Command & Conquer™ Red Alert™ 3

Command & Conquer™ Red Alert™ 3

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How to play Command & Conquer Red Alert 3™ Online
By [CW]Super Assassin and 1 collaborators
The Official Multiplayer service for Red Alert 3 was terminated when GameSpy shutdown in 2014 however there is a community solution that allows Players to enjoy Red Alert 3 online.

This Guide will provide a step-by-step guide on how to set up Online Play using C&C:Online and features a FAQ as well as a simple common issues and solution at the end to offer a first direct step of troubleshooting potential issues.
   
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Step 1: Getting Started
Let's get us registered!

Before we get to installing anything, will we have to make an account on https://cnc-online.net/en/ which you can find HERE[cnc-online.net]
This is an Example Account and E-Mail
Activation

After you hit Register You will need to activate your account using the E-Mail that Revora has sent to your E-Mail Address.

Server Account
Once you are Activated and log back into the C&C:Online Website, you will see that the website is asking you to create a Server Account
The server account is DIFFERENT from your Website Log in credentials, please do not reuse the same password here

Once you are logged in and have created your server account, you are greeted by this
If everything worked out here, go to Step 2 if smth didn't work, please check the table below.

Issues that you may have encountered in Step 1 and their solutions

I'm not getting a verification email, and I am confident that I have checked my Spam folder and Junk folder
A: As of 2nd of October 2024 C&C:Online is undergoing a rework which can lead to issues with the registration and activation system should you have not gotten an Activation E-Mail try to manually resend your activation HERE[cnc-online.net] Should that not work please join our discord[discord.com] and message the Bot EvilToxic the bot will take care of your problem.

I clicked my Activation email and got HTTP ERR 500 or "The Activation failed" or the account still seems to be not activated even after clicking the link.
A: try to manually resend your activation HERE[cnc-online.net]Should that not work please join our discord[discord.com] and message the Bot EvilToxic the bot will take care of your problem
Step 2: Download and Setup C&C:Online [Launcher]
Now that we made our C&C:Online account and created our server log in, we are Ready to set up Tacitus

Let's get it Downloaded
Since you are still logged into the C&C:Online Website, head to the Download[cnc-online.net] page and click the Download Button


Should the Download link not open/be blocked by your browser copy the link and open it in a incognito tab

The Setup
You now have the file CCO_TacitusInstaller_v1.exe on your system.
We are now going to through the Setup together, so we start with double-clicking the file CCO_TacitusInstaller_v1.exe.

Following is a Step by Step on the entire Set Up process if you want to skip it you are free to do so

After double-clicking the installer and clicking "next" you will be greeted by this window here


Here you can read the License agreement and accept it or deny it (denying it will not allow you to continue with the installation).
Then you are going to click the button "next"


You are now seeing the installation selection screen where you can specify what games you want to apply Tacitus to.

The games will have to be run at least once before tacitus can actually see them this will be changed in the next update


Should UAC [User Account Control] ask you if you want to allow C&C:Online to make changes to your System, click "Allow/Yes"

Now you will see the installer report first this



Everything's Installed, and we are good to go

Tacitus does not have a icon your desktop, your start menu folder or a .exe in your game.
It is directly baked into your game and you can just launch your game from steam and follow the steps on how to connect in this guide.
Step 3: Time to get Online!
Now that we have everything set up and working so far, let's get ourselves into the game and into the action.

Logging into Red Alert 3 Online
Assuming that everything until now has worked, and your game is running, and you are seeing the beautiful main menu of Red Alert 3.

Go and click on the big old Multiplayer and then Online Buttons


Once you are in the online window, you are going to log in with the Server Account you created earlier and enter it in the fields.


Important to know is that Your Online ID is a Nickname you can have 16 of those, and they do not have to match your login or display name.
should you want to manage your profiles/Online IDs, you can do so here][cnc-online.net]

If everything worked out you will now see this:
From here you will navigate to Custom match and are able to join public hosted games and lobbies!!

Should everything be working and you are able to join lobbies and play RA3 can you now go to Step 4: Optional Content to get to community Standards. Should you have any connection issues or issues with online play please consult our Support staff on our Discord[discord.com]
Step 4: Additional content
Before we get into the Additional Content, we would like to thank the creator of this Guide

It has helped a lot of people to get online and we apricate everyone who has helped others over the years. Thank you everyone for everything you have done to help others get online.
Best Regards C&C online team


The Red alert 3 Community,
has made a lot of fixes for the game.
Some of these fixes have been made into a map pack known as
1.12.6

This map pack is both fixing visual bugs and game breaking bugs. While the community is still in development for 1.12.8 with even more fixes, its not out yet. That will be added here when that day comes so, check back here every now and then to see if it has happened.

You can read about the 1.12.6 fixes and find the download link here: Download 1.12.6[www.gamereplays.org]

1.12.6 is really easy to install. You simply download the exe program, run the program and let it place it self correctly. Once its done installing you are done.

NOTE: 1.12.6 CANNOT BE TRANSFERED INGAME, EVERY PLAYER HAS TO MANUALLY DOWNLOAD THIS.
14 Comments
Rivex 22 Oct @ 5:14pm 
Thank you!:)
Made In Heaven 25 Aug @ 3:49am 
Thank you!
[CW]Super Assassin  [author] 5 Aug @ 1:39pm 
Guide has been updated.
[CW]Super Assassin  [author] 5 Aug @ 1:37pm 
Yes it does
Black Michelin Man 5 Aug @ 5:19am 
does the online work for the campaingn mode to?
[CW]Super Assassin  [author] 28 Jul @ 3:29am 
yeah, during the change to the new system, we forgot to fix it so that it would not be detected as a "virus" Its a false posetive, hoever windows might (your web broswer) might still hate it,

go to the cnc online discord for tech support. (discord link can be found on the website) :)
Porkachu 27 Jul @ 7:01pm 
the installer keeps being blocked even when opened in incognito mode
Takitak421 13 Jun @ 4:48pm 
I created today just in case some needs it.
[CW]Super Assassin  [author] 9 Jun @ 4:04am 
it no longer has a launcher, the guide needs to be updated. our staff team is working on all the new guides currently and this guide is on the to do list. however it may still take a bit of time. So please standby :)
Booki 9 Jun @ 3:40am 
Metal Mario - Mine doesn't install either