Post by FreeRangeAuthor on Dec 7, 2007 2:25:50 GMT -5
One of the most interesting aspects of C & C 3 are two features to promote and extend the lifecycle of the game. I have not seen these features in any other games.
Common to most FPS & RTS games is the feature of "modding" where enthusiasts create minor to full blown modifications to a game. C & C 3 has modding as a standard feature.
C & C 3 goes further with 2 features I have not noticed elsewhere ...
1) free replay viewer - this 1.4 gig download allows anyone who can run the game to view replays without having to buy the full game, "BattleCast Viewer",
www.commandandconquer.com/intel/default.aspx?id=73
The free viewer can show replays from the BattleCast web pages, or other replay downloads,
www.commandandconquer.com/battle_cast/BattleCast.aspx
The replay viewer cannot be used to play a solo or multiplayer game. No other game that I can think of has this kind of feature.
2) cross-version replay support - when most games get a version update (1.0 to 1.1) the older version replays "break" and cannot be viewed in the latest version. C & C 3 file architecture is designed to support replays from older versions.
If you look at the folder structure of the game, under
x:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\Command & Conquer 3\Core
... you find folders for versions 1.0 to 1.9 (or latest).
A similar structure is found under
x:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\Command & Conquer 3\RetailExe
When you move a replay into the Replay folder,
x:\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents\Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars\Replays
... then run the C & C 3 Control Center (the app that appears when you insert the game DVD; there's also an app icon), you can run the "Game Browser" to pick the replay to start - note the browser shows the replay version.
The "Game Browser" will automatically start the correct version of C & C 3 to match the replay. As far as I can tell this is the only way to start an earlier version of the game - at the end of the older replay, the game remains at the previous version until you exit from the main game menu (note the version in the Options screen).
Other games might replicate the idea of playing older replays, but you must install multiple copies of the game with patching up to the older version - Warcraft 3 comes to mind.
C & C 3 is designed from the beginning to integrate this older version replay feature from one game file / folder architecture.
These 2 major features make C & C 3 one of the most market friendly games around, catering to the widest user base (who want to see older replays), and pre-sales customers (free game viewer).
Other game developers should take note.
Common to most FPS & RTS games is the feature of "modding" where enthusiasts create minor to full blown modifications to a game. C & C 3 has modding as a standard feature.
C & C 3 goes further with 2 features I have not noticed elsewhere ...
1) free replay viewer - this 1.4 gig download allows anyone who can run the game to view replays without having to buy the full game, "BattleCast Viewer",
www.commandandconquer.com/intel/default.aspx?id=73
The free viewer can show replays from the BattleCast web pages, or other replay downloads,
www.commandandconquer.com/battle_cast/BattleCast.aspx
The replay viewer cannot be used to play a solo or multiplayer game. No other game that I can think of has this kind of feature.
2) cross-version replay support - when most games get a version update (1.0 to 1.1) the older version replays "break" and cannot be viewed in the latest version. C & C 3 file architecture is designed to support replays from older versions.
If you look at the folder structure of the game, under
x:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\Command & Conquer 3\Core
... you find folders for versions 1.0 to 1.9 (or latest).
A similar structure is found under
x:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\Command & Conquer 3\RetailExe
When you move a replay into the Replay folder,
x:\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents\Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars\Replays
... then run the C & C 3 Control Center (the app that appears when you insert the game DVD; there's also an app icon), you can run the "Game Browser" to pick the replay to start - note the browser shows the replay version.
The "Game Browser" will automatically start the correct version of C & C 3 to match the replay. As far as I can tell this is the only way to start an earlier version of the game - at the end of the older replay, the game remains at the previous version until you exit from the main game menu (note the version in the Options screen).
Other games might replicate the idea of playing older replays, but you must install multiple copies of the game with patching up to the older version - Warcraft 3 comes to mind.
C & C 3 is designed from the beginning to integrate this older version replay feature from one game file / folder architecture.
These 2 major features make C & C 3 one of the most market friendly games around, catering to the widest user base (who want to see older replays), and pre-sales customers (free game viewer).
Other game developers should take note.
