How to get Rules.ini working in C&C Red Alert Remastered?

[Mabus2016]

Hi all,

I have the Rules.ini file necessary to mod C&C Red Alert Remastered and have put it in the correct directory, but it does not seem to work in game.

I've read that the same Rules.ini that works on the original RA1 game should work on Remastered. However, Remastered doesn't seem to recognise the mod at all.

Has anyone else managed to get their Rules.ini mods working in C&C Remastered? If so, how did you achieve this?

Thanks,

Brett

[Nyerguds · Accepted solution]

@Mabus2016 

What do you think is "the correct directory"?

I looked around a bit and apparently it should work from the game installation folder, though a more elegant solution is probably to make it follow the modding rules and put it in the CnCRemastered folder under your windows Documents folder.

The full file structure is explained here:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/C-C-Remastered-Collection/What-Filetype-do-MOD-s-use/m-p/9210315/highlight...

Basically, it should be under

C:\Users\(YOUR USERNAME)\Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Red_Alert\

In there, make a folder for your mod. Can be any name you want. for the sake of simplicity, in this example, I'll call it "RulesMod". In that new folder you place the ccmod.json text file containing the information for your mod; mod name, author, game type etc. See the link above for the exact structure. For a rules.ini mod, since rules.ini is a core data file affecting the entire game, and not just a single replaced/added asset, you should probably put "load_order" to 1.

In the mod folder, make a folder called "ccdata". This is a special folder that's reserved for adding files from the original game. In there, place your rules.ini file.

So, overview:

Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Red_Alert\RulesMod\

Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Red_Alert\RulesMod\ccmod.json

Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Red_Alert\RulesMod\ccdata\

Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Red_Alert\RulesMod\ccdata\rules.ini

With these files present, you should see the mod pop up in your mods list inside the game, where you can enable it.

Note that if you're doing things that require new art assets (like making previously unbuildable things buildable) you may need to dig into the xml files from the GlyphX side of the game engine. I don't really know a lot about that, except that pretty much nothing in the user interface actually looks at the old game files.

[Nyerguds · Accepted solution]

@Mabus2016 

What do you think is "the correct directory"?

I looked around a bit and apparently it should work from the game installation folder, though a more elegant solution is probably to make it follow the modding rules and put it in the CnCRemastered folder under your windows Documents folder.

The full file structure is explained here:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/C-C-Remastered-Collection/What-Filetype-do-MOD-s-use/m-p/9210315/highlight...

Basically, it should be under

C:\Users\(YOUR USERNAME)\Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Red_Alert\

In there, make a folder for your mod. Can be any name you want. for the sake of simplicity, in this example, I'll call it "RulesMod". In that new folder you place the ccmod.json text file containing the information for your mod; mod name, author, game type etc. See the link above for the exact structure. For a rules.ini mod, since rules.ini is a core data file affecting the entire game, and not just a single replaced/added asset, you should probably put "load_order" to 1.

In the mod folder, make a folder called "ccdata". This is a special folder that's reserved for adding files from the original game. In there, place your rules.ini file.

So, overview:

Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Red_Alert\RulesMod\

Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Red_Alert\RulesMod\ccmod.json

Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Red_Alert\RulesMod\ccdata\

Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Red_Alert\RulesMod\ccdata\rules.ini

With these files present, you should see the mod pop up in your mods list inside the game, where you can enable it.

Note that if you're doing things that require new art assets (like making previously unbuildable things buildable) you may need to dig into the xml files from the GlyphX side of the game engine. I don't really know a lot about that, except that pretty much nothing in the user interface actually looks at the old game files.

[Mabus2016]

Hi Nyerguds,

Thank you for getting back to me.

Yes, it was the Windows Documents directory I placed the mod in. I had already taken a leaf from another user (ThaneWulfgharn) who had explained how to use their own mod (RA realistic colors mod). This user went by the same process to make his own mod appear in the mods list in game, and this particular mod appears as it should and works fine. 

However, I'm still having no luck with the Rules.ini mod.

I've followed those steps you kindly provided but I am still not seeing it appear in the mods window in game.

You mentioned that the ccmod file is a plan text file. In ThaneWulfgharn's mod folder it does not appear as a .txt file but is an encoded JSON file type. Should this make a difference? (FYI, I've tried both ways, leaving it is plain .txt and also changing the encoding to ASMI to create the JSON file type, to no avail).

I'm just trying to use the process of elimination at this point because I've followed each step and still having no luck.

[Mabus2016]

Hi Nyerguds,

Just letting you know the issue has now been resolved. Thank you for your help, I really appreciate you putting aside the time to explain the process.

[Nyerguds]

@Mabus2016 

Ah, glad you figured it out.

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You mentioned that the ccmod file is a plan text file. In ThaneWulfgharn's mod folder it does not appear as a .txt file but is an encoded JSON file type. Should this make a difference?

---

It's just the file name, really. Json files are plain text internally; the different file extension just indicates that they have data inside that follows that specific { } brackets hierarchy structure. Just like .ini files have headers between square brackets with data in "key=value" format below them.

Do make sure you disable the "hide file extensions for known file types" option in Windows, or renaming it will actually end up with a ccmod.json.txt file.

Small note on the use of Answer HQ: if you use the "@name" notation to mention me I'll get an email notification about the reply, making easier for me to notice you responded.

[Achilles137AB2]

Us ppl of the future would appreciate you sharing what the fix is lol.

[Nyerguds]

@Achilles137AB2 

Probably just "follow the tutorial to the letter, and don't forget some steps".

But if you have specific questions, feel free to ask.