Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge -- Time Study
FAQ being updated and maintained by Jason Heyes (geoffhys@optusnet.com.au)
FAQ originally written by PyroFalkon (pyrofalkon@hotmail.com)
Version 3.0
===
--REVISION HISTORY--
30 November 2001 (v3.0) - Third release by Jason Heyes.
10 November 2001 (v2.0) - Second release by Jason Heyes.
03 November 2000 (v1.0) - First release by PyroFalkon.
===
--OPENING BLURB BY PYROFALKON--
I've written two semi-popular time studies already (one on Age of Empires II,
and one on its expansion pack). To continue the tradition, I've decided to make
one for my newest love, Red Alert 2.
This FAQ has little fat, and a lot of meat. There's no review, no fluff talk
aside from this section and my disclaimer. I give you the info you need, and
that's that.
I assure you that this time study can't and won't help you if you're a newbie.
Check out NVarkovsky's fantastic FAQ for detailed info on missions and units if
you're starting out. This FAQ is for the vets, especially those who frequently
ally. Using this, you can accurately give your allies information on how long
it'll take before you ready your army, or navy, or whatever.
I won't go into the tech tree or what the units do. I'm going to assume you
know the game well enough that you don't need to question "what's this?" every
line.
===
--THE NEW WRITER--
I'm not as interested in Red Alert 2, or PC games as a whole, as I once was.
This FAQ was never updated in over a full year, which is simply something that
should not happen. As such, I'm turning the FAQ over to Jason Heyes. You'll
still be able to get it from my website and any other website that you've been
able to get it from before; I simply won't be updating it or answering
questions on it. Everything from the end of this section are his words and
timings, not mine.
My thanks go to everyone who wrote me an e-mail complementing or condemning me
for writing this; and my thanks go to everyone who read it, whether they wrote
me or not.
Okay, enough talk. Take it, Jason.
===
===
(OPENING SECTION)
The first and second versions of this FAQ were written for Red Alert 2.
The current version (v3.0) of this FAQ is written for the Red Alert 2
expansion pack entitled: Yuri's Revenge. However, Red Alert 2 players
will still find this FAQ useful.
The following study is intended for the elite class of commanders. To
the average novice the information presented here will have little
bearing. The purpose of the study is to help experienced commanders
broaden their strategic vocabulary so as to give them an edge, a
slight advantage over their human opponents. However, less experienced
players might find it enjoyable trying more advanced subjects.
===
-------------------------------
--Time as a Strategic Element--
-------------------------------
Strategically, time can be used to our advantage by gaining knowledge
about duration in Yuri's Revenge (YR). When we get familiar with the
duration of events in YR (like base construction for example) we will
be better prepared to handle the events which follow. When we are
better prepared, we are better players.
The table in the next section shows the build-times for every unit and
structure in YR. By looking at that table you will be making the first
steps to understanding how time can be on your side.
----------------------
--Build-Times for YR--
----------------------
Special
-------
American Paratroopers ------- 240 seconds
British Snipers ($600) ------ 24
Cuban Terrorists ($200) ----- 8
French Grand Cannons ($2000) 80
German Tank Destroyers ($900) 36
Iraqi Desolators ($600) ----- 24
Korean Black Eagles ($1200) - 48
Libyan Demo Trucks ($1500) -- 60
Russian Tesla Tanks ($1200) - 48
---
Notes:
* When you build a soviet industrial plant the price for every vehicle
decreases by 25%, so does the build-time.
* The build-time of a unit decreases by 25% for every additional building
constructing that unit.
* The slave miner can be built out of two different production categories.
When built out of the structures category it takes as long as the allied
and soviet ore refineries. When built out of the vehicles category it
takes as long as the allied and soviet miners.
* (Important) The build-times in the table are measured in game seconds,
not real seconds. To understand the difference please read the next section.
----------------------------
--The Nature of Time in YR-- (Optional)
----------------------------
The game speed option in YR allows us to change how fast things
build and how fast the game runs. When you change the game speed you
are altering the "speed of time" in the game. If you put the game
speed on fastest (value of 6) everything happens in fast forward like
time were sped up. While if you put the game speed on slowest (value
of 0) everything happens in slow motion as if time were slowed down.
However if you put the game speed somewhere in between, things will
move around more normally. So how fast time goes by depends on the
chosen game speed.
Another way to see how time in YR can speed up and slow down is by
watching a superweapon countdown which appears on the lower right of
the battle viewport. We can see from watching the countdown that time
speeds up and slows down as we increase or decrease the game speed
setting. If you compare your watch with the countdown you will notice
that they are usually not synchronised (they will not be ticking at
the same speed). The important thing to realise here is that your
watch indicates real seconds while the countdown in YR indicates
game seconds. Both are generally different in length.
To find out how to convert build-times into real seconds, read the
next section.
-----------------------------------
--Converting between Measurements-- (Optional)
-----------------------------------
To convert a build-time into real seconds we have to multiply it by
a special number called a conversion factor. Here are the conversion
factors for each game speed setting (0-6):
Therefore, when the game speed is on 6 (fastest), for example, we
must multiply the build-time by 0.125. The number you get from that
is the build-time converted into real seconds. Remember, if the game
speed setting changes then so does the build-time's conversion into
real seconds.
-------------------------------------------
--Some interesting Discoveries about Time--
-------------------------------------------
The superweapon countdown is like an in-game timer which we can use
to time events in YR. Through using this timer I have come up with
some useful discoveries which might be helpful.
1. It takes about 100 seconds on average for a miner to mine $1000
worth from yellow ore and about 50 seconds from multicoloured ore.
2. It takes one minute (60 seconds) for an oil derrick (tech building)
to produce $200 worth.
3. Money is spent at the rate of 25 credits/sec on every unit or
structure being built at any one time. That rate increases by 25% for
every additional building constructing a unit.
4. For most units and structures the build-time is equivalent to cost
divided by 25. Therefore a unit or structure twice as expensive as
another will probably take twice as long to build.
5. To spend out of one production category continuously throughout
battle (eg. vehicles) without falling into economic recession you need
at least 3 miners on yellow ore or 2 miners on multicoloured ore.
6. It takes 3 oil derricks to produce the same amount of credits as
one miner does on yellow ore and 6 oil derricks to produce the same
amount of credits as one miner does on multicoloured ore.
7. The cost ratio between any two units or structures tells us how
many we can buy of each for the same price.
Examples:
a) tesla tank : rhino tank = $1200 : $900 = 4 : 3
So we can build 3 tesla tanks for the price of 4 rhino tanks.
b) grizzly tank : mirage tank = $700 : $1000 = 7 : 10
So we can build 7 mirage tanks for the price of 10 grizzly tanks.
c) conscript : master mind = $100 : $1750 = 2 : 35
So we can train 35 conscripts for the price of 2 master minds.
d) terrorist : apocalypse tank = $200 : $1750 = 4 : 35
So we can train 35 terrorists for the price of 4 apocalypse tanks.
===
--CLOSING PARAGRAPH AND LEGAL STUFF--
I'm a stratagist and my email is geoffhys@optusnet.com.au. I welcome
all non-offensive e-mails. If you found a mistake, or I missed
something, or you wish to offer comments, or wish for me to elaborate
on something, e-mail me. I'm open to conversation about stuff in
general but my interests lie in games, movies, programming,
mathematics and physics. My favourite games at the moment are RA2 and
YR (of course) and ThiefI/GOLD/II. My favourite movies are
The Terminator, Predator and Taxi Driver.
This document is copyright 2001 for Jason Heyes. If you plan to use
it in part or as a whole other FAQ, you need my permission first and
you must give me credit. However, if you want to post it on a website
or e-mail it to someone, you may do so without my permission. I would
appreciate it if you drop me an e-mail telling me where you're posting
it or who you're giving it to, but you don't have to.
