Mpmodes.ini

Flag:	Mpmodes.ini
File(s):	rules(md).ini
Values:	ERROR – No value types set! Please edit this page and fix the Flag template!
This entry was copied from DeeZire's Red Alert 2 and Yuris Revenge INI Editing Guide for the sake of completeness. As it is not our intention to rip off DeeZire's work, this article is subject to a re-write and update with the latest community knowledge. For further information, please read Inclusion of The Guide.

This file is used to define the Multiplayer Game modes, and refers to other INI files each of which is specific to a game mode. Each section in this file takes the form of a list comprising of the game modes which are available to play when that game mode is selected in the game. Note that [ManBattle],[Unholy],[Siege]and [Cooperative] are hard-coded to be available only on LAN and Internet games. This used to be the case with [FreeForAll], however the 1.004 patch made this available in Skirmish mode games.

Note that the numbering of each list when considered across all sections constitutes the numbering of the whole list of available multiplayer game modes. For this reason, numbers should not be duplicated, as this will cause internal errors. To add new game modes, you should add a new entry with a new number to the [Battle] section which will make it available whether or not users are online.

Each entry in the list within each section takes the following format;-

modeID=Name, rulesOverride, mapFilter, randomMapsAllowed

modeID is the game mode number used to form the internal table of total available game modes. You should not duplicate numbers as each game mode should have its own unique numerical identifier.

Name is the name of the game mode contained in the RA2.CSF file and is used to display the game mode name on screen in the menu's. By convention, this is GUI:name (the name of the game mode) and STT:name (a brief description of the game mode).

rulesOverride is the name of the INI file used for this game mode. See below for more details. You should also add the .INI extension to the filename or it may not be read properly.

mapFilter is the name used to determine which maps are available to be used in this game mode. This can be used, for example, to ensure that only maps with a high content of water are used in Naval War. If you make a new game mode and only want specific maps to be used in that game mode, define a new name and insert it here. Refer to the MISSIONS.PKT guide for more details of the map filter.

randomMapsAllowed can be set to 'true' or 'false' and determines whether or not the Random Map Generator can be used to produce maps for use in this game mode. Again, this can be useful to disable the Random Map Generator in game modes such as Naval War as random maps may not produce enough water, or regions accessible by water, to make the game mode useful.

NOTE: The [Siege] entry is obsolete, it has not been substantiated whether or not this game mode can be made to work, although it can only be used on LAN or Internet games. In this mode, one player is designated the 'Defender' and starts at the first map waypoint with a Construction Yard. The other players are allocated as being 'Attackers' and start at the remaining waypoints with MCVs as usual. The defender cannot ally with any other player (although Attackers can, and all Attackers begin the game allied and unable to change alliances). The idea is for the Attackers to defeat the Defender or vice versa. You can enable this mode by deleting the comments ( ; ) and giving the mode a new number. Note also the spelling mistake which means the rulesOverride INI file does not get read - it states MPSeige.INI when it should in fact be MPSiege.INI which is in the game files. If you enable this mode, you must also add several string entries to the .CSF files to support it;-

MP:AttackerTeam	should contain a string such as 'Attacker'

MP:DefenderTeam	should contain a string such as 'Defender'

MP:IllegalTeam		should contain a string such as 'That team is not allowed!'

MP:NoAttackers	should contain a string such as 'No Attackers?'

MP:NoDefender		should contain a string such as 'No Defender?'

MP:OnlyOneBesieged	should contain a string such as 'Not enough attackers!'

Rules Override INI Files

As detailed above, each game mode needs to have its own file which is used to override the settings in the RULES file for games played when in that game mode only. Virtually any statement can be added from the RULES file, although the [MultiplayerDialogSettings] section is used most often to tailor the game mode. The value of rulesOverride in each game mode list entry should correspond to the name of the INI file for that game mode.

Note that the AlliesAllowed= statement appears to have some other significance when included in a RULES file override file, although this use has not been exactly determined. Setting it to 'yes' or 'no' appears to have no effect and does not override the RULES file setting.

Note also that the WonlineTournamentAllowed= and (YR)MustAlly= statements are not parsed in the RULES file but are parsed when included in a RULES override file for a game mode. WonlineTournamentAllowed= can be set to 'yes' or 'no' and determines if this game mode can be used for official Westwood Tournament games when used on Westwood Online. MustAlly= can be set to 'yes' or 'no' and determines whether or not players must ally in this game mode.