OpenRA Resource Center

Description:

Race Alert

Eight-player vehicle racing on a Red Alert map for OpenRA.
Race Alert uses the ordinary Red Alert mod and runs entirely from one `.oramap` file. No C# changes, engine patches, or separate mod installation are required.

Requirements
OpenRA playtest-20261026 with the Red Alert (`ra`) mod and its normal game content installed.
The `.oramap` file for every client that needs to join the game.
A keyboard with the normal OpenRA unit-stance and Stop bindings.

Controls
Key Action
Alt + S Drive forward in the current direction.
Alt + A Steer one 45° step left.
Alt + D Steer one 45° step right.
Alt + F Brake / stop.
S (without Alt) Cycle Normal → Fast → Slow → Normal.
Select the vehicle before giving steering commands. Keys refer to the established OpenRA input mapping; customized hotkeys can change the actual bindings.
The car rotates visually when you steer, but its position may continue in the previous direction for a short distance:
Speed Drift distance after steering
Slow 0 cells
Normal 1 cell
Fast 2 cells
The 45° step, visible body orientation, and speed-dependent drift are deliberate game mechanics. Avoid replacing normal movement with AttackMove or Patrol: that causes drivers to stop to fight.
Race rules
Eight starting positions, arranged in two rows of four within the narrow road.
20 selectable Red Alert ground vehicles with their native chassis traits, including their individual speed, health, weapons, and special abilities.
12 checkpoints per lap, passed in order; visiting the finish line alone does not award a lap.
A five-second countdown, live standings, finish order, results, and respawning after a destroyed vehicle.
AI drivers prioritize racing. Armed AI vehicles can fire defensively while moving after being damaged by another racer; unarmed vehicles cannot fire.
Permanent tire/skid marks accumulate for the rest of the match, at most one per road cell and at most 1,600 total. No collision or physics impact.
Visible anti-vehicle mines discourage shortcuts; barrels line parts of the course.
All game rules are located in the map archive. No weapons or power-up pickups have been added specifically for the race.
For developers
The `.oramap` is a ZIP-compatible archive. Open a copy with a ZIP tool to inspect the source files. Important files:
File Purpose
`race_alert.lua` Input, drift, AI drivers, damage response, scoring, respawns, tire-mark placement.
`rules.yaml` Local actor definitions, lobby menus, racing traits, speed multipliers, weapons/defense gating.
`map.yaml` Players, scenery, mines, barrels, start/finish markers, sprite sequences.
`map.bin` Terrain cells; edit through OpenRA's map editor rather than as text.
`map.ftl` English lobby text, vehicle names, and other localized labels.
`race-roll-*.shp`, `race-skid-*.shp` Native Red Alert-compatible tire-track sprites.
`DEVELOPMENT.md` Architecture, state, settings, file relationships, and safe editing instructions.
`TESTING.md` Validation checklist and common failures.
For an easy edit/build workflow, use the accompanying Developer Source ZIP. Edit its smaller `source/lua/`, `source/rules/`, and `source/map/` files rather than the generated runtime text files in `map/`. Run `python tools/build_map.py --output RaceAlert_Dev.oramap` to regenerate and package a single playable map.
Start here: `DEVELOPMENT.md`. Make one small change at a time in the editable source fragments, rebuild, then test in OpenRA. See `TESTING.md` before distributing a new build.