Command & Conquer: Red Alert series

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Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Command & Conquer: Red Alert is a series of real time strategy video games set within the Command & Conquer universe.

The Red Alert series takes place in an alternate timeline, created when Albert Einstein travels back to the past and eliminates Adolf Hitler in an attempt to prevent World War II from taking place. This plan indirectly backfires and results in an unchecked Soviet invasion of Europe by Joseph Stalin in the 1950s. The Stalin-led invasion of Europe serves as the backdrop for the first Command & Conquer: Red Alert game. Two expansion packs for Red Alert were released: Counterstrike and The Aftermath. New units, missions, multiplayer maps and music tracks were included in these expansions.

The story of the original Command & Conquer: Red Alert game portrays the early in-universe history of the main C&C storyline, and leads directly to the Tiberium story arc of the Command & Conquer franchise.^[1][2][3][4] However, with the addition of the title Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 at the hands of a new team of developers in September 2000, this connection was rendered unclear, with fans of the series becoming split as to whether or not the time travel excursions of the Red Alert series were forming a separate continuity altogether, or just another side adventure on the way to the Tiberian era. At the time of the release of the 10th anniversary compilation pack, known as Command & Conquer: The First Decade, this new and second C&C development team claimed in interviews on the pack's bonus DVD that the games existed as three separate universes -- Tiberium, Red Alert and Generals. However, with the release of the title of Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars in 2007, at the hands of a third new development team from Electronic Arts Los Angeles, EA published a featured document pertaining to C&C 3's storyline in which a direct reference to Kane's appearance in the 1950s of Command & Conquer: Red Alert is made.^[5] On July 25th of the same year, a Command & Conquer: Renegade-themed modification for the game Crysis was officially announced by Electronic Arts, which is stated to directly link the first Red Alert game to Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn^[6].

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 is a stand-alone sequel to the original Red Alert game, which unlike its predecessor makes no references to the Tiberium story arc, and which came with its own expansion pack; Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge. In the storyline of Red Alert 2, the Soviet Union invades the United States of America, using mind control technology to capture US forces and deactivate America's nuclear arsenal. In Yuri's Revenge, Soviet Premier Romanov's advisor Yuri attempts to overtake the world by using his "psychic dominator" technology. A second and last attempt to stop Yuri's plans sends the player back in time to the conflict occurring in Red Alert 2, but instead of fighting the Soviets/Allies, the player fights against Yuri.

C&C creator Westwood Studios also released a music disc with the music from the Red Alert series. This disc came bundled with some of the later release versions of the games.

[edit] Games in the series

• Command & Conquer: Red Alert (1996)
  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert: Counterstrike (expansion pack) (1997)
  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert: The Aftermath (expansion pack) (1997)
  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert: Retaliation (1998) - This was a compilation of Counterstrike and The Aftermath released for the PlayStation
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 (2000)
  • Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge (expansion pack) (2001)
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (Announced 2007, said to be released in 2008)

[edit] Production History

[edit] Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Main article: Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Released in October, 1996, Command & Conquer: Red Alert was the second Command & Conquer game to be released by Westwood Studios. Instead of returning directly to the Tiberian universe, Westwood Studios decided to create a game centered around the concept of "What would happen if World War II hadn't happened?" The resulting game of Command & Conquer: Red Alert became the prequel to the original Command & Conquer.^[7]

Two expansion packs were released within a year, called Counterstrike & The Aftermath, these where also released for the PlayStation in a pack called Retaliation, with new missions and cut scenes.

[edit] Internet Gameplay

Red Alert 1 was widely played on the internet during it's most popular years on many sites including Westwood, Mplayer (Gamespy), Ten, Kali, and Heat. Today the game is played on only two of the original places. 1) The Westwood Chat is now hosted by XWIS (Strike Team. Instructions on how to play can be found at http://strike-team.net/nuke/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=84). 2)Kali is a multiplayer network interface which can be found at www.kali.net . Both of these options require there own patches and game versions. The most current patches, maps and gaming information can be found at http://ra.afraid.org/ .

[edit] Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

Main articles: Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 and Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge

In this sequel to Red Alert, the Soviets launch an attack on the United States. An expansion to Red Alert 2, Yuri's Revenge, was released in which the powerful psychic Yuri tries to achieve world domination.

[edit] Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3

Main article: Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3

A third Red Alert was unofficially announced by Electronic Arts' then C&C lead Mark Skaggs in December 2004^[8], shortly after the release of Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth. However, Mark Skaggs left Electronic Arts for reasons unspecified shortly thereafter, and there was no mention of a "Red Alert 3" until over three years later. In February 2008, both American PC Gamer and Hungarian PC Guru revealed that they are going to feature "Red Alert 3" as future cover stories.^[9][10] On February 14, EA announced that Red Alert 3 was in production and offered screenshots, interviews and beta testing details.^[11] More information can be found on EA's website on Red Alert 3 at http://www.ea.com/redalert/main.jsp . A Beta key is offered inside the pack of Command and Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath PC Edition Expansion Pack.

According to the Official Red Alert 3 website, three factions will be featured in the game. The three factions are the Allies (NATO), Soviets (U.S.S.R.), and the Empire of the Rising Sun (Imperial Japan). The new game will also feature old units from the previous red alert games such as Tesla Tanks, Kirov Airships, and dolphins.

[edit] References