Command Line Arguments, All possible arguments that the games accepts... Options

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Introduction

In this topic, you will find all the command line arguments that are valid and parsed by the games executables. A command line argument is something you amend to a shortcut to activate special code in the executable, this is normally testing and debug features that where used during game development, but some are of high use to the players and modders.


Sun.exe

Argument: GrabPatches
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" GrabPatches
Description:
The installation application for Tiberian Sun places in the start menu a shortcut for the "Auto-Update" feature, which by default had this parameter in it. The command line was, as explained above, used for updating Tiberian Sun.


Game.exe

Argument: -16
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -16
Description:
Forces the game to run in 16 bit colour depth. Even though the game runs in 16 bit colour depth by default, it is believed that this was for forcing the game to run in 16 bit colour depth when using -Win, as -Win wants the game to run in 16 bit colour depth, this can cause problems when running 24 bit colour depth or higher. This no longer has any effect on the game. Here is the dialog that appears when running a 24 bit colour depth or higher and using -16...




Argument: -480
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -480
Description:
This command line argument forces the game to run with a screen height of 480 pixels, no matter what screen height is entered on the ScreenHeight flag in the Sun.ini file. Though this does not modify the screen width.

Argument: -X
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -X
Description:
This command line argument is used to force the game to run code that is compiled at the patch number 1.19 and above. This is a left over from Command & Conquer and was used to ensure online users used the same game version. It is obsolete and has no effect on Tiberian Sun.

Argument: -0
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -0
Description:
This command line argument is used to force the game to run code that is compiled at the patch number 1.07, any newer code will be ignored. This is a left over from Command & Conquer and was used to ensure online users used the same game version. It is obsolete and has no effect on Tiberian Sun.

Argument: -[Screen Width]x[Screen Height]
Syntax: -XXXxXXX
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -1024x768
Description:
This command line argument is very handy, especially if you use -Win. It forces the game to use the specified resolution eather side of the X value, no matter what is set in the Sun.ini. It highly recommend you use this only along side -Win and do not set the width value and the height value any higher than your current resolution.

Argument: -ATTRACT
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -ATTRACT
Description:
It is unknown what this command line argument does.

Argument: -MESSAGES
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -MESSAGES
Description:
This command line argument allows the game to receive messages from outside of the game from another source. It is not known what source this is, nor if it has a effect of the game. My guess would be WOL (Westwood Online) related and been mainly used for office games by Westwood while Tiberian Sun was in development.

Argument: -STEALTH
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -STEALTH
Description:
Tells the game to hide all Multiplayer nicknames from the game, it itself had a nickname "Boss Mode". This was most probably used in friendly tournaments by the development team at Westwood, so people like Brett Sperry could not see who was playing if he logged onto WOL (Westwood Online) or there internal server.

Argument: -MPDEBUG
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -MPDEBUG
Description:
This command line argument runs the game in Multiplayer Debug Mode. When this mode is activated, the screen resolution is forced to 640x480 and a 80 pixel high black box inserted at the bottom, this is where the Multiplayer Debug Mode statistics are written during game play. Goto the Multiplayer Debug Mode topic for more information on this command line.

Argument: -TIME=
Syntax: -TIME=XX, 0 to 32767
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -TIME=40
Description:
It is unknown what this command line argument does.

Argument: -SOCKET
Syntax: -SOCKETXXXXX, 0 to 16383
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -SOCKET12830
Description:
This command line argument is used to set or override the socket number value found in the Sun.ini. There is really no need to use this, and it is not recommend, as you can easily set this up in the in game options at the network setup dialog.

Argument: -DESTNET
Syntax: -DESTNETXX.XX.XX.XX
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -DESTNET12.34.CD.EF
Description:
This command line argument is used to set or override the destination network value found in the Sun.ini. There is really no need to use this, and it is not recommend, as you can easily set this up in the in game options at the network setup dialog.

Argument: -H
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -H
Description:
This command line argument is supposed to query the games help file (.HLP). Its code is linked to the loading of the Name key in General of the RulesClass, so it is possible this feature was again, a debug or development feature that is now obsolete.

Argument: -?
Example: "C:\Westwood\Sun\Game.exe" -?
Description:
This command line argument is supposed to show a small dialog with the common command line arguments, most likely ones used by the development team. Its code still remains in the executable, but seems to have no effect on the game. Here is a mock up of what it would look like...



This post has been edited by TSHyper: Nov 3 2007, 02:15 AM

[jadems]

I run TS throguht game.exe. You mean I could've had better colour all that time!?!