Topic: Command & Conquer: Red Alert - FREE Download from EA is available!

[MysterD]

EDITED, August 31, 2008:
Red Alert has gone FREE, for its 13th Anniversary today.

If you want it, get downloading.
Split into two downloads -- Soviet and Allied downloads are both around 500 MB each

Comrades, venture back to the original Command & Conquer game that twisted history as we know it upside down with an alternate war-torn universe unlike any other. Celebrate 13 years of Command & Conquer with us and download the original Red Alert right now for free! What better way to get set for Red Alert 3 then to play the original that started it all.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE DOWNLOADING:

-This software contains support for Windows XP/98/Me/95 with installation instructions. This software is not supported by Windows Vista, however there are community driven strategies and tips available for making the software function on Vista which you can find on our various fan-sites.

-To install the software, you will need Winzip or Winrar to unrar the files. These files have also been compiled in to an ISO image. You will need to burn the ISO to a CD for the software to function or use a Virtual CD program to run the installation on your computer.

-Please do not mirror the files on your site. Please only use the download links available here.

-Please have fun

ORIGINAL POST:
For those who don't have C&C Red Alert....

C&C: Red Alert will be up online for free this weekend, to celebrate its 13th Anniversary.

Red Alert 3, c&c, ea, free, retro, news
Celebrate C&C's Birthday With Free Red Alert

This Sunday, August 31st, marks thirteen years since Command & Conquer first advanced on our position. Unlucky for some, but not for fans of RTS retro gaming.

13 years may not be a particularly landmark-ey time period (technically, the series could be celebrating its Bar Mitzvah, I suppose) but EA have decided to throw a virtual party and give away presents.

If you go to www.redalert3.com on Sunday, you can download your very own copy of the original Red Alert, absolutely free.

Obviously, this is part of a promo for Red Alert 3 and if you pre-order RE3 from the site you can get a free copy of Red Alert 2, plus some extra RE3 goodies including desktop wallpapers (featuring Atkinson, McCarthy, Hu, et al) an series retrospective and an exclusive multiplayer map.

The free-for-all starts at 12:00 AM Pacific Time

[sirean_syan]

Huh. I imagine getting it to run on modern PCs would be loads of fun.

Speaking of Red Alert, word on the streets is that RA3 isn't all that great. It seems after that expansion for C&C3 and this, the EA effect is really kicking in.

[beo]

i've been playing the RA3 beta and i'm undecided. it's got a bunch of really interesting concepts, but it feels somehow lacking. might just be a case of them ironing out gameplay issues, or me needing to get to grips with the game a bit more...

anyway - free red alert, cool! lost my disks years ago and it might be fun to play through again.

[Quemaqua]

I loaned mine to some dick who never gave them back and moved away.  Oh well.  I doubt I'd really play it much now anyway, though it could be fun to relive some old MP matches...

[Cobra951]

Huh. I imagine getting it to run on modern PCs would be loads of fun.

Wouldn't they follow DMA De . . . er, Rockstar's lead and update their old game to run on new hardware/OS?  I will check.

[idolminds]

I know GTA1 that rockstar gave out still didnt run right.

[Cobra951]

Yeah it does.  I just checked.  I don't remember doing anything special to make it happen either.  Is it supposed to crash or screw up some way?  I could never play very much of it, not with 3 and up pretty much redefining the whole thing for the better.

[Quemaqua]

I don't know about for the better.  The very first game is still far and away my favorite in general.  The redefinition really changed what it was about on a fundamental level.  Obviously redefining means redefining, but the series just provides a whole lot more now than it ever did, and the games don't compare at all in those regards.  But for the raw fun of just driving around and doing missions, for the style and the craziness, and the memorable uniqueness, the first still wins in my book.

[MysterD]

So y'all know, it's up....
So first post in thread.

[Cobra951]

I downloaded this.  1 GB in 2 RAR files, one for each game CD.  The readme explains how to install under XP.  The patch mentioned in the readme is included.  You also get 140 MB worth of promo video, duplicated.  (Same 70 MB movie in both archives.)  How nice of them to waste all that bandwidth.  The readme says it won't run under Vista as is, but that there are solutions out there.  I've yet to install this.  Castle Crashers has my attention.