in the center of the screen which the arrows pointint outward).

  9. Place a shortcut to the RA3 Options.ini file on your Desktop or another accessible location. This file will be created after the first run. %APPDATA%\Red Alert 3\Profiles\<PROFILE>\Options.ini.

  10. Download and install Hamachi by LogMeIn: https://www.vpn.net/. There are some strange connection issues with the online version when trying to start or join a game. The LAN version alleviates this when playing with friends.

Addendum

  1. Install Jonny's SuperiorAI Red Alert 3 Mod
  2. Install Red Alert 3 Replay Tool
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AlJohri commented Jul 15, 2021

Useful information on debugging VPN issues: https://zerotier.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SD/pages/7536695/Problems+With+LAN+Game+Announcements+and+Broadcasts+on+Windows

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