Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3: Difference between revisions
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Executive Producer Chris Corry has stated that Red Alert 3 will come bundled with the controversial<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/150965/casual_friday_why_spore_wont_work.html |first=Darren|last=Gladstone|work=[[PC World (magazine)|PC World]] | title=Casual Friday: Why Spore Won't Work | date=2008-09-12 | accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-9939161-52.html?tag=mncol |first=Daniel|last=Teridman|publisher=[[CNET Networks]]| title=Report: Gamers angry at DRM system from EA | date=2008-05-08 | accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080909/BLOG24/809099993 | author=HeraldNet | title=Spore DRM: the evolution of a brewing controversy | date=2008-09-09 | accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref> [[SecuROM]] software. The game will have to be activated the first time online, but can be activated and installed only five times per serial.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://forums.ea.com/mboards/message.jspa?messageID=4169640#4169640 | title=Official post by Chris Corry on the RA 3 DRM on the EA forums}}</ref> Note that an activation is system targeted, so users can reinstall as often as they want on one computer but activate only on five different computers. After the fifth activation, consumers will be required to contact EA Customer Service for every additional activation. He has also stated that uninstalling the game will not return the used installation back to the user.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://forums.ea.com/mboards/message.jspa?messageID=4170142#4170142 | title=Additional post by Chris Corry on the RA 3 DRM on the EA forums}}</ref> |
Executive Producer Chris Corry has stated that Red Alert 3 will come bundled with the controversial<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/150965/casual_friday_why_spore_wont_work.html |first=Darren|last=Gladstone|work=[[PC World (magazine)|PC World]] | title=Casual Friday: Why Spore Won't Work | date=2008-09-12 | accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-9939161-52.html?tag=mncol |first=Daniel|last=Teridman|publisher=[[CNET Networks]]| title=Report: Gamers angry at DRM system from EA | date=2008-05-08 | accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080909/BLOG24/809099993 | author=HeraldNet | title=Spore DRM: the evolution of a brewing controversy | date=2008-09-09 | accessdate=2008-09-24}}</ref> [[SecuROM]] software. The game will have to be activated the first time online, but can be activated and installed only five times per serial.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://forums.ea.com/mboards/message.jspa?messageID=4169640#4169640 | title=Official post by Chris Corry on the RA 3 DRM on the EA forums}}</ref> Note that an activation is system targeted, so users can reinstall as often as they want on one computer but activate only on five different computers. After the fifth activation, consumers will be required to contact EA Customer Service for every additional activation. He has also stated that uninstalling the game will not return the used installation back to the user.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://forums.ea.com/mboards/message.jspa?messageID=4170142#4170142 | title=Additional post by Chris Corry on the RA 3 DRM on the EA forums}}</ref> |
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In the aftermath of Spore's SecuROM controversy, there was an outcry amongst some circles of customers who began threatening to boycott Red Alert 3 if this game was bundled with such |
In the aftermath of Spore's SecuROM controversy, there was an outcry amongst some circles of customers who began threatening to boycott Red Alert 3 if this game was bundled with such [[digital rights management]] mechanisms as well. In response, EA announced that in Red Alert 3 the installation limit would be increased from 3 to 5 installations per machine. Many customers remained unsatisfied, stating that for all intents and purposes they will be "renting" the game from EA at full price.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/908/908755p1.html|title=Red Alert 3 Eases Up On DRM|last=Thang|first=Jimmy |date=September 9, 2008|publisher=[[IGN]]|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3169818|title=EA Gives Red Alert 3 (Slightly) Less Stringent DRM|last=Pigna|first=Kris |date=September 9, 2008|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> |
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=== CD Key === |
=== CD Key === |
Revision as of 21:02, 20 November 2008
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Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 | |
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Developer(s) | EA Los Angeles |
Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
Composer(s) | Frank Klepacki, James Hannigan, Timothy Michael Wynn[7] |
Series | Command & Conquer (main) Red Alert (sub-series) |
Engine | RNA |
Platform(s) | Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 |
Release | Windows: Xbox 360: TBA[6] |
Genre(s) | Real-time strategy |
Mode(s) | Single-player, Co-operative, multiplayer |
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 is a 2008 real-time strategy video game developed by EA Los Angeles and published by Electronic Arts. Announced on February 14, 2008,[9] it was released on October 28, 2008 in the US for Microsoft Windows-based PCs and three days later in Europe. A version for the Xbox 360 console is forthcoming, as is a version for PlayStation 3,[6] though the latter has been delayed due to difficulties with the system's architecture.[10] The game forms a part of the Red Alert sub-series within the Command and Conquer series of games.
The game is set in a parallel universe in which World War II never happened and instead the Soviet Union rose to power, battling the Allies in the 1950s. In this game, the Empire of the Rising Sun rises to power as a threat as well. All three factions are playable, with the main gameplay involving constructing a base, gathering resources, and training armies comprised of land, sea, and airborne units to defeat other players. Each faction has a fully co-operative campaign, playable with an Artificial Intelligence or with another human player online. These campaigns follow a story, with specific mission objectives and unit restrictions applied. Unrestricted skirmish play against the computer and multiplayer via LAN or online is also available.
The game received mostly positive reviews, with reviewers citing the co-operative and multiplayer components as strengths, along with the enhanced role of naval combat compared to other real-time strategy games. Commonly cited weaknesses included aspects such as pathfinding.
Gameplay
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/C%26C-RA3-scr1.jpg/230px-C%26C-RA3-scr1.jpg)
Red Alert 3 retains the core RTS mechanics of the Command & Conquer series. Warring factions harvest resources using vulnerable collectors and then use those resources to construct military bases and forces on-site. Structures form a shallow but wide tech tree with a variety of units and elusive superweapons. Weapon types are specialized to the point where a rifleman can withstand direct hits from an anti-tank cannon. Red Alert 3's major refinements are the addition of the Empire of the Rising Sun to the factions of the sub-series, similar to what Tiberium Wars did with the Scrin faction, a co-operative campaign, and expanded naval warfare.
The "single-player" campaign is now fully co-operative. Each mission is played alongside an ally. When you play online, this is another human player, whereas if you play offline, one of several computer-controlled characters will be your ally. Teams share income and generally start with the same forces. Computerized characters can be given extremely simple commands, such as an order to take a specific position or to strike a specific target. The campaign has nine missions for each side. Each side's plotlines are mutually exclusive, unlike Tiberium Wars and its preceding and following expansion packs, but like the rest of the Command & Conquer series.
Naval warfare is emphasized as another front. Executive producer Chris Corry has stated that many units are now amphibious, trading effectiveness for increased flexibility. Buildings and entire bases can be constructed on water, save for such things as ground unit production facilities,[11] and players who "ignore the ocean [are] likely forfeiting a significant part of their potential economy to their opponents." Further stressing this is the fact that, despite some campaign maps being entirely land based, all multiplayer maps have significant bodies of water in them.
The use of naval units and various unit abilities also helped stop players from sticking to one unit and constructing large amounts of them (or spamming) them early game.[citation needed] This was a standard strategy for Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars/Kane's Wrath, where players would try to build more of one unit faster than their opponent.[citation needed]
Manually controlled secondary abilities are common to each and every unit in the game. How each ability is employed varies: some are toggled on or off, others are targeted, and still others are triggered the instant one presses the button. An Imperial constructor might be able to deploy once at a specified location, a Soviet conscript can switch weapons at will, or an Allied artillery piece can engage its shields with a button press but with a cooldown that requires a period of time to pass before the ability can be activated again are such examples of secondary abilities.[12] All abilities are bound to the same key. The game also features experience points that are used to unlock upgrades to unit types as well as "commander abilities" used to call in air strikes, recon sweeps, magnetic satellite beams, etc.. Commander abilities have no resource costs but have significant cooldown periods.
Ore fields as resource sites have been removed. These originated in the first Red Alert as a functionally identical equivalent to tiberium, with no justification given for the way they represent valuable minerals found growing out of the ground. Gameplay mechanics aren't changed a great deal since fields have been replaced with stationary ore mines.
Design
The first Red Alert revolved around a down-to-earth World War II between the Allies (including Germany) and the Soviet Union, with some high-tech esoterica, such as weaponized tesla coils linked to Tesla's abortive death rays, limited time travel linked to the rumored Philadelphia Experiment, and force fields. Red Alert 2 featured a Soviet invasion of North America with tanks, conscripts, gargantuan airships, and psychically dominated anti-ship giant squid; its expansion, Yuri's Revenge, escalated matters up to UFOs and communists on the Moon. Executive producer Chris Corry stated in a pre-release interview that Red Alert 3 will further differentiate the playable factions from each other and "[play] up the silliness in their faction design whenever possible."[13]
The Soviets and Allies have a mix of old and new features. Soviet units lean towards ruthlessness and brute force: giant Kirov airships are retained and flak troopers are now penal troops, while attack dogs are an Allied unit that the Soviets have replaced with functionally identical armored attack bears. New units include heavy tanks known as "Hammer Tanks" that can tear weapons from the enemies they destroy with a leech-beam, lithe anti-infantry walkers known as "Sickles" that can jump over terrain elevations, and the amphibious "Bullfrog" transports that evacuate their passengers using a large "man cannon." The Soviets have lost their nuclear technology due to the events of the backstory.
The Allies come with a wide variety of gadgetry, much of it in the form of Red Alert 2's advanced units. New units include "Hydrofoils" with weapon-scrambling rays, unarmed helicopters with freeze and shrink rays, and an amphibious destroyer with treads and gravitational armor that can draw enemy fire. Allied units have a variety of different accents and "good guy" overtones: their basic infantry unit is the Peacekeeper. Much of Red Alert 2's advanced chrono-technology has been lost. However, the Chronosphere and the Tanya unit have been retained, and Tanya is now equipped with a "time belt" that allows her to transport herself a few seconds into the past in order to regain her previous location and health at the time.
The Empire of the Rising Sun has infantrymen in samurai armor with the special ability to use lightsaber-like katanas, giant transforming mecha, ninjas, a psychic schoolgirl, and submersible planes.
Full motion videos featuring real-life actors are featured in the campaign mode. Filming started in April of 2008.
Plot
The central premise of all three campaigns is the same, although each then follows a different storyline. Facing defeat at the hands of the Allies, Soviet General Krukov and Colonel Cherdenko use a time machine to travel back to Brussel in year 1927, at Soviet Physics International Conference and eliminate Albert Einstein. This prevents him from creating the technology that allowed the Allies to defeat the Soviet Union in the previous games. Returning to the present, General Krukov discovers that Cherdenko is the Premier of the Soviet Union and Soviet is on the brink of conquering Europe, but without Einstein's existence the Empire of the Rising Sun has risen in Japan, and they have now decided to declare war. Finding that without Einstein the nuclear weapons didn't exist anymore, both the Allies and the Soviet Union are forced into a three-way war with the Empire.
Soviets
In the Soviet campaign, Cherdenko first sends the newly appointed Soviet commander to expel the Japanese from Soviet territory, subsequently invading Japan and killing Emperor Yoshiro before continuing the attack against the Allies. Faking an attempt on his life as an excuse to remove his enemies, he has the player kill Krukov. Dr. Zelinsky, the scientist who created the time machine, informs the player that the events that occurred happened because the Soviets tried to alter the past, and that originally Cherdenko wasn't the Soviet premier. Cherdenko tries and fails to kill the player after this, feeling him knowing that information is too dangerous. He disappears afterwards, allowing the player to take over as premier. The player then attacks New York in order to force the Allies to surrender.
Allies
The Allied campaign sees Field Marshall Bingham first ordering the player to secure British Allied borders. After the Soviets are pushed out of Western Europe, the Allies and the Soviets both make the decision to ally against the Empire after it attacking when they were at their most vulnerable. With this alliance they managed to destroy the naval blockades in the Mediterranean Sea and their Floating fortress in the north sea. At this time, American President Ackerman was angry at Marshall Bingham for his alliance with the Soviets, instead of destroying them. He then takes the initiative to destroy Moscow with a superweapon controlled in Mount Rushmore. Bingham sends the player to kill him. With the alliance secured, the allies plan an attack on Tokyo in order to wipe out the entire Empire military leadership with one stroke. Around this time, the Russian lead by Krukov was suppose to bring the "Entire might" of the Russian navy to assist the Allied forces. After many delays, the Russians noted that with their fleet so far, it would be useless to participate and leaves the commander alone to battle the Japanese. After the battle, Dr. Zelinsky defects to the allies and warns them of their invasion force building up in Cuba, proving that Ackerman was right on his belief and that the Russians will betray them. After destroying the invasion force in Cuba, the Allies launch Operation Chronostorm and teleport their forces to destroy Premier Cherdenko's fortress in Leningrad in order to stop Cherdenko from fleeing to outer space. In the End, Cherdenko and his General were placed in a Cryo prison for life due to crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, Lt. Eva and Tanya both ask the Commander out to a date.
Empire
The Empire of the Rising Sun campaign begins with a full-scale invasion of the Soviet Union, just as the Soviets are pushing the Allies to the brink of defeat. Emperor Yoshiro's tactics initially involve striking at symbolic targets to affect the will and morale of the Soviets, such as symbolic monuments - and later, the capturing of broadcasting stations in the US for use in broadcasting propaganda to the Allies. The Emperor's less-traditional son, Prince Tatsu, on the other hand advocated the attacking of true military targets - though his father typically overruled him.
However, the Emperor's complacency soon forced the Empire onto the defensive against the forces of the Allies - who had sufficient strength still to mount full-scale attacks on Pearl Harbour at the Imperial islands of Hawaii, and on one of the Empire's floating fortresses. Though both attacks are repelled, a joint Allied-Soviet task force successfully gains a foothold in Tokyo after the Soviet scientist Dr. Gregor Zelinsky contacts Field Marshall Bingham to inform the Allies about the Soviet time machine and Premier Cherdenko's changing of history.
Witnessing this communication via President Ackerman (now revealed to be an android operating as a spy for the Empire), Emperor Yoshiro realises his mistakes and concludes there can be no "Divine Destiny" if the present can be changed via time-travel. He surrenders command of the Shogunate (the Empire's military leaders) to his son. Under Prince Tatsu's command the Allied-Soviet invasion of Tokyo is repelled, and a full-scale attack on the Kremlin results in the deaths of Premier Cherdenko and General Krukov - despite a last minute attempt to airlift the time machine to safety after the Kremlin's destruction.
The final mission is an attack against the remaining Allied forces in Amsterdam, as they make their last stand defending the Allied HQ as well as the FutureTech HQ - the company responsible for much of the Allies high technology. Despite Dr. Zelinsky's arrival with Soviet reinforcements, and the deployment of a prototype FutureTech superweapon that annihilates everything in the city, the Empire succeeds in defeating the Allies and destroying FutureTech - leaving the Empire free to rule the world and the commander's briefer, Intelligence Officer Suki Toyama, free to invite the commander to a private spot on the north shore of Oahu.
Cast and Characters
Allied Nations
- President Howard T. Ackerman: President of the United States. A fervent anti-communist and staunch believer in capitalism and freedom. Played by J. K. Simmons.[14] According to Simmons, Ackerman has "facets of George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove"; a "little bit of Barry Goldwater" and "at least a tiny bit of Dubya creeping in there."
- Field Marshal Robert Bingham: The Allied Supreme Commander, Bingham is a British General with a stereotypical British never-say-die attitude. Played by Jonathan Pryce.[14]
- Lieutenant Eva McKenna: Her uniform features the (incorrect in Modern Day RAF) rank insignia of an RAF Sergeant.[citation needed] Played by Gemma Atkinson.[15][16]
- Special Agent Tanya: She appeared in Red Alert and Red Alert 2 but now has a new weapon called the "Chrono Belt" that teleports her ten seconds into the past. Played by Jenny McCarthy.[17][18]
Empire of the Rising Sun
- Emperor Yoshiro: The Emperor of the Rising Sun. A man of stern countenance, worshipped by his people, he believes in a divine mandate of world conquest. Emperor Yoshiro is played as an emperor steeped in tradition; in the campaign, his first three appearances show him drinking tea, taking care of a bonsai tree, and practicing calligraphy. Played by George Takei.[14]
- Crown Prince Tatsu: Yoshiro's son and heir, with a more modern attitude to warfare than his father. Played by Ron Yuan.
- Intelligence Officer Suki Toyama: Japanese officer who briefs and assists the player. Played by Kelly Hu.[14]
- Commando Yuriko Omega: Japanese Imperial Psionic Commando, psionically altered at the Shiro Sanitarium. Appears as a schoolgirl no more than 18 years old. Played by Lisa Tamashiro.
Soviet Union
- Premier Anatoly Cherdenko: Premier of the Soviet Union who succeeded the Romanov legacy. Cherdenko (who was but a colonel at the time), with the scientist and the Soviet military general, returns to the past and shakes hands with Einstein, making the Professor disappear from the timeline (echoing the scene where Einstein does the same with Hitler in the first game). He subsequently becomes the Premier of the Soviet Union in the present time by doing so. Played by Tim Curry.[14]
- General Boris Krukov: An associate of Cherdenko in the original timeline accompanies the Premier and Dr. Zelinsky when they return in the past to eliminate Einstein. Krukov distrusts the player in the Soviet campaign, and in the Soviet campaign he is falsely accused of an attempt on Premier Cherdenko's life and is killed by the player. Played by Andrew Divoff.[14]
- Dr. Gregor Zelinsky: Responsible for the time machine which they use in their mission to eliminate Einstein. He is constantly expressing worry and regret over the effects of the mission on the space-time continuum. Played by Peter Stormare.[14]
- Intelligence Officer Dasha Fedorovich: The Soviet intelligence officer responsible for briefing the player, a role equivalent to that of Eva. Played by Ivana Miličević.[14]
- Natasha Volkova: A folk legend and Commando, Volkova is a legendary sniper with a great reputation for marksmanship. Volkova appears in cut scenes and as a playable character. Played by mixed martial arts fighter Gina Carano.[19][20]
Development
A third Red Alert game was unofficially announced by Electronic Arts' then executive producer and C&C lead Mark Skaggs in December 2004, shortly after the release of Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth.[21] However, Mark Skaggs left Electronic Arts for reasons unspecified shortly thereafter, and there was no mention of a "Red Alert 3" until February 12, 2008, when the US PC Gamer's April issue cover was published on the Internet featuring the cover story "Red Alert 3".[22] Red Alert 3 was then officially announced by Electronic Arts on February 14, 2008.[9] On May 17 the first trailer was released.
Soundtrack
Composer Frank Klepacki returned to write three tracks for the game. When interviewed regarding the matter, Klepacki indicated a strong desire to contribute more, but admitted that due to the fact that he is no longer being employed by Electronic Arts and currently works for Petroglyph Games, this may be contractually impossible. At the RA3 Community Summit in June 2008, Klepacki showed a video to the entire C&C community in which he stated that he had been hired to work on Red Alert 3, and that he was composing Hell March 3, the most recent update of Red Alert's iconic theme.[23][24]
In November 2008, Crispy Gamer[25] reported that James Hannigan and Timothy Michael Wynn wrote the bulk of the game's remaining 114 minutes of music, with Hannigan composing the 'Soviet March' menu theme along with music for the Empire of the Rising Sun Faction, and Wynn the music of the Allies and the remaining Soviet tracks. Music4Games has also covered the game's music score.[7]
The band From First to Last composed several remix versions of Hell March and Hell March 2, also featured on the Red Alert 3 soundtrack shipped with the Red Alert 3 Premier Edition.[26]
Public Beta Testing
A February 2008 press release advised that PC users could become eligible for the multiplayer beta testing program by purchasing a copy of Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath or the Command & Conquer 3 Limited Collection, and registering a special code contained within these before September 15, 2008. The beta testing sessions are already well underway and the testers may report any bugs present in the beta.[9][27]
On July 24, 2008, people who registered their beta key close to the release of Kane's Wrath received an e-mail stating that the participants would start receiving their Key and Client Download link throughout late-July and August.[28]
On August 22, 2008, FilePlanet announced that any of its members could sign up for one of a limited number of Red Alert 3 Beta keys on a first-come, first-served basis. Those keys were exhausted and registration closed approximately 24 hours later.[29]
Several patches have been released since the initial Beta. They contain bug fixes, balance changes, and other tweaks. The last patch released was version 1.06, released on September 17, 2008.
The Red Alert 3 Beta servers were scheduled to close on September 26, 2008.[30] The closing date was later extended to September 29, 2008.[31]
Marketing
![]() | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (October 2008) |
Red Alert 3 could be preordered from August 20, 2008 and contained bonuses including the Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 game, an exclusive multiplayer map, a bonus DVD containing various films, and Red Alert 3 desktop wallpapers.[32]
The Red Alert 3 Premier Edition features a soundtrack CD (including remixes of Hell March 1 and 2), and a bonus DVD containing making-of documentaries, footage from the developers, scenes from the shooting of the game's cinematics, and strategy tips. The game also includes a code for the download of exclusive multiplayer maps and a key for a beta of a future Command and Conquer game. It comes in a Soviet-themed tin case with a poster of the women in Red Alert 3. In the UK, the Premier Edition is exclusive to the high street retailer GAME.[33]
In Taiwan an exclusive limited Premier Edition was released, featuring an additional item, the Dicota Red Alert 3 backpack.[34]
On September 18, 2008, EA announced that copies of Red Alert 3 would include a code to unlock an exclusive item in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning known as the "Kossar's Helm" for a limited time.[35]
EA Singapore as well as Gamers.com.my had also announced that they would be launching an exclusive Red Alert 3 Commander's Pack in Singapore and Malaysia. It was launched on October 27, 2008 for Singapore and October 28, 2008 for Malaysia. This Commander's Pack includes the C&C Red Alert 3 Premier Edition, C&C Red Alert 3 Dicota Notebook BacPac, and a Microsoft Sidewinder X6 Gaming Keyboard with Garskin Red Alert 3 decals. Exclusive posters and Soviet T-Shirts were given to those who arrived earliest at the game's launch. A smaller and cheaper edition of the Commander's Pack called the Officer's Pack was also released. The Officer's Pack contained the C&C Red Alert 3 Premier Edition and C&C Red Alert 3 Dicota Notebook BacPac.[36][37]
Reception
Aggregator | Score |
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GameRankings | PC: 82% (12 reviews)[43] |
Metacritic | PC: 83% (18 reviews)[44] X360: 75% (5 reviews)[45] |
Publication | Score |
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1Up.com | PC: A-[38] |
GamePro | PC:![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
GameSpot | PC: 8/10[39] |
GameSpy | PC: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
IGN | PC: 8.2/10[42] |
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 has received generally positive reviews, citing a strong cooperative and multiplayer component.[citation needed]
Criticism included issues with players not being able to access online campaign co-operative play when the game was initially released and the game only supporting six players in online multiplayer.[citation needed] This was soon fixed by EA with patch 1.01. Patch 1.02 was released the same week, correcting aggressive patch checks that could result in main menu sluggishness. Patch 1.03 was released later on to further improve Patch 1.02. Patch 1.04 was released on November 13, 2008. This is the 4th patch released by EA in less than a month after the official release.
There has also been criticism towards unit pathfinding in the game. Several units (generally amphibious ones) contained bugs that would cause them to get stuck running in place, or get caught in a cliff, etc.[citation needed]
Controversy
SecuROM
Executive Producer Chris Corry has stated that Red Alert 3 will come bundled with the controversial[46][47][48] SecuROM software. The game will have to be activated the first time online, but can be activated and installed only five times per serial.[49] Note that an activation is system targeted, so users can reinstall as often as they want on one computer but activate only on five different computers. After the fifth activation, consumers will be required to contact EA Customer Service for every additional activation. He has also stated that uninstalling the game will not return the used installation back to the user.[50]
In the aftermath of Spore's SecuROM controversy, there was an outcry amongst some circles of customers who began threatening to boycott Red Alert 3 if this game was bundled with such digital rights management mechanisms as well. In response, EA announced that in Red Alert 3 the installation limit would be increased from 3 to 5 installations per machine. Many customers remained unsatisfied, stating that for all intents and purposes they will be "renting" the game from EA at full price.[51][52]
CD Key
There has also been a stated issue with a "limited" number of copies of the game shipping with the last digit of the CD Key missing from the manual.[53] EA's initial response was to "Guess" the last digit as a workaround,[54][55][56] but this was revised shortly after this was made public, to:
If you are trying to install Command and Conquer Red Alert 3 and the code is only 19 characters long, then it is missing the last letter or number. This was due to a misprint on a small number of manuals and we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.
In order to get a replacement code, please click the "Contact Us" link on the left side of the page to send an e-mail to our team.
If you would like you can also contact us by phone using the number found on page 28 of your manual.[53]
References
- ^ a b "Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 Goes Gold". Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 official site. October 14, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
- ^ Thang, Jimmy (October 14, 2008). "Red Alert 3 Goes Gold". IGN. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
- ^ a b Purchese, Rob (October 9, 2008). "EA cements Red Alert 3 dates". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ Capone, Anthony (October 24, 2008). "Updated Australian Release List". PALGN. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
- ^ Ellison, Blake (October 14, 2008). "Red Alert 3 PC Goes Gold, Arrives October 28; Xbox 360 Version Coming in November". Shacknews. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
- ^ a b Yin-Poole, Wesley (November 4, 2008). "EA: PS3 Red Alert 3 back on". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
- ^ a b "Interview with Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 Music Team". Music 4 Games. October 1, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
- ^ "Red Alert 3 Still in Development for PlayStation 3". 1UP.com.
- ^ a b c "EA rewrites history in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3". Electronic Arts. 2008-02-14. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (July 28, 2008). "EA explains no PS3 Red Alert 3". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ "Official EA 15 Minute Gameplay Video". Electronic Arts. 2008-07-18. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
- ^ "Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 Exclusive Hands-On - Empire of the Rising Sun". GameSpot. 2008-07-12. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
- ^ Fordham, A: "PC PowerPlay #150", page 31. Next Publishing, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Cast Announcement
- ^ "Gemma Atkinson to star in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3". Electronic Arts. August 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ Callaham, John (August 5, 2008). "UK actress the latest to join C&C: Red Alert 3 cast". BigDownload. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Meet Your Sexy New Red Alert 3 Cast". Kotaku. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
- ^ "Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - Factions". Electronic Arts. 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
- ^ "Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - Factions: Natasha". Electronic Arts. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
- ^ "Gina Carano as Natasha in Red Alert 3". IGN. 2008-05-30. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
- ^ "The Next C&C Game: A Red Alert Title!". Planet CNC. 2004-12-06. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
- ^ HeXetic (2008-02-12). "Red Alert 3 Announced (again)". Planet CNC. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
- ^ "Electronic Arts announces Red Alert 3 composer". Retrieved 2008-06-22.
- ^ "Frank Klepachi - Exclusive Interview". Evo Gamer. 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
- ^ http://www.crispygamer.com/features/2008-11-03/behind-the-music-of-command-conquer-red-alert-3.aspx
- ^ "Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (Premier Edition)". IGN. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- ^ "Red Alert 3 beta". Electronic Arts. 2008-02-14. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
- ^ "Red Alert 3 Public Beta Underway Soon". IGN. 2008-07-24. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
- ^ "Red Alert 3 Beta on FilePlanet". FilePlanet. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ^ http://www.ea.com/redalert/beta.jsp
- ^ http://forums.ea.com/mboards/thread.jspa?threadID=440344&tstart=0
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{{cite web}}
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