Command conquer generals hidden unused series#
In a break from other entries in the series – set in either the serious Tiberian timeline or the campier, alternate history of Red Alert – the game takes place in a near-future universe not unlike our own, more specifically involving a War on Terror gone wrong. In a time when 3D’s become the RTS norm, it’s also helped in making Generals stand out from the crowd while dated now and with the somewhat blocky models betraying the game’s age, at its highest settings the visuals can still manage to impress over a decade on.Īnother distinctive aspect is the premise. Combined with dynamic lighting and copious visual effects, it’s a significant leap from the sprite-laden battlefields of Red Alert 2. In addition, there’s a solid sense of weight and physicality to everything on screen, which isn’t entirely cosmetic either SAGE allows for environmental effects going beyond trees falling or catching fire, like towers crashing on top of, and even destroying nearby structures and units. Buildings, units and vehicles alike show considerable amounts of textures and detail on them, down to the wear-and-tear.
Utilizing SAGE – an engine originally developed by Westwood and further refined by EALA – the game not only brings the franchise officially into 3D, but also tries hard in giving a good impression, and it shows. The most immediate change in Command and Conquer Generals is the graphics. But it raises some questions: just why did Generals remain popular even as the future of the Command and Conquer franchise itself remains in limbo? It’s also come to be seen by the fandom at large as a solid entry in its own right, much of its gameplay influencing later works in the series for good and ill. Not only does it have both a stable online community and multiplayer scene, but to this day continues to receive support through myriad fanmade mods. Over time however, Generals proved itself to be remarkably resilient. Combined with the backlash involving the “ripped from the headlines” overtones, given the then-recent zeitgeist of 9/11, it’s unsurprising then how it soon came to be seen as something of a black sheep in the distinguished franchise. Even those who disagreed generally acknowledged that it’s in some respects a major departure from earlier entries, most notably including its doing away with the FMV cutscenes. A recurring comment at the time was some variation of the same refrain: that it’s Command and Conquer in name only, if not outright underserving of the title. The controversy didn’t end with the censors, not when the game itself had a mixed response from the fandom, to put lightly. Around the same time, it was placed under Germany’s “List of Media Harmful to Young People” for to how it purportedly glorified war and allowed the killing of civilians this prompted EA to release a heavily edited version akin to the infamous Probotector rendition of Contra. But it also gained notoriety, being banned in China due to the perceived heavy-handed depiction of the Chinese faction as well as certain events shown in the campaign, such as a nuclear terror attack at Tiananmen Square right from the onset. When it came out in 2003, it garnered a mostly positive reception from reviewers. It took the series firmly into 3D while bringing in various additions and changes to the established RTS formula. That game was Command and Conquer: Generals. Thus the next entry in the franchise, which had already been in development following Red Alert 2: Yuri’s Revenge, would be finished and released under what was in effect new management. Other former employees meanwhile, particularly from Westwood’s LA branch, were brought under the then-newly reorganized EA Los Angeles. Several of its developers and staff went on to found indie company Petroglyph Games ( Star Wars: Empire at War, Grey Goo, 8-Bit Armies) later that year. By January 2003 however, Westwood Studios, which had until then been responsible for the series had been closed down by EA.
The series has also come to be known for many things over the years, including the recurring use of FMV cutscenes, military themes, campy presentation (in the case of the Red Alert games) and RTS conventions still used to this day. From its origins in 1995 it boasts multiple sequels, spin-offs and a loyal fanbase that persists to this day.
Command and Conquer is considered to be among the definitive franchises of the real time strategy genre.
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