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C&C Generals

New General Tutorial

This tutorial uses relative file paths. For this tutorial '*\' represents the root game folder (where the generals.exe and .big files are).

Simple Steps:

  1. Open INIZH.big and extract all the .inis then copy them to a new folder and copy them to '*\Data\INI' when you need to edit one
  2. Add faction to playertemplate.ini by copying an existing faction and changing the name
  3. Add control bar to controlbar.ini by copying an existing faction and changing the name
  4. Add a new ini file for your dozer and CC, copy an existing CC and dozer and change their names, prerequisites and commandsets
  5. Add the building comandbuttons for your objects
  6. Make the comandsets for your dozer and CC
  7. Make the special power and generals powers commandsets
  8. Add generalspowers modules to your CC
  9. Test
  10. Add buildings and units until general is complete by repeating steps 4-6 and testing regularly

Full Steps:

  1. Download final big and extract all the .inis to an empty folder. Copy these files to '*\Data\INI' when you need to edit one (unless another location is speified). You may want to download csf editor (This allows you to edit the strings in ZH.) Extract (from EnglishZH.big) generals.csf to '*\Data\English'
  2. Add your faction to playertemplate.ini by copying an existing faction and changing the name. Move playertemplate.ini to '*\Data\INI'. Copy one of the original factions depending on which CC you want to use (for all of this tutorial I'm using America).
    (For a simple new general you only need to change the bold parts; more experienced modders may change this code as they see fit.):
    PlayerTemplate FactionNew
      Side              = New
      BaseSide          = USA
      PlayableSide      = Yes
      StartMoney        = 0
      PreferredColor    = R:0 G:0 B:255
      IntrinsicSciences = SCIENCE_AMERICA
      PurchaseScienceCommandSetRank1  = SCIENCE_New_CommandSetRank1
      PurchaseScienceCommandSetRank3  = SCIENCE_New_CommandSetRank3
      PurchaseScienceCommandSetRank8  = SCIENCE_New_CommandSetRank8
      SpecialPowerShortcutCommandSet  = SpecialPowerShortcutNew
      SpecialPowerShortcutWinName     = GenPowersShortcutBarUS.wnd
      SpecialPowerShortcutButtonCount = 10
      DisplayName       = INI:FactionNew
      StartingBuilding  = NewCommandCenter
      StartingUnit0     = NewVehicleDozer
      ScoreScreenImage  = America_ScoreScreen
      LoadScreenImage   = SAFactionLogoPage_US
      LoadScreenMusic   = Load_USA
      ScoreScreenMusic  = Score_USA
      ;HeadWaterMark    = SCTempSelectPortrait ; don't use unless we add a "generalshead for non selected generals
      FlagWaterMark     = WatermarkUSA
      EnabledImage      = SSObserverUSA
      BeaconName        = MultiplayerBeacon
      SideIconImage     = GameinfoAMRCA
      GeneralImage      = USA_Logo
      OldFaction        = Yes   ; This faction was available in the original Generals and should be available even if the oldFactionsOnly flag is set
      ArmyTooltip       = TOOLTIP:BioStrategyLong_USA
      Features          = GUI:BioFeatures_USA
      MedallionRegular  = USAGeneral_slvr
      MedallionHilite   = USAGeneral_blue
      MedallionSelect   = USAGeneral_orng
    End
    

    Then add INI:FactionNew and Side:New to generals.csf
  3. Add your control bar to controlbar.ini by copying an existing faction and changing the name. Copy the controlbar for your base side and replace their name with your name:
    ControlBarScheme New8x6
      ScreenCreationRes X:800 Y:600
      Side New
    

    Leave the rest as it is.
  4. Add a new ini file for your dozer and CC, copy an existing CC and dozer and change their names, prerequisites and commandsets (If you know how to do this much then you may not need the rest of this tutorial). Open your text editor (I suggest 'notepad++') and save the blank document in '*\Data\INI\Object' as New.ini (make sure it doesn't end up called New.ini.txt). Open factionbuilding.ini (in the object folder) and find either the American, GLA, or Chinese command center (depending which you want); copy it to your new ini and change its name to NewCommandCenter then scroll down past the art module (change at your own risk) to the line:
       ; ***DESIGN parameters ***
    . Then Change the side to
    New
    and the commandset to
    NewCommandCenterCommandSet
    . Now repeat this for the Dozer; copy and rename the dozer then rename the side and commandset.
  5. Add the building comandbuttons for your objects. Open commandbutton.ini and find the build button for your base side's command center, copy it to the bottom of the file. Next change the name of the button to
    Command_ConstructNewCommandCenter
    and the object to
    NewCommandCenter
    . Repeat this for the dozer.
  6. Make the comandsets for your dozer and CC. Copy the commandset for your base side's dozer and command center to the bottom of the file and rename them:
    NewDozerCommandSet
    and
    NewCommandCenterCommandSet
    . Now replace the dozer commands such that it looks like:
    CommandSet AmericaDozerCommandSet
      8 = Command_ConstructNewCommandCenter
      14 = Command_DisarmMinesAtPosition
    End
    

    And the CC too:
    CommandSet AmericaCommandCenterCommandSet
      1 = Command_ConstructNewDozer
      13 = Command_SetRallyPoint
      14 = Command_Sell
    End 
    

  7. Make the special power and generals powers' commandsets. First decide on your special powers, next make the commandsets:
    • SCIENCE_New_CommandSetRank1
    • SCIENCE_New_CommandSetRank3
    • SCIENCE_New_CommandSetRank8
    • SpecialPowerShortcutNew
    Locate the purchase commands and shortcut commands in other generals' commandsets and copy them here. Also copy the shortcut commands to your command center and remove the
    FromShortcut
    suffix:
    CommandSet NewCommandCenterCommandSet
      1 = Command_ConstructNewDozer
      2 = Command_Defector
      3 = Command_SpySatelliteScan
      4 = Command_SneakAttack
      5 = Infa_Command_Paradrop
      13 = Command_SetRallyPoint
      14 = Command_Sell
    End 
    
    CommandSet SpecialPowerShortcutNew
      1 = Command_DefectorFromShortcut
      2 = Command_SpySatelliteScanFromShortcut
      3 = Command_SneakAttackFromShortcut
      4 = Infa_Command_ParadropFromShortcut
    End 
    
    CommandSet SCIENCE_New_CommandSetRank1
      1 = Command_PurchaseScienceScudLauncher
    End 
     
    CommandSet SCIENCE_New_CommandSetRank3
      1 = Command_PurchaseScienceCashBounty1
      2 = Command_PurchaseScienceCashBounty2
      3 = Command_PurchaseScienceCashBounty3
      4 = Infa_Command_PurchaseScienceInfantryParadrop1
      5 = Infa_Command_PurchaseScienceInfantryParadrop2
      6 = Infa_Command_PurchaseScienceInfantryParadrop3
    End 
     
    CommandSet SCIENCE_New_CommandSetRank8
      1 = Command_PurchaseScienceSneakAttack 
    End 
    

  8. Add the generals' powers' modules to your CC. Look through the other generals' command centers to find the modules and copy them to your command center, make sure the module tags are unique (I'd advise using tag numbers over 100, EA never went this high).
  9. Test your general in game
  10. Add buildings and units until your general is complete. By repeating steps 4-6 and testing you can keep adding new units and buildings (make sure you change the prerequisites to your own buildings).

© KlingonDragon