<br><a href='Frigid%20Triangle%20NightOps/thumb_Frigid%20Triangle%20NightOps.jpg'>Download thumbnail picture (jpg)</a><br>---------------------------------<br><xmp>Frigid Triangle NightOps
..a multiplayer map for Red Alert 2


Contents
  1. Map Information
  2. Map Description
  3. Requirements
  4. Install & Run
  5. Modifications
  6. Known Bugs
  7. Other RA2/YR Maps by the Author
  8. MapEditing Notes
  9. Credits
 10. Disclaimer
 11. Legal




===1. Map Information===
*Author: Cannis
*Map Name: Frigid Triangle NightOps
*Game Supported: Red Alert 2
*Players: 2-3
*Size: 88x92
*Theater: Snow
*Resources: Very plentiful
*Format: .MPR
*File Size: 174Kb
*Online Transfer: Enabled
*Editor Used: Final Alert 2 v1.00
*Map Release Date: 10/20/01




===2. Map Description===
Identical to Frigid Triangle, the first map in this series, except for night lighting and - this is cool - theatrical lightning effects! Nearby gems and derricks get your economy in full swing right away. Ground war, air war, and naval war all work well. Layout and terrain offer several strategic opportunities.

Tips: Defense of the ore fields on the high ground is the key to surviving prolonged conflict. Repair bridges when you're ready to make your move.




===3. Requirements===
You need to have Red Alert 2 installed and patched up to at least v1.005 to play this map. If an earlier version of the game is used, player starting positions may be randomized yielding unexpected results.




===4. Install & Run===
*Included files:
frigid_triangle_nightops.mpr (the map)
frigid_triangle_nightops_RA2.gif (preview image)
frigid_triangle_nightops_RA2.txt (this file)

Place frigid_triangle_nightops.mpr in your \RA2\ directory. Start RA2, and the map should appear on the map list. Standard, meatgrind, navalwar, nukewar, and airwar game modes are supported.




===5. Modifications===
-Mirage Tanks imitate more and different trees.

-Paradrop planes are over 60% more durable, making success at reaching southern targets more reliable (this will only affect countries with their own paradrops, ie America).

-Ice bridge map cells are flagged as no-build zones, since IMO it looks silly to build structures on them. This also serves to prevent building anything but defense structures adjacent to oil derricks.

-Unit lighting tweaked for best visual appearance.




===6. Known Bugs===
-Vehicles which carry other units (like flak tracks) cannot unload on ice bridges. This is a side effect of the above-mentioned mod.

-AI will probably build shipyards but may not build navies, particularly in quick games. This seems to be a weakness in the game's AI rather than a fault with the map.




===7. Other RA2/YR Maps by the Author===
(as of the date of this release)
[Multiplayer/Skirmish]
	Frigid Triangle Blackout (YR)
	Frigid Triangle (RA2 & YR)
	OutGrowth (RA2)
	City Fights Back (RA2)
	City Under Siege (RA2)
	Switchback Ravine (RA2)
	Switchback Ridge (RA2)
	Collision Course (RA2)
	ROCK YOU! (RA2)
	Freeze-Out (RA2)
	OverExtended (RA2)
	Gem Pit (RA2)
	Jungle Warfare (RA2)
	Inversion (RA2)
	Moonlit Bay (RA2)




===8. MapEditing Notes===
'Frigid Triangle' (the first map in this series) was used as a base for this 'Frigid Triangle NightOps', so my comments about 'Frigid Triangle' apply here also. This particular map adds night-time lighting, carefully set so you get the feeling of night operations while still being able to actually see the units. But the most significant feature is the theatrical lightning effects. I didn't want weather storms which annoyingly throw your radar offline and destroy your units. Instead I wanted lighting flashes to go along with the thunder sounds often heard in maps. To this end I made use of Wildefire's pioneering work in ambient light change triggers (see her 'Day/Night Lighting Transitions' tutorial on RADEN). Where her original work focused on gradual light transitions, I was after sudden, abrupt changes, which presented new problems.

Default light behavior prevents large changes in light values at one time - it breaks them into discrete steps. Increasing 'AmbientChangeStep' allowed for greater changes at once. The game also tries to inhibit light from changing too many times too quickly - so a reduction in 'AmbientChangeRate' was called for to hasten these routines. I was concerned that changing these settings would adversely impact performance. My fears were unfounded - changes to 'AmbientChangeRate' appear to have no effect on performance, while increasing (*not* decreasing) 'AmbientChangeStep' appears to actually *improve* performance. For example, you should notice less laggy Desolator radiation effects.

Since the human brain is designed to recognize visual patterns, there are 3 different light flash sequences so the player should't notice any repetition. The 3 different sequences play randomly (see my 'Randomizing Trigger Actions' tutorial on RADEN).

As a final tweak, unit lighting was reduced so they wouldn't outglow their environment. This was only necessary because snow theaters are rather unique where lighting is concerned.

INI changes affect the Mirage Tank, Paradrop Plane, unit lighting, ambient light rates, Beach Towels (you won't see these in the game), and the distance the AI can build Naval Yards from their Conyards. All INI changes are documented below.

[AudioVisual]
ExtraUnitLight=.15 ; reduces how much vehicles glow, was .2
ExtraAircraftLight=.15 ; reduces how much aircraft glow, was .2
ExtraInfantryLight=.15 ; reduces how much infantry glows, was .2
AmbientChangeRate=.01 ; speeds up light transition timing, was .2
AmbientChangeStep=.8 ; increases amount light changes in a single step, was .2

[CAMSC04] ; Beach Towels - a hack to flag ice bridge cells as no-build zones
Immune=yes
InvisibleInGame=yes

[General]
AINavalYardAdjacency=22 ; Let AI build shipyards slightly further away, was 20
DefaultMirageDisguises=TREE22,TREE23,TREE24,TREE25,TREE26,TREE27 ; Mirage Tanks mimic trees actually on the map

[PDPLANE] ; Paradrop Plane
Strength=650 ; make stronger, was 400 (only benefits countries which already have their own paradrops, ie USA)




===9. Credits===
-Wildefire for several suggestions which improved the overall 'night time' feeling of the map, and of course, for her work on 'change ambient light' triggers!!

-Additionally, I'd like to thank the playtesters of 'Frigid Triangle', which served as the base for this map:
	Wildefire
	McSpivey
	duffsca
	lakerfan
	TINYgiant
	Volrath__Lord_of_Rath
	appokares
	
-Silverfox for a quick and dirty way to get red dots marking the player start positions on the map preview.

-Westwood for a great game.

-Matze for a great editor - Final Alert 2.




===10. Disclaimer===
The author does not make any warranties regarding the files in this archive. Users assume responsibility for the results 
achieved for computer program use and should verify applicability and accuracy.




===11. Legal===
This Red Alert 2 map 'Frigid Triangle NightOps' is (c) 2001 by Tony Ferrara.
You MAY NOT include this map as part of any sort of commercial or promotional product without my permission.
You MAY distribute this map through any other means, provided it is offered free of charge.
If offered from a WWW or FTP site or similar, this .txt file (unaltered) must be included.
Please do not use this map as a base for other maps.


I hope you like the map!
-Cannis Rabidus 10/20/2001
http://www.cannis.net/cannis/

This readme file altered 1/7/2002 to update the above website URL.</xmp><br><a href='Frigid%20Triangle%20NightOps/frigidno.map'>Download this map (official, non-transferrable)</a><br>---------------------------------<br><br><a href='/Red Alert 2/Fan-made/getmap.php?mpr=Frigid%20Triangle%20NightOps/frigidno.map'>Download this map (non-official, in-game transferrable)</a><br>---------------------------------<br><br><a href='Frigid%20Triangle%20NightOps/Frigid%20Triangle%20NightOps.jpg'>Download fullmap picture (jpg)</a><br>---------------------------------<br>