Red Alert: A Path Beyond
Encyclopedia
Red Alert: A Path Beyond, (APB for short), is a total conversion modification of Command & Conquer: Renegade
, released by a small team in 2002, as Renegade Alert. Eventually, a larger team was assembled, and the team name was changed to Bluehell Productions. While it began production as a modification, it is now available as a free, standalone download with no other requirements to play. A Path Beyond has been somewhat promoted by Electronic Arts
, being the only fan project of its kind that has received this sort of support.
There are differences between the teams.
The Allies typically have lighter vehicles than the Soviets, however, their vehicles are faster and cheaper than Soviet equivalents, and they also have many support units that do not have a soviet equivalent.
The Soviets have heavy vehicles, relying on brute force. Their first tier tank is much better than the Allies' first tier tank. However, their vehicles are also more expensive, and some of the more powerful vehicles have a weakness. The first tier tank cannot fire directly behind it for example.
, including coverage at EA's booth at the Leipzig Games Convention, on the official C&C web site front page, and in EA's novel Command&Conquer TV streaming video series. Some highlights (reverse chronological):
Command & Conquer: Renegade
Command & Conquer: Renegade is a first and third person shooter video game developed by Westwood Studios and is part of the Command & Conquer series. It is the only C&C game that uses the first person view...
, released by a small team in 2002, as Renegade Alert. Eventually, a larger team was assembled, and the team name was changed to Bluehell Productions. While it began production as a modification, it is now available as a free, standalone download with no other requirements to play. A Path Beyond has been somewhat promoted by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
, being the only fan project of its kind that has received this sort of support.
Pre-Bluehell Productions
The project began under the title Renegade Alert in 2002. Agent Gibson, L3f7H4nd3d and Aircraftkiller were the original three members of the team behind Renegade Alert. After several releases with limited functionality, Agent Gibson left the team for personal reasons. L3f7H4nd3d stayed on as a consultant, and Aircraftkiller took over as lead producer of the project. Under Aircraftkiller's direction, Renegade Alert had numerous releases that included over 20 multiplayer levels, a variety of infantry and vehicles, and most of the structures from the original Red Alert. Due to troubles with W3D being a limited engine, Aircraftkiller initially had the team switch to two separate engines before settling back with W3D again for the final release as it became Red Alert: A Path Beyond. The team, known to this point as Emerald Productions, disbanded and became Bluehell Productions after the departure of Aircraftkiller in 2006.Gameplay
Red Alert: A Path Beyond (RA:APB) is a First Person Shooter game based upon Renegade. Although, there are a few differences. Using cooperation, the team (Soviets or Allies) must destroy the opposing team, while defending their own base. A tech level system is in place, that only allows certain units at certain times. In some cases, certain units are not available at all in the map. Certain buildings are in place. The most common buildings are: The Barracks (Allows Advance Infantry), The Refinery (Allows Credit Production via Ore Truck), The Ore Silo (Provides a continuous stream of credits) the War Factory (Allows vehicle Production), the Helipad (Allows Helicopters), the Power Plant (Supplies power), and the Radar Dome (Supplies Radar). Faction Specific buildings include the Soviet Tesla Coil (Provides Heavy Defense, must have power), Soviet Flame Tower (Provides Anti-Infantry and Anti-Light Vehicle support), Allied Pillbox (Provides Anti-infantry support), and the Allied Turret (Provides Anti-Vehicle support). Not all buildings will be available in all maps, certain maps have no buildings, and are Deathmatch or Capture the Tokens maps.There are differences between the teams.
The Allies typically have lighter vehicles than the Soviets, however, their vehicles are faster and cheaper than Soviet equivalents, and they also have many support units that do not have a soviet equivalent.
The Soviets have heavy vehicles, relying on brute force. Their first tier tank is much better than the Allies' first tier tank. However, their vehicles are also more expensive, and some of the more powerful vehicles have a weakness. The first tier tank cannot fire directly behind it for example.
Reception
Red Alert: A Path Beyond has been given much attention throughout its history, and has received several awards and commendations. Additionally, the project and staff have been reviewed and interviewed in a variety of electronic and print magazines, as well as C&C modding community news sites. Notably, as a result of its successes, RA:APB is possibly the first independent project of its kind to be promoted as it has been by Electronic ArtsElectronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
, including coverage at EA's booth at the Leipzig Games Convention, on the official C&C web site front page, and in EA's novel Command&Conquer TV streaming video series. Some highlights (reverse chronological):
- Mod DBMod DBPlayer's Choice*Best Indie Game: Tremulous*Best Released Mod: Point of Existence 2*Best Unreleased Mod: Black Mesa*By genre-2005:*-2004:*-2003:*-2002:*- External links :* *...
Top 100, 2009 - Mod DBMod DBPlayer's Choice*Best Indie Game: Tremulous*Best Released Mod: Point of Existence 2*Best Unreleased Mod: Black Mesa*By genre-2005:*-2004:*-2003:*-2002:*- External links :* *...
Top 100, 2008 - Listed in 1UP.com1UP.com1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
's Best Free Games of 2008 - Mod DBMod DBPlayer's Choice*Best Indie Game: Tremulous*Best Released Mod: Point of Existence 2*Best Unreleased Mod: Black Mesa*By genre-2005:*-2004:*-2003:*-2002:*- External links :* *...
2007 Indie Game Of The Year Second Place - Mod DBMod DBPlayer's Choice*Best Indie Game: Tremulous*Best Released Mod: Point of Existence 2*Best Unreleased Mod: Black Mesa*By genre-2005:*-2004:*-2003:*-2002:*- External links :* *...
Top 100, 2007 - Featured in Games for Windows: The Official MagazineGames for Windows: The Official MagazineGames for Windows: The Official Magazine was a monthly computer game magazine published by Ziff Davis Media, licensing the Games for Windows brand from Microsoft Corporation. It was the successor to Computer Gaming World. The first issue was released in November 2006...
issue in January, 2008 - PC GamerPC GamerPC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
Mod Of the Month in December 2007 issue - Electronic ArtsElectronic ArtsElectronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
interview with lead producer "Chronojam" - Featured in PC ZonePC ZonePC Zone was the first magazine dedicated to games for IBM-compatible personal computers to be published in the United Kingdom. Earlier PC magazines such as PC Leisure, PC Format and PC Plus had covered games but only as part of a wider remit. PC Zone was founded in 1993.The magazine was published...
issue in November, 2007 - Featured in Electronic Arts' "Command & Conquer TV" episode in October, 2007
- Featured in Game InformerGame InformerGame Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
in October, 2007 - Featured in eGames.de in September, 2007 (review and interview)
- Interviewed by Planet Command & Conquer, September 9, 2007
- 2006 Games Convention posters, video, and demo in cooperation with Electronic Arts (posters, trailers, demo)
- Mod DBMod DBPlayer's Choice*Best Indie Game: Tremulous*Best Released Mod: Point of Existence 2*Best Unreleased Mod: Black Mesa*By genre-2005:*-2004:*-2003:*-2002:*- External links :* *...
Top 100, 2006 - Mod DBMod DBPlayer's Choice*Best Indie Game: Tremulous*Best Released Mod: Point of Existence 2*Best Unreleased Mod: Black Mesa*By genre-2005:*-2004:*-2003:*-2002:*- External links :* *...
Top 100, 2005 - Mod DBMod DBPlayer's Choice*Best Indie Game: Tremulous*Best Released Mod: Point of Existence 2*Best Unreleased Mod: Black Mesa*By genre-2005:*-2004:*-2003:*-2002:*- External links :* *...
Mod Of The Year, 2004 (Level Design)