View source for Creating a One-Click-Installer LAN version of Yuri's Revenge

This tutorial describes the necessary steps to create a One-Click-Installer version of Yuri's Revenge which is intended for LAN play on modern computers running e.g. Windows 7 and lacking IPX support therefore. This document assumes you're using the english version of the game. This is a fist working draft, but it can be improved on several points. feel free to contribute.
==Putting together the original game files==
* Insert your Red Alert 2 disk an install the game. The serial entered during the installation will not be distributed with the final package, so you can safely use your original one. Only install the game itself, uncheck all other options like Westwood Shared Internet Components.
* Install the last official patch (1.006). It can be found [http://ftp.games.skynet.be/pub/ftp.westwood.com/redalert2/update/RA21006EN.EXE here].
* Copy the following files from the root of the Allied dics to the directory, where ''gamemd.exe'' is located: ''MAPS01.MIX'', ''MULTI.MIX'', ''THEME.MIX'', ''WDT.MIX'' and ''MOVIES01.MIX''.
* Copy the following files from the root of the Soviet dics to the directory, where ''gamemd.exe'' is located: ''MAPS02.MIX'' and ''MOVIES02.MIX''.
* Continue by installing the Yuri's Revenge add-on. The same rules apply.
* Apply the latest patch (1.001) which can be found [http://ftp.games.skynet.be/pub/ftp.westwood.com/redalert2/update/YURI-1001-ENGLISH.EXE here].
* Copy the following files from the root of your Yuri's revenge disc to the directory, where ''gamemd.exe'' is located: ''MAPS03MD.MIX'', ''MULTIMD.MIX'', ''THEMEMD.MIX'' and ''MOVMD03.MIX''.
==Applying community patches==
* Install [http://marshall.strategy-x.com/LaunchBase/LB_Setup.exe LaunchBase].
* Run LaunchBase, click on "Check for Updates/New Mods" in the MenuBar. Install the so-called "YR 1.002 Unofficial Mini-Patch". Start this mod from LaunchBase. Alt-Tab out of the game and '''kill''' LaunchBase from the Task'Manager. Never run it again after that! Remove it's folder.
* Include [http://www.understorm.net/downloads/ts_ra2_lanpatch_1_00.zip?attredirects=0&d=1 this] DLL in the gamemd.exe directory. It will emulate the IPX protocol ontop UDP and enable LAN play on modern systems.
* Apply cracks to both games.
* Apply [http://www.stuffhost.de/files/cnc/ this] patch which optimizes the rendering routines.
* Get [http://www.cncgames.com/downloads/smurf'sutilities.zip Smurf utilities]. '''Only''' copy ''westwood.bik'' to your gamemd.exe folder. Duplicate the file and anme it ''ea_wwlogo.bik''.
==Optional steps==
* [http://ftp.games.skynet.be/pub/ftp.westwood.com/redalert2/freemaps/ Download] and install the official mappacks to the directory where ''gamemd.exe'' is located.
<!--* [http://tx.strategy-x.com/download/download.php?id=TX_v202a Download] and install the Terrain Expansion as well as the corresponding maps from [http://tx.strategy-x.com/?p=multi here].-->
* Install the assault mappacks found [http://dc.strategy-x.com/mirrors/cgen/assaultmaps01a.zip here] and [http://dc.strategy-x.com/mirrors/cgen/assaultmaps02a.zip here].
* Include [http://blog.obelisk.ro/2010/09/resolution-fix-for-red-alert-2-yuris.html this] resolution fixer in the root directory.
* Include the "Menu Fix" executable downloadable [http://www.ppmsite.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=452153&sid=e82c7c611e7b225517dcd54b77226abe#452153 here] in the root folder, so people using Intel graphics and encountering problems can use this tool to fix them.
==Creating the installer==
* [http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page Download] and install NSIS.
* Create a plain .nis file in the directory above your Red Alert directory.
* Paste the following code in the file:
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 ;; Generate a random number using the RtlGenRandom api
 ;; P1 :out: Random number
 ;; P2 :in:  Minimum value
 ;; P3 :in:  Maximum value
 ;; min/max P2 and P3 values = -2 147 483 647 / 2 147 483 647
 ;; max range = 2 147 483 647 (31-bit)
 ;; (Taken from http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Rnd,_Rnd64)
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 !define Rnd "!insertmacro _Rnd"
 !macro _Rnd _RetVal_ _Min_ _Max_
   Push "${_Max_}"
   Push "${_Min_}"
   Call Rnd
   Pop ${_RetVal_}
 !macroend
 Function Rnd
   Exch $0  ;; Min / return value
   Exch
   Exch $1  ;; Max / random value
   Push "$3"  ;; Max - Min range
   Push "$4"  ;; random value buffer
 
   IntOp $3 $1 - $0 ;; calculate range
   IntOp $3 $3 + 1
   System::Call '*(l) i .r4'
   System::Call 'advapi32::SystemFunction036(i r4, i 4)'  ;; RtlGenRandom
   System::Call '*$4(l .r1)'
   System::Free $4
   ;; fit value within range
   System::Int64Op $1 * $3
   Pop $3
   System::Int64Op $3 / 0xFFFFFFFF
   Pop $3
   IntOp $0 $3 + $0  ;; index with minimum value
 
   Pop $4
   Pop $3
   Pop $1
   Exch $0
  FunctionEnd
 
  Section "Installer Section"
 	SetOutPath $INSTDIR
 	File /r RA2YR ;The name of your YR folder
 	${Rnd} $0 10000 99999
 	StrCpy $1 "$0"
 	${Rnd} $0 10000 99999
 	StrCpy $1 "$1$0"
 	${Rnd} $0 10000 99999
 	StrCpy $1 "$1$0"
 	${Rnd} $0 10000 99999
  	StrCpy $1 "$1$0"
 	${Rnd} $0 10 99
 	StrCpy $1 "$1$0"
 	WriteRegStr HKLM "Software\Westwood\Red Alert 2" "Serial" "$1"
 	WriteRegStr HKLM "Software\Westwood\Yuri's Revenge" "Serial" "$1"
 SectionEnd
 Page directory
 Page instfiles
 OutFile RA2YR2.exe ;Filename of the installer
* Customize the script, see comments for help.
* Compile. You're done.